The final building I am going to talk about is the University of Limerick President house in Limerick, Ireland. The President of Limerick actually had 2 house’s. The first was named “the White House” so McNamara and partner decided to make the second house white as well.  The president’s house is often used to entertain donors or academics that are visiting the campus. The formal rooms of the house are all stacked on the south side while the private informal rooms are on the north side. There are two staircases that make it possible for the public and private sections of the house to coexist. This follows traditional Irish housing design where formal and private areas are kept separate.

The third building I am going to talk about is the Institut Mines-Télécom in Paris-Saclay. This is my favorite building designed by Shelley McNamara because of all of the natural lighting brought in by the plethora of windows. In an interview McNamara pointed out that architecture is impacting the earth on an enormous scale and feels it is her and her partners duty to make it as beautiful as they can, which I believe they are doing. The use of natural light in this building and the flow of light throughout can help make the users feel more comfortable than they would if the building used artificial light.

The second building I am going to talk about is the Luigi Bocconi Univeristy in Milan, Italy. This building was the first to win the World Building of the Year at the 2008 World Architecture Festival. Shelley McNamara (and partner) are often praised for their ability to design buildings that fit into their surroundings while still giving it a contemporary twist. This building was able to perfectly blend the university into the city. Making it a public space at the bottom, and university space at the top with classrooms and a thousand office spaces for professors above.

The first building I am going to talk about designed (in part) by Shelley McNamara is the University of Engineering and Technology in Lima, Peru. This building was awarded the 2016 RIBA International prize. The building is an a weird/awkward space right next to the curve of a major highway (pictured) and also in the neighborhood of various sized apartment buildings. They responded to the challange of the surrounding area by designing the north side of the building as a man made cliff, inspired by Machu Picchu. This helped stop the highway noise from reaching the classrooms. The open layout of the interior of the building allows cool air to flow in from the nearby pacific ocean, reducing the need for air conditioning.

Founder’s Plaza at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport is an observation area where you can watch planes land and take off. I use to go there weekly and still consider it my favorite “thinking spot”. There is something so relaxing about the openness of the area  while still being able to see the bustling DFW airport in the background.  You can also see the new terminal D being built which is exciting!

The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas reminds me of some of my favorite memories growing up. The Dallas Convention center hosted the largest cheer competition in the country. Cheer has always been a big part of my life so I spent many weekends here. The maximization of space at the convention center is incredible and is easily accessible to all. It has one large arena and several other performance halls. It is set up as a long strip so it is easy to find the ballroom you are looking for. The large glass windows have always been something that I remember about the venue from all of my competitions there.

The Pi Beta Phi house will always be home to some of my fondest memories. Getting to live with 80 of my closest friends is an experience I will never forget. The wrap around porch and the use of columns give the house a southern look. I really liked the large windows in every room and the amount of sunlight they let in to allow for natural lighting. The Pi Phi house has been remodeled on the inside several times but has always maintained it’s charming exterior. The addition of a new wing on the left side of the house has allowed the house to grow while still mimicking the southern architecture of the original house.

The Chick-fil-a in Norman will always hold a special place in my heart. I have always been considered an extremely picky eater and after moving to Norman I found myself consistently disappointed by almost every fast food restaurant I went to.  The first time I went to the Chick-fil-a in Norman, it instantly brought me a feeling of home (because I regularly ate at therein high school). The station where the employees stand is so friendly and welcoming. It made me feel like I was back at the my home town chick-fil-a. Also, the new layout of the restaurant and drive thru greatly improved efficiency and made it an even more pleasant experience than before.