This is the Brazilian National Congress building. Finished in 1970, the two different domes hold the space for the two separate bodies of congress in Brazil. The semi-sphere on the left is home to the Senate while the semi-sphere on the right houses the Chamber of the Deputies. Niemeyer’s use of curved lines are evident here as well is his use of the water to reflect the architecture of the building.

This is the Alvorada Palace in Brasilia, Brazil. Niemeyer finished construction between 1957 and 1958 near Lake Paranoa. This building serves as the official residence of the President of Brazil. Niemeyer used a combination of water, glass, and marble in order to achieve the modern look that he wanted for this structure. Furthermore, the columns that are seen on the side of the building have become symbolic to the country and can be found on the flag as well as the Coat of Arms for the capital of the Republic.

This is the Brasilia Digital TV Tower in Brasilia, Brazil. Inaugurated in April of 2012, this tower was designed by Oscar Niemeyer to resemble a flower. The structure leads to an antenna that broadcasts a signal out to the Federal District and its surroundings. The Tower also has two observatories that are located on each side of he building to mimic leaves on the steam of a flower. The higher of the two observatories is a restaurant that gives the diners a panoramic view of the city. The other observatory is used as an art gallery with similar views of the city. Oscar Niemeyer’s use of curves and abstract shapes can be seen here as the entire structure has smooth lines.

This building is the Cathedral of Brasilia, constructed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1970. Niemeyer was a modern architect and that is evident throughout the structures that he designed. This Roman Catholic Cathedral is designed to be like a water tank with the sanctuary being underground. There is also a pool that surrounds the Cathedral that helps to keep the inside cool. Niemeyer favored the use of abstract shapes and curves over that of straight, perfectly clean lines. This is evident throughout a majority of the buildings designed by Niemeyer and can be clearly seen in the design above.

Throughout high school, I had a plethora of chances to perform in amazing venues for band. I previously wrote about Carnegie Hall however, the Alamodome deserves a place on my list of buildings that has impacted me. I performed here three times, each time we competed against 86 other bands for a chance to be one of the top 14 bands and advance to finals. There are two times when I performed that truly impacted me. The first again was my sophomore year. I had a vocal solo and sang in front of thousands of people. It was nerve wracking and thrilling at the same time. The cut off of the band before my solo rang throughout the vast space, sounding like claps of thunder and once it was silent, my voice and my voice alone was the only sound in the building. It’s something that I haven’t experienced since then. The second time was my senior year, my band had made finals and it was my last performance. I remember the end of our show, we all brought our horns down and the feeling of “wow, I’m done, that’s it” rushed over me. Four years of hard work was now finished and there was nothing more that could be done. It was a bitter-sweet moment and I’m so incredibly glad that it was something that I got the chance to experience.

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located in a small, rural town in Northern Minnesota called Frazee. It may not look like a lot, but this is where I would find myself on Sunday’s with my entire family. It holds a place in my heart and means so much to me because this is where I first heard my grandfather sing. Sitting in the pews, even if I wasn’t anywhere near him, the vaulted ceilings carried his voice throughout the space. I was young when we attended this church, and at the time, I didn’t think that it would have the significance that it now does. My grandfather passed away in April, and I would do anything to walk into the church and to hear him singing because I know that if I could, I wouldn’t take it for granted ever again.

The Great Reading Room in the Bizz is one of the places on campus that I fell in love with when touring. I knew that I wanted to go to OU from the moment I started looking at schools and this room solidified that feeling for me. Walking into the Reading Room with my parents, they both looked at me and could tell that I was in love. I often would find myself here in previous semesters, not only to study but to sit in the silence and reflect on my day. I find this space incredibly comforting and when people come to visit me, I take them to campus and this is one of the first places I bring them. When we leave, I always get the comment: “This looks like something out of Harry Potter!” I can’t help but agree with them because I find the Great Reading Room to live up to it’s name.

When I was a sophomore in high school, I had the opportunity to travel to New York City to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with my high school marching band. While we were there, I got to perform a concert in Carnegie Hall. I remember being both exhausted from our trip and extremely excited to play somewhere that few musicians ever get the chance to. Stepping into this concert hall is something that words can’t really describe, but I can easily say that I, along with the rest of my peers, were in awe. The inside of Carnegie Hall is gorgeous with vaulted ceilings, balconies, and rows upon rows of seats. I think about Carnegie often and hope to eventually go back to enjoy a concert from the audience point of view.