As the most iconic and visited winery in the Okanagan, Mission Hill turns architecture into part of the experience. The tall bell tower rises sharply above the courtyard, framing those sweeping valley views, while the loggias and terraces open the space to the landscape. Photographing here was about chasing how light moves across the heavy materials and how the structures quietly embrace their hilltop setting.

This was my exploration of light and shape on Edmonton City Hall. Very interesting design and it turns out really cool with a harsh black and white conversion on a sunny day.

Designed by Dub Architects (principal architect: Gene Dub), the current Edmonton City Hall features two large steel-and-glass pyramids — one over the atrium and one over the council chamber. The version that was built was designed starting in 1988, with major revisions (the original four copper cones were changed to glass pyramids after public criticism); final design approved in 1990.

Construction by general contractor Stuart Olson Dominion started in June 1990, and the building opened on August 28, 1992. It cost about $49 million at the time and won a 1993 American Concrete Institute Award for Excellence in Design and Construction.

I had an afternoon to explore composition and ended up photographing the Mechanized River Valley Access (also known as the 100 Street Funicular) in Edmonton.I really enjoy the design elements on this project — especially the warm wood accents and the confident, sharp angles throughout. It feels like it was meant to be a bridge, but they chopped it clean off and left a bold, squared-off platform hovering over the landscape.

On a freezing cold Edmonton afternoon, I grabbed my camera and walked around the Art Gallery of Alberta. I’ve always liked how this building looks, with its big shiny metal ribbon that twists and curves around the glass and boxy sections. Here are some black and white photos that show the cool shapes, clean details, and how the light plays across it on a gray winter day.