From kindergarten – 9th grade I lived in this house in Ardmore, OK. This was a huge step up from the trailer house we had before and though it meant we were no longer living in the more rural town of Dickson, OK, which I actually quite liked at that time, it was a nice change. It is a modest home with no frills. Not ugly by any means, but also not a large beautiful home. And even though it is quite ordinary,  it was a great home for us. My brother, sister, and I made many memories there and spent a lot of time in this house and in the neighborhood. We had so many good times there, it is hard for me not to be a little sentimental. Sometimes I still drive by when I am in town, just to relive those times in a small way.

The Chickasaw Nation STEM Academy, in Ada, OK, may be my favorite building of all time. Not necessarily because it is a remarkable building, but because of what the people at the STEM Academy do and the mission the building embodies. The mission of the STEM Academy is to give students, who are interested in STEM or not, the opportunity to learn about science and engineering through hands-on experience. As an alumnus of their FIRST Robotics program and a former employee, I have been involved with the STEM Academy for almost ten years. I am grateful that I was able to truly find a passion for engineering through the robotics program and have real engineering experience that has helped me get where I am today. I can say with confidence that I would not be studying engineering or working for the Chickasaw Nation without the experiences I had at the STEM Academy.

This duomo is a piece of Gothic art and architecture that was meant to showcase the power of Florence. The exterior brick and marble of the building showcased the wealth of the city and I also the usage of the green color really made the building differentiated to all of the other cathedrals we’ve been to. Prior to the introduction of modern materials, this dome was the largest in the world and remains to be the largest brick dome in the world as well. This cathedral was built in the traditional “T” shape, like many other churches, to symbolize the cross. However, the similarities end after that. The interior of the building contains murals that stretch throughout the whole dome. Furthermore, we had the opportunity to take the stairs to spiral up to the top of the dome as well.

This church was designed to let us climb to the very top, measuring at 400 ft tall. The hallways that contained the staircase were made out of concrete/brick and were extremely dark and narrow. Not the ideal place for someone that is claustrophobic. However, the long climb was well worth it when we got to the top and got to see all of Florence. This building really helped me appreciate the size and magnitude of the church as well as its location. This building has also made me appreciate my religion more because it showcases the talent and minds of the art and architecture behind this building as well. This experience made proud to be a member of my religion.

WinStar is an amazing building to me because of how well they incorporate the architecture of different cultures like Greek, Roman, American and even European. I had a positive experience at this casino because I did end up winning whenever I gambled for the first time at this place. It is also a reminder of how different each culture is to one another but how many amazing they make each other look. The different buildings that Lyndon Stromberg included have all different aspects to them but they all look great together. It reminds me that just like the buildings can mix and work well together, so can the people.

Located in Vatican City, St. Peter’s Basilica was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy. As mentioned by my professor, this church is not only the largest in the world but also one of the most renowned masterpieces in renaissance work. Furthermore, this church is known to be the resting place for Peter, where he is supposedly buried directly under the high altar in the church. This piece of architecture showcases the power of church during the Renaissance and really helps one understand how the church controlled the government at that time.

Walking into this building, it was an eye-opening experience because I have never seen the combination of art and architecture put together in such a beautiful way. Almost every spot in the building had some sort of art or special design. The walls were covered in murals and the pillars the held up the building had amazing designs etched into the sides.  I believe this building really represents the epitome of my Christian religion, showcasing its history into architecture. Furthermore, when we visited the basilica there was also a worship service happening, adding to the effect of the holy nature of the site. This encounter really made me revaluate what it meant to be a Christian and pushed me to be a better human representation of the faith to live up this church.

The Simpson – Little – Colston Building (I will refer to it as the Colston Building) is a six story “skyscraper” in my hometown, Ardmore, OK. The Colston Building was built in 1918 as an office building by Roy M. Johnson and Burton A. Simpson and was later purchased by the Colston Corporation in 1975. The Colston building remains an office building with offices for lease to local professionals.

My mother was one such professional who officed out of the Colston Building. She is an accountant and after she got her MBA she had built up a good number of clients and needed a space outside of her home office. So, an office on the 5th floor of the Colston building became the home of Nichols Accounting Service.

I spent a lot of time running around the building when I was younger and I ate many meals at the Main Street Cafe on the first floor. I haven’t been back in many years, but I still have fond memories of the time I spent there with my mom.

This is the house that my grandpa built back in Vietnam whenever he was able to gather enough money from the various gigs that he picked up when he first moved to America. This is one of my favorite places in the world because I remember seeing it for the first time when I visited Vietnam around 2010 for my Uncle’s wedding. It was my first time seeing this building in person and I was like “wow my grandpa built a mansion.” However, it was far from a mansion because it wasn’t as extravagant as a mansion would be. This house was just big for show. You can see how my grandpa implemented a French and Asian architectural style by implementing the large pillars, while also using red ceramic roof tiles. You can see that the windows had metal bars placed behind the glass, which was common for houses in Vietnam to prevent robberies and break-ins. This place brings me joy, not only for myself but for my grandpa because this was the first thing that he was proud to have. It was my home away from home.

If you have ever driven past the Asian District in OKC near Classen blvd, then chances are you have seen the Gold Dome. The reason I remember this building is because it used to be the bank my family sponsor went to. This is one of the only buildings that I remember after moving to America when I was young. Seeing this building always makes my feel wholesome because I remember thinking “wow America is amazing for having buildings like this” because at the time I had only seen the small shaggy buildings around Vietnam. It made me really happy to see this building because I knew that my life had changed for the better.

Built in 1911, Science Hall was the first building constructed on campus at East Central University (at the time known as East Central State Normal School). This building is where I spent most of my time for the first few years of my college career before I transferred to OU. It is not necessarily an ugly building outside, but it is over 100 years old and as such, the interior is subpar compared to other buildings at ECU. I actually think the exterior is pretty nice looking for its age.

For some reason I like this building even though it does offer what I will call a “unique” olfactory experience on the inside. I still have some nostalgia when I visit this building and I can assure you that it is not because I loved all of the math classes I took there. But I did take many classes in Science Hall and made a lot of friends in its classrooms. So, I think I like this building because of the memories I have from the time I was there.

This is the Hanoi Opera house that I had the chance to get a glimpse of when I was traveling through Hanoi during the summer of 2016. I did not get the chance to go inside, but just seeing the exterior of it was enough for me to appreciate how beautiful the building is. I had mixed feelings about it when I first saw it because I have enough knowledge of my country to know that it was a building that was made through French colonization, which anyone would have mixed feelings about as they don’t want to remember that their country had been colonized every time they see a building. You notice it instantly because of the four large pillars in the middle of the building and the pillars that wrap around the building. Seeing this building made me realize how great things can be by mixing two different ideas of two countries can be. Vietnamese people have been influenced by the French in more ways than one and architecture is just one of them.