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Cullen Theater At Wortham Theater Center At 501 Texas Ave.

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Hines Architectural Forum Announced.

Received this press release this morning.  

 

 

Legendary developer and icon in the real estate investment business Gerald D. Hines celebrated his 90th birthday on August 15th, by announcing plans for the Hines Architectural Forum next month. While Hines spent the weekend with an intimate gathering of family and close friends, plans are underway for a more elaborate birthday celebration in September at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design on the University of Houston campus.

            With some of the world's leading architects expected in Houston for the occasion, the Hines firm will host the Hines Architectural Forum: A Conversation with Gerald D. Hines and Living Legends of Architecture at the Cullen Theater at Wortham Theater Center on Friday, September 18th from 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. The forum will be moderated by Paul Goldberger, noted architectural critic and contributing editor at Vanity Fair. The panelists include Frank Gehry, Cesar Pelli, Robert A.M. Stern, Henry N. Cobb, Jon Pickard and the late Philip Johnson's design partner John Burgee. These architects and their firms represent longtime architectural collaborators with the Hines firm, not only in Houston, but around the world.
            "Our successes over the past six decades can be attributed to our good fortune of working with the most talented and visionary architects in the world," commented Hines. "Great architects have assisted us in continuously raising the bar in the built environment. Timeless buildings, constructed of the highest quality, make the communities in which they stand a better place. I look forward to sharing the stories and expertise from this unprecedented panel with interested Houstonians, including our next generation of architects."
            The forum will be open to the public. Tickets are free, but will be distributed on a lottery basis, with architectural students receiving priority. Ticket requests can be submitted at www.hinesarchitecturalforum.com.
            Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with locations in 185 cities in 19 countries. Hines has $84.9 billion of assets under management, including $42.7 billion for which Hines provides fiduciary investment management services, and $42.2 billion for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. In 2014, Hines completed over $8 billion in transactions on behalf of its investment management clients. The firm has 104 developments currently underway around the world. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired more than 1,000 properties, totaling over 339 million square feet. The firm's current property and asset management portfolio includes 511 properties, representing over 176 million square feet. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to sustainability, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. Visit www.hines.com for more information.
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bobruss

bobruss

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I got mine yesterday and can't tell you how excited I was when I found out that we had been selected. Perhaps since they moved to a

larger venue everyone who had requested seats were able to get what they needed. It's going to be a really special opportunity to hear some of the greatest living architects of this century and they're all coming to town to wish Gerald happy birthday.

What a nice birthday gift to young architects and Houstonians who have an affinity for well designed places and are interested in this subject.

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cloud713

cloud713

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It was more so honoring Gerald and his (and the architects) accomplishments than anything, so no secretive information disclosed, but it was really cool getting to hear all the architects give their take on working with Hines and the challenges they faced on certain projects.

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Montrose1100

Montrose1100

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It was more so honoring Gerald and his (and the architects) accomplishments than anything, so no secretive information disclosed, but it was really cool getting to hear all the architects give their take on working with Hines and the challenges they faced on certain projects.

You're fired for that generalization. We need a new HAIF correspondent. Who else went?
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bobruss

bobruss

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Okay heres a few observations from today. Stern, Pelli and moderator Goldberger had great socks. Stern's were a bright yellow and

something about his outfit and the way he leaned forward in his chair and his small stature made me think of a jockey.

Cesar Pelli's were a bright orange and Goldbergers were a very natty pattern.

The funniest line of the day was by Robert Stern in a followup to an answer by Art Gensler who said that he felt in response to a

question by Goldberger about where architecture was doing the most revolutionary things and Art said it was in the interiors with all

of the new technology focused on making the work place a better place for the people who spend 35% of their time in these offices.

Stern said " If they don't like the suit, They won't like the underwear."

Cesar Pelli kept getting passed over and when he finally got the floor he said that he was almost deaf and his hearing aids weren't

really working that great and he only caught about half of what was said. So if he repeated someone else he was sorry.

John Burgee said that when Hines first called, Johnson said he wouldn't work with money grubbing developers and Burgee said lets at

least meet with him. He said they flew to Houston and they met for the first time at an International House of Pancakes which brought

down the house. He said Hines walked in, in his jogging suit and Phillip ate lots of bacon which of course he later changed his diet

and Goldberger said that he had a hard time picturing Phillip sitting in an IHOP eating bacon.

Pelli also said that the first time he met with Gerald to do the Minneapolis tower was on a plane that he rode with Gerald from

New York to Chicago and that Gerald was lugging around a very heavy bag, and when he asked Gerald what he was carrying Gerald told him potatoes. Pelli then caught a plane back to New York. Henry Cobb dean of Harvard school of Architecture looked like he was dosing off and took forever to make his answers.

It was great to see them all on stage at once but it was a little like the Republican debates. Such a large panel and nothing really of deep substance was said. It really was a love fest for Gerald. Why would any of these fine architects want to do anything but heap

high praise on a man who truly changed the role of developer, and made them all very successful busy architects.

Oh Kohn said when asked if Gerald ever said no and he said only in competitions.Which got a good laugh.I thought Gerald looked a lot

like Phillip Johnson with his bald head. Hope this fills you in a little. Very receptive crowd and I would compare it to a soft Roast.

One last thing that Burgee said that I thought was great was that when he they worked for other developers after they had done the Pennzoil Building they would ask them what would Gerald do when they had problems, and he said if you don't know you just don't get it.

The reason Frank Gehry wasn't there was because of a serious back issue, and his doctor said he could go if he could find a plane that would allow him to stand the whole way here. One thing that Goldberger brought up but not one of the panelist was about to address was the fact that there was not one woman on the floor. Everyone sort of looked around and then changed the subject to the other part of his question. Thats about all I can think of.

If I think of any thing else I'll post it. Hope this wasn't too long.

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Montrose1100

Montrose1100

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Thanks Bob. Teach these whipper snappers about mental notes ;).

As selfish as this may seem, it would have been spectacular to hear more about their projects and challenges back in the go go 70's & 80's. Perhaps even any thoughts on how the scope has changed on a much lesser scale of pizazz, but at the same time many new projects focusing on street connectivity and not being a single fortress.

But perhaps because they were not being paid to answer those type of questions or share their thoughts, and mostly to celebrate Hines himself.

Really jealous either way you guys got to go.

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cloud713

cloud713

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Thanks Bob. Teach these whipper snappers about mental notes ;).

As selfish as this may seem, it would have been spectacular to hear more about their projects and challenges back in the go go 70's & 80's. Perhaps even any thoughts on how the scope has changed on a much lesser scale of pizazz, but at the same time many new projects focusing on street connectivity and not being a single fortress.

But perhaps because they were not being paid to answer those type of questions or share their thoughts, and mostly to celebrate Hines himself.

Really jealous either way you guys got to go.

They actually did address their older projects, like Pennzoil, and how the climate has changed/the buildings have changed.

Gerry had Johnson and Burgee make a model of Pennzoil Plaza with the pyramid tops removable so they could show the towers to the head of Pennzoil with flat roofs (much cheaper option) and the head of Pennzoil immediately told them to put the crowns back on.

They said back in the 60s/70s most of them mainly designed things like corporate headquarters for private companies, without a "developer". Now developers are involved in everything. Less major office buildings in the future. Buildings of today seemed to be more human scale/pedestrian oriented and play off the surrounding areas.

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bobruss

bobruss

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I remembered another funny moment when one of the panelist and I'm sorry I can't remember who it was said that as the best developer he never had the urge to call them Hines Towers or Hines Hotel or Casino and Goldberger responded you mean like a certain person running for president? That brought a great laugh.

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bobruss

bobruss

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One last set of observations.

1. The shuttles were hard to catch we walked.

2 The Hobby's plaza was closed so that everyone was funneled out of one thin sidewalk which created a mess.

3.When we walked back to the garage elevators we stood in a line maybe 50 - 100 people long just to catch them out the door of the

parking garage.

4.When you have to park above the 11th floor and everyone was supposed to park above the 9th it sure takes a long time getting down a

parking garage full of people leaving all at the same time.

I actually joked when I got on the elevator and people started calling out floors. I suggested that we shouldn't

stop before we got to 9 since they had told us to park above 9 for free parking. That got a few laughs and some silly excuses, which i didn't care. I was just trying to make light.

All in all I was certainly happy to have witnessed a collection of titans of twentieth century architects and well worth every

inconvenience. Just wish I'd been invited to Jeff's house for dinner.

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mkultra25

mkultra25

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There were some folks live-tweeting the event yesterday, including Hines' official Twitter account, but I think bobruss captured almost all the significant points mentioned by the tweeters:

 

https://twitter.com/hashtag/HinesArchitecturalForum?src=hash

 

https://twitter.com/Hines

 

I had tickets but had to be somewhere else shortly after the Forum was scheduled to end, and wouldn't have been able to make it in time if I'd attended. 

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  • The title was changed to Cullen Theater At Wortham Theater Center At 501 Texas Ave.

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