“Coop Himmelblau, also rendered Coop Himmelb(l)au, [is an] avant-garde architecture firm that rose to prominence in the 1980s and ’90s. The two central members were Wolf D. Prix (b. December 13, 1942, Vienna, Austria) and Helmut Swiczinsky (b. January 13, 1944, Poznań, Poland).

Coop Himmelblau was founded in 1968 by Prix, Swiczinsky, and Rainer Michael Holzer; Holzer left the partnership in 1971. The firm’s name—German for “Blue-Sky Cooperative”—was a wordplay describing their efforts to “make architecture light and fluctuating like clouds.” (Zuckowsky, 2013). 

This building is a Central European Banking building, although it does not resemble my typical idea of a bank. Opened in 2015 in Frankfurt, Germany, the design of the building feels futuristic, progressive and sleek. It looks efficient and that the work completed inside the building is efficient. I am not sure if that is true, but the environment is appealing and thinking about how appealing spaces promote productivity, I think it’s a good educated guess. I like how the windows let in natural light because this is also important for building health. The space reminds me of the Justice League Headquarters or something, because I feel like immense activities take place within those walls.

Coop Himmelblau, also rendered Coop Himmelb(l)au, an avant-garde architecture firm that rose to prominence in the 1980s and ’90s. The two central members were Wolf D. Prix (b. December 13, 1942, Vienna, Austria) and Helmut Swiczinsky (b. January 13, 1944, Poznań, Poland).

Coop Himmelblau was founded in 1968 by Prix, Swiczinsky, and Rainer Michael Holzer; Holzer left the partnership in 1971. The firm’s name—German for “Blue-Sky Cooperative”—was a wordplay describing their efforts to “make architecture light and fluctuating like clouds.”

This European firm produces really cool designs. One of the most interesting buildings I have seen by these designers includes the Paneum, a four-story event and information center located in Asten Netherlands. This building is beautiful and funky. The top is meant to resemble kneaded bread, important to the owner’s company, and functions as the studio space. The bottom, visually symbolic of a bread box to me, holds the event rooms

The entire space is visually dynamic  and very inviting. If I ever get the chance to visit the Netherlands, this futuristic Paneum is my first stop. 

https://www.detail-online.com/article/a-whirlwind-of-a-museum-paneum-by-coop-himmelblau-31665/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/business-organization

http://www.coop-himmelblau.at/architecture/projects/wunderkammer-des-brotes

The Bizzell Memorial Library, also known as the Bizz, “is a five-story brick structure located at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. It is an elaborate Collegiate Gothic or Cherokee Gothic building, designed by the architecture firm Layton Hicks & Forsyth and constructed in 1928 during the administration of OU’s fifth president, William Bennett Bizzell.”

-Wikipedia

I chose to share the Bizz because this building truly fascinates me. First, the sheer size of the building is intimating and feels accurately studious or thematic to the university. This could be because the buildings match the others in design or because this architecture style is heavily connotated with university culture.  

Great Reading Room

Although I do not spend at much time in the library as I wish I could, I love being in there. Each floor and new area feels like its own world. The library contributes to a different mood for each section and just has so much to see and do. Every time I visit, I discover something new to explore. It is a goal of mine to visit every floor and section before I graduate so I am very excited about that. It is a great place with multiple purposes; perfect picture background, study center, hang-out spot, etc. The library is one of my favorite places on campus. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizzell_Memorial_Library

The Tinker Youth Center is located in Oklahoma City on the Tinker Air Force Base. Established in 1976, the building hosts a Boys and Girls Club affiliate organization, that serves children aged 5-18.

Honestly, the building is very ugly. Consisting of tans, grays, and browns, the outside is unappealing and bland. On the inside, it is a mix of styles from the 50’s-esque floor tiles, to modern stainless steel tables to rustic/farm chic decorations thrown about.

I have mixed emotions about the youth center. Growing up, I spent much of my childhood there and I am currently employed as a child and youth specialist. My favorite aspect of the building is the large windows that take up the front walls. They let in a lot of natural light and warmth, which really helps to boost the mood. As an adult, I am frequently angry in this space, so soaking the vitamin D really helps.

On the other hand, the building does not ventilate or insulate well. We are either super cold or way too hot. Also, we have had a terrible mold issue in the gym, that shut us down at one point and persists heavily. I think the building could be used fantastically for other purposes as the various rooms and open spaces have the capacity for really creative design. As the building exists today, it functions to entertain our kids, but I know it has a lot of potential to be better. 

The Empire State Building [designed by William F. Lamb] is a 102-story skyscraper “located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of [1,224 feet (373.1 meters)], and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 feet (443.2 m) high. Its name is derived from the nickname for New York, the Empire State. It stood as the world’s tallest building for nearly 40 years, from its completion in early 1931 until the topping out of the World Trade Center’s North Tower in late 1970. ” (Sandberg, 2014). 

I visited the Empire State building on my first trip to New York in the summer of last year. Our decision to visit this museum and observatory was just happenstance. We had traveled to that part of town with no final plans and ended up on 5th Ave. after some aimless walking. Despite this, that detour was a great idea! The beautiful Art Deco building draws the visitor up its immense height, through a labyrinth of photos, construction facts, and pop culture references. One of my favorite elements of the building was the elevator ride up to the observation deck; as you ascend, they play a brilliantly made, historical video which adds to the spectacle of the visit. We spent a long time on the observatory deck, trying to take in the view. Thinking back on it, being up that high produced a kind of sensory overload. It was hard to see all the smaller buildings and orient myself to geographically, though admittedly I get lost very easily. After a long day of exploring, the Empire State Building was our final stop and a great way to end my second day in New York. I loved everything about this trip! To experience architecture this intimately and in such detail, was truly unforgettable.  

Sandberg, M. (2014, February, 11). Architecture: The empire state building. https://datavizblog.com/2014/02/11/architecture-the-empire-state-building/

The Donald W. Reynolds Visual Arts Center located at 415 Couch Drive
Oklahoma City, OK 73102, “transitioned from a federally funded gallery to a private institution when it was incorporated on May 18, 1945.” Originally called the Center Theater, designed by Robert Bowler, the building had fallen into disrepair. In 2002, the design as we see it today officially opened to the public. The renovators made sure to preserve the original box office of the building as well as some of the banisters and railing, allowing the new space to keep true to the historical theme. The building hosts a series of theaters, similar to its original purpose, as well as The Oklahoma City Museum of Art.

I first experienced the art museum about 5 years ago and have been attending the exhibit regularly with friends. From entering through the old-school revolving door, you are presented with the option to travel down the hall to the gift shop and theater rooms or up through the gallery to see the many exhibits. The atmosphere is inviting and made open by the wall of windows in the entrance. Chihuly’s glass installations feel apart of the building’s architecture, refracting the light and giving the space extra character. It is an environment in which I can enjoy art and feel welcomed to stay for a while.

https://www.okcmoa.com/history/