Growing up here in Oklahoma City, one of my favorite buildings was always First National Center. I am a big admirer of the construction and art deco style of this building, drawing in ornamental and classical aspects. Oklahoma City as a whole does not have many buildings that utilize a design like this, turning more toward modernist boxes in the past few decades. I am happy this tower is still standing (and currently being renovated), seeing as other beautiful buildings have been torn down in the past. I also appreciate the contrast in design of the building next to the other towers. The ornate base and lobby are visually stunning, as well as the stair-stepping design towards the top. Originally, this building was built for First National Bank, and although the tower is not used for that anymore (First National is now a mixed-use building), the name has held to this day. Whenever I am downtown or driving by, my eyes automatically wander to this tower as it is arguably the most visually pleasing in our skyline.

The CN Tower was constructed in 1976 to display the strength of the Canadian industry. This tower is 1,815ft tall and is easily the most popular building in Canada.

I first encountered this building in 2018 on a vacation to Toronto. I went to the top where you are able to walk on a glass floor and outside the tower. To get to the top of the tower you take the elevator through a dark shaft and then you are introduced to the sunshine again at the top where you are able to see for miles. Below the tower, you can see Ripley’s aquarium with the sharks painted on the roof and the Toronto Railway Museum to the left.

Mount Vernon is the home and grave of President George Washington. As I’ve mentioned in my other posts, I am a big fan of the colonial style, and this house really fits the bill for me. The home itself is situated on a hill overlooking the Potomac, a very picturesque location. Mount Vernon used to be much smaller, but Washington made it a goal to continuously improve on the original design. The central house is a large building with a red roof, white wooden walls, and a little tower at the top. It’s connected by verandas to two other buildings. On the Potomac side of the house there is a giant porch with huge columns supporting a roof for shade. The interior is still mostly the same as the original.

            Going into Washington’s house was neat, especially since some of the flooring is still original. It’s a cool feeling to be walking on the same floor that the first President walked on. I was quite impressed by the house but what took the cake for me was the location. The view of the Potomac is beautiful from the back porch. The steep hill that the house is situated on allows for a fantastic view of the river and woods around. If you enjoy seeing Presidents’ houses this one is a must. 

Photo from: https://www.fabricut.com/licensed-collections/mount-vernon

The United States Supreme Court building was absolutely my favorite building in Washington D.C. The plaza out in front of it looks tremendous and feels amazing to walk on. It feels almost like with every step you’re going to make the tile dirty or worse in some way. The building with its awe-inspiring neoclassical design looks straight out of Rome or Greece. The symmetry of the whole thing is the epitome of perfection. The steps at the front, which are flanked by two huge statues, make it look like you’re about to transcend into some aethereal place that’s more important than everywhere else. The Supreme Court building can communicate to the viewer that it is a hall where the fate of a nation is determined. Something that I really like is the relief at the top of the building, it reminds me of the Parthenon. The columns really tie the whole thing together for me. They give it an ancient feeling and put you into your place. I didn’t spend a whole lot of time observing the building when I was in D.C., but it certainly left a good impression on me. 

Photo from: https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/what-happens-inside-the-u-s-supreme-court/

I saw the Massachusetts State House while walking the Freedom Trail in Boston. The giant golden dome draws your attention as you’re coming up on it. But the building itself is impressive as well. It’s built in that Romanesque style like so many other Capitols in the United States. The front looks like a temple that you might find in Rome or Greece. While it is built in the ancient style it still has a charming hint of Colonial America with its red bricks all around. The State House was completed in 1798 and designed by American architect Charles Bulfinch. The interior is just as impressive as the exterior. There is certainly no shortage of marble inside, and there are many ornate paintings of scenes from American History. 

            The State House greatly exceeded my expectations. I had been to the Texas and Oklahoma State Capitols before, and I was sure that the State House would be just the same… it wasn’t. There was just something different about this building, but I still can’t put my finger on what it was. Maybe it was the pieces of history that were kept on display, like old canons, or the fact that it’s one of the oldest state capitols. Either way I really recommend checking this one out if you get the chance. 

Photo from: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2018/tour-the-massachusetts-state-house/

When I was first told that we were going on a tour of the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, MA my first thought was “big whoop.” My feelings soon changed after laying my eyes on the structure. The house was built in the 1600’s, which is super cool since America wasn’t even a country when this place was first inhabited. The garden on the premises of the house is also very beautiful, it’s subtle and old in style which adds to the charm. It’s also the inspiration for the novel The House of the Seven Gables, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The house is situated right next to the Salem Harbor, making it easy to imagine yourself back in time watching the ships roll in with goods from around the world while sitting on your back porch. One of the reasons I was so impressed by this house is because out here in Oklahoma we don’t get structures this old. As a result, it can be more difficult to connect with and visualize America’s early history. Being able to walk through a house from before our nations birth made me feel very patriotic and proud to be from America. While there are more extravagant buildings from that time, this one just feels comfortable and more of an accurate depiction of life in Colonial America. 

Photo from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:House_of_the_Seven_Gables_(front_angle)_-_Salem,_Massachusetts.jpg

The First United Methodist Church was constructed in 1907 after the previous building caught fire. This church is one of the largest churches in Ada. I spent my early years in daycare inside this church and later in life was in Boy Scouts based out of this church.

When first looking at this building you are able to tell it is a religious building with tall arches and a spire on top. It is a grand building with many windows letting plenty of natural light inside. Inside, the building has tall ceilings and stained glass leading up to the altar and organ. I have good memories of this building from my childhood. From playing basketball in the gym to Boy Scout meetings every Monday.

The Beijing National Stadium also known as “Birds Nest” was designed for use in the 2008 olympics. This stadium has a 91,000 seat capacity and was designed by architects Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach, and chief architect Li Xinggang. This team of architects wanted to incorporate Chinese culture and studied Chinese ceramics. After studying the art, they decided to use the “nest scheme”. The stadium consists two structures standing 50 feet apart. The outer shell is made up of steel beams and the inner portion is a red concrete seating bowl. This structure had to fit the requirements of the bidding process and had to hide the steel supports for the retractable roof. To do so, the team developed “random-looking additional steel” to blend the supports into the rest of the stadium, but later the retractable roof was removed. This stadium costs over $290 million to construct and still houses many sports and entertainment events

This stadium has had a positive effect on me as it gives me a sense of nostalgia to when times were simple and easy. I remember watching the 2008 olympics at home with my family and watching Michael Phelps win 8 gold medals. This was also my first time seeing this stadium for the first time. I was amazed at how complex this structure looked and how advanced technology had become. I wondered how the building stood on its own as its design was very complex and crazy. The Beijing National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) will always have a special place in my heart and memory.

Ada Jr High is part of the Ada City School system in Ada Oklahoma. I attended this school during 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. My memories, good and bad, of jr high all took place inside this building.

The meaning of this building to me is academics and reminds me of the days I spent inside this building. The outside of the building has an old castle-like look from the tall pillars at the front and back of the building. The hallways are lined with brown tile and maroon lockers, giving the inside a dark and gloomy feeling.

The Jenks Trojan Aquatic Center features modern design and holds a 50 meter pool. Some modern design features include a “breaking wave” roof and has waves of glass hanging in the lobby. This structure cost over 19 million to construct and covers over 50,000 sq ft and completed in 2011. The Aquatic Centre has received various rewards which include the AIA honor award, Outstanding Design-Sports Stadium/Athletic Facilities, and the Outstanding Design-Work in progress. Those who use this facility include students, master-swimmers, and others in the community. This building/facility is massive and many schools, swimmers, and individuals dream of having/using a facility like this.

This building had a positive influence on me as I was on the swim team at Jenks. The first time I walked through the doors I knew that this facility was one-of-a-kind and housed greatness. I was surprised that the school decided to have it built because it is very expensive to maintain. The outside and the inside of the building made the students and community proud to have it to serve as a monumental building on the campus and in the city. Not only did it serve as a practice facility, but it also held many regional, state, and local events and swim meets.