There are just no two ways about it. The Dallas look extends beyond the legendary ladies of couture taste. Just look at the skyline and the surrounding grounds and the little town that John Neely Bryan settled is looking darn handsome.
To give a pat on the back to folks who have been responsible for such structural beauty, AIA Dallas held the third “Celebrate Architecture” on Thursday, March 6.
Taking place in Klyde Warren Park with downtown Dallas as the backdrop, Dallas Museum of Art’s Maxwell Anderson was the keynote speaker “emphasizing that a city’s most important issues, like sustainability and walkability, all come back to architecture.”
Addressing a group that included AIA Dallas Board President Lisa Lamkin, Gary Cunningham, Nate Eudaly, Sean Garman, David Goodson, Connie and Velpeaux Hawes, Veletta Lill, Dan Noble, John Stull and Kirk Teske, Anderson told the group, “The premise of a livable downtown is that we have a vibrant workforce nurturing the creative class, including those envisioning the spaces in which we live, work, and play, providing a model for others seeking to feed off unconventional thinking. That’s why the AIA is so important to our city, and to the efforts underway to remake downtown. I want to thank you (the architects) for your commitment to improving our lives. In the end, it is the built and natural environment that will create the conditions for a successful, thriving city. And we are, with gratitude, in your capable hands.”
Among the recipients, EG Hamilton, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award, commented, “For a city to be a great city, it must have a strong architectural community. One that consistently does good work and when the opportunity comes, produces works of beauty as well as usefulness. Since architecture is a profession, architects have a responsibility to the profession and the public as well as their clients. Architects need to be leaders in civic affairs that affect the physical environment. I have been fortunate to work in these areas. And I have loved the work and the thought that I might have made useful contributions. If this award means that I have been somewhat successful, I am grateful. I am grateful to all the fine people who have worked with me.”
In addition to EG, others recognized for their contributions are listed after the jump.
* Photos provided by AIA
Honorary AIA Dallas Memberships (Honorary memberships are granted to esteemed individuals who have rendered extraordinary and valuable service within the Dallas area and have conspicuously upheld the AIA’s aims, but who are not eligible for membership in the Institute or the Chapter. Award winners include:
- Pete DeLisle, PhD for helping develop and facilitate the AIA Dallas’ leadership programs, Emerging Leaders and E-Lead.
- Linda Owen for leading the fundraising, design, construction and management of the $110-million privately- and publically-funded Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation.
- Roy L. Wilshire, P.E. for implementing one of the United State’s first computer-based traffic signal systems.
Firm Award: The Firm Award is given to a firm that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to design, practice, community and professional services. The award winner is michael malone [architects] inc. for its commitment to the design community through its professional involvement and leadership within AIA Dallas and the Texas Society of Architects.
Consultant Award: This award recognizes a member of an associated profession who has contributed significantly to the ability of architects to produce high quality projects. The award winner is Raymond L. Goodson Jr. Inc. (RLG), a civil engineering, structural engineering, forensic engineering and surveying corporation with multiple awards for design excellence.
Contractor Award: The Contractor Award is given to recognize outstanding qualities of construction work, the promotion of professionalism, and the development of excellent working relationships between the contractor, the architect and the community. The award winner is TDIndustries (TDI), which has worked alongside numerous general contractors in the greater Dallas region to help deliver significant projects that have earned architectural recognition, citations and awards on local, state and national levels.
Community Honors: This award is bestowed on persons, firms, corporations or associations for meritorious work in their respective fields. The award winners are:
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza for its 20-year heritage hosting a dialogue about the life and death of President John F. Kennedy that has helped Dallas heal from a tragic and deep wound.
- CityDesign Studio for blending together the broader design community and the City of Dallas to elevate the design consciousness and culture of the city, while working to balance social, economic, environmental, and design sustainability towards enhancing livability for all residents.
25-Year Award, Residential & Non-Residential: This award, recognizing architectural design of enduring significance, is conferred on a project that has stood the test of time for at least 25 years. Awarded projects include:
- The Beck House, known for its facade of slender concave arches wrapping around the home, was based on a pavilion that Philip Johnson had recently finished at his Glass House Estate in New Canaan, Connecticut. These columns create arcades that shield the windows from the sun’s rays. The entry hall is a grand, ceremonial space with symmetrical stairways leading to the second floor and its balcony overlooking the Great Hall, which also contains a grand skylight. Much of the interior is monumental, but is very precise in its detailing.
- The Dallas Museum of Art was the first building in the Dallas Arts District, and its trademark barrel vault anchors the District along Flora Street. It has an understated elegance and is receptive to the display of differing forms, styles, and sizes of art. Barnes’ walled sculpture garden at the DMA features four parallel water walls that subtly divide the expansive space into a series of smaller-scaled “rooms,” which are further enriched by landscape architect Dan Kiley’s sensitive landscaping and the placement of modern sculpture. The pervasive presence of falling water provides a refreshing respite to Dallas’ arid climate, and also masks the sounds of city life beyond the garden walls.
AIA National Honor Awards 2014
Honorary AIA National Membership: Walter “Walt” J. Humann’s advocacy has resulted in the successful implementation of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system of light commuter rail, the reconstruction of a federal highway (U.S. Highway 75), the revitalization of Jubilee Park, a formerly poor, crime-ridden 62-block area that now incorporates education, health, public safety, housing, and a pride in community, and the creation of a master plan that incorporates urbanization and beautification within an encompassed city within Dallas among his many accomplishments. His work is central to the culture and landscape of Dallas.
Young Architects Award: Lorena Toffer is a registered architect in Texas and Mexico with expertise in higher education, adaptive reuse, museum facilities and aviation. She helped found the AIA Dallas Latinos in Architecture – the first in the nation – was recently honored as 2012 Leader of the Future by Latino Leaders Magazine, and was a speaker at the 2012 AIA National Convention in Washington, DC.
Associates Award: Ana Guerra served on the AIA National Executive Committee in 2005 where she was influential in changing the profession’s landscape for interns and young professionals, allowing interns to take the Registration Exam while completing the Intern Development Program. She continues to be a voice for emerging professionals locally through her service to the AIA Dallas Board of Directors.
AIA National Honor Awards 2013
Young Architects Awards:
- Derwin Broughton has a great understanding of what it means to be a community leader and practicing architect. He is a valued part of the AIA Young Architects Forum and National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), serving in leadership roles both.
- Jennifer Workman has an extraordinary dedication to the profession, contributing to her community at large through volunteer activities to raise funds for scholarships for underprivileged youth and the Family Place, supporting homeless women. Her role as 2012 chair of the AIA Young Architects Forum afforded her the opportunity to represent the 23,000 young architects within the AIA.
Texas Society of Architects Honor Awards
Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Honor of Llewellyn W. Pitts, FAIA: Reagan W. George, FAIA is a leader in the community, a respected architect and an advocate for the natural and built environment. He has served the profession in numerous significant leadership roles with AIA, TSA and AIA Dallas, including the oversight of the AIA 1978 national convention in Dallas.
Mentorship Award: In 2009, AIA Dallas launched a new initiative known as the Emerging Leaders Program. The program’s intent was to allow participants to enhance their abilities in three areas of leadership: the firm, the profession and the community. At the end of 2013, this program will have graduated its 5th class with almost 100 participants attending since its inception.
Citation of Honor: Jubilee Park and Community Center (Jubilee) is a leader in Dallas in neighborhood revitalization. Jubilee was once a 62-block area filled with crime and poverty, but with the commitment of several groups, the area was redeveloped with facilities and services all people deserve. The mission of Jubilee is to be a catalyst for community renewal and enrichment to the southeast Dallas/Fair Park neighborhood, with special emphasis on comprehensive, community revitalization and the education of children and adults.
Artisan Award: Gate Precast is one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of architectural and structural precast concrete systems. Gate Precast worked on the exterior precast concrete façade of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. The firm’s expertise and craftsmanship helped define a new typology in the industry for precast panels.
Honorary Member, Texas Society of Architects: John F. Crawford is the CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc., and his leadership has helped shape the economic revitalization of the city center after years of decline in the area’s residential and retail markets. During his tenure, the Downtown Dallas has completed urban parks, street realignments, arts facilities and mass transit improvements.