Phil Freelon’s most famous work was the National Museum of African History and Culture, located in the National Mall in D.C. Though established in 2003, it was not opened until September 2016, whence its opening ceremony was led by President Barack Obama. The National Museum of African American History and Culture Council held a design competition for the museum in which Freelon won through the use of a unique inverted step-pyramid style on the above-ground floors.

Paul Andreu was a French Architect who designed many magnificent buildings and airports, including the Grande Arche at La Defense in Paris. This imposing monument was built to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution and was initially begun by the Architect Johan Otto von Spreckelsen; however, Spreckelsen eventually resigned and Andreu finished the project in 1989 with enginner Erik Reitzel. I really like the dominating presence of this design, and the optical effect of the sky being visible through the archway is quite breathtaking.

Aldo Van Eyck’s Tripolis sits directly south of his orphanage project. It was a world renowned office building. It was finished in 1994 but is recently undergoing renovation and expansion by a dutch firm called MVRDV. Its going to be changed to Tripolis park and be home to many companies such as Uber. It is scheduled to be completed in 2022. The renovation will make sure the building’s signature wood and granite facades remain in tact.

This is the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego which includes the beautiful extension, included with a courtyard, designed by Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. The design is complementary to the contemporary art that is inside the building. It captures the main idea of their architecture and their legacy.

The Library of Wenzheng College at the Suzhou University was Wenyu’s first work, and it is breathtaking. Not only is it on the water, but floor to ceiling windows look out over a bamboo forest. However, nearly half the library is underground, which I dislike since I need natural light to focus. The materials used on the outside of the building are a lot simpler than her later works and makes me think she was still finding herself as an artist. Now, she seems to be more daring, using millions of different tiles as décor.

The architect I decided to cover is Christian Portzamparc because I liked how unique all his projects were from each other. This building is Cidade Das Artes which is a theatre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Construction started in 2003 but the building wasn’t officially inaugurated until 2013. I personally enjoy the outer design of the theatre with the web-like pillars and incorporation of sharp edges and curves. I also like how the building is partially surrounded by water. Although the building started construction in 2003, the building is still very modern even in today’s standards. It is the largest modern concert hall in South America.

The  were completed in 2007 in Hangzhou, China. These apartments remind me of a neatly organized game of Jenga- the way they “sweep” outwards looks like every apartment is stacked on top of another. Each second floor there is a courtyard that extends to two floors up, so each resident can have their very own and feel as if they are lower to the ground than they really are. There is also greenery on the rooftop. I love this concept because it can make residents of a packed city feel a little less crowded and condensed.

Next I chose the , built from 2003-2008 and located in Ningbo, China. The design incorporates the mountains and East China Sea, which is part of Ningbo’s history and culture. Part of the building is in the shape of a boat as an ode to the water and the importance of overseas commerce. The outside walls are either decorated in many tiles sourced locally or decorated with bamboo covered in cement. I’ve never seen anything like it- it looks old but new.

The first work of Lu Wenyu that stood out to me was Five Scattered Houses in Ningbo, China. I was attracted to the clean lines, especially the steep upward slowing roof in one house and that the natural materials were left to look just that. I also read that the structures were built with recycled and local materials, which I think is pretty cool. She designed them in which the natural elements and nature could coexist, which is fitting because they seem like the perfect places to meditate.

They designed this fire station in 1968 in Indiana. The idea was to make this an ordinary building and easy to maintain. They did it but now it is an iconic fire station designed by these two. It provides a great space for fire fighters, while also incorporating the unique architecture of Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown.