The Cranbrook Educational Community is a multi-complex located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. It consists of schools, an art museum, a science institute, and Cranbrook House and Gardens. The chief architect was Eliel Saarinen. The Cranbrook Educational Community is declared a National Historic Landmark. Cranbrook is renowned for its architecture and this is debatably the biggest reason. This complex attracts thousands of people every year to admire the architecture as well as actually attend the schools and institutes. According to some sources, this was Eliel Saarinen’s most proud accomplishment of his architecture career.

The Sagrada Familia was one of the buildings that stood out to me the most in my life in terms of being visibly outstanding. I took a trip to Spain for spring break with my high school class. My teacher always talked about how the Sagrada Familia was on the itinerary and it was a must see. In person the building looks more like what I would picture a castle to look like. This building is important to me because it is one of the most memorable places I visited in Spain. I chose this picture because it is very similar to the first view I had of the building although there were birds in the pond when I saw it.

Norman North High School was built in 1997. It was the second high school built in the Norman. When you walk into these doors, you are welcomed to a big cafeteria. It has changed since I graduated in 2015. I believe it has added a freshman center, and it is now more spacious with more windows. It needed a more open concept because before there were minimal windows in each classroom. Although I only spent my senior year at Norman North, I have only good memories of this place. I moved because I wanted a chance to win a state championship. I have met all my closest friends at Norman North. I would not of have been in the situation I am today without this place.

Burton is probably the worst building I’ve ever had a class in at OU. From the outside it’s not terrible looking but it is obvious it’s one of the older buildings on campus. But when you enter it feels ancient and like its rotting from the inside out. The air inside feels heavy and damp and the amount of artificial lighting gave me a headache by the time class was over. From the first day I walked in I knew I wasn’t going to enjoy my time spent there and made me think poorly of the class I took there purely because of the poor environment. It also increased my absenteeism because I just couldn’t stand the thought of having to sit in there for two hours and I’m so glad I will never have to go there again! It’s sad because most of its issues could be fixed if it was only taken better care of in the past.

Star Hill was a place that had a positive impact in my life growing up. There are two basketball courts, a track, and turf fields for soccer. Growing up I had soccer and basketball games and practices there with various teams in the facility. My friends and I would also go here to play sports on our own. The building was always really interesting to me because it is a giant dome structure and contains all the sports amenities inside. This allows for year round use even when given bad weather conditions.

The National Museum of Finland is another one of Eliel Saarinen’s staple pieces of work. The ceiling exhibits frescoes in a Kalevala them which are mural paintings on limestone which can be seen without an entrance fee.

The building itself is designed in such a way that it resembles Finland’s medieval churches and castles. This kind of architecture belongs to a genre of architecture referred to as national romanticism. It underwent construction from 1905-1910 but didn’t officially open until 1916. It was given the name The Finnish National Museum in celebration of Finland’s independence in 1917.

The third building I am going to talk about is Couch Tower. I know almost all of us probably have some memories, experience, or at least opinions on the Towers. Personally, I had an overall good experience in these 1966 looming buildings on campus. Couch Tower was the first building I ever visited on campus. Is it the best looking building on campus? No. Is it super inviting? No. Is there mold? Probably. Despite its flaws, I enjoyed living in the Towers and having all my friends within a small radius. It made it easy to make friends and get together for group studies. Not all my experiences in the Towers were stellar, but I will be sad when they are inevitably torn down and new dorms are built in their place.

The Selser Schaefer architecture group has an emphasis on creating spaces designed for wellness. The neighborhood that the Denver Health Center is located in was built in the 1920s and the materials used to create this building try to match and mimic the style. The slopes of the roof and the style of the windows are very similar to the surrounding apartment complexes and homes. The use of floor to ceiling windows make patients more comfortable in waiting areas and help to ease the usual anxiety of visiting the doctors office. The design of the Denver Health Center in Tulsa adds value to the community around it.

Kleinhans Music Hall is a concert venue located in Buffalo, New York. It is known for its exceptional acoustic excellence and its modern take on elegant architecture.

The hall takes on a parabolic shape and is designed in such a way that the audience in the back and top rows will have as clear and instantaneous auditory experience as the first rows. The building’s simple design and color schemed are made in such a way as not to take away or distract the audience from getting the full experience of the performance with ornate decorations. This building was completed in 1940 and in 1989 it was declared a National Historic Landmark for its architecture.