Douglas Newby Insights - Page 14
Philip Johnson Country Church
A country church by architect Philip Johnson certainly adds more visual vibrancy to a small town than a traditionally designed church. Jane Blaffer Owen, a patron of New Harmony, commissioned The Roofless Church in 1960. Born in Texas, she was a philanthropist, an heir to the Humble Oil fortune, who also funded the Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston. Jane was educated at Bryn Mawr and also at Union School of Theology. This was a great cultural and theological pedigree for her to orchestrate The Roofless Church. As Allison Hatfield commented in the last post, “One amazing restaurant is all a person really needs,” maybe one amazing patron is all a town really needs. Jane Owen was amazing. She was named by Queen Elizabeth II as Commander of the British Empire. I have found that successful cities, towns, and neighborhoods have major patrons. Dallas had Margaret McDermott as a patron. Munger Place, a small neighborhood, had the insight and drive of property owners like Bob Logan to transform the neighborhood that had been in decline for 70 years since Margaret McDermott had lived there as a girl. In New Harmony, The Roofless Church conveys surprise and joy—surprise to see it at the end of the block when one checks into the New Harmony Inn; further surprise to see what first looks like a walled garden reveals a sculptural chapel, and then another surprise when the sheltered church pews around the perimeter have a backdrop of beanfields. The Roofless Church is a meditative space where one can enjoy time by oneself. It also becomes the site of glorious weddings. The Philip Johnson architect-designed church adds to the Organic Urbanism success of New Harmony. *Philip Johnson Country Church
#PhilipJohnson #Architect #RooflessChurch #NewHarmony #OrganicUrbanism #Modern #SacredSpace
One Restaurant Town
To emphasize the point that New Harmony is a “one restaurant town,” I am posting the picture of the one restaurant. However, New Harmony also has a fabulous coffee shop with the best espresso I have had this year. I should have known the coffee would be good and New Harmony was a vibrant town when I saw two policemen drinking their coffee there. I was so impressed with the espresso, backed with small batch tonic, that I told the barista/owner that this is the best coffee east of the Wabash. *One Restaurant Town
#NewHarmony #SmallTown #Historic #MainStreet #OrganicUrbanism
Field of Dreams
The beginning of this summer I visited New Harmony, Indiana, to see if Organic Urbanism thinking translates for small towns and big cities. I usually think of Organic Urbanism as a way forward for cities. However, it is interesting that a small town of 980 residents like New Harmony can have an organic evolution, celebrate nature, generate vibrancy, and showcase art and architecture. My upcoming series of posts will review a small town with lots of energy, important architecture and pastoral charm. Field of Dreams—Build It and They Will Come could certainly apply to New Harmony. Jane Baffler Owen, wife of New Harmony founding family descendent, orchestrated the Richard Meier architect-designed Atheneum in 1969 serving as the New Harmony Visiting Center. In Dallas, we are more familiar with the Richard Meier designed Rachofsky House on 3 acres in Preston Hollow. The architecture is similar, equally suited to urban or farm land. They serve in somewhat the same capacity as The Rachofsky House could be considered an Atheneum of art and architecture. It is the first place I bring friends from Europe to get a sense of Dallas. When great architecture is built, they will come. *Field of Dreams
#RichardMeier #Architect #Architecture #NewHarmony #Dallas #Art #OrganicUrbanism #ModernHome
Hidden In Highland Park
It is easy to forget how modern homes in Highland Park can have uncovered walls and windows and still maintain their privacy. On what I think of as Oglesby corner—a corner of Highland Park that has two homes designed by Oglesby Architects fifty years apart—architect Joe McCall, as a young associate, worked on the first one of these homes and, as an AIA Fellow, he designed this new modern home. Both homes face each other, benefitting both from their deep setbacks that allow a lush landscape. Landscape architect David Hocker designed the landscape for this Joe McCall designed home, including the pool, with subtle spacing between the bluestone comprising the deck that allows any water splashing over the perfectly flat plane of deck and water to be collected. *Hidden In Highland Park
#JoeMcCallArchitect #DallasArchitect @JoeMcCallFAIA #ModernArchitect #OglesbyGreenArchitects #DallasLandscape #DallasLandscapeArchitect #DallasArchitecture #DallasPool #HighlandParkHome #HomesThatMakeUsHappy #DallasModernHome #HighlandParkModern @HockerDesign
Architectural Code
Highland Park might have the most rigorous building codes in Dallas, but this Highland Park home designed by Joe McCall, FAIA, has the most interesting deployment of code. On the front door, is a subtle greeting in Morse code to let guests know they have arrived at the right home. *Architectural Code
#FrontDoor #MorseCode #JoeMcCallArchitect #ModernArchitect @JoeMcCallFAIA #DallasArchitect #Architect #DallasArchitecture #HighlandParkModern #DallasModernHome #HighlandParkHome #Design #ModernHardware #ContemporaryDesign #DouglasFir
Architectural Precision
Here, architect Joe McCall designed and contractor Stephen Hardy constructed the Italian Corso tile wall and the Sapele wood slatted gate to line up perfectly. Historic homes can have rolls and bends, eclectic designs can be forgiving with their extensive use of moldings, but architecturally significant modern homes have to be perfect. A modern home’s path to peace and serenity is based on the intuitive expectation everything is without flaw and perfectly aligned. *Architectural Precision
#JoeMcCallArchitect #ModernArchitect @JoeMcCallFAIA #HighlandParkHome #HighlandParkModernHome #DallasModern #DallasModernHome #DallasArchitecture #StephenHardyContractor #ArchitecturalDetail #Artisanship #CorsoTile #SapeleWood #DallasHome #DallasDesign #ArchitecturalPrecision
Materials Make Modern
Can inviting sumptuous, captivating materials allow an architect to design a more modern home? Here in Highland Park, architect Joe McCall wins the battle for a home that will make one happy with his use of materials. As you approach this modern home, the edge-cut Douglas fir porte cochere is above you that has a clear stain bringing out the natural caramelized cinnamon colors of this soft wood. At your feet are the solid stone blocks of bluestone leading to the honed bluestone at the entrance. Visually connecting these two parallel flat planes of contrasting texture and color is an outer wall of Corso Italian brick with an open transom to allow one to see the continuous Douglas fir ceiling as it extends into the interior linear courtyard. Five different textures of bluestone are seen at the home. The Douglas fir is also used for the window frames throughout the house. The steel beams and columns and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows serve the purpose to integrate the view of nature throughout the home. However, because of the use of the other materials introduced at the entrance, the home is never interpreted as a glass and steel house. If the modern battle is won with materials, the architectural war is won with the proportions and intersecting open spaces that enmesh the home in the site. My favorite modern homes have layers and depth of materials and textures, as architect Joe McCall, landscape architect David Hocker, and interior designer Wendy Konradi have created here. I am curious what your favorite materials are for a modern home? *Materials Make Modern
#JoeMcCallArchitect #ModernArchitect @JoeMcCallFAIA #DallasLandscapeArchitect #ModernMaterials #DallasModernHome #HighlandParkModernHome #DallasContemporaryHome #HighlandParkModern #HighlandParkHome #DallasDesign #DallasArchitecture #ArchitecturallySignificantHomes #ModernDesign #DallasLandscape #HighlandParkContemporary #HomesThatMakeUsHappy @WendyKonradiDesign
Italian Texture
These long, thin Corso Italian 19-3/4” x 1-1/2” bricks were selected by Joe McCall for the modern home he recently designed in Highland Park. These bricks are individually formed and fired in kilns that allow a variation and depth of color depending on the placement in the kiln. The emphasis of the horizontal length of each brick evokes the modern rectilinear aspects of this very modern home. The texture adds depth and character to a modern home with many glazed walls, windows and doors. This post is a tribute to architect @JoeMcCallFAIA and the incredible modern homes he has designed. The post is also in honor of artisan and artist, master brickmason, and architectural historian Rick Wood who always has something fascinating to say about brick and how it is applied. *Italian Texture
@JoeMcCallFAIA #JoeMcCallFAIA #CorsoBrick #ItalianBrick #HighlandParkModern #ModernHome #DallasModernHome #DallasDesign #DallasArchitecture #DallasArchitect #HomesThatMakeUsHappy
Legends On Legend
Frank Welch was a legend – an architect beloved by his clients and revered by other architects, and he still is. The Architectural Forum posted the Frank Welch Memorial Lecture at the Moody Performance Hall in the Arts District. Here, potential future legends, Midland architect Mark Wellen, FAIA, Dallas architect, Max Levy, FAIA, and Fort Worth architect, Mark Gunderson, AIA, reviewed the work, approach and personality of architectural legend Frank Welch, FAIA, who furthered Texas Modern architecture and charmed the community.
Architects are tied into the community, shape the community, and illustrate the history of the community. Since I was in my twenties, I have met and discussed architecture with the architects in Dallas I consider legends. When I initiated and sponsored the Restoration House of the Year Award, a series of AIA presidents were on the committee for the annual award. These included Ed Beran, FAIA, Bill Booziotis, FAIA, and several other legends I have learned much from, and a few of them became longtime friends. Another legend was James Pratt, FAIA, who was a Dallas combination of Wilbur Cook, George Kessler and Jane Jacobs. I discussed a home James Pratt designed in my TEDx Talk, Homes That Make Us Happy, and had the pleasure of being a member of Town and Gown with him. James Pratt had a plan for Dallas unveiled at the Dallas Art Museum which included Haskell Boulevard connecting Highland Park with Fair Park. When I go to the Dallas Architecture Forum, there are often architects in the audience who will be our next legends and talked about for generations. Architects have one foot in society and one foot with the public – tradespersons, builders, designers, and the community. Architects are esteemed and accessible. What architects do you think might someday be a lasting legend in Dallas? *Legends On Legend
#DallasArchitect #DallasLegend #DallasArchitectureForum #ArtsDistrict #FrankWelch #MarkWellen #MaxLevy #MarkGunderson #TexasModern #MoodyPerformanceHall #ModernArchitecture #DallasModernHomes #ArchitecturallySignificant @RWArchitects #MarkWellen #DallasArchitecture #TexasArchitecture #MidlandArchitecture #TexasModernArchitecture
Nature and Neighborhood
People have been flooding to suburbs, small towns, and countryside locations. Homeowners also have been migrating to urban neighborhoods that embrace and exude nature. The rear garden of my home in an urban neighborhood has 12 trees and extensive plant life, attracting dozens of varieties of birds, from hummingbirds to hawks. Recently, when I went to Greenway Parks to show a Max Levy modern home that I have listed for sale, I was greeted by a rabbit close to the front entrance. There is something about seeing a rabbit that makes me think of nature on a different level. Rabbits are not rare and they do not seem out of place, but they always bring a smile. Nature brings value to us and value to a home. Greenway Parks is a great example of a neighborhood with lots less than an acre in size that exudes nature. What neighborhoods that have lots under one acre do you associate with nature? *Nature and Neighborhood
#GreenwayParks #MaxLevyArchitect #DallasNeighborhood #DallasModernHome #HomesThatMakeUsHappy #DallasNature #Rabbit #DallasHome