‘Old’ is the new ‘New’
Architecture on tap had its final talk for the year, but
don’t kick yourself, I’m sure we will be back next year. Where were you though?
This go round was focused on preservation architecture and the conversation
really took the house down (see what I did there?)
Panelists this month were David Chase, AIA, Principal
ArchiTexas; Wilson Fuqua, AIA, Principal J Wilson Fuqua & Associates; Nancy
McCoy, FAIA, Principal Quimby McCoy Preservation Architecture, LLP; and
Katherine Seale, Hon. AIA Dallas, Preservation Dallas.
The knee jerk question, “What makes a building worth
saving?” seems to be the go to question when talking about preservation
architecture. Our panel had mixed but agreeable answers. Good design although
generally subjective can be recognized when done appropriately and responsive
is one aspect. Association with an event or cultural significance can stop a
wrecking ball, but what is most marketable nowadays is the green aspect (one of
our last AoT discussions touched on the idea of not re-designing every time we
touch a piece of property). Our environment is forever changing, so if we can
pick up on the parts that warrant no change then a sense of place will become
evident.
A common hindrance of preservation seems to be the word
‘politics.’ Now I don’t mean to lower tax rates and broaden the base, or lie
to you, but politics seems to be a big hurdle for most projects of our built
environment.
The conversation moved into adaptive use and adaptive reuse,
but then we were let in on a developing hush-hush story about the Bishop Arts
Market. If you are interested to hear more about what exciting new tidbits of
information can be dropped at an informal talk about local architecture join us
next year because this architectural keg is floated….no more on tap…..see what
I did there?
Luke Archer
JHP Architecture / Urban Design
