The Mill Owners’ Association Building is a building designed by Le Corbusier in Ahmedabad, India. The building serves as headquarters for one of the country’s most prominent textile associations. This building is another concrete building by Le Corbusier that features the cell block style windows that are featured in the High Court of Punjab. In both of these buildings, LE Corbusier really kept in mind the climate of India and worked to create buildings that cooperated with it. It is clear that the Indian community supported Le Corbusier’s artistry.  This building is interesting to me because it almost seems just as welcoming as it does private. The long ramp leads the public into the entrance of the building but the block windows are set forward from the actual building so that lends some privacy to the building. I think that this building is really interesting. I have read that Le Corbusier paid great attention to detail in his buildings so I think it would be really cool to explore all of his buildings because I just know there is so much more to see within it than I can see from pictures.

Corina Aguirre

The Pavilion Le Corbusier is an art museum designed by Le Corbusier in Zurich, Switzerland which is dedicated to the work of Le Corbusier. I personally thought that this was magnificent idea! This idea was Heidi Weber’s. Weber asked Le Corbusier to create a building that would be able to house a collection of his own work. Le Corbusier went above and beyond to do just that.  The building was the last building he designed before he passed away and it definitely one of his grandest. Le Corbusier took another bold step for architecture with the Pavilion Le Corbusier. In this building, Le Corbusier used framed steel and glass rather than the concrete and heavy stone that he was known for using. The building was much different than anything he had done before but it has style elements that are distinctly Le Corbusier. Le Corbusier seams to play with the idea of the weight of the materials in his buildings. The materials are heavy and strong materials like concrete and steel but Le Corbusier makes them seem weightless and featherless.  The roof of the Pavilion Le Corbusier is massive but it sits atop of the building as though it has just been effortlessly placed there.  I really like that about this building. The building just looks effortlessly beautiful. This building is also really vibrant and colorful which is another thing that I like about it.

Corina Aguirre

The Villa Savoye is a house designed by Le Corbusier in Poissy, France. The design of this house is modern and sleek and is much less masculine than some of his later designs that I have written about earlier. Le Corbusier described this house as “a box in the air”. When you look at pictures of the house, this is exactly what it looks like. The main portion of the house is supported by thin, delicate-looking support beams and the ground floor walls are painted green so that they blend in with the trees around the property. So your eye goes straight to the box-shaped portion of the house that appears to be floating. The house was built in 1929 and like many of Le Corbusier’s other buildings, it seems as though it should’ve came after its time. The design of the Villa Savoye is the essence the architect’s modern design style.  The inside of the house is modern yet simple as well. The inside of the house features a really cool spiral staircase. This building is another one of my favorites of Le Corbusier’s. The design is interesting and fun and I have always wanted a spiral staircase!

Corina Aguirre

The High Court of Punjab and Haryana is a building designed by the architect Le Corbusier in Chandigarh, India. This is another building that was created by Le Corbusier to serve in the new capital. The building houses many court rooms and the offices of many government officials. This building is also constructed out of concrete. It is a very unique building but it is easy to see Le Corbusier’s style in it. The building has a curved roof that is similar to roof of the chapel he designed in Ronchamp, France. The building also has windows that almost look like cell blocks that coordinate well with those in the Palace of Assembly that is also in Chandigarh. The High Court of Punjab and the Palace of Assembly are definitely related but they do have beautiful differences that make them unique. For example, in the design of High Court of Punjab, Le Corbusier incorporated vibrant colors that reflect the vibrancy of Indian culture. Le Corbusier’s use of color in the high court is probably my favorite part. In my opinion, it makes a very serious building seem light-hearted a whimsical, which I like very much.

Corina Aguirre

The Notre Dame du Haut is a chapel designed by Le Corbusier in Ronchamp, France. The chapel is a catholic church that was built on a pilgrimage site. It was built in this area to attract people looking to visit holy sites but the building is so spectacular that it more often attracts people looking to admire Le Corbusier’s work. Le Corbusier made a bold decision to design a chapel that was modern and the first of its kind. This decision definitely paid off because today, the Notre Dame du Haut is one of the architect’s most iconic and famous buildings.

The Notre Dame du Haut is a magnificent sculpture building that captivates all who look upon it. Its walls and roof are tremendous in thickness and height and explain the meaning of the building’s name “Our Lady of Height”. The building has so many different components that are intriguing. From the outside of the chapel, the massive walls and roof are what drew my attention but from the inside, it is the delicately placed windows and cracks of light. The inside of the chapel is simply designed so that the small windows create a wonderful source of light and beauty within it. The curved shape of the chapel is not only beautiful but functional as well. The curved shape provides architectural acoustics for the music played in the church. The building in very pretty and is one of my favorites of Le Corbusier’s.

Corina Aguirre

The Palace of Assembly is a beautifully designed building by the Swiss architect, Le Corbusier. This building is one of three concrete buildings that Le Corbusier designed that make up the capitol complex in Chandigarh, India. Le Corbusier was commissioned to create a new capitol for the country after it gained its independence. The final design of the building is nothing less than an iconic masterpiece.

This building is so different than almost everything I have seen before. When I look at it, I see strength and a remarkable distinctiveness. The concrete building appears strong and like it could stand for 1,000 years.  In my opinion, the design promotes the idea of a strong Indian government. The building that projects strength is juxtaposed with a projection of acceptance. The Palace of Assembly has a very open design that provides an intriguing and welcoming atmosphere. The building is also very unique. The arch on the top of the front of the building is distinct and much different than anything that other architects were doing at the time. I think that Le Corbusier did a wonderful job on the Palace of Assembly.

 Corina Aguirre

Now I know that this one might seem silly but stay with me! The memories that I have in this little diner have influenced my life in the most wonderful way. When I think of Waffle House, I think of all the great times I’ve spent with my dad there. When I was younger my dad worked night shifts at the Oklahoma County Jail and I hardly ever got to spend time with him. One of the things we did to spend time together was getting breakfast at Waffle House. My mom would drop my off there as she was going into work and as my dad was getting off of work. It was really nice to be able to spend this time with him. We would talk and laugh in the small booths and watch the sun rise through the windows that surrounded the building. The diner provided a comfortable place for my dad and me to relax and eat breakfast. To this day, Waffle House is still a big part of my relationship with my dad. We go there almost every Sunday morning. It is the first part of what we now call daddy daughter day. Every time I see those little yellow-topped diners, I think of all the great memories that I share with my dad.

Corina Aguirre

The Harrah Police Department is another building that has influenced my life in a positive way. The building is small and plain but it has a small town charm to it that I really like. It may not seem special to anyone else but after spending so much time there, I really started to love it. The reason I spent so much time there is because during the time I was completing my Associate’s degree at Rose State, I was required to intern at a criminal justice agency of my choosing. Harrah is the town I grew up in so I thought the Harrah Police Department was a good place to start. This building is where I discovered my passion and calling in life. I saw how the police officers in the department had personally impacted the lives of so many in the community and I knew that I wanted to be a part of that.  It was in this building that I began to learn just what police officers do every day and I loved every minute of it. If I had never come to this building I might not know now that I want to become a police officer. Whenever I pass this building, I think of it as a major stepping stone in my life and I am so thankful for that.

Corina Aguirre

Now I couldn’t possibly write six blogs about beautiful buildings that have affected me without mentioning the Bizzell Memorial Library. Let’s be honest, it is without a doubt the most marvelous building on our campus and arguably one of the most beautiful libraries in the nation. It is located in the center of campus and is the center of most OU students’ lives. Its Cherokee Gothic architecture is unique and awe-inspiring. The building’s beauty and strength has influenced the designs of many other buildings on our campus. The inside of the library is just as magnificent as the outside. The great reading room looks like something taken out of a Harry Potter book and the silence of the room seems to magnify its beauty. When marveling at the library, it is almost impossible for me not to feel incredibly blessed. The library makes me feel so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to study at such a beautiful school.

Corina Aguirre

Life church in Midwest City is another building that has impacted my life greatly. The funny thing about it is that before attending Life Church, I honestly kind of really disliked the building. Now, if you’re from Oklahoma, you’ve probably seen a Life Church somewhere around the state. There are eighteen campuses in Oklahoma alone! The reason I disliked my church though is because it is part of a rundown mall.  The building that my church is now used to be an old Dillard’s that was in the Heritage Park Mall.  It seemed so out of place to me and so much different than the beautiful catholic churches that I used to attend. After years of passing the church I finally walked through its doors and attended a service there. The people there were welcoming and kind and the message that the pastor preached was so powerful. Pastor Craig preached a message about finding new life in Christ. I found that in this building. It was in this building that I dedicated my life to Christ and was baptized in His name. So much of what my life is now is because of this building. Life Church in Midwest City is a home away from home to me. So many people walk into that building feeling broken and hurt and leave feeling loved and hopeful.

This building has influenced my view of architecture because it has shown me that something old and abandoned can be repurposed and recreated into something wonderful and filled with hope. The same thing that I hated about the church before attending is the same thing that love the most about it now. Almost every Life Church looks nearly identical and while some people might think this is a negative thing, I think it is a positive thing.  I love passing other Life Churches during drives because it almost feels as though I’m passing a relative or friend’s house. The building is familiar and welcoming. I know that even though I may not know a single person in the building, that I would be treated like family.

Corina Aguirre