In 1907, The Greene Brothers started Construction on the Robert R. Blacker House. This house was commissions by a very successful man in the lumber business then retired. To incorporate in Mr. Blacker, love of lumber they relied heavily on the use of exotic hardwoods from all over the world. They managed to blend wood and metal to make it appear as seemliest combination. The Greene Brothers designed every inch of the building to come together as a work of art from each custom-made light fixture to the very walls itself.

This building is absolutely amazing and now is considered to be on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Each inch of the building is so thought after those previous owners used to sell the furniture and even the light fixtures to make a profit. This instigated outrage in many of the surrounding community leading to those practices being shut down. This building is an exemplary example of how natural material can be used in residential areas to create a work of art.

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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Steven Holl designed the Shanghai Cofco Cultural and Health Center in 2016. The 2 buildings house many different amenities between them. The Health Center houses an educational area, pharmacy, multiple consultation rooms, exam rooms, a physical therapy room, ultrasound and x-ray rooms, a nursery, and admin/doctors’ lounges. The Cultural Center has an exhibition area, table game area, café, library, gym, and community and youth activity area. The Cultural Center is 6030 sm and the health center is 1490 sm with the whole site covering 7520 sm.

            The buildings were designed as a “social condenser” to foster a sense of community in the surrounding housing blocks. The landscape and the buildings were designed with the concept of “clocks and clouds” which can be seen in the large organized clock-like circles covering the whole site. The buildings encompass the aspect of clouds with their openness and porous design. The Cultural Center hovers over a cage and the game/recreation rooms on a transparent glass base. They also both include green, sedum roofs to make them merge into the landscape when looked upon from the surrounding apartment buildings.

The Jawahar Kala Kendra Arts Center is located in Jaipur. Charles Correa built the center in 1986. It was originally commissioned by the government to keep up the arts of the area. The design is based around the city plan of Jaipur. The project took about five years to complete and is built on about 9.5 acres. I think this project is important and is inspired by the people that it will serve. The construction is personal to the city and allows visitors to experience the original intent of the city.

The Tube House was designed and built as an entry for a competition based on low-cost housing. This home in particular was in response to the extremely high temperatures in the city. The house is small and heavily reduces the need for doors and windows. This home, like many of Correa’s other designs, takes inspiration from traditional Indian architecture. The environment and its factors are considered throughout this design as well. I think this is a smart design. It does exactly what it is asked to do. It is an efficient place to reside and is carefully crafted for the environment it is placed in.

The Handloom Pavilion was the first structure completed by Correa’s office. It was built in six months and finished in 1958. The walls are made out of brick and mud and the roof is made of cloth. This was done to reflect pavilions seen in the region. This building was driven by climate considerations like many of Charles Correa’s designs. I think the design is unique. From the outside it looks like a box, but from the inside it is a maze that designs the experience of the building. The flow of the overall experience is dictated by the design, which allows each person to see the structure the way it was constructed to be.

The Kanchanjunga Apartments were built by Charles Correa in 1983. The structure is located in Mumbai, which is a large city in terms of population and has a diverse culture. I think this apartment building has a unique look to it that blends several styles of architecture. Besides the aesthetics of the building, there was environmental reasoning for constructing the way it was. There are subtle shifts that help defend against the extreme weather patterns that occur in the region. I think this building shows a modernized version on some traditional Indian features.

A facility by Charles Correa for multidisciplinary biomedical research. Charles was said to make architecture feel like magic in an AD article. Helping this community of this research building in Lisbon was a great opportunity to do something better.

With architecture there are many projects that you ca. be disposed to. Many public projects are or little to sometimes no commission. It is a love to the labor and it is clear by this creation be poured his soul into this building. Not only benefiting a community but inspiring all people to be better for the greater good.

The sleek, modern and circular geometrics used within this design is truly art, and from learning more about this charismatic architect it is clear that this was his intention.

Shankar, A. (2021, January 26). Republic Day 2021: Revisiting the legend of Charles Correa. Retrieved October 29, 2021, from https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/republic-day-2021-revisiting-legend-charles-correa-indias-greatest-architect/