The Luis Carlos Prestes Memorial was one of Oscar Niemeyer’s last designs, finished in 2013, and is located in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The structure is a tribute to Captain Luis Carlos Prestes, who is revered as a hero in Brazilian history for leading a rebellion to overthrow a dictatorship ruining the country in 1924. The design is complete with statues honoring Prestes, and inside different artifacts, photography, art, and stories highlight Prestes’ cultural importance. This significance is what Niemeyer wanted to illustrate in this design. (https://www.inspirock.com/brazil/palmas/memorial-luis-carlos-prestes-a691750583)

The  Palácio da Alvorada serves as the home of Brazil’s President, and was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. The structure is very similar to that of the Supreme Court of Brazil’s design (also designed by Niemeyer), and was finished in 1958. It’s modernist style uses the columns and curvature to portray a playful yet sophisticated landmark. The building has three levels, complete with a movie theater, a heliport, a library, a banquet hall, a chapel, a medical center, and much more. Niemeyer wanted to build a palace fit for a ruler, while still using his architectural influences. Here, the President of Brazil can carry on with their stately duties while their family is close by on different floors yet still safe. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palácio_da_Alvorada)

The Cathedral of Brasília was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and currently serves as the head of the Archdiocese in Brasília within the Catholic church. The structural shape of the church is called a ” hyperboloid ” shape due to the extension of the columns. Most of the church inside is underground, so it is far bigger than it seems to be (like an iceberg almost). The building is also encompassed by a pool which must be walked over before going into the cathedral. The church definitely displays the futuristic architectural style that Niemeyer often used. (https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/stunning-modern-architecture-oscar-niemeyer)

The Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre was finished recently, in 2011, and is located in Aviles, Spain. There are 5 buildings composing the entire structure, consisting of: a colorful concert-seating area making up an auditorium, a dome which houses exhibits, a tower made for looking out at the land around the compound complete with a corkscrew staircase, a larger building with a cafe, a movie theater, and a shop, and an area that Niemeyer said was for “education, culture, and peace”. The odd curves and designs speak to Niemeyer’s architectural style. (https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/stunning-modern-architecture-oscar-niemeyer)

The Washington Island Stavkirke is a Stave temple, a structure common in Scandinavian culture. It is traditionally built of wood and stone alone. Washington Island is an island off of Door County, Wisconsin, the peninsula of Wisconsin. The Door Peninsula is heavily influenced by Scandinavian culture and traditions, and in the early 1990’s, a Christian church on Washington Island decided to raise funds to resurrect a Stave temple for visitors to appreciate. Thus, the building style was heavily influenced by common Norwegian and Swedish ornaments. (https://www.wpr.org/stave-church-washington-island-was-built-honor-scandinavian-heritage)

My family visits Door County, Wisconsin every summer. One summer in 2015, we took the ferry up to Washington Island, and took the island tour. One of the stops was the Washington Island Stavkirke. I remember the feeling I had walking up the stone pathway to the temple, and it was sense of relaxation and happiness. It felt like a magical place, where wishes came true. Actually, I remember our tour guide telling us that if you made a wish there while you were meditating that it was bound to come true! I loved how hopeful the building felt. Below is a picture of me circa high school between one of the pillars on the porch of the temple.

The Powerhouse is a local restaurant and bar in Oklahoma City’s Farmer’s Market District downtown. This building once served as the power house (hence the name) for the large Public Farmer’s Market next door. The market has been around for almost a century, as it opened in 1928. It has historically served as a place where Oklahoma farmers, ranchers, and other food vendors have ventured to in order to sell their goods. The market still stands as a place for farmers to do so, and the public flocks to the district every Saturday (when it is safe to do so). (https://www.okcfarmersmarket.com)

I had never been to this part of OKC until this past February when my Dad flew into town for a visit. We were exploring, driving around, when we spotted this little and historic-looking structure with dried chiles hanging from the roof. We stopped and had a beer and an appetizer, and thoroughly enjoyed how the owners had preserved a lot of the original interior. Once you step foot through the doorway, it feels as though you stepped back in time a bit. The interior was outfitted with dimly lit lights, original walls, rustic wooden tables and booths, and western apparel/art all around. I loved the ‘Wild West’ feeling it gave! It truly felt like old school Oklahoma. Although it was too cold to sit outside at the time, I included a picture of what the back looked like too below! Overall, one of the coolest places I’ve been in OKC whose architecture fit the vibe of old Oklahoma.

The National Weather Center is a building on the Research Campus of OU, South of main campus. It houses OU’s School of Meteorology, as well as a multitude of government organizations, making it a federal building. It was opened in 2006, after 3 years of construction. The fact that it is a federal building plays into the way the massive building was designed, as it featured bullet proof windows. There is also a room on the top floor, shaped like a circle, that is outfitted with huge windows all the way around the room. This is called the Observation Deck, and meteorologists in the building use it to view any weather on the horizon, or to just gaze at sunsets from the high up view. The weather center is also outfitted with a battleship style antenna on the very top to support the massive computers and data compilations needed by each weather organization within.

The National Weather Center is significant to me because meteorology is the reason I came to OU all the way from Columbus, Ohio. It always felt like such a big deal to be walking around with huge legends in the field, and taking classes where the Storm Prediction Center and the National Severe Storms Laboratory are housed. While I did end up finding a new passion and changing my major to Environmental Sustainability, I will never give up my love for the weather and my awe for this building. If you have not been yet I encourage you to check it out once it’s safe to return to campus- but don’t forget your OU ID or a government issued ID to get past security!

By Jenna Warner- 113350137

The Ohio State Football Stadium, otherwise known as ‘The Horseshoe’, has played a very positive role in my life. In my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, football is more than just a game. It is quite literally a way of life here. The stadium serves as the epicenter of importance in the city, and is highly respected. Ever since I was very little, there has not been a year that has gone by where I did not attend at least one game at ‘The Shoe’, including my years in college at OU. The feeling that arises when the massive stadium starts to appear in the distance is unimaginable. My senior year of high school I had the privilege of playing field hockey on the field, and wow was it inspiring to look up and see the stands and the upper bowl, as the sheer size of the structure beats down on you. I have visited a lot of college football stadiums in my short lifetime so far, including our wonderful Memorial Stadium of OU. However, none of these come close to the passionate feelings stirred up from seeing Script Ohio performed in front of you before the Buckeyes take the field within ‘The Shoe’.