Designed by Glenn Murcutt, the Donaldson House is a gorgeous specimen of architecture. The house is situated below street level and has two flights of stairs to reach the entrance. From a birds eye view, it is almost indistinguishable from the ground that it is flush with. The house was built to be inclusive with nature and has gorgeous greenery and vegetation surrounding it. It is crafted with lots of metal and big windows, a trait that Murcutts houses seem to often have. The dark exterior contrasts beautifully with the open and light interior space. The angles of the walls and roof are very eye catching and appealing. Overall, i really like this house and it is my favorite out of all of his that i have seen.

Designed by Glenn Murcutt, the Australian Islamic Centre was a strange building to me. Having seen Murcutts work, I had been accustomed to a more environmental/open approach. This building was quite the opposite. relatively closed off with high concrete barriers on either side, i was taken aback. The building is not, at least to me, the most attractive on the outside, however, it is very pretty on the inside. I do like the rows of trees that are seen in the front and the roof has types of skylights with colors to allow a colorful view when looking up from inside. I think it is for sure one a building that has more to it than meets the eye upon first glance.

Designed by Glenn Murcutt, the Walsh house is located in Kangaroo Valley, Australia. I found this building appealing because of its modernistic aesthetic. It overlooks the valley and encourages enjoying the view with its angled and open windows; the length of the building ensures that you are able to see it from throughout the house. I like the angle that the roof has, it reminds me of a shanty that is held together haphazardly with uneven supports; it is amusing that this is conveyed by a two million dollar house. I also like the light color interior contrasted with the dark exterior, alongside the metal and glass.

The MPavillion in Australia is a temporary outdoor recreational public space that is redesigned and constructed each year by a new architect. For 2019, that architect was Glenn Murcutt. Pictured above is the final product. I think it is an interesting design; I like the multi layered ceiling and the supports that jut out from the corners. I don’t particularly care for the simple pole supports, however it is important to remember that it is only a temporary structure. I really like the open space in which it is fixed, the trees and grass surrounding and the small area of stones next to the wood floor. It gives a really natural feel to the open space inside.

No trip to France, let alone Paris, is complete without having seen the Eiffel Tower in person. It is somewhat surprising to come to the realization that it isn’t exceedingly large as it appears to be in pictures. There is a restaurant housed in the first level of the tower that i had the good fortune to be able to visit, but the spectacle was most definitely the tower itself. Seeing the bare metal of the tower and its patina rise magnificently above the streets of Paris was a moment i’ll never forget. As day turned to dusk, the lights of the tower illuminated it, making it even more beautiful than during the day. It is a gorgeous piece of history and artwork that i wish to return to see many times.

In Pierrefonds, France, i came across this absolutely monstrous castle perched atop a hill. It was the most peculiar thing because the smaller size of the town in no way indicated that it housed anything near the size of the Chateau. The second photo is when i first saw it from below, and the first was after my attempt to explore further. I walked around the entire castle gazing up at its gargantuan walls and towers; it sat much taller than any of the surrounding buildings. I was only able to walk around the perimeter of its walls because it was not open to be shown inside, but i could only imagine the wonders that were within. I had and have never seen another castle before, so it was something that excited me greatly; i hope to one day return to see the inside.

While visiting Paris, i was told that i should make a detour to visit Sacre-Coeur and it did not disappoint. Although it is not nearly as large of a building, relatively speaking, as the some of the others i visited, what it lacked in size it made up for in ornateness. I was first struck by how pleasing it is aesthetically; i immediately noticed the symmetry of the church and its positioning upon the hilltop. The interior was very pretty as well, but i found the exterior to be the true source of attraction. Pictured are photos that i took from above and below, and the view of Paris when exiting the cathedral was breathtaking.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to visit France in the spring of 2018. During my explorations of Paris, it was inevitable that i go see the famed cathedral of Notre Dame. My first impression when i saw it from up close was one of majesty. The sheer size and massiveness of individual parts of it are a mix of both intimidating and awe inspiring. Having only seen it in pictures before, i could hardly believe that i could touch the very walls that had stood for centuries; the pictures do it no justice. I was overwhelmed by the stark beauty of the cathedral, by the intricate detail and prowess that it demonstrated. In an ideal world, the only thing that would have made it better would have been being able to explore it and study it in its entirety without tourists and guides; being able to take my time and savor each and every element of this masterpiece.