I had a couple of days off the past week, so like any sensible person I decided to check out Kansas City. What is in Kansas City? Well, the Kansas City Chiefs are. But, more importantly, my good Cal Poly architecture friend (and roommate) Daniel Weaver is in Kansas City currently working for the sports architecture firm Populous. I had an exciting time hanging out with Dan and his Populous friends, and I would like to share some architecture highlights from my five-day weekend.
Populous
4800 Main St #300, Kansas City, MO 64112
Daniel graciously gave me a tour of his firm, Populous, an international architecture firm specializing in sports and event venues. Most sports architecture firms are based in Kansas City, which is rooted in stadium competition history. For confidentiality reasons, I cannot go into detail about the physical office space, but I can say that Dan is taken care of very well. Also, I grew up in a sports-oriented family, so it was awesome to see a lot of sports-enthusiasts in one place.
Power and Light District + KC Live!
13 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64106
Dan showed me around the Power and Light District Sunday evening, where we saw Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania at the B&B Theatres and ate at the Yard House afterwards. We checked out KC Live!, an outdoor event venue surrounded by shops and bars. This area is dubbed as the “heartbeat” of Kansas City, most recently hosting a watch party for Super Bowl LVII in which the Kansas City Chiefs were victorious over the Philadelphia Eagles. Though the area was not highly active when we went (given it was a Sunday evening), I can imagine how much this place would be popping if there was a concert or sports watch party.
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art
4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64111
Experiencing the architecture of the Kemper was fun, designed by Latvian American architect Gunnar Birkerts. The roof geometry is the main element along with a playful skylight design. Check this place out, especially since it is free.
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64111
For me, the most interesting part of the museum, for both the artwork and architecture, was the Bloch Building, which the expansion building done by American architect Steven Holl. Despite my sentiment, it is impressive how much this museum has to offer for free admission.
National WWI Museum and Memorial
2 Memorial Dr, Kansas City, MO 64108
I am not sure why the best World War I museum in America is in Kansas City, but it is here. The museum sits upon a hill with a tower that provides a spectacular panoramic view of Kansas City. After going through the museum galleries, I learned everything I needed to about WWI. Check this place out if you are in the area.
I realized this post is getting too long. Be on the lookout for Part 2 where I discuss eating and drinking highlights of Kansas City.
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