The Lone Star State is known for many things—cowboys, BBQ, football—but other than memorable structures like The Alamo, its architecture may not immediately spring to mind. Perhaps it should. Texas’ rich architectural tradition, often organized into six distinctive periods: Indian or Precolonial (to 1862), Spanish Colonial-Mexican (1682-1835), Republic-Antebellum (1835-1861), Victorian (1861-1900), early 20th century (1900 – 1941), and Modern (1941 – 1990), reflects the evolution of architectural styles while embodying the state’s very history. With the region’s building boom and economic growth only accelerating, Texas firms are truly poised to set the tone for design directions moving forward.
Whether it is the historic missions in San Antonio or the regional vernacular of Hill Country, the iconic Modernist masterpieces such as Louis Kahn’s Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth or the glass skyscrapers of Houston and Dallas, Texas architecture has always been rooted in a powerful sense of place and use of materials. At the forefront of design, Texas architecture is both bold and sensitive as its architect & engineer community tackles some of the most pressing issues of our time: sustainability and climate resiliency, migration, housing and shelter, transportation, and equitable public space.
With firms of all sizes and levels of renown calling Texas home, perhaps one of the best examples of an architecture that is both uniquely Texan and universal in its approach to design and place-making is the work of award-winning local architecture firm Lake|Flato. One of the office’s recent projects, the Austin Central Library, a 2020 COTE Top Ten winner, is a showcase for sustainable design, daylighting, the creation of civic space, and community building. A portal within the city and to nature, the building connects past, present and future. In that way it embodies the essence of Texas architecture itself, rugged yet poetic, forward-thinking yet respectful.
To experience for yourself how the Lone Star State is setting directions in design, be sure to attend the ArchLIGHT Summit, September 15 and 16, 2022, at Dallas Market Center.
