Wessex Water’s operations centre on the outskirts of Bath, UK is set within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the World Heritage City boundary. Grant Associates was tasked to produce an exemplary environmental project by recognizing the sensitivity of the site and promoting ecological and sustainable design and construction.

They accomplished this through imaginative use of water throughout landscape. Porous paving systems were implemented to allow the movement of stormwater through the surface of car park areas to reduce runoff. Swales and soakaways were integrated to aid water conservation. Semi-mature trees were used for their natural and attractive solar shading abilities.

Wessex Water’s operation centre is the winner of many awards including: The Civic Trust Award 2003, RICS Building of the Year 2001, British Construction Industry Building of the Year 2001, and the 2001 RIBA Award.

Grant Associates was part of the winning team chosen to design the new Headquarters and College Central for the Institute of Technical Education in Singapore. College Central’s specialty is creativity and innovation. The building and landscape are closely integrated and consist of various layers to promote spatial efficiency.

The key features of the design include The Spine, a zone that features a series of gardens and trees intended to provoke inspiration. A continuous water feature flows from a source garden creating cool seating areas within the gardens. A series of retreat terraces and sunken gardens provide a range of productive spaces for students and staff alike.

The Institute of Technical Education was the winner of The Skyrise Greenery Awards 2013.

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre is a scientific observatory and discovery centre at the University of Manchester in Macclesfield, UK. The center houses the Lovell Telescope, one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. It is a global centre for astronomy, research, and science.

Grant Associates worked with Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios to develop the masterplan and concept for new pavilions intended to expand and improve the visitor experience for all age groups. Additionally, the design aimed to communicate the importance and relevance of the history and scientific research that is the mission of Jodrell Bank.

The design had several main focuses including a logical network of paths to encourage a strong connection between the Radio Telescope site and the  adjacent Arboretum. It also included the restoration and enhancement of the existing arboretum.

WilkinsonEyre was part of a British-led team that won the design competition for the masterplan for Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay. The project, which began in 2006, entailed three separate gardens covering a total of 101 hectares. WilkinsonEyre’s role in this plan was to design a centralized horticulture attraction and showcase for sustainable technology.

WilkinsonEyre designed the Cooled Conservatory Complex consisting of two main conservatory structures, both among the largest climate-controlled glasshouses in the world. The Cooled Conservatory Complex covers an area of more than 20,000 square meters, and showcases the flora of environments most likely to be affected by climate change.

In 2012 the cooled conservatories were named World Building of the Year and in 2013 the project received the RIBA Lubetkin Prize.

WilkinsonEyre was selected to design the Guangzhou International Finance Center (also known as the Guangzhou West Tower) following an international design competition. The tower stands at 440m, one of the tallest buildings in China, and contains 103 stories. The tower has many uses including office space, a luxury hotel, and a top-floor high-end restaurant and bar.

The Guangzhou West Tower connects with a substantial podium complex at ground level. The complex contains a luxury brand retail mall, conference center, and high-quality serviced apartments. Furthermore, and in my opinion most incredibly, the tower and podium connect below ground to more retail spaces and a transportation hub.

The Guangzhou West Tower links the commercial district in the north with the Pearl River to the south. It is part of the Guangzhou Twin Towers, its twin being the Guangzhou Chow Tai Fook Finance Center (also known as the East Tower).

Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames in Nine Elms, Battersea, an inner-city district of London, England. The largest brick building in Europe, Battersea Power Station is currently being refurbished by architects, WilkinsonEyre. The plan includes 2 million sqft. of new space designed by WilkinsonEyre as well as 253 new homes.

The largest office tenant in Battersea Power Station, occupying close to 500,000 sqft. across 6 floors of the central Boiler House, is Apple; expecting to open its new campus in 2021.

Adams Center will always be a special place to me because it was the first place I lived after moving away from home. I will never forget pulling up to Adams for the first time the weekend before my freshman year and being swarmed with students and volunteers ready to help me move in. I was excited, nervous, and overwhelmed but eventually things settled down and Muldrow 10 became my home.

Although the dorms are small, old, and usually dirty, they are a great way for freshman to get connected to the University of Oklahoma. It seemed like there was always some event going on in or around the dorms and other students were always out playing volleyball, studying, etc. I am still friends with some of the people that lived on my floor freshman year. Would I want to live in the dorms again? No. But I certainly don’t regret living in them and would encourage all incoming freshman to live in them too.

Aspen Heights has been my home for the past few months and so far I have no complaints. I live with four other guys and our house is one of nine floor-plans that Aspen Heights offers. The layout of the house is great; immediately through the front door is a large open kitchen/ living area perfect for responsible social events such as study groups or watching the Sooners play on the road. The rooms are spread out well and the most important feature of the house, in my opinion, is that everyone has their own room and bathroom.

Outside of our home I really enjoy the layout of the neighborhood. Aspen Heights does a great job building a sense of community among its residents and part of that stems from how the houses are arranged and the common areas in between the houses. Although it is sometimes apparent that the construction workers were paid by the house ours is sturdy on the outside and cozy on the inside. Living here has been a great experience.

The Bullock Texas State History Museum is one of my favorite buildings because it is an icon of Texas pride. The building itself is very strong and sturdy with an enormous star in front. It personifies all that the Lone Star State stands for which is fitting for a building with the mission of telling the story of Texas.

Growing up in Austin I went to this museum countless times for elementary school field trips, high school prom, or simply just to visit. The first step inside the entryway with its high dome ceiling and beautiful floor mural always evoked a sense of awe. Visiting this museum was always a positive experience and it taught me a lot about my state’s history.

Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital will always be a very special place to me. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age and since then went to Scottish Rite several times a year to monitor it and for treatment. While it might look like your standard building/ hospital on the outside, it is a completely different world on the inside. As you can see in the pictures above the inside is fun and colorful; clearly designed with children in mind. This is huge for young children who are there because of the scary and challenging conditions they face and I know it certainly helped make my experiences there less intimidating.

Texas Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital (TSRCH) is an incredible place not only because of its unique design but also because the services it provides have helped hundreds of thousands of people regardless of their ability to pay. TSRCH is funded through donations and therefore is able to provide care in many cases free of charge. This removes a huge burden from families who already have so much to worry about in their lives. The work done at TSRCH is a genuine example of community service.