Located in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, the Opera House is home to world class musical performances which have to try and fight the building for the spotlight. The building is an exceptional piece of art that flows from one end to its other.

My first impression when I saw the building was that it resembled a squid. The way the building curves around its open courtyard makes it look like it is capturing its pray. The more that I learned about the building, the more impressed I was. It is undoubtedly gorgeous and I do not think I have ever seen anything like it before.

As a former musician in high school, having the honor to perform in the main auditorium of this opera house would be a once in a lifetime affair. I am awestruck at how gorgeous the auditorium is. The flowing wood, centralized stage, tall ceiling, and certainly perfect acoustics would make this the dream theater to put on a show.

This is my sixth and final blog post covering MAD Studios, but it will not be the last time that I go out of my way to see what they are up to. These were my six favorite projects they were credited for, and I cannot wait to see what they will continue to do in the future.

Located in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China the art and city museum is a one of a kind structure that resembles an extraterrestrial being’s ship that has landed on Earth. The building also mimics the dunes that it was built on top of.

Inside, the museum is filled with wide open rooms and tall ceilings. It feels as if you ware still outside when in this massive structure. The design of the interior has very open and flowing circles but also sharp corners and angles. It adds even more character to a building that is bursting at the seams with it.

The wooden nature of the interior and the wide open spaces allow the building to breathe naturally. The energy that would flow through this building as you walk around and would make you feel at ease. It is something truly special, when the building itself rivals the art that it is holding inside.

The Absolute Towers in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada are two swirling silver towers whose purpose are two take a ‘twist’ on what a traditional skyscraper stands for.

The towers are located in a metropolitan area and tower over any structures in their vicinity. The designers of the towers wanted to challenge what it meant to be a skyscraper. Skyscrapers have always been a symbol of capitalism and American success, but these two towers make people stop and look twice.

The towers offer a unique view on every side of their building, both inside and out. With balconies on every floor, no view is repeated twice. The towers definitely stand out of the crowd in Canada, and would turn heads no matter where in the world they were.

I wish more skyscrapers would try to challenge the form like the Absolute Towers have done. The skylines of cities like New York and Chicago could be so much more if architects had the guts to be creative and try to do something unique.

Located in Harbi, China the China Wood Sculpture Museum is truly a work of art. The museum is a curving piece of metal that would catch the eye of anyone that saw it, as it appears to be so out of place in the Chinese community.

The museum encapsulates the essence of MAD studios, which blends together the concept of expression and abstraction to such a classical Chinese neighborhood. The building itself flows like water but is made of rigid metal.

The building is home to a museum filled with wooden chines sculptures, and even though I could not find a source to confirm it, the building seems to be modeled after a piece of Chinese wood. It is very fitting that a museum dedicated to wooden art be modeled after a beautiful piece of natural wood.

The Conrad Hotel is currently under construction in Beijing China and is most recognizable for its unique spiderweb-like exterior. The hotel stands over 100 meters tall and it supposed to be a modern take on the western skyscraper that became a poster for capitalism.

The hotel certainly stands out among its neighbors and its design is unmistakable. Surely this hotel will be occupied by those who wish to stay in the latest and greatest buildings. It will not be forgotten by anyone that views its truly unique design.

The first project I will be discussing over MAD Studios is found in Beijing, China and is called the Huton Bubble. The bubble is a demonstration of MAD’s proposal for their Beijing 2050 vision. The bubble is a circular structure that is covered in reflective material on all sides. It is very interesting to look at and makes quite an impression on all that view it.

The bubble truly sets itself apart from all of the architecture that surrounds it. The classic Chinese architecture composed of red yellows buildings with triangular rooftops allow for this bubble to stand out.

I do not know if this is what Beijing will look like in 2050, but if there are influences like this for the future of China, then I think the people of China will have plenty to look forward to in the coming decades.

For my final posting of my first set of 6, I decided to go with the restaurant  I worked at for over 3 years in Tulsa. The diner was called Te Keis Chinese Asian Kitchen. The design of the building has always inspired me. The flow inside and out of the building was really interesting.  It served its purpose as a restaurant, but also provided a good sense of class and elegance that Tulsa was striving for. I always looked forward going into work, because even though it was in the food industry, everyone seemed to be in a good mood in the building.

It has shaped the way that I appreciate architecture in the fact that I learned so much about how the building was constructed from the owner, who helped the development team. When the restaurant was renovated into Roka Bar and Asian Flavors, the only walls that were the same were the exteriors. I got to see first hand what it looks like when a construction project is underway and how the process is always moving forward. There wasn’t a single day that the inside looked on a previous. Work is done fast and thorough.

For my 5th post, I decided to go back to the very first building I was ever in – the hospital I was born in. St. Francis sits on a hill at 61st and Yale in Tulsa, OK. It is unmistakable thanks to the unique architectural choices made by the designers. The way the glass reflects back onto the city gives me a sense of hope for my city. It shows that no matter what the world has to throw at you, you just have to reflect it off yourself and not let it affect you. Continue on with what is going on inside you and try to help as many people as you can. Just like they do inside the hospital.

The additions that have been made to the hospital in recent years have shown me how massive architecture projects can be when they must add on to an already existing building. It seems to be a bigger hassle to add on than it is to build from scratch. The years that it took for the additions to be completed were fun to watch, as I drove by this hospital almost every week. It gave me an appreciation for how much time and effort goes in to projects like this.

Moving on from my post about my high school days, it is time to bring my focus to the building that has always had my admiration in college. I believe it is the most beautiful piece of architecture on OUr campus and I wish it could be shown off to the entire world. Of course I am referencing the Bizzell Library. Its ‘Cherokee Gothic’ style is very attractive and gives the aura of prestige. The library has been my go to study spot during my 4 years at the University and will continue to serve as it until I graduate. I have met some of my best friends in the building and had some of my worst breakdowns. The great reading room makes me feel like I’m at the magical school of Hogwarts. I could go on and on about how fantastic this building is, but I will just leave it with this beautiful picture of my favorite spot on campus.

The changes the library has gone through in just my 4 years at the University have given me a appreciation for when a architecture project is done out of sight. In my first two years, the modern downstairs study area was being created and I hardly noticed work going on at any time. Knowing just how much work goes into projects like this, it is amazing that in two years, the most I ever heard or saw about this project was a power tool once or twice. Then one day I say a poster saying that it was finished and I couldn’t believe how subtly the entire project was done. The downstairs area is quite attractive too.

For my third post I decided to reminisce on the high school days. I went to Thomas Edison Prepatory High School, which is part of the Tulsa Public Schools district. It is located on 41st street in between Hardvard and Lewis in Tulsa Oklahoma. The school is unique in the fact it is actually a middle school and high school combination, separated in the middle by the library and auditorium. I always liked the architecture of the building. Simplistic enough to not be over the top, but still interesting with its large glass panes of the library to still be modern.

In my days at Edison, I saw many architecture project take place. The new field house was constructed my senior year, and the new learning center was added on the years following. It is a continual growth spot for education in a city that needs leaders like it to set the example for how a high school should operate.

Being part of such a transverse building gave me an appreciation for the different functions a building can serve. Think about how much stuff goes on in a high school: class room learning, lunch room eating, gymnasium sporting, auditorium acting, band room rehearsing,  front office managing, library studying, and so much more. Most buildings have one or two functions, but schools must be designed and build in a manner that allows for so much more to go on. It is a testament to the architecture designer and their foresight.

I am also very partial to the picture I selected, as I was part of the Jazz Band that won state.