The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is located in Bentonville, Arkansas and was designed by Moshe Safdie in 2011. This museum is located in the middle of a 120 acre forest and sits on the water’s edge with multiple bridges and platforms that connect to each other as they take you around the museum. This museum makes you feel like you are one with nature as there are large glass windows, outdoor platforms, gardens, and even hiking trails right outside the museum. This museum was built to admire the art within but also the beauty of the Arkansas wilderness outside.

Living in Oklahoma my entire life, I have never been to Arkansas even though it’s only a few hours away. I can only imagine how beautiful this museum is in real life. I appreciate the blending of nature and the seamless positioning on the water front.

The Serena Del Mar Hospital designed by Moshe Safdie is located in Cartagena, Colombia and is currently under construction. This hospital was built with the patients in mind by using a serene color palette, rooms that look out onto a beautiful lake, and a bamboo garden in the heart of the hospital. Each room is positioned so they will receive ample sunlight at any given time during the day. Once construction is completed, the hospital will have a total of 409 beds.

I think this hospital, once completed, will be the blueprint for hospitals around the world. There have been many studies that show how nature can improve health and even speed up healing. With the combination of open windows, a bamboo forest, and 360 views of mother nature, this hospital shows how patients can have a better healing experience.

Sky Habitat is a residential building in Singapore designed by Moshe Safdie. Sky Habitat is technically two different towers that are connected by three sky bridges. On the sky bridges, one can find a pool, gardens, and communal sitting areas. Each apartment has access to an outside terrace. The unique shape of the towers and the addition of sky bridges allows for constant sunlight and a nice breeze to pass through. Moshe Safdie shows the importance of outdoor living and community in this residential building.

I think this residential building was designed with community in mind which is very unique. Most residential buildings I’ve experienced are very bland and were built to where there is enormous separation between those who live there. The sky bridges allow for easier access from one building to the other. This can make for a more wholistic living experience as you aren’t strictly separated from one another as much.

Habitat 67 is an urban housing project designed by Israeli-Canadian architect, Moshe Safdie. Located in Montréal, Québec, there are 158 residences within that range from one bedroom to four bedroom living spaces. Each unit has a roof garden and there are common spaces for children to play throughout the building. Each living space is unique and feels like a single-family home but in a condensed urban environment. Habitat 67 is a creative solution to high density living situations.

I really enjoy the juxtaposition of this housing project. Every unit is facing a different way and overall is very pleasing to look at. The unsymmetrical shape of the building is unique and has allowed for creativity in a housing project that would normally not be there.

The Palace on the Prairie, or more commonly known as Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium, is one of my favorite places on campus. I’ve been an OU fan since the day I was born and my parents put me in an OU onesie. I’ve grown up going to OU Football games and every time I go into the stadium, it brings back so many memories. The large bowl-like stadium makes it so you can see every single person in the stands with one turn of the head. I think it’s a really special place to be in as a student to cheer on your school with your friends and family. Although this will be my last season as a student, I can guarantee I’ll be back for every home game in the future.

I had the opportunity to visit Barcelona, Spain in March 2019. Arguably the most popular tourist attraction of Barcelona is the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia has been under construction since 1882 and has had a variety of famous architects on the project over the years, most notable has been Antoni Gaudi who designed it. When I was planning my visit, I didn’t know what to expect, but what I saw amazed me. The outside of the building is extremely detailed and is meant to tell biblical stories on every side. The interior is designed to look like a forest with columns meant to look like trees of a forest and stain glass windows representing light shining through the “trees”. I felt like I was walking into a fairy tale story; I felt like I was being transported to another world. The beautiful open space really made me feel like I was in a forest and there were going to be little forest animals all around me. If you ever have a chance to go to Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia would be my top recommendation.

I visited the Golden Gate Bridge on a vacation to San Francisco in early 2017. I remember the feeling the cold air against my cheeks and the sounds of boats, people, and sea lions barking. As I walked across the bridge, I looked up and marveled at tall and enormous the bridge was. I never realized the massive size of the bridge through pictures I had seen. It was amazing to look around me and see Alcatraz on my right and the vast ocean to my left. I had actually visited on the same day that construction of the Golden Gate Bridge started back on January 5, 1933 which made me feel very small for some reason. Just to think that 84 years earlier, there would be nothing separating me from the ice cold waters below.

In the two times I have visited New York City, going to the One World Trade Center is always at the top of my list. Not only is it the 6th tallest building in the world, it’s also a testament to the resilience of New Yorkers and Americans alike. When the Twin Towers fell in 2001, we lost almost 3,000 people. The outside of One WTC has a dedicated fountain memorial with the names of every victim engraved in it. If you walk around the fountain, there’s complete silence as visitors remember the events of 9/11 and the lives lost. The fountain is in the exact same spot where the original towers once stood, and it looks up to the new One WTC. I remember feeling awestruck and overwhelmed as I looked up at the building. It creates an environment in which everyone can connect to the structure and to everyone around them.