Jeanne Gang, a modern American architect, has been designing fantastic glass skyscrapers. This is really important in my opinion as a lot of modern glass towers look alike and are boring. Jeanne Gang uses the boring facade of a glass tower and turns it into something else.  Most of her tower works are actually still under construction but most should be completed by 2020. Gang also has designed quiet a few school buildings such as the entire campus of the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. Definitely one of the architects to watch over the next few years.

Going through the lists of architects Frank Gehry caught my eye immediately. The designs look like something out of a painting placed in real life. He seems to have two distinct styles from the massive wavy metal designs of his museums to buildings that would otherwise look normal if it were not for the bizarre kinks and edges like the one in the image above.  I think Frank Gehry probably has some of the most eye catching designs out there. Even if you don’t like his works you’ll still stare at them when you see them.

One of Americas most famous architects, Frank Lloyd Wright, was well ahead of his time with his works. Many of his buildings would not look out of place now even though they where built up to 80+ years ago.  His use of windows and clear cut levels produce a clean and organized design. I never would have guessed that the building above, the Fallingwater home, was built in 1938.  An example of his work can even be found in Oklahoma with the Price Tower in Bartlesville. Wright was also fairly prolific while he was working, having over 500 structures built with his designs.

Richard Meier is famous for using white in his designs along with using geometric shapes. If you have been to a museum  in the United States that was pure white, good chance it was a Richard Meier. I myself have been in his buildings without realizing. The High Museum of Art in Atlanta is a great example of a Meier that I have been in, and the pure white design looks great in my opinion. I’m a big fan of clean looking building and Meier is a master at crafting them.

Another iconic building in Atlanta (at least for people from there) is the Westin. The Westin is one of the tallest building in Atlanta and is famous for having a rotating restaurant  on the top floor called The Sun Dial.  One of the things I remember best about the Westin was when an EF2 tornado hit downtown Atlanta and blew out a large number of glass panels.

I remember it taking forever for those glass panels to be replaced and they eventually had to replace all of them due to the specialized nature of the glass. Gotta go eat at The Sun Dial sometime.

Mercedes Benz Stadium is one of my favorite places in Atlanta, which is kinda surprising to me given the misery inflicted on me by my teams that play there (90% falcons).  It is an absolute marvel in my opinion and just everything about it makes you look in awe. The building is massive even compared to its predecessor the Georgia Dome. I also like the fact that it looks like a nest and the nice angular design to it. The retractable roof and HALO board are also something else. Its neat driving through I-75/85 in Atlanta and seeing a mother ship permanently parked in your city. Best part is definitely the cheap food and beer (compared to other similar venues).

Bank of America Plaza is probably the most significant building in my life as I can’t think of a building the defines Atlanta more. Being born and raised in Atlanta I saw this building nearly every day and was always impressed with its prominence on the Atlanta skyline.  It is the only “supertall” skyscraper in Atlanta so its definitely one of the building I’m most proud of in the Atlanta skyline. It really gives off the empire state of the south vibe. What is even more impressive about the building is construction only took a year as it was started in 1991 and finished in 1992.

When I was in New York the building that I would first see out my apartment building was the Hearst Tower, which is a fairly spectacular building to wake up to as a kid. I thought it was fascinating because of how different the base of the building was compared to the rest of the glass tower. The glass tower design itself is nothing to scoff at either with the futuristic triangle construction. I learned this was the case due to the tower being a new addition to a building that was completed in 1928. The tower currently houses the Hearst media conglomerate. I would say this building kicked off my interest in city development. Been watching the New York skyline develop ever since.