The Rooftop Architecture Film Series proposes a dialogue between the new architecture of Arthouse and the built environments of the past and present through film. These documentaries investigate not only celebrated architects and their projects, but also the people who activate their buildings. All screenings take place on Arthouse’s new rooftop deck, weather permitting.
By Stephen Sharpe, Hon. TSA
Construction continues on the SOM-designed City Performance Hall, the final public component of the recently re-invigorated Dallas Arts District. Originally planned to open in 2010, the multipurpose venue is now scheduled for completion in mid-2012. The project was funded through a City of Dallas bond package approved by voters in 2006.
The two-story structure will include a 750-seat theater, two 200-seat theaters, art galleries, a café, a bookshop, an enclosed garden, and educational and meeting spaces. Corgan Associates is the architect of record.
Sited at the southeast edge of the Arts District, the City Performance Hall is rising next door to the Wyly Theatre (REX/OMA with Kendall/Heaton Architects) and cater-corner from the Winspear Opera House (Foster and Partners with Kendall/Heaton Architects). Those two buildings, both completed in late 2009, brought international prestige to the city and their owner, the AT&T Performing Arts Center. In fact, the Wyly is the only Texas building receiving an AIA Honor Award for Architecture this year.
A visit to the site in February made me eager to review SOM’s rendering to figure out the location of the front door and the building’s various other parts. As you can see from the rendering above, the entrance will open to Flora Street, which is the spine that runs southwest-northeast through the center of the Arts District from the Dallas Museum of Art (1984; Edward Larrabee Barnes with Pratt, Box & Henderson) to the mixed-use commercial complex known as One Arts Plaza (2008; Morrison Seifert Murphy with Corgan).
The City Performance Space will face the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (2008; Allied Works with Booziotis & Company Architects) across the street, with both buildings flanking the southeastern entry to the Arts District.
For the eighth consecutive year, Preservation Texas has compiled a list of the “most endangered places” in the state to call attention to historic properties threatened by neglect, commercial development, or urban sprawl.
The 2011 list was released on Feb. 9 and includes 10 imperiled sites that represent a broad range of the state’s unique cultural heritage, geography, and history.
Among them are:
• a historic Central Texas ranch that reflects our state’s threatened agricultural heritage;
• a Houston cemetery that demonstrates a variety of West African spiritual traditions and is the final resting place for some of the city’s prominent African Americans;
• one of the few institutional structures remaining in Waxahachie’s once-thriving African American commercial district; and
• three structures in the Rio Grande Valley, including the Duval County Courthouse (shown below).
The complete list is posted at http://www.preservationtexas.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=31
You can view the nonprofit’s previous annual lists at http://www.preservationtexas.org/.
Based in Kansas City, Mo., Berkebile Nelson Immenschuh McDowell Architects (BNIM) shares the glory of being named the 2011 AIA Architecture Firm Award with its four satellite offices. Among them is the Houston office, which opened in 2001.
From its founding in 1970, BNIM has been at the forefront of developing the art and science of sustainable architecture. That same approach extends to the work developed from the Houston office, which includes two projects recognized in 2006 with TSA Design Awards. Both projects – Fayez S. Sarofim Research Building and the School Of Nursing And Student Community Center – are located at the University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center within the Texas Medical Center.
The Sarofim Research Building (shown above), home of the Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM), was designed for a tight urban site. The facility supports research collaboration in the field of molecular medicine, particularly in genetics and proteomics and bioinformatics. The IMM houses dry and wet laboratories, offices, conference areas, and a 200-seat assembly facility. The design is intended to nurture a dynamic, interactive environment conducive to research and learning.
The School Of Nursing And Student Community Center (shown above), designed in collaboration with Lake/Flato Architects, is one of Houston’s premier teaching institutions for health-related professions. The design team and client recognized that the project offered the opportunity to take the lead in the creation of a healthy work environment. Goals of increased air quality, increased natural daylighting, reduction of polluting emissions and run-off, and increased user satisfaction and productivity were achieved using the LEED rating system as a platform. The building includes approximately 20,000 square feet of state-of-the-art classrooms, a 200-seat auditorium, café and dining room, bookstore, student lounge, student government offices, research laboratory, and faculty offices.
BNIM will be presented with the 2011 AIA Firm of the Year Award during ceremonies at this year’s AIA Convention in New Orleans.
For more information, see the recent article in AIArchitect [http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB086814].
The Texas Society of Architects/AIA invites submittals for its annual Design Awards program. April 22 is the deadline for entries into the Design Awards program, and June 3 is the deadline for entries into the Studio Awards program. The 2011 Call for Entries are posted here. Winning projects will be featured in Texas Architect magazine and recognized during the TSA Convention in Dallas in October. The sponsor for this year's awards program is Blackson Brick.
San Antonio delegation on the Capitol lawn.
Gerard Kinney and others preparing for visits with legislators .
TSA EVP James Perry and Tommy Cowan, FAIA, of Austin.
David Rodriguez, AIA, of Dallas.
Filo Castore, AIA, and Caryn Mims-Ogier, AIA, Houston, briefing themselves for a visit.
Donna Kacmar, FAIA, Houston, speaking with a colleague while waiting to visit a legislator.
Tommy Upchurch, AIA, and Elizabeth Price, AIA, Brazos, meet with legislative staff.
Discussing the issues at the Capitol.
Rep. Sarah Davis, Houston, visiting with architects.
Charlie Burris, AIA, and Andrew Hawkins, AIA, Brazos, gather in the extension of the Capitol prior to a legislative visit.
Allen Swift, AIA, Imad Abdullah, AIA, and Thomas Jackson, AIA, from Houston, speak about the importance of the architectural profession.
Architects review their schedules for the day.
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez, of Austin, speaks with Paul Bielamowicz, AIA, Emily Layton, AIA, and Heather McKinney, FAIA, all of Austin.
Houston architects take a break to appreciate the Capitol extension addition.
McKinney signs a limited-edition print of the Capitol for the TSA office.
Limited-edition poster signed by participating architects of the first TSA Advocates for Architecture Day 2011.
