Marking the start of a cultural reconstruction period as a result of a devastating earthquake, the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art opened in Kobe, Japan in 2002. The museum was designed by Tadao Ando and contained many notable features that made the museum so unique. One of the most notable features are the stairs. First, there is a spiral staircase called the Circular Terrace. This serves as the center of the structure and connects the different wings of the museum. On the outside of the building, guests will find the Large Staircase that faces the Osaka Bay where they can enjoy looking at the sunset while resting on the staircase.

There are many spots throughout the museum where the brightness and contrast is just right for guests to take photographs of their visit. This was no coincidence because Ando had this in mind when designing the building. It was his vision to utilize a variety of materials, like concrete and glass, and place them accordingly to provides the right amount of scale and tone which would enhance the experience. As a result, many guests visit the museum to appreciate the artwork and take aesthetic pictures during their visit. This is considered one of Ando’s best minimalist works.

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With the construction of the Bourse de commerce, Tadao Ando’s work now goes beyond the country of Japan and has made its way to Paris, France. Although the structure was built in the mid-1700s, French architect Francois Pinault called for the reconstruction and redesign of the building. Ando was responsible for constructing a concrete wall within the rotunda that would allow artwork to be presented for guests to see. He was essentially tasked to place an art museum within an already established building. Along with the concrete wall, Ando also built seven galleries, a large auditorium, and a restaurant on the top floor of the building. The project took three years to complete and reopened in May 2021.

Pinault wanted Ando to be the one responsible of the redesigning of the building because of Ando’s minimalist aesthetic. It was Ando’s mission to create a venue that would correlate with the Bourse de commerce and not take away the beauty from the rotunda. Since the walls of the rotunda contained art of the city’s history, it was important to Ando to ensure that his work did not interfere with the structure. As a result, none of the artwork within the rotunda was affected by Ando’s work and the project was a success in terms of showing off the magnificent artwork within the new structure.

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One of Tadao Ando’s recent projects took place nearly six years ago when he was the architect that constructed Hill of the Buddha. Located in a cemetery in Sapporo, Japan, this statue sits inside of a hill that is covered with thousands of plants. From the outside, the stone statue cannot be seen if one is standing at the bottom of the hill. Instead, guests wishing to see the statue must enter a tunnel that will lead them to the rotunda. Once the guests reach the rotunda, they are welcomed by the nearly 45-foot tall statue of the Buddha with the blue sky hovering above.

The Hill of the Buddha is one of Ando’s works that leans more on the artistic design side more so than architecture. This proves that Ando’s skills are more than just within the architectural realm. He is a visionary and is gifted when it comes to designing great pieces of work just like this one.

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Located on the island of Hokkaido in Japan, Tadao Ando was the architect behind a wedding chapel unlike any other. This venue, Chapel on the Water, lies in between nature and a resort hotel. At the entrance, guests enter a glass cube that contains four crosses, which will lead them to the staircase that connects the glass cube to the chapel. Once guests enter the chapel, they are greeted by a spectacular view of a pond surrounded by a forest with a cross placed in the middle of the pond.

Chapel on the Water is a popular venue for people from Japan to exchange their vows and say their “I do’s”. This breathtaking chapel was designed in such a way that the winter and early spring weather enhances the entire experience. Ando’s architectural style appears to strongly correlate with the scenery that surrounds the structure. The images that are taken from the venue make Chapel on the Water a desirable place for couples to get married.

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After being chosen to make our third straight College Football Playoff appearance, we traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to watch the Oklahoma Sooners compete against the LSU Tigers in the Peach Bowl. On the day of the game, we approached the stadium and I was astonished at the unique design of the exterior. Once we entered the massive stadium, we noticed many innovations that separated this stadium from other football stadiums. Instead of having a jumbotron on one end of the stadium, it was a 360 degree jumbotron that wrapped around the top of the stadium. Along with that, there is a retractable roof that opens if weather permits it to be opened. These examples of the innovative architecture that the stadium provides prove that this is one of the better modern-day stadiums in the United States today.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the home of the annual Peach Bowl game, is unlike any traditional football stadium. This indoor stadium has a unique design on the outside that looks nothing like a traditional stadium. Although the inside appears rather normal, your focus will be drawn to the jumbotron that wraps around the ceiling. Prior to Mercedes-Benz Stadium being built, this was something that has never been seen before in any sports venue. The architects did a fantastic job making sure that every fan is guaranteed a great seat because of the innovative architecture.

Overall, my experience at Mercedes-Benz Stadium was outstanding to say the least. Most of this had to do with the tremendous innovations that enhanced the fan experience. If I ever return to Atlanta, GA in the future, I will make sure to visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium once again.

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During my senior year of high school, my senior class got to take a trip to Oklahoma City to tour the Oklahoma State Capitol. I remember exiting off of I-235 and seeing the extravagant building that we were heading to. Walking up to the building made me feel as if I was in Washington D.C. about to walk in their Capitol building. I was amazed at the detailed architecture inside the building as well as the fantastic artwork throughout the State Capitol.

Like most State Capitol buildings, the architecture style is a mixture of neoclassical and renaissance architecture. Perhaps the best feature within the building is the dome that contains the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma at the top of it. On the outside, there is a figure of an American Indian man that stands on the top of the dome. I found the dome to be a unique, excellent addition to the building.

There is impressive artwork in every room throughout the entire building. Coming from someone that does not invest time looking at art, I was thoroughly impressed with the paintings that were portrayed. Each painting and sculpture had a special meaning and truly represented our great state.

My experience at the Oklahoma State Capitol was definitely a highlight of my senior year of high school. I was thrilled to have gotten to share that experience with my friends and fellow classmates. I hope that I will get to return to the State Capitol someday and have the feeling that I felt my senior year once again.

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The day is January 1st, 2017. I am in Pasadena, California. I am driving through the heavy traffic towards the San Gabriel Mountains. I get out of my truck and am surrounded by a sea of crimson walking towards the mountains. All of a sudden, I look up and see the two iconic words on the outside of the stadium: Rose Bowl. As I walk through the long tunnel to get to my seats, I feel as if I am walking in the colosseum in Rome. At the end of the tunnel, I am greeted by a bowl full of fans that are ready to watch a big football game. Everything about Rose Bowl Stadium is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life and is a place that I believe every person needs to visit at least one time in their life.

The Rose Bowl Stadium was built in the early 1920s and has served as the home of a variety of sporting events, including the annual Rose Bowl Game, Super Bowl games, and World Cup soccer games. The architecture of the stadium is a combination between the architecture styles from Greece and Rome. As stated earlier, I felt as if I was walking into the colosseum in Rome to watch gladiators fight. The walk through the tunnel almost sends you back in time to the Roman Empire.

If you have ever been to the stadium, you may notice that the stadium has not had many renovations made to it aside from implementing a jumbotron at one end of the stadium. There aren’t many additions being made to the stadium, whether it is seating, concessions, or anything that would impact the structure of the bowl. The Rose Bowl Stadium carries itself on tradition and that is why it is truly one of the greatest venues in all of sports. I hope that no changes will be made to the stadium because of its rich history and tradition. With its excellent location, you are able to watch the sun set behind the San Gabriel Mountains. Out of all of the venues that I have attended, the Rose Bowl Stadium is the one that I believe every single person needs to visit.

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Close your eyes and think for just a minute. It’s the second Saturday of October and you are at the State Fair of Texas. You are greeted by Big Tex as you walk into the fair. There are people riding carnival rides and children winning carnival games. You are surrounded by the aroma of Fried Oreos and Fletcher’s corn dogs. You look at your watch and realize that it is time for the classic Red River Showdown between Oklahoma and Texas. As you walk through the fair to watch the game, you look up to see the iconic Cotton Bowl Stadium and all feels right in the world.

The Cotton Bowl Stadium was built in 1930 and has been the home of major football games, including the Red River Showdown and the Cotton Bowl Classic. The stadium’s architecture has an Art Deco style, which was popular during this time and many buildings at the time were built in an Art Deco style (i.e. the Empire State Building). It can hold over 90,000 fans and is currently among the largest stadiums in the United States. Over the years, the stadium has made renovations to ensure that the Cotton Bowl remains in use for many years to come. However, as far as the Red River Rivalry is concerned, that very well may not be the case.

In the past decade, there have been complaints that raise concern that the stadium may not suitable to host the rivalry game for much longer. The foundation underneath the bleachers have been decaying after years of students standing on the bleachers to cheer on the Sooners and the Longhorns. Although the necessary renovations were made, the age and structure of the stadium may cause the end of the rivalry game to be played in Cotton Bowl Stadium. The rivalry is scheduled to remain at Cotton Bowl Stadium until 2025, but the future of the rivalry game being held in the famed stadium remains unclear.

There has been speculation that the rivalry game will eventually be moved to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. AT&T Stadium, built in the early 2000s and the home of the Dallas Cowboys, has more benefits to hosting the game as opposed to Cotton Bowl Stadium. Whether it is more seating, more innovative kinetic architecture, or more concession stands, it would be no surprise if the game were to soon get moved to Arlington. The stadium hosts a variety of events, including NFL football games, concerts, and ironically the Cotton Bowl Classic.

Nevertheless, Cotton Bowl Stadium has rich history and tradition. The feeling I get every time I step foot onto the State Fair of Texas is indescribable and is a feeling I hope to have for years to come. I believe it is truly one of the greatest venues in all of college sports because of its tradition. Unfortunately, an Art Deco styled football stadium may eventually be replaced by a football stadium with much more innovative architecture.

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