7 Must-See U.S. Architectural Structures

Marc Kushner is a practicing architect who splits his time between designing buildings at HWKN, the architecture firm he cofounded, and amassing the world's architecture on the website he runs, Architizer.com. Both have the same mission: to reconnect the public with architecture. Kushner's core belief is that architecture touches everyone—and everyone is a fan of architecture—even if they don't know it yet.

New forms of media empower people to shape the built environment, and that means better buildings that make better cities that make a better world. You can see all of his favorite buildings in his TED Book available now from sister company Simon & Schuster The Future Of Architecture In 100 Buildings

Marc draws on his unique position at the crossroads of architecture and social media to highlight 7 do-not-miss buildings across the United States.

Related: 5 Must-See U.S. Natural History Museums

This school is designed for students with autism spectrum disorders—students whose elevated senses can trigger traumatic responses to sudden transitions between physical spaces as well as to large, undefined spaces. Nine residences and three classroom buildings are arranged to foster a therapeutic environment by allowing students to move gradually through the campus. Change in direction is signaled by soft turns rather than abrupt angles, slowly leading students to the doorway of each building.

Inspired by the geomorphology of the Louisiana region's ancient riverbed, this museum's sculptural foyer uses 1,100 cast stone panels to form a pathway to the museum's interior galleries. Technology is the new alchemy, turning rocks into water.

This is a museum for a glass collection, and the architects decided that a building for glass should be made of glass. The building is composed of a solid floor and a solid ceiling that appear to magically float on invisible glass walls.

Visit NYC for a new kind of skyscraper. This building is a hybrid between a European courtyard building and a traditional Manhattan high-rise: it gives residents a sense of intimacy and security while maintaining airiness and expansive views. Rising to a 467-foot peak, the building's form allows sunlight deep into the block while preserving views of the river.

Aqua Tower
225 N Columbus Dr #220
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(888) 460-0198
Studio Gang Architects
http://www.magellandevelopment.com

Architectural innovation can take huge amounts of resources and time to bring to fruition. Sometimes though, the answer is in the smallest details. Underneath its exuberant form, this 82-story hotel and apartment building is really just a traditional rectangular skyscraper. When it came time to design the balconies though, the architect became a sculptor and created curvy and changing platforms that stick out from the building up to 12 feet. From a distance, this minor alteration creates a huge spectacle — a sensual cloud floating on the Chicago skyline.

There are over 105 million commercial parking spaces in the United States, and they are
not always full. This Miami Beach parking garage creates a civic amenity out of its 300 parking spaces. They can be repurposed when empty, thanks to super-high ceilings and amazing views. When the cars are gone, the building is used for yoga in the morning and is rented out for events at night.

At the Seattle public library, the architects considered the way we consume media in a digital age and turned the library into a relevant public amenity by redefining it as an institution dedicated to more than just books. All forms of media—new and old—are represented here. They even redesigned the Dewey Decimal system to make the place intuitive and welcoming. The building's shape is a direct result of this rearrangement.

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