Douglas Newby Insights - Page 31

Materials Reflect Nature

materials inside the house reflecting the materials on the exterior of the home and nature, along with continuing the sleek horizontal lines inside the home suggests the architecture of Max Levy. Max Levy designed the renovation and extension of the home in 2005.
#InteriorDesign #MaxLevy #Architect #Architecture #Modern #1950s #Renovation #MidCentury #MidCenturyModern #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Kitchen #Wrightian #dallas


Cantilever Over Creek

Creek lot. Decks were cantilevered over the creek to draw in nature and project the home into nature.
#Cantilever #Deck #Creek #MaxLevy #Architect #Architecture #Landscape #ModernHome #Design #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood


Wrightian Concept Max Accentuation

Interest continues to grow in the northwest Dallas 1950’s neighborhoods. Architect Max Levy contributed to this surge in renovation and new modern homes in this neighborhood when he renovated and extended this vaguely Wrightian styled home originally built in 1955. For an older neighborhood to gain traction, with a new audience of homeowners, it is important that renovation and new construction makes a positive impact on the neighborhood. Max Levy did that in two ways with this home. Aesthetically, the home, unlike the homes around it, is still a good neighbor with its surrounding homes. The home also conveys architectural significance, a home of importance creating confidence in the neighborhood. Max Levy accentuated and enhanced the Wrightian concept of the home to become a Max Levy designed home.
#Modern #MaxLevy #Renovation #1950s #MidCentury #MidCenturyModern #Wrightian #ModernHome #Architect #Architecture #Dallas #CityHouse #DallasNeighborhood


Architects of Dallas Wards

Legacies History Conference at Dallas Hall of State concluded with the architects of 14-1 City Council configuration. Diane Ragsdale recalled thousands who protested Queen Elizabeth and Mayor Strauss arriving for dinner. Marvin Crenshaw, a plaintiff that sued the City for more minority representatives, had the most insightful commentary, using Mayor Starke Taylor as an example of why it was essential to keep City elections in May. He said Mayor Taylor was a Republican and had different positions, but they could come to an agreement on issues as he was not beholden to the Republican Party. National politics did not prevent accomplishments in Dallas. The panel’s overriding theme of 14-1 was not about minority participation. It was about electing low income representatives. Chris Luna quoted Al Lipscomb, “Might be my color but is not my kind,” a sentiment reiterated by rest of panel. When it was pointed out that minorities were elected in majority white at-large districts and never in majority white single-member districts, the panel said that didn’t matter. Minorities elected in at-large districts were supported by rich white people. Afterwards I had a nice conversation with Diane Ragsdale, telling her I agreed that protests can be effective and more political participation is better. I thanked her that she and City Councilperson Al Lipscomb were always available to meet with me and others even though not in their district. One downside of 14-1is that the City Council seldom meets with anyone outside of their district or who does not publicly support them. This panel provided sentimental memories of a messy political time in Dallas that also included more participation with the City Council and Dallas residents.
#LegaciesDallas #HallOfState #14-1 #DianeRagsdale #MarvinCrenshaw #DallasPolitics #MayElections #Dallas


Courtyard and Skylights

Max Levy designed in 1997 an architectural front façade of windowless boxes that inside becomes a sunlit house with walls of windows wrapping around a courtyard and a central deep and wide skylight sheathed in trellises diffusing light throughout the home. Sunlight and simplicity create a cheerful and tranquil mood that one has trouble leaving. This architecturally significant home makes one think about architecture in a new way.
#Skylight #Trellis #Courtyard #ArchitecturallySignificant #Architect #Architecture #MaxLevy #Interior #ModernInterior #InteriorDesign #ModernHome #BentTree #Dallas


Ornamental Shadows

Metal leaves protrude from a white stucco wall. From the blank white canvas of this Max Levy designed home in 1997, shadows of these leaves appear. One can view them from the exterior of the home or the interior of the home. This is another Max Levy detail—simple, elegant, and captivating.
#MaxLevy #ArchitecturalDetail #MaxLevyDetail #SunlitHouse #Shadows #SunlightAndShadows #ModernHome #Contemporary #Modern #Art #SunArt #Leaves #Dallas #BentTree #90sArchitecture


Home Frames Sunlight

On a flat, featureless, North Dallas lot, this Max Levy 1997 designed geometric home is also almost flat and featureless. Blocks of rectangular shapes without windows make up the front façade. A first glance at the home turns into a riveting stare at the sunlit leaves that protrude from a section of the home. This is another Max play with sunlight that we will see in the next post tomorrow. The box trellis emerging from the roof suggests one pathway for the sunlight of this sunlit house.
#Sunlit #MaxLevy #Sunlight #Architect #Architecture #Design #Contemporary #ModernHome #BentTree #Dallas #cityhouse #modern


Interior Shares Exterior

When the interior and exterior materials of the home are the same, the home is melded into the site and beautifully blended into the landscape. Views to the outside rooms reveal the same materials as the interior rooms. The distinction of the interior and exterior of the home is subliminally blurred. The precisely finished interior exudes modernity while the materials convey nature.
#Fir #Interior #InteriorDesign #Modern #Design #ModernHome #MaxLevy #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Contemporary #Architect #Architecture #bluffview #design


Rainwater Cascades to Pond

Here’s another example of a Max Levy, elegant, modern detail. Juxtaposed with a home effortlessly blending into its site, we see sleek engineering that visually delights as we watch water conveyed from the roof to the terrace to the pond. Simple in its function, it is elaborate in its effect. Architectural poetry punctuates the architectural narrative of this modern home.
#Basin #Rainwater #Modern #Design #ModernHome #MaxLevy #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Contemporary #ArchitecturalPoetry #Architect #Architecture


Burnished Concrete and Fir

A quarry pond sets the tone for this home overlooking it. Architect Max Levy designed this home in 1997. The burnished concrete and fir blend into the site, further tying the house to the pond, rainwater is collected from the roof, channeled to a basin on the breezeway entry terrace, which then cascades down a runnel to the pond. This modern home built at the end of the 20th century launched the proliferation of good modern homes in this Devonshire neighborhood.
#MaxLevy #Devonshire #Modern #Architect #Architecture #Contemporary #BurnishedConcrete #Fir #Design #Rainwater #Terrace #QuarryPond #DallasNeighborhood #CityHouse #ModernHome


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