From the way it sits among the waters of Norway’s Oslo Fjord, it is possible to mistake the Oslo Opera house as a product of nature itself. In 1999, After a century of national debate, the Norwegian legislature agreed upon building the new Opera House. Operated by the Norwegian government property management agency, Statsbygg, it would be the first  urban development project at the head of the Oslo Fjord, Oslo’s old Bjorvika harbor area. Out of 350 design entries received, judges chose that of Snøhetta, Norwegian design firm and World Architecture Award winner for its design of not only the Oslo Opera house but Egypt’s Bibliotheca Alexandrian. Beginning construction in 2003, Snønhetta architects focused on three materials; wood, stone, and metal - precisely oak, white Carrara marble, and aluminum. The exterior of the building is characterized by angular stone architecture that arises from the waters of the Oslo Fjord. The roof angles upward as an accessible platform/ramp from the building’s ground, creating a public space for the public to enjoy. Architects also held the intention of 

The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Petersen houses an array of historical vehicles yet the museum itself has quite a history. Located on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, the building designed by Weldon Becket has lived at one of LA’s busiest intersections since 1962, opening as a Seibu Department Store. In 1965 ownership shifted and the building became Ohrbach’s Department Store until 1986. The building then stood vacant for 6 years when magazine publisher Robert E Petersen decided it would be a perfect site for a museum, as artifacts could be displayed without danger to damage caused by direct sunlight and ultraviolet radiation.

The museum flourished in its original structure for 20 years when museum directors decided it was time for a makeover. It was closed it in late 2014 for the building of its new facade, designed by architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, and renovated interior, by designers at The Scenic Route. Petersen Directors wanted an exterior unlike any other building, one that would capture characteristics of the museum’s passion, the automobile. Cherry paint now covers the building, and 100 tons of stainless steel ribbons wrap around the museum (inspired by the visualization of fluid dynamics, the way air flows over a car). Being located on one of the

What happens when Korean influences combine with German architecture? The result is exemplified in the unique structure of the Stuttgart City Library. With demands for a new central library, the city of Stuttgart made the principle decision to build the Stuttgart City Library on Mailänder Platz in1998, holding an architectural competition for the building’s design. Of over two hundred architectural firms that competed, the South Korea’s Eun Young Yi of Yi Architects won first place. Preliminary designs for its structure were completed in 2005, the planning application was submitted in 2006, the building permit was granted in 2007, and construction began in 2009. With construction completed in mid May of 2010, at a cost of about 80 million euros, the library was set to open on the 24th of October in 2011.

Covering a little over 20,000 square meters, the library stands as a cube of white glass blocks, a crystalline edifice, with nine stories above ground and two. . . 

You may recognize it for the famous works it houses from artists like Koons and Warhol, or from the countless posts of praise circulating throughout social media platforms and various publications. What draws the eyes of many however, is its interesting architecture. Since its establishment in September of 2015, The Broad has received hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world, raking in about 180,000 visitors in the first two months. Eli Broad, the builder of KB Home and SunAmerica, both Fortune 500 companies, planned the museum’s creation in 2008. Having been an influential figure in the art world from 1973, particularly in Los Angeles, the museum’s emergence was greatly anticipated, especially its appearance.

Six architects from across the globe competed to design the museum including Rem Koolhaasand (Netherlands), Herzog and de Meuron (Switzerland), Christian de Portzamparc (Paris), Ryeu Nishizawa and Kazuyo Sejima (Japan), and New York’s Diller Scofidio and Renfro who prevailed in becoming the final designers of the museum. Located by the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, the museum’s design was intended...

There are many historically inspired architectural buildings, mostly built to appeal to the eye of the visitor, but The Getty Villa was not only built based on an actual Roman building, using common materials for that era, but also lends itself as a great teaching tool.  The Getty Villa was built in the early 1970s.  Its owner, J. Paul Getty, was very involved in the design and development.  Due to the ever-growing collection of Greek and Roman art, an expansion project started in 1996.  Once again Getty worked very closely with the architects that were awarded the contract, Jorge Silvetti and his business partner of over 20 years, Rodolfo Machado.  Getty also enlisted the help of Norman Neuerburg as his archaeological consultant.  The plan was to create a “dynamic environment intended to promote the appreciation and preservation of the arts and cultures of classical antiquity” ( True, Marion, and Jorge Silvetti. The Getty Villa.)

Charlotte, North Carolina is not the first city that traditionally springs to mind when discussing world-renowned modern architectural structures.  However, Mario Botta changed all that with his design of the Bechtler Museum of Art.  In order to truly appreciate this magnificent piece, one must first understand the architect. 

 Mario Botta was born in Mendrisio, Switzerland April 1, 1943.  He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and became a draftsman in the architectural studio of Carloni and Camnish in Lugano, Switzerland.  After 3 years of being a draftsman, Botta earned an apprenticeship and landed his first major project – the redesign of a complex to replace the parish house of Genestrerio.  In 1961, Botta attended college in Milan, Italy.  He would complete his lessons alone and came to class to sit for the final exams.  After graduating, Botta attended the Instituto di Architettura in Venice, Italy.  

Located in Downtown Miami, the Perez Art Museum is a truly innovative architectural masterpiece.  Designed by Pritzker Prize winning Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, it integrates Miami’s natural elements and has successfully created a fluid transition from the cityscape, through natural elements, into a museum filled with 20th century and contemporary art pieces.  Some of the collections that were donated by Jorge Perez include works by Latin-American artists, such as Joaquin Torres-Garcia and Diego Rivera.