TRWD construction progress

Construction of the new administration building and parking garage for the Tarrant Regional Water District continues to progress. The office building is a close sibling of the adjacent headquarters building that I designed in 2001. A new two-level parking garage, which has a serpentine form that follows the shape of the hillside into which it is placed, preserves green space on the campus by minimizing surface parking.

Revisiting the past

I recently had the pleasure of attending a barbecue in honor of Lee Kleinman's election to Dallas City Council. The party was held at his home, which I designed for his family over twenty years ago. It was gratifying to see that the design has aged gracefully and to hear that he and his wife Lisa still very much enjoy living there.

TEDxUTA

I will be speaking at the inaugural TEDxUTA event- "Moving Forward"- on Monday, April 22nd. My talk, titled "Why place art in a waste water treatment plant?" addresses the role of public art in general and in Fort Worth in particular.  The event is sold out, but it can be streamed via the website: http://www.tedxuta.com. Above is my photo of one of the Medusa head column bases in the Basilica Cistern in Istanbul.

"A House for..." Exhibit

The "A House for..." exhibit opens at the AIA Fort Worth Center for Architecture (CfA) on Saturday March 23rd at 6pm, which is Spring Gallery Night. Local and invited guest architects have each submitted an image, all framed 11" x 14", based on the theme. My sketch (above) is titled "A House for Urban Living". The show is a silent auction in conjunction with the AIAFW Homes Tour, benefitting the CfA. Please stop by the CfA to make a bid for this worthy cause.

Home with a view

Progress on the home at 7R Ranch in Palo Pinto. In collaboration with Landscape Architect Bill Millsap of Studio Outside, the home was sited behind a stand of oaks and perched on a rocky bluff to capture the spectacular views.

Happy New Year

Oaxaca

I had the pleasure of traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico last week. History and culture are overlaid and intermingled there in a way that creates a an incredible tableau of ancient and modern.

It's particularly gratifying to see modern buildings inserted into the urban fabric, which creates a vibrant character to the historic core. The city feels alive in a way that our "Colonial Williamsburg" approach to new construction in historic areas fails to replicate.

If you have an opportunity travel there I highly recommend it. The cuisine is recognized around the world for it's unique character and is alone worth the journey.