Grant Associate’s, Friendship Park, is located in Tianjin, China. This park represents the nature offered in China but within the busy city. The goal of this park is to become a place where people of all ages can come to explore, interact, and celebrate relationships. It is especially a representation of the friendship between China and Singapore. The design incorporates a conservatory of glass biomes, a wetland center, a dock area, play areas, an event lawn with an amphitheater, and various gardens. The design was meant to be a collaboration between nature and city and contrasts water and land. This architecture appears to be something out of a fiction movie!

Grant Associates, Forest of Imagination, is a pop up arts festival located in and around the UK. The interesting thing about this architectural project is that it was created with the architects along with local businesses, schools and artists. The point of this pop of festivals is to stimulate creativity and fun for a short weekend. The festival illuminates the “potential of landscape architecture.” The festival has impacted the cities positively and “increases visitor numbers, collaborators and funding.” The collaboration of architecture, art and fun makes this project a site to be seen.

https://grant-associates.uk.com/projects/forest-of-imagination

The Barangaroo South Public Domain is located in Sydney, Australia, and is an arts district that attracts more than 20,000 people daily. The Grant Associates are currently working on a project to build a cove and waterfront park in the district. The plans include creating a waterfront walkway and pier alongside shops and restaurants. The goal is to create a cove that will allow visitors to overlook Sydney’s Harbour. Essentially it will be a pedestrian-friendly place for people to socialize and have a good time. The project is set to be complete in 2021. Pictured are digital representations of the future finished product.

This work was designed and executed by Grant Associates in Singapore. Singapore is home to many architectural wonders and is known for its intricate and brilliant architecture. The Gardens by the Bay is a structure composed of two cooled conservatories that harbor environmental and indigenous structures. These structures attract many people all over Singapore. Some interesting design details include the use 226,000 plants from almost every continent, various sections of the gardens replicate different regional climates and there is a mountain waterfall. There are various attractions made for various groups of people. On the attraction’s website, visitors can plan their trip based on the group they are traveling with and the activities they want to do.

The McFarlin Auditorium is a building on Southern Methodist University’s campus. This building is special to me because it is where my high school hosts their annual graduations including mine. My favorite part about the building is the massive steps in the front. The auditorium looks like a classic two-tier auditorium with a performing arts stage feel. The word I think of when I think of this auditorium would be grand. It is a place where important people have spoken and performed at and a place where important things happen.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located in Dallas, Texas, and is known as the modern building off of highway 75. People think of the museum’s building as an exhibit itself. The Dallas Morning News referred to it as the most modern building to ever come to Dallas.

The most interesting thing about the building is the escalator that sticks out the side of the building. It is all glass which allows visitors to see the view of Downtown Dallas. The building was also built to be eco-friendly which goes hand in hand with nature and science. The Perot even has architecture tours available.

Cowboy’s Stadium or as some refer to as “Jerry World,” is North Texas attraction that brings in people from all over. The stadium is home to the Dallas Cowboys and was recently renovated and reopened in 2010. the stadium is located in Arlington, Texas which is right outside of Dallas. I live in the neighboring town of Cedar Hill, so Cowboy’s Stadium is a place I am connected to through my childhood. I attended my first Cowboy game and my first concert at the stadium and I remember the hype that surrounded the reopening in 2010.

Cowboy’s Stadium is 3.1 million square feet, can seat up to 100,000 people, and has a retractable roof. The stadium was meant to create the ultimate NFL experience with an exclusive 5-star feel. The two massive steel arches and glasses walls and windows give it a luxury image.

Willis Tower, formerly known as Sears Tower, is a skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois. Willis tower is a 3 million-square-foot, 110-floor tower built in the 1970s. This Chicago skyscraper held the title for 25 years for tallest building in the world, now it is the second tallest building in the Western Hemisphere standing at 1,706 ft. Willis Tower is known to have inspired and laid the foundation for extremely tall architectural structures as it has been surpassed by several towers around the world. It was originally built to sustain 350,000 employees for Sears Roebuck and Company, the world’s largest retailer at the time. Willis Tower is now home to the famous Sky Deck Ledge where tourists and visitors can take pictures on a level with 360 windows and a glass ledge.

The first time I encountered Willis Tour was on a trip with my four best friends and our moms for a dance competition in Chicago. There were so many things on our list to do such as visiting the Joffrey Ballet, eating at famous restaurants, and riding the elevator up 1,000 floors to the Sky Deck at Willis Tower. Standing on the glass ledge, gazing down the streets of Chicago was a thrilling feeling. Here is a picture of me and my sister on top of the Willis Tower!