As a way to connect with my cousins who live in Dallas, I would attend Dallas Cowboys games with them. Although I had attended OU football games as a child with my dad, I was blown away by the sheer scale of AT&T Stadium when I first saw it in 2015. The stadium literally looked like a massive spaceship, and I remember my cousins and I marveling at the architecture and the massive screen rather than pay attention to the football game. This building is special to me because I have many fond memories of attending Cowboys games, concerts, and even high school graduations with my cousins. As an OU student, I have also gotten to experience our football team win a couple of Big 12 Championships in the building, further cementing AT&T Stadium as my favorite venue in America.

As a child, I would go to Los Angeles to visit my cousins. However, I was unimpressed with the city; the streets were tight, congested with traffic, and very dirty. My negative opinions about Los Angeles soon changed after my first visit to the Griffith Observatory. If you go on a weekday, there are practically zero tourists. The observatory itself is a beautiful building, and I remember asking my cousins how such a clean and pleasing building could be stuck in a dirty metropolis such as Los Angeles. At the top of the observatory, one is rewarded with panoramic views of the entire city of Los Angeles, which is a welcome change from the crowded and congested streets of the city. I associate the observatory with fond memories of me and my cousins running around the front courtyard, something that is not doable in an LA suburb due to the lack of space.

During my last day in Rome, my friends and I woke up at the crack of dawn and made our way to the Vatican City to see the pope. Upon reaching the Vatican City, I immediately was impressed by the regality of St. Peter’s Basilica. The church was absolutely massive, and in extremely good condition. Upon entering the church, I was amazed at the gold trimmed walls and other artwork that was prominently displayed. Although we were all extremely tired from waking up early, being able to watch the sunrise in front of St. Peter’s Basilica made the journey worth it. A few hours later, we were able to see the pope as he was driven around kissing babies. St. Peter’s Basilica is special to me because I associate the beautiful church with fond memories of my last day in Rome.

As a freshman studying abroad, the Roman Colosseum was one of the few buildings that took my breath away when I first saw it. When my group first walked up to the Colosseum, I was initially unimpressed, as the building was worn down and in a dilapidated state. However, upon walking inside, I was amazed at the sheer scale of the main facade, and I was also impressed by the many gift shops that had been inserted into the Colosseum. The Colosseum is special to me because I remember walking literally 50 miles around the city of Rome before arriving at the Colosseum. The colosseum itself was quite the treat at the end of our long journey walking around the city, and pictures of me and friends at the Colosseum still bring a smile to my face.

The Ulm Staudthaus Exhibition and Assembly building is an event venue located in the center of the German city of Ulm. Designed by Richard Meier, the building itself rests in front of the classical gothic-style Minister of Ulm, and provides the city skyline with a stark juxtaposition of distinct architectural styles separated only by time. The venue is the center point of an effort by the local government to redevelop the city center.

The Staudthaus contains an open staircase that connects all four levels with the goal of providing panoramic views of the city and of the interior of the venue. The geometry of the main building is based on a nine-square structural bay system that is augmented by concentric peripheral walls adorned with alternating axes and lines. Furthermore, the construction of the building contains reinforced concrete and blockwork, ensuring that the venue holds a structural integrity.

I found this building’s location to be extremely odd, as it is situated right in front of a classical cathedral. However, I still find the building to be very architecturally appealing.

Located in New Harmony, Indiana, New Harmony’s Atheneum serves as the visitor’s center the city and was designed by Richard Meier. The building is named after the Greek Athenaion, a temple dedicated to Athena. The structure was funded in 1976 by the Indianapolis Lilly Endowment, and opened to the public in 1979. The building itself is actually quite famous, and boasts many awards including the Progressive Architecture Award, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Honor Award, and the AIA’s Twenty-Five Year Award.

This building is intended to serve as a center for visitor and cultural orientation. On the third floor exhibition space, visitors can gaze back and reflect on the route full of jagged windows and orthogonal grids. Finally, on the roof terrace, visitors are awarded with a panoramic view of the town of New Harmony.

I found the design of this building to be captivating, as it really allows visitors to immerse themselves with the unique cultural features of New Harmony, Indiana.

Located on Allenby Street in Tel Aviv, Israel, Meier on Rothschild is a luxury residential skyscraper designed by architect Robert Meier. The building scales 520 feet tall and is interesting the second tallest residential building in Israel. The tower contains a six-story parking lot in the base, and boasts 42 floors. Moreover, the building is nestled in a neighborhood filled with Bauhaus buildings, which date back to the 1930s. Consequently, the design language of the tower is inspired by Bauhaus principles based on simplicity and functionality.

The top 3 stories of the tower comprise the luxury penthouse apartment. In 2011, the penthouse apartment reportedly sold to a Jewish Ukrainian individual for a whopping 200 million shekels, which equates to almost $60 million!

I personally find this building to be beautiful. I appreciate the uniformity of the architecture as the tower boasts its sharp edges on the Israeli skyline.

The Jubilee Church, or the Church of the Merciful Father, is an ultra-modernist Catholic Church located on the outskirts of Rome. Designed by Richard Meier, the church was designed to look like a ship and is itself divided into four distinct parts: the precinct, the terrace, the court, and the parking area. The church was originally requested to celebrate Jubilee 2000; the three sails that fly over the nave seen in the photo above actually represent the Holy Trinity.

Although the church is a modern reimagining of the more traditional buildings found in Rome, Richard Meier closely followed the classical religious construction framework and utilized a gothic concept for the height of the church with its facade and belfry on one side of the building. The five bells in the church are dedicated to Europe, America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia. Finally, the church itself is the highlight of Rome’s attempt to introduce a modern suburb area to the outskirts of the city.

I found this building to be a refreshing take on classical buildings located in Rome. I was definitely not expecting such a modern take, and I find the building to be very visually appealing.