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Dream Architects/Firms for Houston


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Maybe this kind of question has already been asked before, but just curious to see what architects some of you really like and what you want them to do for Houston.

 

By the way this is anywhere! Houston, Texas, USA, the world. You could even split it up into dream architects and ones you think could be possible if that helps some of you xD.

 

What are some top architecture firms that you like?

 

What are some up in coming architecture firms/ architects on your radar?

 

What architect/firm would you really like to design buildings in Houston?

 

If this firm did design something, what would you like them to design? (from a single building to even a full community) (this can be new construction, adaptive reuse, preservation, or redevelopment)

 

Where would you want this design to be located in Houston?

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This is a great topic and I'm posting mainly to help generate some traffic on this thread.

 

It makes me think of the "starchitect" concept.  I don't work in the field of architecture, so the evolution of architectural concepts and the "show-biz" aspects are not a part of my daily life.  So, like a good soldier, I went to Wikipedia.  :-)  The webpage there is pretty interesting ... some new concepts and/or factoids for me.  I hope someone here will comment, especially if they disagree with the analysis there.

 

On their list of current starchitects, I think I see only 4 who have works in Houston:  Moneo, Piano, Stern, and Pelli.  The latter has several works here, which I more-or-less like, but I never really thought of him in this mode.  It also lists Pei as a "former" starchitect and I can think of at least 3 building here he designed.  In addition, the list of "canonic architects" includes 2 that I recognize as having works in Houston:  Johnson and van der Rohe.

 

I'm guessing that a lot of Houstonians would like a flashy starchitect building, the likes of which we haven't received since the early 80s.  Gehry and Calatrava, to me, have had enough publicity to make them desirable to the general public.  But ... they have been around for awhile.  Can anyone suggest someone new that would be on the current leading edge?

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This is a great topic and I'm posting mainly to help generate some traffic on this thread.

 

It makes me think of the "starchitect" concept.  I don't work in the field of architecture, so the evolution of architectural concepts and the "show-biz" aspects are not a part of my daily life.  So, like a good soldier, I went to Wikipedia.  :-)  The webpage there is pretty interesting ... some new concepts and/or factoids for me.  I hope someone here will comment, especially if they disagree with the analysis there.

 

On their list of current starchitects, I think I see only 4 who have works in Houston:  Moneo, Piano, Stern, and Pelli.  The latter has several works here, which I more-or-less like, but I never really thought of him in this mode.  It also lists Pei as a "former" starchitect and I can think of at least 3 building here he designed.  In addition, the list of "canonic architects" includes 2 that I recognize as having works in Houston:  Johnson and van der Rohe.

 

I'm guessing that a lot of Houstonians would like a flashy starchitect building, the likes of which we haven't received since the early 80s.  Gehry and Calatrava, to me, have had enough publicity to make them desirable to the general public.  But ... they have been around for awhile.  Can anyone suggest someone new that would be on the current leading edge?

 

No problem. I can certainly help :)

 

Since I do study architecture and I'm currently a young architecture intern I guess I can contribute some of my thoughts on this subject.

 

If you want to know about a very influential architect (who is world renowned) who did a lot of projects in Houston then I would look up Phillip Johnson. Probably one of the most influential architects of the last century and was one of the few modernist masters to also make the successful jump into post-modernism. I mean the guy was influenced and interacted first hand with the likes of the German architecture greats like Walter Gropius and Mies Van der Rohe.

 

An influential firm which had a large footprint here and Texas was SOM otherwise known as (Skidmore Owen & Merrill). They did a lot of modernist buildings here in the 60's, and 70's.

 

We have a Mies Van der Rohe (addition to the Museum of Fine Arts). We have a Renzo Piano (Menil Collection).

 

While we do have a super large firm that's based in Houston (Gensler) they do very safe buildings here.

 

Top architects I like:

 

Zaha Hadid, Richard Meier, Rem Koolhaas, Norman Foster, Tadeo Ando. Plenty more but these are just a few "Starchitects" I would like to see in Houston.

 

Up in coming:

 

BIG, Morphosis, Lake Flato Architects. These are just ones I can think off the top of my head, but there are lot of cool cats making a splash right now.

 

I frankly would like to see one of these tackle either a new museum, a very tall building in downtown, or a large redevelopment project.

 

I think we are due for a super tall building in Houston like one that could give Freedom Tower a run for its money. Large redevelopment....definitely the old post office area on the bayou or far east part of town near the bayou. That would be something to see :)

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