Life in Dallas - Page 2

Douglas Newby Sees Mutual Friend at Gallery

Douglas Newby sees Jouette Travis at a Design District gallery in Dallas. — Douglas Newby pictured with Jouette Travis as they see each other at a Design District gallery.

Common interest draws people together. Jouette Travis, whom I saw at a Design District gallery, discovered that we have had mutual friends over the decades. These include award-winning filmmaker and advertising executive David Haspel and the late Rick Brettell, who has had maybe more influence on art and architecture than anyone in Dallas. Interestingly, David Haspel arranged for a Tracy-Locke art director to design my first real estate sign that included the photorealism painting by Brian Cobble mentioned in another Life in Dallas post. Jouette is a special talent with a wide range of interests and expertise, and it is a delight any time I have an opportunity to see her.

Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin Venture from their Turtle Creek Home to Sister

Dining with Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin at the Sister restaurant found on Lower Greenville in Old East Dallas. — Dr. Allen and Harriet Rubin have exceptional culinary taste as they enjoy the restaurants across Dallas, and for that matter the world. The benchmark is always if the food is as good as what Harriet prepares at home. Here, they are at Sister restaurant on Lower Greenville in the Old East Dallas neighborhood.

Dallas Architecture Forum Max Levy Panel

Dallas Architecture Forum panelists at "Common Ground - a Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues" held at Angelika Theater in Mockingbird Station in Dallas. Panelists include Tom Manganiello, D'J Perkison, Jason David Smith and Marc McCollom. — Dallas Architecture Forum – “Common Ground – A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues.” Panelists: Architect Tom Manganiello, D’J Perkison, AIA, of Studio Perk; architect Jason David Smith; Marc McCollom, AIA, all previously worked with Max Levy.

Dallas Architecture Forum: “Common Ground – A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues,” in memory of architect Ron Wommack, FAIA.

Max Levy with panelists at the Dallas Architecture Forum "Common Ground - A Conversation with Max Levy & Colleagues" held at Angelika Film Center of Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — Architects on the panel celebrating their successful talk. From left, D’J Perkison, Jason David Smith, Max Levy and Marc McCollom.

Architect Max Levy with fellow panelists architect Marc McCollom and Jason David Smith at Dallas Architecture Forum event held at Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — From left, Architects Jason David Smith, Max Levy and Marc McCollom.

Architect Max Levy and colleague D'J Perkison answering questions on the panel of Dallas Architecture Forum held in Dallas at Mockingbird Station. — Architect Max Levy, FAIA, and architect D’J Perkison, who has worked with Max Levy on architecturally significant modern homes he has designed, speaking at the Dallas Architecture Forum Panel.

Architect Joshua Ramus Who Designs with Curiosity, Creativity, and Engineering Spoke at the Dallas Architecture Forum

Architect Joshua Ramus, FAIA, Founding Principle of REX, an architecture and design firm, speaks at the Dallas Architecture Forum presentation at Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — Joshua Ramus of REX and Douglas Newby of Architecturally Significant Homes as each arrive at the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station in Dallas, where Joshua Ramus spoke to the Dallas Architecture Forum. I have known Joshua Ramus for 20 years, since he was a speaker at TED in 2006. Over the years at the annual TED conference, hearing additional talks at the Wyly Theatre in Dallas, at TEDxSMU, and now hearing him at the Dallas Architecture Forum lecture, I remain convinced he is the most interesting English-speaking architect in the world. His projects don’t look the same, but his ideas and innovations become more layered, more elaborate, and yet visually simpler and more refined.

Architect Joshua Ramus spoke to the Dallas Architecture Forum. We saw how he responded and anticipated the evolving needs of clients with creativity, curiosity, and engineering borrowed from other industries to create refined and elegant design. Many architects execute a preconceived design to envelope a rigid program fulfilling a primary need. Joshua Ramus examines, explores, and expands how a building might be used whether it is a performance hall, an office building or an architecturally significant modern residence.

Joshua Ramus Borrows Engineering From Other Industries

His solutions borrowed engineering from other industries. Equipment developed for other uses were adapted to his theaters and other buildings, where they enhanced specific parts of the design and, in doing so, became an inspiration for more elaborate performance halls. The Wyly Theatre in Dallas allowed the many forms of theater productions to thrive. He created a building that adapted to dozens of dramatically different configurations suited for the theater production. We saw in his more current projects performance halls where a ceiling could drop in seconds to acoustically enhance the solo of a maestro and then be raised to capture the complete sound of the entire symphony.

Beyond Form and a Program

While we generally think of architecture as form and program Joshua Ramus thinks of architecture as responding to the immediate, changing and evolving needs of the user — whether it is an office, performance hall or residence. The creative disruption of conventional spaces does not diminish the elegance of the building.

A preconceived form that envelopes a rigid program fulfilling primary needs does not easily adapt and often becomes obsolete and vulnerable to being torn down. Just as nature has seasons and times of day, the needs of buildings also have seasons and respond to the rhythms of the day — constantly changing and evolving. Joshua Ramus begins with creative ideas and then finds aesthetic solutions that enhance their adaptability.

Architect Joshua Ramus presents one of his architectural projects at the Dallas Architecture Forum held at the Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station. — The Dallas Architecture Forum audience viewed fascinating projects that the architectural firm REX designed around the world.

One of the projects of architect Joshua Ramus, FAIA, at his presentation to the Dallas Architecture Forum at Angelika Film Center in Mockingbird Station. — The Dallas Architecture Forum audience viewed fascinating projects that the architectural firm REX designed around the world.

One of the projects presented by Architect Joshua Ramus, AIA, at the Dallas Architecture Forum in Mockingbird Station. — The Dallas Architecture Forum audience viewed fascinating projects that the architectural firm REX designed around the world.

The audience at the Dallas Architecture Forum listening to speaker Architect Joshua Ramus at the Angelika Film Center located at Mockingbird Station in Dallas. — The Dallas Architecture Forum audience viewed fascinating projects that the architectural firm REX designed around the world.

Architect Joshua Ramus, FAIA, the founding principle of REX, an architecture and design firm, spoke at the Dallas Architecture Forum. Seen here with Douglas Newby. — Joshua Ramus and Douglas Newby catching up at the Dallas Architecture Forum.

Don Raines, Noel Aveton and Douglas Newby Enjoyed Max Levy Panel

Don Raines Jr., Senior Planner with Planning and Urban Design of City of Dallas, Douglas Newby, and Noel Aveton, ASLA, of Kimley-Horn at the Dallas Architecture Forum held at Mockingbird Station featuring architect Max Levy panel. — Don Raines, Senior Planner of City of Dallas Planning and Urban Design; Douglas Newby, Owner/Broker of Architecturally Significant Homes; and Noel Aveton, ASLA, of Kimley-Horn enjoyed visiting after the dynamic panel at the Dallas Architecture Forum event at the Mockingbird Station that included Max Levy and four architects that had previously worked with him.

Equinox Afternoon Sun Illuminates Javier’s Gourmet Mexicano

Javier's Gourmet Mexicano restaurant with stained glass windows and Spanish Colonial architecture in Highland Park. — As equinox afternoon sunlight streams in for the first time, I notice the stained-glass windows so prevalent in Spanish Colonial architecture. The hostess at Javier’s was kind enough to be included in the photograph.

The Life of Karen Buchanan is Celebrated by Architects and Patrons

Celebration of Life for Karen Buchanan, wife of architect Russell Buchanan, at their home and studio in Bryan Place neighborhood of Dallas. — Karen Buchanan Celebration of Life at home and studio of architect Russell Buchanan at 3835 San Jacinto in Dallas.

The life of Karen Buchanan was celebrated by leading architects, artists, architecture patrons, architecture critics, and those that admired Karen and her successful efforts to promote good architecture in Dallas and the understanding of good architecture in our city.

Robert Wilonsky Receives the Literati Award from SMU Tables of Content

Robert Wilonsky, editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News, receives the 2026 Literati Award at SMU Tables of Contents held at the Owens Arts Center. — Robert Wilonsky, editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News, giving his acceptance speech as a 2026 Literati Award recipient SMU Tables of Content.

Robert Wilonsky gave a moving acceptance speech about his love of journalism and his love of Dallas. His readers instinctively know this from his penetrating insights and passion for Dallas. Robert was the perfect recipient at an evening where prominent table hosts led discussions pertaining to different aspects of Dallas.