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Fair Park Architecture
Today was our third tour of Dallas Architecture put on by the AD EX organization. This time, we were accompanied by our friends Larry and Naomi Shirey.
Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex located immediately east of downtown Dallas. The 277-acre area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the buildings were constructed for the Texas Centennial Exposition in 1936. Fair Park has been designated a Great Place in America by the American Planning Association.
Much of the complex was built for the 1936 Centennial Exhibition. It is still the largest single entity Art Deco facility in the country. It is the home of the State Fair of Texas, the Cotton Bowl, and a variety of community events.
Main Street Architecture
Our AD EX tours continued today, this time of the major buildings on Main Street. This encompassed most of the entire history of Dallas, from the original founding by John Deely Bryan to today.
Unlike Europe, here it’s all recent history, dating back only to the 1850’s. From skyscrapers by American Pritzker winners Philip Johnson and I.M.Pei, to a hemicycle theater by Frank Lloyd Wright, and a 1970s-era observation tower named Reunion, Dallas architecture says it all. A tour of the city is a fun-filled crash course on designs by world-class architects.
Much of the history is in hotels and banks. There was huge competition to outdo the last building, resulting in one-upmanship in height, materials used and so on. In fact, at one time Dallas had the county’s largest building (Federal Reserve, 1914).
And part of the fascinating history is learning about how the buildings were used, or not used. There are several major buildings (including what is now the Statler Hotel) that were vacant for years and even decades before they were updated and repurposed.
It is almost impossible to photograph these building from the ground, the perspective makes images appear distorted. Nevertheless, I’ve enclosed some pictures to give you an idea of the buildings.
Side note: St. Patricks day is being celebrated in Dallas today, so you may see the occasional green in my pictures… especially of the AT&T Plaza!
Arts district architecture
We recently learned about the AD EX (Dallas Architecture and Design Exchange) organization. This group gives low cost tours of Dallas area neighborhood for interested people. We joined them for the walking tour of the Dallas Museum of Arts district.
The AD EX Dallas Arts District Architecture Walking Tour examines buildings and developments from the 1890’s to the present day. Led by a trained tour guide, we explored the architectural detail of the District (including the designs of four Pritzker Prize laureates) as well as the institutions, individuals, and visionaries who are a part of this neighborhood’s fascinating story.
We’ve lived in the DFW area for almost 40 years, and this is the first time we really learned about the rich history of the Arts District. We’re looking forward to more tours to come.
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