The Symphony Center is located on South Michigan Avenue in Chicago, IL, and is home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and the Institute for Learning, Access, and Training. Construction began in May of 1904 under architect Daniel Burnham, and held its first concert in December of 1904. The Symphony Center features the original 2,522 seat Orchestra Hall, a rehearsal and performance space known as Buntrock Hall, an event space overlooking the Art Institute of Chicago known as Grainger Ballroom, Opus Restaurant and café, as well as many other spaces. The Orchestra Hall underwent a $110 million renovation from 1995 to 1997 to expand and improve the acoustics. The Symphony Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1994.

The Rookery Building is a historic office building in downtown Chicago’s financial district. It was completed in 1888 by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root, is considered one of their masterpiece buildings, and was the location of their offices at one point. While the building is only 12 stories, 181 feet, it is the oldest standing high-rise in Chicago. The building blending accepted and new building techniques, by using load-bearing exterior walls, and steel frame interior. The building underwent 3 major renovations in the 20th century, beginning with the renovation of the lobby by Frank Lloyd Wright from 1905-1907, adding carved white marble, simplified iron work, and his trademark planters and lighting. The second major renovation was done by Wright’s former assistant William Drummond in 1931, where he modernized interior elements and replaced the elevators, as well as added art deco detailing. Finally in 1992, Daprato Rigali Studios returned the building to Wright’s design and reopened the light court after it had been covered to protect against leaks. The Rookery Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, designated as a Chicago Landmark in 1972, and a National Historic Landmark in 1975.

The Chicago Union Station opened in 1925, and was originally designed by Daniel Burnham, however Burnham passed before the construction began, and the building was completed by Graham, Anderson, Probst, and White. This is the fourth-busiest rail terminal in the U.S., after Pennsylvania Station, Grand Central Terminal, and Jamaica Station in NY. On an average weekday, 140,000 passengers will pass through Chicago Union Station. Construction of the Union Station began in 1913, stalled during WWI, and resumed in 1919. The station finally opened in 1925, and ended up costing $75 million, $10 million over its initial budget. The main building of the Union Station is a square neoclassical structure, that contrasts greatly with the modern glass skyscrapers that surround it. The building also utilized Indiana limestone on the street-level entrances; and marble, glass and iron in the large concourse along the river.

Designed by Daniel Burnham and Frederick Dinkelberg, the Flatiron Building is a triangular 22 story building located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, NY. After its completion in 1902, it was one of two “skyscrapers” located north of 14th Street. The Flatiron Building, previously known as the Fuller Building, got its name from its resemblance to cast-iron clothes iron. This building was constructed very quickly, the steel was pre-cut so the frame was able to be assembled at a rate of one floor a week, and total construction time was one year. The Flatiron building is an iconic skyscraper in New York City and was designated as a New York City landmark in 1966, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989. However, the building is currently empty, as of November 2020, and the interior is expected to be updated, by adding central heat and air, removing the interior walls on all floors to create open triangular floors, upgrading the elevators and sprinkler system, and add a second staircase. These renovations are expected to finish in 2022, and cost between 60 and 80 million dollars.

The Blarney Castle is located near Cork, Ireland, and was originally built in stone in 1210, and the current structure was rebuilt in 1446 after being destroyed. It is a popular tourist destination in Ireland because of the Blarney Stone, which is said to give you the gift of eloquence, persuasiveness, if you kiss it.

My Husband and I had the opportunity to travel across Ireland in 2019, and one of the most memorable experiences from this trip was the Blarney Castle. The castle is a partial ruin, however there are accessible rooms and extensive gardens surrounding it. Being able to climb up to the top of this medieval castle was incredible, especially due to the age and the condition of certain areas on the property. Medieval architecture is incredibly interesting because it was designed to be able to defend most efficiently, the angle and direction of the spiraled staircases and the grates in the floors about doorways. Overall, I hope to travel to Europe in the near future to explore the medieval architecture further.

The Chemistry Building is located on the North Oval on OU’s campus and is connected to the Physical Sciences Center by the Chemistry Annex. It was constructed in 1915, and was originally named the DeBarr Chemistry Hall after one of the four original faculty members at OU. However, the building was renamed to the Chemistry Building in the 1980s after DeBarr’s involvement with the KKK came to light. The building continues to house some chemistry labs and offices, however most of them have been moved to Gallogly Hall and the Stephenson Life Sciences Research Center.

My experiences with this building are both positive and negative. The positives come from the time spent in chemistry lab, creating reactions that produced distilled alcohol and benzocaine to name a couple. However, this building, especially the annex, have an eerie feeling, as well as a musky chemical smell. Overall the building is one of the least inviting on campus, behind Dale Hall and the Physical Sciences Center, but brings back warm feelings from freshman year, as well as nogstalia

Nielson Hall is located the South Oval of OU’s campus and is home to the department of Physics and Astronomy. The building is named after one of the University’s most renowned professors, Jens Rud Nielsen, who studied under Niels Bohr (who proposed the theory of the atom that we still use today) and lead research in infrared spectroscopy during WWII, and was built in 1946.

To me, Nielson Hall brings back many memories and experiences, however most of them are negative. For several semesters, I entered this building at 8:30 a.m. for physics lecture, and late at night for exams. From the outside, the building looks welcoming, with the large front staircase and abundance of windows, however inside is very dull and uninviting. The layout is quite simple, with the majority of the building being a long hallway with abundant doors on either side. The most positive experience I had here, was on the last day of Physics, knowing that I would not have to come into this building again.

Overall, I dreaded entering this building almost daily while taking physics, mainly because I dreaded the class itself. This building has left a lasting impression on me, and I hope I never have to enter this building again.

In 2016, my family and I had the opportunity to travel to Thailand for two weeks. During this time, we were able to explore Bangkok with the help of an old neighbor who grew up in Thailand, and Phuket. This trip was a very positive experience, however this trip has grown in meaning over the last couple of years.

This was my family and I’s first experience in Asia, as well as our first experience in a culture that is very different from ours. The Grand Palace consists of royal and throne halls, as well as government offices, and the Temple of Emerald Buddha. The palace was built to serve as the residence of the King and the center of administration. During our tour, we learned about Buddhism, the hosting of royal ceremonies, and about the traditional Thai architecture. When I was there, I was fascinated by the detail in all of the buildings, because I had never seen it before but never took into account all of the meaning behind the buildings and statues in the palace.

Looking back on my experiences in Thailand, I am very grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I have a much better understanding of the traditional Thai architecture, as well as Buddhism, and the symbolic meaning of the Grand Palace to Thailand and the Royal family. This building has left a lasting impact on me, and hopefully I have the opportunity to visit again after this class, to be able to apply things I have learned to develop a deeper understanding.