Cesar Pelli began his career as self-proclaimed modernist and achieved his fame through his modern glass/steel façade buildings. Though he experimented with expression of architecture outside of modernism it typically encompassed some traditional style that was imbued with the spirit of modernism. Ultimately, Pelli’s late work would be defined by softly curving facades of glass with a sculptural form in an attempt to distance himself from the boxy towers of midcentury modernism which elapsed his entire life. The clearest example of Pelli’s particular brand of modernism can be found in the Salesforce Tower located in San Francisco. This was the last buidling to be designed by Cesar Peli and also completed within his lifetime. This building is the personification of Pelli’s style which was created over a lifetime of architectural experience. Salesforce Tower is the centerpiece of the San Francisco Transbay redevelopment plan and contains a mixture of office, retail, transportation, and residential use. Upon its completion in 2018, Salesforce Tower became the tallest building in San Francisco as well as the second-largest tower West of the Mississippi River once again becoming another accolade of the late Cesar Pelli.

One Canada Square (located in Canary Wharf, London) was completed and opened in August of 1991. The entire process of constructing this building resulted in this being one of the most controversial works which Cesar Pelli designed. The largest issue that with the creation of this building was that Olympia & York wished for this building to be in the style of the World Financial Center (also designed by Pelli) in New York. Pelli obliged and created a distinctly American building in London which many of the citizens were apposed to. Much of the challenge in construction was found in the fact that the building penetrated the permitted projection height of the flight obstruction area for the local airport which ultimately limited the permitted height of the building. Meant to be a bustling office building, the building was constructed and became the third largest skyscraper in London only to be left desolate due to the world recession at the time. The building faced a lot of criticism at its inception among which the most hurtful to Pelli was Prince Charles who publicly stated “I personally would go mad if I had to work in a place like that”. Since then, the building has seen a notable increase in popularity after being depicted across much of London’s media favorably and becoming a very prestigious office building that only select businesses operate out of.

Among Cesar Pelli’s works, Petronas Towers (twin skyscrapers) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is attributed with some of the most praise and commendation of his career. Cesar Pelli’s famous career centered around the creation of grandiose skyscrapers which often were so revolutionary they broke records. Petronas Towers finalized construction and opened to the public in 1998 whereupon they became the tallest skyscraper in the world until 2004. The twin skyscrapers remain the tallest twin skyscrapers in the world to this day. The glass façade of this building was meant to resemble Islamic motifs which is a testament to Pelli’s craft as he deemed that it was his role to provide designs which were created specifically for the needs of those who commissioned them. Cesar Pelli was quoted with saying “The bridge and the upper floors of the towers form a kind of gate, suggesting, particularly in Asian cultures, a portal to a higher world”. Pelli truly held architecture as form of art meant to be explored.

Cesar Pelli was one of the most prolific and inspiring designers of skyscrapers around the world. Pelli designed some of the most grandiose and gargantuan skyscrapers of the world while experimenting with new glass facades. Among the numerous building which Cesar designed, one of the most beloved examples of his modernist design and curved glass experimentation is found in the World Financial Center (now known as Brookfield Place) in Battery Park City, New York City. The picture depicts the most famous aspect of the building; the glass-roofed Winter Garden at its center. The building has a long history as a shopping center and office-building complex located across West Street from the World Trade Center. Since its finalized construction in 1988, the building has been a major cultural and symbolic facet for New Yorkers. It was damaged during the September 11th, 2001 attack and was not reopened until a year later on September 11th, 2002 to ceremoniously honor the perseverance of America.

Dale Hall at the University of Oklahoma is a very important building to me. The building completed construction and was opened in the year of 1967 dedicated to Edward Everett Dale who dedicated half a century of work to the university as History professor and Head of the Department of History. Over the course of three semesters, I have had many classes within this building and have spent the most time inside this of this campus building than any other (apart from the library or the residence halls). It is not the most extravagant building on campus but to me has a sense of higher education and attainment. Dale Hall is the first building I had a class in and the rooms within the building continue to be what my mental image of what a university classroom is.

Catedral de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels) is a large Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles which finished construction in 2002. It is the mother church of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I have been here for a variety of reasons including funerals, weddings, and general attendance. I have been able to view many of the religious artifacts and art which they have hosted over the years. I have an interesting memory of a time when I was walking around in the lower levels trying to find a bathroom and ended up walking into the crypt beneath the cathedral. I am not particularly fond of the modernist architecture of the exterior, but the interior of the building is beautiful making it one of my favorite religious places of worship which I have encountered.

I would like to make a post about a restaurant/market which I enjoy immensely. I love seafood and I love the San Pedro area of Los Angeles (generally speaking its the area I enjoy the most out of the entire state of California). The San Pedro Fish market has a long history dating back to its beginnings in the 1950s as a multi-generational fish market known for its smoked seafood. The building itself is not the most impressive construction and is in fact somewhat run down and the outdoor seating area is very old. Despite this, the place has a great ambience and the Hispanic community prevalent here makes the dining experience grand. It is a great experience to sit by the water in the port of Los Angeles while boats slowly pass by alongside a great community and is my favorite place to eat in San Pedro.

The Avila Adobe is the oldest residence in the City of Los Angeles originally built in 1818 and is located on Olvera Street (part of the Los Angeles Plaza Historic District). The plaza is the third location of “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles” which is the original Spanish settlement in the area. I first visited this residence when I was a young child accompanied by my parents. My father, an immigrant from Mexico, explained the similarities in the design of the building and how they are commonplace in rural areas of Mexico today. Everything that my father would speak of was reminiscent of a different time and his family. In a strange way, I have always felt a connection between myself and this building, as well as the subsequent times I have visited, and my Hispanic heritage. In conjunction with these feelings, I have always held significant interest in history and appreciate the building for the fact that the residence that stands as a symbol of a different time in Los Angeles.