Douglas Newby Insights - Page 46
Texas Mid Century
Eugene and Margaret McDermott purchased their country property at a time when Allen was a long way from Dallas. Architect Scott Lyons, who designed their Highland Park home, designed a simple Texas Modern home here that celebrated the land. While some second homes are only used occasionally, the McDermotts came here almost every weekend. The tradition continued for over 50 years. They rode their horses across their land for many years and swimming in the clear well water in their pool was a tradition that never ended for Mrs. McDermott and her friends. Generations of visitors to Mrs. McDermott’s country house for lunch and dinner included international dignitaries, cultural and academic leaders, young and old, students, scholars, and new and longtime friends. Ideas were hatched, plans reviewed, and her book, Reflections, was written and passages read aloud for guests before it was published. #mcdermott #texas #architecture #architect #scottlyons #texasmodern #texasmodernarchitecture #countryhouse #midcentury #midcenturymodern #midcenturyhome #texaslife #porch #screenedporch #dallasarchitecture #dallas #art #texaslandscape #allen #texashouse #aiadallas #aia
Texas Modern Architecture Impressionist Art
Eugene and Margaret McDermott retained architect Scott Lyons to design their Texas Modern home in Highland Park on the recommendation of longtime friend and architect of Texas Instruments headquarters, O’Neil Ford. This home with the tenets of Texas and the modernism of Europe was perfect for a magnificent and personal collection of Impressionist art. The warm, simple talent and materials were the perfect backdrop for these Impressionist paintings by Monet, Caillebotte, and others. The continuous brick walls and a wall of a single-pane window overlooking the garden created the symmetry with the landscape paintings of these Impressionist artists. Private moments or shared moments with large groups generated awe and reflection at the beauty and peace these paintings in their Texas modern home generated. Many generations will continue to enjoy this art at the Dallas Museum of Art. #art #architecture #architect #texas #modern #impressionism #highlandpark #dma #dallasarchitecture #dallas #neighborhood #texasmodern #texasmodernarchitecture #mcdermott #margaretmcdermott #home #window #brick #modernhome #midcenturymodern #highlandparkhomes #historic #historichome #contemporary
Milam
The Milam home pictured here in the original Munger Place promotional book was the early childhood home of Margaret Milam McDermott. In 1905, Munger Place was flourishing as the finest residence park in the Southland, when Highland Park was struggling to gain traction. Mrs. McDermott was always fond of Munger Place and had longtime friends like Ruth Altlshuler who also grew up in Munger Place. I have always said if one grew up in an architect-designed home in a neighborhood of architect-designed homes, one would hire an architect to design their own home someday. In this case, Mrs. McDermott retained Scott Lyons who designed her Highland Park Texas Modern home and her country home. The Text in image states. Dallas is called the “ city of the hour and the eyes of the whole world are upon her, and the people of the city are remarkably alive to the situation.” This sounds much like the University of Texas song Margaret McDermotts grandfather wrote while he was a student at UT. And the people of Dallas are remarkably alive focusing on Margarett Milam McDermott this week!
#margaretmcdermott #milam #mungerplace #mungerplacehistoricdistrict #swissavenue #swissavenuehistoricdistrict #historic #historicarchitecture #historicdistrict #historical #architect #architecturallysignificant #architecture #neighborhood #highlandpark #scottlyons #preservation #preservationdallas #dallasarchitecture #dallas #aiadallas #pathtotrinitygroves #art #friends #eastdallas #culture #history #legacy #ut
A love affair with Dallas
Mrs. McDermott loved Dallas and Dallas loved Mrs. McDermott. Margaret Milam McDermott (Feb 18, 1912 – May 3, 2018) loved Eugene McDermott, her daughter Mary, her granddaughter Grace, her staff, her students, her friends and all those who contributed to Dallas and civilization. Mrs. McDermott was incredibly democratic in her appreciation of contributors. She encouraged philanthropic gifts and, even more, she encouraged ideas and people pursuing and accomplishing those ideas. A small lunch at her home might include an international philanthropist, a seamstress, an artist and any one of thousands of friends.
This photograph was taken at her home, a home she loved, when Mrs. McDermott was 105 ¾, at the end of dinner and an evening of many laughs and reflections.
Margaret McDermott was focused, disciplined and had the highest expectations of people. What I loved most about her was her sense of humor, her smile, her beauty! Mrs. McDermott has rung the dinner bell one last time and it is time to go home, filled with warm thoughts, fond memories and inspiration. … #margaretmcdermott #mcdermottscholars #utdallas #meyersonsymphonycenter #dallasmuseumofart #dma #dallas #highlandpark #arboretum #dallasshakespeareclub #obituary#philanthropy #stmarksschooloftexas #hockaday #universityoftexas #utsouthwestern #dallasmorningnews #aquarius #texasinstruments #art #artcollection #reflections #trinityriver #dinner #arcitecture #architects #aiadallas
Allée across acreage
What could be a more elegant accentuation of a very wide Preston Hollow lot than an allée that curves across the lot. When one thinks of an allée, what first comes to mind is a tree tunneled path deeper into the property, or maybe a pair of allées perpendicular to the home, accentuating the architecture and framing a motor court. Here an allée of mature live oaks and their interlocking branches guide one across the front of the property, adding dignity and grace to the approach to the front door while emphasizing the privacy and width of the site.
#allee #liveoak #tree #trees #prestonhollow #prestonhollowrealestate #Dallas #dallas #realestate #realestateforsale #lotforsale #forsale #milliondollarhomes #property #landscape #landscapedesign #driveway #lots #acre #site #neighborhood #graceful #home #listing #landscapephotography #landscapearchitecture #architecturephotography
High-rise View – Modern Home
My favorite site. This single-family home found in Turtle Creek Park has elevation of a 5th floor high-rise residence found across Turtle Creek. It is also nestled into the trees and lush urban landscape lining the Katy Trail. Found on a private drive, in one direction it is a few homes away from the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Kalita Humphreys Theater, with renovation plans in the works for this landmark building and Turtle Creek Park land. In the other direction the drive of Turtle Creek winds its way along Turtle Creek to the stone bridge that leads into the private, forested neighborhood of 33 houses in Turtle Creek Park, framed by Turtle Creek, Rock Creek and the Katy Trail. This site enjoys a hidden, secluded neighborhood with the greatest pedestrian access to the vibrancy of Dallas – Knox Street, West Village, Arts District, Mockingbird Station and many other destinations along the Katy Trail. One might wonder how the most serene neighborhood can be surrounded by the most city life. This modern home on Turtle Creek answers the question. When Frank Welch first saw this site he immediately envisioned building into the embankment, building a pool over the rock outcropping and creating views of Turtle Creek, downtown and the wooded environment of Turtle Creek and Rock Creek.
#turtlecreek #turtlecreekpark #pathtoTrinityGroves #katytrail #dallas #modern #modernhome #dallasmodernhomes #architecture #architect #ArchitecturallySignificantHome #home #contemporary #contemporaryart #art #design #frankwelch #interiordesign #interior #window #door #balcony #livingroom #view #texas #texasmodern #texasmodern #neigborhood #city #vibrancy
A City Evolves
Dallas has been erupting with new buildings for the last 10 years, from rapidly built banal buildings to the Pritzker Prize architecture of international architects. It is remarkable that a vignette view of the city reveals landmark buildings from many decades chronicling the personality and growth of the city. One gets the sense that over 100 years of development is just an architectural nudge for Dallas to become a massive city. So much space still in downtown and unlimited space across the river that will attract the 21st century center of Dallas. My hope is that the Dallas spirit of architectural ambition, aesthetic daring, risk taking, and creativity will win the economic race with those rushing to build and invest in Dallas. There will always be big dense cities. May Dallas continue to keep its character, good and bad, to perpetuate the personality of the city as it booms.
#dallas #city #downtown #architecture #architecture #architecturephotography #highrise #urbanphotography #pritzker #development #evolution #pathtoTrinityGroves #downtowndallas #condo #office #decades #20thcentury #20thcenturydesign #urban
Surprise of a city lot
When on a city street a lot might seem generic even dull. One of my favorite things is to discover the true nature of a lot behind a hedge row, beyond the house, at the end of a private drive when a creek, a lake, a forest appear. Statistics and amenities never reveal the full impact of the home and its architecture and site.
#landscape #landscapephotography #landscapearchitecture #landscapedesign #architecture #architecturephotography #architecture #architect #pool #infinitypool #forest #urbanforest #dallas #home #modern #design #contemporary #art #modernhome #deck #glass #windows #site #city #surprise #lot #creek #water #view #tree
Tiny Home Big Idea – EarthX
EarthX is a big idea – the largest Earth Day celebration in the world. The tiny homes exhibition is just a tiny part of this celebration at Fair Park in Dallas. Trammell S. Crow initiated EarthX, a multidisciplinary celebration that emphasizes the interest in our earth, conservation and best products, is enhanced by those of all political stripes and interest, from classic tree huggers to major corporations. Dallas, a collegial city, is a perfect place for Earth Day. “Big Blue,” pictured above is one of several tiny homes available to visit. One of my favorite things about my home is the 100-year-old quarters over the one-car garage. I think of the many now prominent people that at one time rented the space from museum quality artists, business owners and executives. Some people with vision choose to live in tiny homes.
#EarthDay #EarthX #FairPark #tinyhomes #Dallas #Texas #EarthDayCelebration #architecture #architects #design #landscaping #environment #sustainability #conservation #smallhome #pathtoTrinityGroves #interiors #interiordesign #wood #loft #stair #staircase #globalenvironment #tiny #tinyhouse #interiordesign #play #earthday2018
Dance is the Measure of Architecture
“Baroque dance is based on proportions, angles and geometry,” Catherine Turocy writes. Roman Architect Vitruvius in the first century writing about architecture,and Leonardo da Vinci in the Renaissance writing about architecture and the body and now Catherine Turocy in the 21st Century continues to make the correlation between architecture, the golden ratio, the golden spiral, the body, and the geometry of dance. The patterns of parquet floors of ballrooms and the proportions of formal gardens have been determined by the measure of dance. The spiral paths of dance mimic the geometry of the spiral staircase. Dance adds thoughts and emotions to these mathematical formulas that are expressed by angles within the body and by the moving body. The aesthetic system of math, science, and arts can be measured by formal gardens and dance. The proportions of architecture that make us happy in a home make us happy in Dance. https://nybaroquedance.org/
Photo by Julie Lemberger, compliments of @NYBaroqueDance
#CatherineTurocy #Baroque #BaroqueDance #BaroqueDancers #Renaissance #GoldenRatio #GoldenSpiral #Versailles #VersaillesGardens #15thCentury #Dance #Architecture #Architectural #Patterns #Parquet #History #Body #Costumes #Ballroom #VitruvianMan #RomanArchitecture #LandscapeArchitecture #Mathematics #NewYork #LeonardoDiVinci
#Design #Spiral #SpiralStaircase #Proportions #Geometry