The Victor Block, which is located in downtown Guthrie, was built by Joseph Foucart in 1893. It is a 3 story brick and stone building with a beveled corner entrance. This building has served many purposes over the years. It has been used as things like drugstores, offices, saloons, and liquor businesses. The building was rehabilitated in 1982, and is currently used as some shops, a bed and breakfast, and a couple of restaurants. It also holds an event center, which was Oklahoma’s first four star event center.

The things that stick out to me is how big this building is. It has the capacity to hold multiple businesses, and is even more impressive considering it was built in the 19th century. The beveled entrance is also very cool to me, because even though it is located on a corner, it still feels like you are entering just a normal building. I also love all of the features like the arced windows and the decorations located along the top of the building. I think it is very intriguing that Foucart designed most of the downtown Guthrie area. I have been there a few times, and I absolutely admire all of the buildings that are located down there.

Williams Hall was built by Foucart in 1900. This building was the library at what is now known as Oklahoma State University. Not only was it the library, but it contained classrooms, a museum, as well as many other things to help the students thrive. While this building was loved by everybody that came in contact with it, its life had to be cut short. As it aged, it was deemed to be no longer safe or functional due to things like leaks and rats. The building was unfortunately demolished in 1969, but the legacy of the building lives on.

This is probably one of the most beautiful campus buildings I have ever seen, especially considering when it was designed. It reminds me of medieval architecture with its towers. It is also a bit spooky with the material it was built with. That is one building I wish I could go back in time to go experience myself.

Foucart’s next building that I chose is the Gray Brothers Building. This building was constructed in 1890 and 1893. This building has acted as a number of different purposes. It started as a grocery store, then progressed to the Bank of Indian Territory, then the Oklahoma State Bank. Later it was a barber shop, and is currently the Country Corner Antique business and Treasures and Books stores. There are also many historical moments that have happened in that building such as the town’s first telephone exchange.

When I first look at the building, I notice the fixture at the very front that comes to a point. It reminds me of the Taj Mahal in India. The view from the front is very appealing and beautiful. I really enjoy the differentiation of the brick colors as you go up the building, which is then finished off by the elegant centerpiece. I also notice the smaller fixtures which go all around the top of the building. It reminds me of a medieval castle in that aspect.

The architect I have been assigned is Joseph Pierre Foucart. While he was born in Belgium, his primary location of architecture was in Oklahoma. The first building I will write about is the Co-operative Publishing Company Building.  This building was designed and completed by Foucart in 1902 after the original building burned down earlier the same year. It was the state capital, and the place of the first newspaper publishing in the Oklahoma Territory. It was sold to a competitor in 1911, and acted as a printing company until the 1980s. In 1983, it opened as the State Capital Publishing Museum. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the museum was forced to shut down in 2012, and hasn’t opened since.

I love the way this building has old-fashioned all brick building. While this looks like most of the buildings designed in this area and time, it still holds up in my opinion. The grand entrance is something so captivating, and one that I would want to go in based on appearance alone. I notice the columns around the top floor, which reminds me of a medieval castle, and I also notice the color, which while it is simple, it seems very powerful.

My final personal blog that I will write about is Adams Center. In my opinion, this is one of the worst visually pleasing, and worst functional buildings on campus. On the exterior, it is divided into four sections, and it makes the mind wonder why it was designed in that way. It is very bland with the red brick, and it makes me appreciate the other buildings on campus much more. The interior is not much better. Once you walk into the lobby, it is very confusing on where you must go to get to your desired destination. The walls in the lobby are very dull as well.

This building is personal to me because this is where I lived during my first year of college. Not only was the lobby bland, but once you went up to the rooms, it got even worse. In the hallways in route to my room, it felt like I was in a prison. It was a very small hallway with no decoration, and low ceilings. The rooms were small, as most dorm rooms are. However, some of the rooms were not maintained well, so bad in fact that mold grew in some AC units, and made some of its residents very sick. Overall, this is a very confusing and dull building that I spent a majority of my freshman year of college.

The next building on my blog is South Canadian Valley Church of Christ. On the exterior, it might not look like much. The first time that I visited this place, I didn’t think much of it. However, it is the interior that I truly love. When you first walk in, It feels like a small, homey area where members can converse before and after services. In the back of the building, there is an area for the people to eat lunch, or have any type of gathering they would like. At the front of the building, there is a grand auditorium for the purpose of people worshiping.

This place is very important to me because it is a place that I found a second home at. The moment I walked into the building, I knew it was going to love going, and continue to attend there for my entire college career. There have been so many memories made here, and I have met some amazing people at this building, so this will always have a lasting impact on me.

The next building I selected is Catlett Music Center. This is truly one of the most majestic buildings on the campus of the University of Oklahoma. The exterior of the building is very interesting with its different shapes and elevations. It is different than any other building on campus, which is like a breath of fresh air. However, it is when you walk inside when you get to see the true magic of the building. Once you walk inside, you get to see the sun shine through the stained glass into the big, open Gothic Hall. Overhead is a gorgeous organ which occasionally filling the room with glorious music.

This is very personal to me because music is my true passion. I am a member of the Pride of Oklahoma, so every time I am in this building it reminds me of all of the memories I’ve made with music and that organization.

The first building I chose is Price Hall. Both the interior and exterior of the building is both grand, and makes me feel at home. The walk to the main entrance is majestic with the flower beds, the fountain, and the benches surrounding everything. The interior has a similar feel, with the high ceilings, and spacious lounges and classrooms. However, there is also a part of the building that feels like home. Whether it be the lounges that are filled with comfortable couches and chairs to study, or the classrooms that are more interactive, it doesn’t feel as much as a dull classroom as it does an active learning environment.

This building is important to me because this is where I spend the majority of my time on campus. Since I am a business major, it is rare that I get to leave this building both now, and in the future of my college career. It is because of this fact that I think it is important that the building is best suited to help not only me, but all of its students succeed, which is what I think it is designed to do.