Designer: Sadie Morgan, dRMM Architects

I chose the Hastings Pier project mainly because of how unique it is. It’s not just another office space or apartment building. This job came about after a fire burned down the pier in 2010. The pier was an important part of life for many who lived in the area, so the community came together and found a way to rebuild, which I thought was pretty cool.

Now, the new pier can hold all kinds of community events, such as fishing, music events, circus, etc. I also liked how they supported a local employment initiative with their custom reclaimed timber deck furniture, and how they used timber decking that survived the fire as cladding for the new visitor center.

Designer(s): Sadie Morgan, dRMM Architects

Rundeskogen is located on a wooded hill on the west coast of Norway, and actually had some site boundary restrictions that had to do with a Viking grave site. So I thought that was pretty cool. Also, seeing more timber/concrete construction gaining a foothold in the industry is a positive thing no doubt.

At first glance, it felt to me like there is no way these buildings exist, especially not as apartment buildings. The uniqueness of the towers, along with their structural complexity, makes it feel futuristic to me. But, at the same time, the copper/brass-tinted facade gives it a retro, almost historic feel. Regardless, this structure was designed with sustainability in mind, as every building should be (i.e. covered outdoor spaces, personal indoor gardens, solar power, etc.).

Designer: Sadie Morgan, dRMM Architects

As you can see in the video, this house is incredible. The entire roof/wall enclosure of the building sits on railroad tracks, which allows hidden electric motors to slide the steel-framed, timber-clad enclosure away from the house. Because of this flexibility, the Sliding House can be configured a number of different ways, switching up spaces, sun exposure, views, etc. This flexibility is a big reason for why I chose this building.

Designer: Sadie Morgan, dRMM Architects

Designed by renowned architect Sadie Morgan, this apartment building gives us a sense of the innovation and detail that goes into designing & constructing sustainable urban developments. What really drew me to this project was the unique siding that seems to get further and further apart as it goes up each course.

As for the interiors, I am a big fan of modern interior design but at the same time, I value comfort more. That said, I think the designer(s) did a great job making it modern but also cozy. The only big part I didn’t like was all the bright orange furniture and millwork (below).

Anyone who’s ever been to Dallas, or even seen a picture of Dallas, will almost certainly recognize this building. Sitting at 561 feet tall, it would be hard to miss, even without the giant rotating ball at the top. I grew up just thirty minutes north of Dallas, so Reunion Tower was always a frequent sight for my family. That said, I’ve only been up to the top of this building once. I couldn’t have been more than 7 or 8 years old at the time, so all I can remember is getting up to go to the restroom and having a hard time finding my family afterwards because the restaurant had rotated. Other than that, all my experiences with this structure have been from looking out my car window at the best skyline in Texas.

Construction on Sarkeys Energy Center was completed in 1991, making it the tallest building on OU’s campus. Throughout my years at OU, I have had a love-hate relationship with this building. My freshman year I absolutely hated it, mostly because my class schedule was set up in a way that meant I had to walk to and from the dorms to Sarkeys at least twice almost every day of the week. While this was a beating, I actually started to like the building itself and found it to be a good place to study. During my sophomore year, I lived at Calloway Apartments, which is about a five minute walk to Sarkeys. Because of this, I spent plenty of time here, either at the library, the coffee shop, or elsewhere. I always found it interesting that the roof over the lower levels of the building is covered in grass and walkways; very unique when compared with the rest of the buildings on campus.