For a long time, my cousin worked in Rockefeller center as an editor for an NBC affiliated media organization. During my trips to NYC I would always call him and arrange to tour the building, looking at the late night TV sets and exploring offices and the viewing gallery at the top. The sensation within the building is one of focus. There are hundreds, maybe even thousands of people, all working to create the same things. They are stacked on top of each other and overlook the rest of Manhattan. I relish every experience visiting the tower and the architecture makes it stand out from its surroundings.

I traveled to Italy after my freshman year of high school and spent an entire day exploring Vatican City. The endless halls filled with artifacts finally gave way to this crowded space with a little sign that said, “Sistine Chapel, No Photographs” in a variety of languages. I did not need a photo, even six years later, my memory of staring up at the ceiling is imprinted on my mind. The sheer amount of art contained within the arches of the chapel blew me away. It is a place that feels undeniably holy and years of work from one of the greatest artists to ever live completely cover the walls. The sensation of being in that room is almost indescribable.

Little Man Ice Cream was my favorite shop in Denver for a long time. It was a decently long walk from my house, or a short bus ride. The building itself leaves an impression when you first see it. I remember seeing the giant, old-fashioned milk jug frame when I was very little and imagining it as much larger than it actually is. It is its own sculpture and locals love to hang out there and listen to live music late at night.

I went there often on dates or just to hang out with friends and it contains a lot of nostalgic memories for me that make the ice cream taste even better.

Lakewood High School In Lakewood, Colorado was my school for four years prior to college. It stood out as different from other schools in that the wings for each subject all connected to two centralized atriums where we would gather and eat. A long straight hallway separated the two open spaces and they were lit up by natural light. The effect of these spaces was that students socialized more despite being a large school. During my time, there were hardly any fights and everyone knew everyone else. The atriums knit the community together.

I can remember feeling comforted walking through the halls, which positioned large windows to let in light. The whole place felt light and when a few tragedies struck during my time it provided a space for us to come together.

The Durham Bulls Athletic Park was opened in 1995 in Durham, NC. The field was build to bring a minor league baseball team to Durham. The stadium has been renovated over the years to update it internally such as adding more modern concessions and video boards. The stadium now hosts ACC baseball tournaments. I picked this as my fourth and final blog about Philip Freelon as it was the most different from everything that he and his group have designed. I like it due to the field blending into the city around it and not standing out and taking up unnecessary space that other arenas and fields normally take up in the vicinity.

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights was built in 2014 in Atlanta, GA. It is a building covered in multi-colored panels that were designed to represent human skin tones. The walls are slanted to give a symbolic evocation of two hands coming together. I like this building because of the symbolization that Freelon tries to make in it by joining all colors of skin together and making two hands coming together.

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture was completed in September of 2016. It is clad in perforated bronze. There are three tiers to the building that are angled outwards towards the sky. One of the key features of this building is the waterfall in a dark room with a skylight above it. This was done as a symbol for it to a be sort of a rocket ship from space as a reflection. I think this building is unique in its design as it stands out from the rest of the mall in the Smithsonian.

The Museum of the African Diaspora was built in 2005 in San Francisco, CA. It is a three level museum that is comprised by a variety of exhibits that range from art, history, and the culture of African migration around the world. The Museum is also part of a 42-story skyscraper in San Francisco. I like how the glass is able to bring in the natural light into the building. It appears to mirror the likes of Apple stores in the same setting around the world.

Whitacre Tower, also known as AT&T HQ, is a tower in Downtown Dallas, TX. I’ve been inside once and the memories are not fond to my mind. A very bland feel where no one wanted to be their. They clock in and can’t wait to clock out to get away. Even as a former employee of a corporate store, those that worked at HQ hated the company even more than us front line retail workers.

The US Capitol Building. The place where it all happens, both good and bad. I have met many members of Congress throughout my summer trips and internships on the Hill. Everyone on the both sides of the aisle are highly encouraging of our youth being highly engaged in government. Because of this I have never developed that awful sentiment that many Americans have more members of Congress that think they don’t do anything positive or productive for America. The wheels are always turning and deals are always being made to better our lives. By far one of the best buildings I’ve ever stepped foot in.