Douglas Newby Insights - Page 44
Club House Hidden in Trinity Forest
Most golf courses have stands of trees and are surrounded by unsightly freeways. Not this one. Defying the most ambitious imagination, Jonas Woods, Ron Spears with Mayor Mike Rawlins, the Dallas City Council, AT&T, SMU, Dallas golfers, patrons, and the PGA, collaborated to create a link style golf course not just out of thin air but on a field of an environmental war zone in the middle of a 6000-acre forest. Here there are no trees on the course allowing one to see an inner perimeter of the forest in every direction. Mark Finley, the celebrated architect and recent author of Country Houses: The Architecture of Mark P. Finlay, designed an inspired clubhouse nestled into the trees of the forest with first floor, second floor and rooftop terraces serving as a grandstand for PGA tournaments or watching friends finish their round of golf. From these terraces, one’s first impression is the picture of the golf course. An even more compelling picture is looking at the golf course as foreground and seeing a 360º picture of the Trinity Forest. It is hard to imagine a 6000-acre forest; however, being able to look across the rolling meadows of this golf course, seeing a forest in every direction, can give an exhilarating hint of the natural majesty of the Trinity Forest. Mark Finlay is an award-winning architect who trained with celebrated modernist Eero Saarinen, who continued his work refining the classic proportions of New England and explored warm modern design. Here in the Trinity Forest, he responded to the flatness of the site and the surround of trees with open and glassed walls that allow club members to move gracefully from the inside to outside spaces, which visually relate to the golf course and environment. The trees pictured above are looking back at the forest from the interior spaces and terrace. From these same spaces, the forward uninterrupted view of the entire golf course and inner perimeter of the Trinity Forest is captured. Here the clubhouse hidden in the forest is on a very tight three-acre site, but once inside the clubhouse there is a feeling that it is on a 6000-acre site.
#TrinityForest #golfclub #trees #dallas #architecture
Another Dallas Emerges
A flag is planted in the Trinity Forest on the eve of the Byron Nelson. In the undiscovered or long forgotten southeast quadrant of Dallas, in the middle of an enormous 6000-acre forest, along the Trinity River, abused land has been reclaimed for an undulating meadow and groomed lawn for a link style golf course designed by #cooreandcrenshaw Hundreds of thousands of people will arrive this week for the Salesmanship Club supported AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament and millions more will see on television this discovered destination only six miles from downtown Dallas. This event is more than a ribbon-cutting at the first tee. It opens up a whole new territory of Dallas with its greatest natural assets, a great hardwood forest and the Trinity River. Without annexing any additional land, the City and the Trinity Forest Golf Club is expanding the boundary of Dallas. View of course and forest is from club house designed by @mpfarchitects
#SalesmanshipClub #TrinityForest #TrinityRiver #BenCrenshaw #attbyronnelson #DallasCityCouncil #pgatour #landfill #reclaim #LinkStyle #Golf #GolfCourse Tournament #ByronNelson #Grandstand #Terrace #Twilight #Dallas #DowntownDallas #Park #City #Forest #Greenspace #MPFArchitects
Geometric building blocks
Much of Dallas is built block by block, one block at a time. However, we think of downtown Dallas as a collection of Pritzker prize-winning architect-designed buildings proliferating in the Arts District, international architects that designed buildings in the 1980s, progressive modern buildings in the 1950s, like where the new AIA Dallas headquarters will be located, and ornate modern buildings in the early 1900s. The geometric shaped blocks of buildings create value. They are the architectural landscape that allows us to visually relax as we wait for the next dynamic design to stimulate and excite us. #architecture #aiadallas #pathtotrinitygroves #architecturephotography #architect #modern #city #cityscape #cityphotography #dallas #buildings #downtown #block #parking #urban #downtown #development #pattern
Joy of improving neighborhood
One knows a neighborhood has improved when it brings joy to a couple who grew up in Highland Park. For a couple that has owned homes in the nicest environments—an architect-designed home in Telluride, an architecturally significant historic home in Highland Park, and a mountain home in Santa Fe, and familiar with vibrant and prestigious spots around the world— Urbano on Fitzhugh in the heart of Old East Dallas can provide joy and great fun to this couple with exquisite taste. It is incredible how even long-held impressions of a neighborhood that at one time had declined to become one of the worst has now become replaced with thoughts of a happy destination to visit or live. Now even the most discerning enjoy Old East Dallas’ return to civility and conviviality. #architect #neighborhood #dallas #eastdallas #architecture #city #urban #restaurant #friends #ruinart #revitalize #transformstion #couple #glamour #fun #city #downtown #santafetrail #pathtotrinitygroves
Homes have tradition
People love homes that have tradition. A tree, a porch, a creek, a path, or a park across the street might invoke a tradition. In Dallas, one can have a horse for every acre of land. This allowed Ross Perot for years to ride his horse along White Rock Creek behind his house in Preston Hollow. Other families ride at their country homes. And still others, like me, occasionally get to enjoy well groomed trails found @John Sebastian Walnut Creek Farm. This day I was celebrating the 70th anniversary of @Sebastian Construction Group. This incredible company has made the greatest contribution to building or renovating significant architect-designed homes in Dallas and many others around the country. It is fun when a family shares their traditions with guests. #walnutcreekfarm #home #texas #celebration #architect #architect #contractor #dallas #horsetrailer #horse #fun #friends #picnic
Paths and Parking
Trails are flourishing and parking garages are shriveling. We should enjoy a sentimental view of parking garages before they disappear because of autonomous transportation, and less fixed destination alternatives. Increased walking, biking, and alternative transportation will take place on enhanced paths and trails like Katy Trail pictured here. Storing cars in massive above-ground garages will become things of the past. #katytrail #paths #bikepath #biketrail #walk #urban #urbanscape #urbantrail #pathtotrinitygroves #parking #parkinggarage #cityplanning #autonomous #citytransport #dallas #turtlecreek #downtown #cityscape #aiadallas #aia #architecture #architect #future #architecturephotography
Collecting Art and Memories
Reflections was written by Margaret McDermott and her friend and esteemed art historian, Rick Brettell. It contains adventure, history, art, personal relationships, an approach to collecting art that is compelling and, foremost, a love story. This book was written to be released upon her death. How lucky Dallas and the world are to have this book that illuminates the art that made Mrs. McDermott happy for so many years. We discussed that when these paintings moved to the Dallas Museum of Art, visitors will still be able to feel her gaze and energy in these paintings. #mcdermott #dma #art #book #artbook #impressionism #impressionist #dallas #dallasarchitecture #home #memoir #collection #artcollector #artcollection #highlandpark #margaretmcdermott #collecting #arthistory #home #reflections #homesthatmakeushappy
Texas Mid Century
Eugene and Margaret McDermott purchased their country property at a time when Allen was a long way from Dallas. Architect Scott Lyons, who designed their Highland Park home, designed a simple Texas Modern home here that celebrated the land. While some second homes are only used occasionally, the McDermotts came here almost every weekend. The tradition continued for over 50 years. They rode their horses across their land for many years and swimming in the clear well water in their pool was a tradition that never ended for Mrs. McDermott and her friends. Generations of visitors to Mrs. McDermott’s country house for lunch and dinner included international dignitaries, cultural and academic leaders, young and old, students, scholars, and new and longtime friends. Ideas were hatched, plans reviewed, and her book, Reflections, was written and passages read aloud for guests before it was published. #mcdermott #texas #architecture #architect #scottlyons #texasmodern #texasmodernarchitecture #countryhouse #midcentury #midcenturymodern #midcenturyhome #texaslife #porch #screenedporch #dallasarchitecture #dallas #art #texaslandscape #allen #texashouse #aiadallas #aia
Texas Modern Architecture Impressionist Art
Eugene and Margaret McDermott retained architect Scott Lyons to design their Texas Modern home in Highland Park on the recommendation of longtime friend and architect of Texas Instruments headquarters, O’Neil Ford. This home with the tenets of Texas and the modernism of Europe was perfect for a magnificent and personal collection of Impressionist art. The warm, simple talent and materials were the perfect backdrop for these Impressionist paintings by Monet, Caillebotte, and others. The continuous brick walls and a wall of a single-pane window overlooking the garden created the symmetry with the landscape paintings of these Impressionist artists. Private moments or shared moments with large groups generated awe and reflection at the beauty and peace these paintings in their Texas modern home generated. Many generations will continue to enjoy this art at the Dallas Museum of Art. #art #architecture #architect #texas #modern #impressionism #highlandpark #dma #dallasarchitecture #dallas #neighborhood #texasmodern #texasmodernarchitecture #mcdermott #margaretmcdermott #home #window #brick #modernhome #midcenturymodern #highlandparkhomes #historic #historichome #contemporary
Milam
The Milam home pictured here in the original Munger Place promotional book was the early childhood home of Margaret Milam McDermott. In 1905, Munger Place was flourishing as the finest residence park in the Southland, when Highland Park was struggling to gain traction. Mrs. McDermott was always fond of Munger Place and had longtime friends like Ruth Altlshuler who also grew up in Munger Place. I have always said if one grew up in an architect-designed home in a neighborhood of architect-designed homes, one would hire an architect to design their own home someday. In this case, Mrs. McDermott retained Scott Lyons who designed her Highland Park Texas Modern home and her country home. The Text in image states. Dallas is called the “ city of the hour and the eyes of the whole world are upon her, and the people of the city are remarkably alive to the situation.” This sounds much like the University of Texas song Margaret McDermotts grandfather wrote while he was a student at UT. And the people of Dallas are remarkably alive focusing on Margarett Milam McDermott this week!
#margaretmcdermott #milam #mungerplace #mungerplacehistoricdistrict #swissavenue #swissavenuehistoricdistrict #historic #historicarchitecture #historicdistrict #historical #architect #architecturallysignificant #architecture #neighborhood #highlandpark #scottlyons #preservation #preservationdallas #dallasarchitecture #dallas #aiadallas #pathtotrinitygroves #art #friends #eastdallas #culture #history #legacy #ut