All posts by Madison McGinnis

Ting Xi Bamboo Pavillion – In Vo Trong Nghia Architects

This building was different then all the others because it didn’t have any plants incorporated. However, he seems to love breaking the boundaries of architecture with bamboo, especially here. The way the bamboo bends so intricately to make all the arches and designs makes it look so whimsical to be there. It reminds me of something you would see made out of stone in a castle. I would feel very luxurious eating at this restaurant and getting to feel all the natural light while admiring all the details that were put into all the bamboo.

Stepping Park House – In Vo Trong Nghia Architects

This project follows along with the overall theme of this architect. It looks like he likes to blend people with nature and structures with his projects. Especially this one, it looks like a beautiful place to relax and be surrounded by natural light and greenery. The slanted wood ceiling as well adds another outdoor-like element that makes this place even more beautiful. I bet that visitors feel very serine when they pass by or take a seat here, especially if they took all their outside distractions like a cellphone away.

Ha Long Villa – In Vo Trong Nghia Architects

This building was in the residential section of their projects which makes this so much more interesting to me. The fact that they could continue their theme of green architecture even in homes amazes me. I love the uniqueness of this home and just know it has to be expensive. In America, you see so many homes that look the same, but this has a wow factor that I have yet to see here. I would love to see this building in person as well and get to appreciate all of the elements the picture doesn’t capture.

Green Ladder – In Vo Trong Nghia Architects

When I first saw this project, it caught my eye by how unique it was. It seems that In Vo Trong Nghia Architects was very focused on making eco-friendly architecture. I find it so beautiful how the design incorporates both bamboo and plants. I bet it would be even more stunning to see it in person and get to see all the details that were put in. It allows those who visit to get to appreciate both the architecture and the nature involved.

1110 N Judd Pl

This was the house I grew up in for the first 10 years of my life. This holds a special place in my heart because this was the first place I ever lived and spent all of my elementary school years here. We had a nice backyard with a pool, which was necessary because this was in Phoenix. I can still remember that the layout of the house allowed me to hear when my dad was stirring the chocolate milk he would make me every morning and that’s how I knew when to get up. There are so many positive memories in this house that I know I will always cherish for my entire life.

OU Bizzell Library

This building was a major deciding factor when I was deciding where to go to college. I grew up on the west coast in Arizona and then California, so Oklahoma was definitely a far away state for me. Both my parents went to OU and I had family that I would visit in Oklahoma every summer so it wasn’t completely new. However, when I was touring colleges to apply to, I was stuck between the University of Arizona and here. When I toured, I remember the first thing I saw that caught my eye was the library and it just made everything feel like a college campus that was built around this one building. Something about it made the OU campus feel like home and I knew this was where I wanted to spend the next four years of college at.

Oak Valley Middle School

This collection of buildings was where I went to middle school in San Diego. For me, I remember always making jokes with our friends about how the school buildings looked like a jail because there were so few windows. The windows in the classroom that I do remember were always shut with the shades down, so there was hardly any natural light coming through. My middle school was completely outdoors, meaning the access to each classroom was a door leading to open air. It could be a combination of the memories shared here and the buildings themselves being dark with little windows, but this is definitely a place that is associated with bad memories. My friends still joke about the buildings in this school looking like the students are held captive inside. The picture definitely makes the school look a lot nicer than I remember it being.

15444 Artesian Spring Rd

This house has been home to me for the last ten years. My parents built it from just a simple lot up to where it is now and my dad is the one that keeps the landscaping so nice. I’ve seen every detail of this house get picked from scratch AND get to experience all the memories in this house. It has had such a positive impact on me because I’ve spent so many of my developmental years here and started a whole different chapter of my life from where I lived before. Overall, I think my favorite part about this house would either be the front door design or the light fixture in my bedroom. Both just look so creative and something that I feel like you don’t see too often in homes.