Where Buildings Dream

I titled this photograph Where Buildings Dream because that’s exactly how the Stata Center at MIT feels to me—like a building caught in the act of dreaming. Designed by Frank Gehry, it bends, twists, and shimmers in ways that defy expectation. Walls lean forward, windows jut out at improbable angles, and its metallic surfaces reflect light as though they were alive.

This place is more than just architectural wonder—it’s personal. My grandson recently graduated here, and in that moment, Gehry’s design felt symbolic. Just as dreams distort and reshape reality, MIT challenges its students to see the world differently, to push boundaries, and to imagine what could be.

The Stata Center is chaotic yet purposeful. Playful yet serious. Complex yet beautiful. To me, it mirrors the learning process itself—messy at times, but ultimately transformative. As I looked at its tilted walls and improbable geometry, I couldn’t help but think of my grandson’s own journey of discovery and resilience.

As a photographer, I chose black and white to highlight those dreamlike qualities. Without color, the textures, shadows, and contrasts take center stage—the swirl of clouds overhead, the gleam of steel under dramatic skies, the way order and disorder coexist. Through my lens, the building became less of a structure and more of a metaphor: a dream rendered in steel, glass, and stone.

Where Buildings Dream is more than an image to me. It’s a reminder of a proud family milestone, set against a backdrop that celebrates daring imagination and the courage to see the world differently.