Week 12 - My Childhood Home

This is the most near and dear of the posts I have done for the blog assignment. This is the house that I grew up in and spent about 21 years of my life in.  My parents moved out of this house last summer and moved to Fort Collins.

I can't even begin to list the countless memories and good times I had in this house with so many different people.  I will always call this house my home and it will always be hard to remember that it is no longer mine.  I had the bedroom looking over the driveway and it was my favorite bedroom to this day.  Nothing will ever compare to the experiences in this house and I hope that some day I will be able to drive by and see how it looks.

Week 11 - Dale Hall

Dale Hall will always serve as a reminder of my time at OU.  I have had many classes in Dale Hall and my first class of my college career was in Dale. I think that Dale Hall has a place in a lot of people's hearts because it really is a staple of the OU campus.  There are so many different classes that can be housed in Dale that it makes for a melting pot of different students with different majors of study.

Despite the emotional connection, this building is not very good looking and from the outside makes me think of a nuclear bomb shelter. The lack of exterior windows doesn't help its appearance and nor does the tall cement wall that begins halfway up the building.  Despite these obvious design eye sores, Dale Hall will always have a special place in my heart and will be one of the first academic buildings I think of when I think of OU.

Dale Hall (Norman, OK)

Week 10 - POPS

POPS is a famous gas station and soda shop along historic Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma.  The establishment was opened in 2007 and is owned by well known oil man Aubrey McClendon.  While the stop is most famous for its array of soda pops, it also serves as a fully functional gas station.

The best part of this establishment is the glass walls that go floor to ceiling with different sodas from all over the world.  There is also a full service restaurant inside that serves burgers, hot dogs, fries and other diner type food.

The giant soda pop bottle outside this establishment is the most recognizable part of this building and serves as a beacon to POPS and those who want to make a quick stop.  At night the bottle is colored by thousands of lights and makes for a good light show.

I have eaten at POPS and bought soda from this place and I have to say that it is one of the coolest places along Route 66.  I think the building pays homage to growth and development of Route 66 with its modern flare on a traditionally historic American landmark.

POPS (Arcadia, OK)

Week 9 - Westin Denver International Airport Hotel

This hotel is the newest addition to Denver International Airport (DIA) and has come under recent scrutiny for its design.  The hotel sits at the south end of the main terminal and upon its completion in the Fall of 2015 will the first hotel at DIA.

The hotel was designed by Gensler, an architecture and design firm, based out of San Francisco, California.  The hotel was designed to look like wings but I personally don't see it in the design.  I personally think that this new hotel will be an eye sore and doesn't mesh well with the architectural designs of the already existing airport.

I have flown out of the Denver International Airport many times throughout my life and I have to say I am personally not a fan of the new hotel design.  The design I believe carries too many contemporary elements that clash with the less contemporary design of the airport.  However, despite my feelings about the design, this building still serves a very practical purpose for travelers providing convenient lodging.

Denver International Airport is also home to the sculpture "Blue Mustang" which is a large representation of "Mesteño" which used to be on display outside the Fred Jones Art Museum.

Westin Denver International Airport Hotel (Denver, CO)

 

Week 8 - Valor Christian High School

Valor Christian High School is a private christian high school in the Denver suburb of Denver, Colorado.  I was the one of the founding members of the high school and a member of the Class of 2011.  The Class of 2011 was the first class in the school's history to go through all four years at Valor.

The school currently has two main buildings - the academic building (right) and the athletic building (left).  A third building, the arts center, is currently being built directly in front of the athletic building.  In total the campus is well maintained and the buildings look as good as they did when the school opened in 2007.  I look back fondly on my years at Valor and always enjoy being able to revisit by old stomping grounds.  The brick exterior is something that I personally like when it comes to building.  This also explains why I am a big fan of the University of Colorado's campus.

Overall, the building's on the campus all have personal meaning too me and I hope that I can have the opportunity to come back to Valor and work in the athletic department.

Valor Christian High School (Highlands Ranch, CO)

Week 7 - Lloyd Noble Center

The Lloyd Noble Center will always have a very special place in my heart.  It is home to the Oklahoma Sooners men's and women's basketball teams and the women's gymnastics team.  This venue holds approximately 12,000 people.  It is often referred by OU students and faculty as the LNC.

The LNC will always have a special place in my heart.  I am an avid college basketball fan and love OU hoops.  My roommate and I have camped out in front of the student entrance the night before every home Big 12 game this season and have become staples in the student section.  While I will forever have fond memories in this building, I have no shame in admitting at from the outside the LNC is absolutely hideous.  It looks more like a prison with a lack of exterior design and overall a very bland feel.  The only connection I have to this building is the emotional connection to OU hoops and the highs and lows felt inside this building.  When Buddy Hield nailed a transition 3 before half against Iowa State to tie the game I felt like the top blew off the place.  Its a memory I won't soon forget.

The place exploded - Buddy Hield 3-Pointer vs. ISU

I'm in the banana costume.

The Lloyd Noble Center (Norman, OK)

Week 6 - Dallas Renaissance Hotel

The Dallas Renaissance Hotel is a luxury hotel located on the west side of downtown Dallas, Texas.  I have stayed at this hotel 3 times with the Oklahoma football team during the annual trip to Dallas for the Red River Rivalry game vs. Texas.  The first time I stayed here I was amazed at the hotel's cylindrical shape and the slanted roof line.  I did not know that the slanted rough line served as protection for the rooftop swimming pool.  This swimming pool is one of the highest in Dallas.

The hotel seems so small because the hotel is not very wide or long given certain perspectives and I think this is what appeals to me about the hotel.  It has a very minimalist approach and exhibits a sense of modern contemporary architecture with its slanted roof and sleek cylindrical design.  The inside carries the same design theme as much of the interior design has a modern flare.

This is one of the more interesting hotels that I have had the privilege to stay at and hope that I can stay here again at some point.

Dallas Renaissance Hotel