HRDD’s Eric Hughes attended the TxA 10th Annual Design Conference in Jackson Hole, WY, on March 3-6, 2022. This year’s conference, “Shelter in the Hinterlands,” included the exploration of unique design, inspiring speakers, and curated tours. The annual conference was established by Michael Malone, FAIA, and Mark Wellen, FAIA, ten years ago and is curated each year by a TxA committee of volunteers (including Eric!).

Eric’s trip kicked off with a tour of the office of CLB architects, followed by a lecture by Prospect Studio’s John Carney, FAIA. Home tours of several luxury homes in Jackson Hole by CLB Architects, Prospect Studio, and Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Todd Williams, AIA and Billie Tsien, AIA presented on Saturday in the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Omar Ghandi shared his design process for his own practice based in Nova Scotia. Ray Calabro, FAIA of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson led a tour of a dynamic home in Gros Venture Butte. After a panel discussion moderated by Brantley Hightower, AIA, the group had the opportunity to tour the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center at the entry of Grand Teton National Park.

Learn more about the annual Design Conference here!

Last week, hundreds of architects gathered in Galveston for the Texas Society of Architect’s Annual Conference + Design Expo - the 80th of its kind. This year’s theme, “IMMERSION: Knowledge. Resilience. Inclusion” included discussions aimed at acknowledging and tackling the issues facing architects and our built environment today.

HRDD was honored to participate by leading two roundtable discussions we’re passionate about. On Friday, Heather - with Dianne Kett AIA - led a discussion on how bias impacts the professional development of women as part of the Women in Architecture Roundtable. During Saturday’s Emerging Leader Roundtable - Eric, Heather, and kinneymorrow’s Michael Morrow led a candid discussion on owning a small practice called “Small. Firm. Round Table.”

We’re already looking forward to next year’s conversations in Dallas!

AND - we encourage fellow architects and designers to consider attending the 2020 TxA Design Conference in February. “PASSAGE” will take place in El Paso:

Looking north, two mountain ranges loom with a chasm between them. El Paso’s literal translation is “The Pass.” Applied to people, time, literature, and geography “passage” is an open word that prompts questions. It can be used to apportion meaning, to define limits, or present a way through. El Paso/Juarez, as the world’s largest borderplex, is an excellent place to investigate how overlapping, interchanging, complex social and geographic factors can impact design.

Eric has been working with a great team on the TxA Design Conference Committee to help make the event a success!