Douglas Newby Insights - Page 43
Trees, Breezes, Birds or backyard rental houses
The life force of Dallas is its original neighborhoods, which have layers of towering trees, lush landscape, and gardens, a natural habitat for wildlife and singing birds. This is in contrast to most cities where urban planners strive to make cities denser and grittier. The Dallas City Manager and Housing Director are trying to do the same by proposing a devastating zoning change: blanket backyard rental house zoning in single family zoned neighborhoods that would allow 40-foot wide by 30-foot tall rental houses to be built in the backyards of single family homes. This rental house zoning encourages landlords to replace homeowners and concrete to replace trees, unraveling the stability of neighborhoods.
For those interested in the environment, the repercussions of this proposal are even more consequential.
Global Warming: A canopy of trees keeps homes cooler requiring less air conditioning and encouraging homeowners to spend time outside. The rooftops and concrete that replace these backyard trees collect heat and radiate that heat outward.
Pestilence: Summer breezes from the southeast flow through trees. Backyard 40-foot wide rental houses on 50-foot wide standard lots block any breeze. Breezes are the best defense against the small West Nile Virus-carrying mosquito. The large mosquito can fight through wind. The West Nile mosquito cannot. This makes South Dallas and East Dallas much safer than the neighborhoods with larger footprints of homes and development. Backyard rental houses invite the West Nile mosquito. Environmental Impact: In the older neighborhoods of Dallas with layers of flowering trees, one will see Cooper hawks, egrets, and owls. Also seen are songbirds of many varieties, pollinating hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, along with much wildlife. This natural environment is eradicated with backyard rental houses. These rental houses might be a short-term solution but have dire long-term consequences.
https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/neighborhood/east-dallas/
#Dallas #Neighborhood #EastDallas #PathToTrinityGroves #City #SantaFeTrail #Zoning #DallasCityCouncil #Trees #Architect #Architecture #Backyard #Environment #urbangarden
Luxury of Land Pop of Architecture
Howard (Nick) Glazbrook III, whom I met early in my career, had already received many Dallas AIA awards. His work today continues to inspire. Here on a several-acre site, a few miles away from downtown Dallas, Nick Glazbrook was able to design additional structures to preserve the original size of the 1939 Texas Modern home and to celebrate its architecture by Arch Swank and O’Neil Ford and the land on which it sits. Relating to, but removed from the main house, these structures allow one to become more acquainted with the forested land. This luxury of land allows a pop of architecture which serves as an exercise room in the forest, an architectural sculpture, and an enticing destination for the homeowners.
#Dallas #Lakewood #PathToTrinity Groves #ArchitecturallySignificant #TexasModern #Architects #Architecture #Neighborhood #ExerciseRoom #Trees #Site #ArchitecturalPhotography #Design #SanteFeTrail #Forest #AIADallas #City #TexasHome #Garden #design #art #architect #garden #sculpture #modernhomes #modern #contemporary #lakewood #glass #windows
Parallel Open Corridors Lawn, Aquatic, Glass
Corridors are normally associated with a dark labyrinth of passageways to rooms people are not that interested in. In this modern home, architect Joshua Nimmo creates three visual corridors running parallel and open to each other. Glass the length of the home allows the interior corridor to share a boundary with the aquatic corridor, a pool the length of the home. This aquatic corridor shares a boundary with the long green lawn. These three corridors, all visually open to each other, provide a horizontal presence to the home, divided into three elements of interior and exterior space. Sunlight from three different directions ties these three corridors together.
https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/architecture/architects-dallas-and-regional/
#Architect #corridors #HomesThatMakeUsHappy #Architecture #DallasModernHomes #DallasModern
@NimmoArchitecture #Corridor #Lawn #Pool #Landscape #Design #ModernDesign #LandscapeDesign #Glass #ModernHome #ModernHomes #ModernHomeDesign #Contemporary #ContemporaryDesign #Dallas #City #DallasEstateHomes #NimmoArchitecture
Modern Reflection on Mid Century
Architect Howard Meyer made his modern design in the midcentury look current in the 21st century. Today, there is a greater emphasis on sunlight, shadows, and incorporating a modern residence into the site. This can be seen at 3525 Turtle Creek. This high-rise residence was the epitome of sophisticated modern design, luxury and living. After all, the celebrated interior designer and civic leader, Louise Kahn, lived at 3525 Turtle Creek. As we reflect on the inspiration and importance of this corridor of trees and parks along Turtle Creek, we see the sustained results over 60 years. In this Turtle Creek corridor, the first high-rises of Dallas had become integrated into the Turtle Creek neighborhood of architect-designed homes, historic homes, and retail that is of a desired scale of this close-in city neighborhood. Along Turtle Creek we see the most sensitivity to preservation of original homes, the creation of architect-designed homes and interesting mixed use that links Highland Park to the Arts District and downtown Dallas. Few cities have the combination of a neighborhood with a bucolic background for architect-designed residences and city vibrancy all around it.
https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/neighborhood/turtle-creek-corridor/
#MidCentury #MidCenturyArchitecture #MidCenturyModern #MidCenturyModernHome #MidCenturyModernHighrise #MidCenturyModernApartments #MidCenturyDesign #MidCenturyModernDesign #HowardMeyer #Dallas #TurtleCreek #Neighborhood #Reflection #KatyTrail #PathToTrinityGroves #3525TurtleCreek #LuxuryHighRise #Modern #Contemporary #BriseSoleil #AIADallas #ArchitecturallySignificant #HomesthatMakeUsHappy #Architect #Architecture #DallasModernHomes #DallasNeighborhoods #City #architecturephotography
Architecturally Significant Home Still Stands
The largest homes are the most vulnerable to being torn down. Most think that small architecturally significant homes are in the greatest jeopardy to be destroyed for a new larger home to be built. Actually, the largest homes are in the greatest danger because predominantly they are on such large lots. Preston Road in Highland Park is where the original homes designed by prominent architects were built. The architects of these magnificent homes included Anton Korn, C.D. Hill, and Herbert M. Greene. Gradually architecturally significant homes on these several-acre sites like the one designed by C.D. Hill have been demolished to make room for new estate homes. This is all the more reason we should notice and appreciate this Beaux Art style estate home designed by architect Herbert M. Greene built in 1915 on the corner of Beverly Drive and Preston Road. It is a real treat that for over 100 years this Herbert M. Green, FAIA, designed estate home has conveyed the architectural magnificence of the era and aspirations of Highland Park.
Much of the great architecture in Dallas started with Herbert M. Greene. He is another example of the Illinois influence in Dallas as he moved his practice to Dallas in 1897 and went on to design several important commercial projects including Neiman Marcus, Dallas Morning News, and Temple Emanu-El. Further, he had a great influence on Dallas architects. He served as president of the Texas Chapter of AIA and formed firms with architects that included James P. Hubbell, Cornell-trained and New York architect Edwin LaRoche, and Minnesota native George Dahl. Greene’s influence with these architects included the Dallas National Bank, the Titche-Goettinger building, the Volk Store building, and the State Fair of Texas.
https://architecturallysignificant.dougnewby.com/architecture/retired-architects-dallas-and-regional/
#Architect #Architecture #BeauxArts #BeauxArtsArchitecture #Dallas #Home #ArchitecturallySignificant #HighlandParkDallas #History #Preservation #TurtleCreek #aiadallas
#PathToTrinityGroves #Site #ArchitecturalPhotography #Eclectic #HerbertMGreene #EstateHome #City #Design #Art #Style #Early20thCentury #NeimanMarcus #AIA
Van Gogh has still got it!
What a great demonstration that great art like great architecture is relevant regardless of the era of its origin. A semicircle of people 10-deep pushed in close to see Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night at the MoMA. In the late 1800s this painting was considered modern just as Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture of this era was considered modern. Now, the work of both is considered classic art and architecture. Regardless of the label, good art just as good architecture continues to enchant and capture our affection. “Styles come and go but good design is forever.” I see another similarity in the perception of art and architecture. Modern homes built at the beginning of the 20th century are much more modern than many speculative builder modern homes in the 21st century. The 20th century homes are programmatically modern and embrace the tenets of Modernism. The 21st century builder modern homes are often decoratively modern but almost Victorian in the labyrinth of rooms and fussiness of the modern ornamentation. One does not need to be an expert to respond instinctively to quality art and architecture.
On June 11 when the impressionist art collection of Mrs. McDermott donated and moved to the Dallas Museum of Art is unveiled for a patron reception followed by successive public and private viewings, we can anticipate throngs of people surrounding the most loved paintings in Dallas.
#Art #Architecture #ModernArt #MoMA #VanGogh #Museum #NYC #NewYorkCity #Modernism #19thCentury #FrankLloydWright #ModernArchitecture #ModernDesign#Paintings #Classic #Impressionism #postimpressionism #Contemporary #Timeless #ArtCrowds #gallery #artpatron #design #enchanted #thestarrynight
Out of Context Sometimes Good
Architects are lauded for architectural context. Homeowners appreciate homes that are designed in context with their neighborhood. In some neighborhoods like Munger Place, the horizontal Prairie Style lines of one house visibly flows right into the house right next to it, with only the details of each house breaking the architectural monotony. In other neighborhoods like Turtle Creek Park, the 33 houses in the neighborhood are built in many styles over six decades. Here the architecture of each specific home fits together like a jigsaw puzzle on the curving streets of the neighborhood. We all know examples of disastrous houses that are an architectural blight on a neighborhood in part because they are out of context, but sometimes out of context is good. What a surprise to come upon the 1953 Bahai Temple in Wilmette, the old prestigious northern suburb of Chicago. This House of Worship could not be more out of context. There are only 9 Bahai temples in the world. How did the only one in North America end up in Wilmette, Illinois, comprised of elegant early 20th century homes. Wilmette is not known to be demographically comprised of those of the Bahai faith. The architecture of the Wilmette homes is predominantly Prairie Style and early Chicago, while the Bahai House of Worship has its architectural roots in the Middle East. It stands out close to Chicago, a city of skyscrapers, Oak Park home to Frank Lloyd Wright, and the Modernism in the region. This multi-faith based temple meticulously constructed over decades is a delightful architectural discovery and surprise. The key is that it is on enough land to not violently interrupt the continuity of the early suburban homes surrounding it. Instead, it allows one a chance to pause and focus on this remarkable structure proudly sitting on a hill welcoming all visitors, sightseers and worshipers. Rather than being a point of derision, it becomes a point of pride for the Wilmette community.
#Stone #Wilmette #BahaiTemple #Bahai #SacredSpace#Architecture #Chicago #Suburban #Steps #Sky #ArchitecturalPhotography #Context #Location #Neighborhood #Worship #Dome
#Art #Design #Contemporary #Surprise
Chicago Origin City of Dallas
The origin of Dallas is the original trading post of John Neely Bryan and Sarah Cockrell who took over the town and was the early developer. But Chicago was responsible for much of the booming population. While Houston grew from people in the Deep South moving west, Dallas grew from people migrating from the Midwest and New York. Much of the vibrancy, design, and ambition of Chicago was passed to Dallas. Herbert M. Green from Illinois designed Neiman Marcus and Temple Emanu El. Also early 1900s Prairie Style architecture came directly from Chicago. Frank Lloyd Wright’s associate, Charles Erwin Barglebaugh of Chicago designed 5002 Swiss Avenue in 1913. Some 40 years later Wright designed the Kalita Humphreys Theater in 1955 and on Rockbrook his largest residence in 1958. In the 1970s, 20% of SMU students came from the Chicago area and Governor Clements said that the talented people Dallas wanted were coming primarily from Chicago. When Dallas was booming in the 1980s, the owner of the largest home-building firm, David Fox, was from Chicago as was the Texas Republican Party Chairman. In the 1990s, several of the Dallas City Councilpersons were from the Chicago area. Chicago, like St. Louis and Detroit before it, had been the most successful city in the country. As Chicago declined, Dallas has boomed with several thousand people leaving Chicago for Dallas every few months. Nevertheless, the earnest ambition of these Midwesterners has melded well with the openness and vision of Dallas. Even our most influential Texas architects, David Williams and O’Neil Ford, said they wanted to do in Texas what Frank Lloyd Wright had done in the Midwest. They combined the Modernism of Europe with the indigenous qualities of Texas just as Frank Lloyd Wright merged the Modernism of Europe with the indigenous qualities of the Midwest. Pictured above bridge house and decades of architecture seen along the Chicago River.
#Chicago River #Chicago #ChicagoArchitecture #Bridgehouse #Dallas #PrairieStyle #Origin #aia #dallas #history #city #preservation #frankloydwright #skyscraper architect #bridgehouse #city #cityscape #architecturephotography #19thcentury #modern
Green – my favorite color for a city
I always love a city when I see green. In Dallas I love the tree-shaded neighborhoods, residential boulevards with allées of trees, tree-lined trails and bike paths, the Klyde Warren deck park connecting the City to the neighborhoods, the Dallas Arboretum and forest found at White Rock Lake, the city parks and the Trinity River Park. Cities are associated with skyscrapers, density, and crowded streets. Most do have that, but my first thoughts of a city are the parks and greenspace. New York is known for so much, but Central Park is what comes to my mind first. On my first trip to London I was most surprised and delighted by the parks: Green Park, Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, and small parks on what seems like every corner. Chicago is a city that I visited skyscrapers as a child. My father took me to the top of the Prudential Building which looked down on the Chicago Board of Trade Building which my father visited the observation floor of with his father. Then some years later I went to the top of the Hancock Building and the Sears Building as they became the tallest in Chicago. But what did we look at when we felt like we were at the top of the world? We looked at Lake Michigan and Grant Park. Driving into the city or walking through the parks linking the museums, Chicago for me will always be associated with parks. Dallas has increased its attention to trails, forests and parks. At some point, maybe one’s first impression of Dallas will be its parks. Visitors to Dallas do go away talking about the parks and trees in Highland Park. They are also surprised on how green the neighborhoods are close to downtown. Revitalized neighborhoods, reclaimed houses, and autonomous transportation will provide affordable housing. Protecting the single family neighborhoods from added density like the two-story secondary house/granny flat overlay the City Manager is proposing that would eliminate towering trees in the backyards of single family homes is the most important step to keeping Dallas green. #green #park #centralpark #trees #dallas #landscape #JoySpotting #architect #skyscraper #architecturephotography #neighborhood #nyc #architecture #horizon #art
Architect Vision of 30th Century City
The City Dreams exhibition at the MoMA in New York City projects what a city might look like after 1000 years of city planners calling for more density, efficient living, and condensed spaces. The vision of Bodys Isek Kingelez, a 20th century architect, artist, and engineer, implies artificial intelligence but his design was created 20 years ago before there was any sense of the inevitability and immediacy of autonomous transportation that should cultivate the continuous human desire for less density and more humane spaces. In two MoMA galleries, very large scale models of cities showed complicated structures and public spaces and a void of natural gardens. Gone was any sense that a city could evolve one house at a time or would include the time-honored characteristics of homes that make us happy. He solved this problem by bombarding future inhabitants with whimsical structures, curved shapes, waved surfaces, undulating floors, and bright colors. These are elements that @IngridFetellLee discusses in her recent TED talk on “Joy” where she beautifully explains how these joyful elements relate to the primal and neural need for abundance, safety, and joy. #JoySpotting. In the same way that Kingelez imposes joy in a manufactured city that could reek of despair, Ingrid Fetell Lee advocates joyful structures for the most vulnerable in our society, those in nursing homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, and housing projects. Instead of us seeking joy, which Ingrid Fetell Lee encourages in our drive for life, Bodys Isek Kengelez’ 30th century city would mainline joy to its inhabitants.
https://www.ted.com/talks/ingrid_fetell_lee_where_joy_hides_and_how_to_find_it
#MoMA, #museumofmodernart #CityDreams #ModernArt #Art #Sculpture #ModernSculpture #Architecture #Architect #Artist #ModernArchitecture #ModernArchitect #Design #CityPlanning #City #Cityscape #NYC #CityPhotography #ArchitecturalPhotography #aestheticsofjoy #Dream #NewYork #NewYorkCity #TED #TEDTalks #BodysIsekKingelez #AIA #Color #Shape @aestheticsofjoy