HRDD to Design ADU concepts on Menil Campus

In 2021, the Menil Collection invited a small group of local architects to explore concept designs for accessory dwelling units across the campus.

The Menil Collection neighborhood is home to a small community of 1920-40s single-family bungalows, duplexes and fourplexes. The Menil owns and leases a number of the properties adjacent to the museum, typically indicted by their painted gray facade. Garage apartments emerged as a secondary dwelling unit in the Menil neighborhood in the mid part of the 20th century. Unfortunately, the poor quality of the original construction, often ad hoc conversions of garages, has not allowed the structures to endure.The Menil has begun an initiative of replacing this unique, historical, housing typology while undertaking a renovation of the front house.

HRDD’s concept design is conceived as an understated, complimentary backdrop to the quiet rhythm of the Menil bungalows:

Our design proposes three configurations for the ground floor with flexibility in the amount of storage, office, or bedroom space.

Through a compact form, and respectful material palette, the ADU would be easy to overlook from the treelined streets of the campus. Capped by a hip roof that recedes asymmetrically away from the drive, the simple hardie-clad structure is interrupted by two metal-clad formal insertions. One manifests as a curious box that peaks above the roof - foreshadowing a central light chimney within. The other is a metal wrapped stair that rises towards the front of the unit and serves to expand the courtyard buffer between the site’s two rentable units.

Volume and light become the unexpected showcase on the upper level, where ceilings follow the roof line and arrive at the filtered light chimney. Common spaces are stitched under the punctured volume of the splayed ceiling and offer spacious impressions of the unit. A wet core yields to the adjacent volume with compressed ceilings that house hvac ducts above.

Given the various sites and variety of potential uses for the units, modularity was given important consideration to allow adaptation to location and program. Variations on one footprint allow for garage or carport options. Our design proposes three configurations for the ground floor with flexibility in the amount of storage, office, or bedroom space. The second floor also offers various amenity options including a walk-in closet, a small office, or private outdoor deck.

In late 2021, HRDD was awarded two ADU project sites and tasked with renovating the accompanying bungalows.

North Carolina State University Design Leaders Council

The North Carolina State University College of Design welcomed nine new members to its Leaders Council this fall. HRDD’s Heather Rowell, one of the new members, returned to her undergraduate alma mater to join the Leaders Council last week!

The College of Design offers degrees in Architecture, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Art + Design, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, and Design Studies with focused applications in the built environment, product design, textile and fiber design, user experience, animation and multimedia, as well as creative practice through the exploration of mediums, composition, and storytelling.

Established in 2010, the Leaders Council of the NC State College of Design is a select group of alumni and friends in design-related professions across the country. Members of the Leaders Council support the college’s strategic direction, assist in securing financial resources to achieve its long-range goals and actively advocate for the college’s vision to become the leading public interdisciplinary design college in the country. Leaders Council members promote the welfare of the college through advocacy, fundraising and service.

Meet all the newest members here. And, all of the Leaders Council here.

SAY IT LOUD (WIA) Texas

The Texas Society of Architect’s 82ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE & DESIGN EXPO begins today in San Antonio!

This year, Beyond the Built Environment, in collaboration with AIA San Antonio and the Women in Architecture Texas Chapters, have created an exhibit featuring work by Women Architects and Designers of Texas. Part of the internationally-recognized SAY IT LOUD series, the exhibit showcases projects and stories from architects and designers from all over the state of Texas. The concept of this exhibit is "To see our faces, hear our voices, feel our impact within the colorful tapestry of our heritage." SAY IT LOUD is the activation of a national movement of sharing, protecting and celebrating the journey of the underrepresented to inspire the next generation. Each of the featured designers and architects are now part of Beyond the Built Environment’s Great Diverse Designers Library — a resource and platform built to elevate Diverse Designers across the world.

Beyond the Built Environment was founded by Pascale Sablan, a New York-based architect and activist who works “to advance architecture for the betterment of society,” bringing visibility to issues concerning women and BIPOC designers. Beyond the Built Environment addresses “the inequitable disparities in architecture by providing a holistic platform aimed to support numerous stages of the architecture pipeline.” As part of this work, Sablan and her team curated the traveling exhibition SAY IT LOUD, which features work from underrepresented designers.

HR Design Dept co-founder and architect Heather Rowell is among the featured designers! The exhibit will be up throughout the convention before traveling to AIA chapters across Texas.

CAPPA at UT Arlington Lecture

HRDD’s Eric Hughes and Heather Rowell will be presenting their lecture “Pivot in Process” October 6th. Part of the College of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs (CAPPA) at The University of Texas at Arlington - this semester’s series is entitled “NEXT”.

You can view the lecture in its entirety here.

Houzz Tour: Crestview Residence

At 2,500 square feet, the home fills its long, narrow lot without overpowering the space. And the chic yet understated exterior gives little indication of the bright, open, family-friendly space that lies within — in particular the courtyard. - Laura Lambert for Houzz

Houzz contributor Laura Lambert caught up with HRDD’s Eric Hughes recently to discuss the design behind the Crestview Residence - a home Eric designed for his longtime friend Anthony Orona and his family. You can read the full Houzz story here!

CITE 102

The latest issue of Rice Design Alliance's Cite magazine is now available!

Cite 102 includes major contributions from guest editors Ajay Manthripragada and Piergianna Mazzocca. Their investigation centers on the question "What does it mean to be of one's own time?" They gather a community of like-minded thinkers who help establish a critical distance with which we can understand our time. Additional content extends this question to events and people in Houston, both historically and in the intense past year - including HRDD’s Heather Rowell who speaks with Wonne Ickx of PRODUCTORA about the upcoming headquarters for the Houston Endowment.

The printed version of Cite has a new look: the publication has been redesigned by MG&Co., led by Reto Geiser, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies at Rice Architecture.

Cite is available for purchase here, and the magazine is free to members of Rice Design Alliance.

Learn more about Cite 102 here.

Cite’s editorial apparatus—nearly forty years young—continues its work in Houston in part through its steady presence on the RDA website. Articles about current events, reviews, interviews, histories and photo essays are all regular features that will coexist with Cite’s annual print issue moving forward. The power of the written word remains important in a city with so much construction and demolition, and so few outlets for critical engagement. Criticism absorbed through the immediacy of the screen is just as valid as when it is consumed through the permanence of paper.

— Jack Murphy, Cite editor

Delz Residence Outdoor Living

This year marks five years since the Delz Residence was completed! A renovation of an auto mechanic's shop, this award-winning residence and studio was completed in 2016 while we were at Content. The owners, Karin Broker and Mark Witte, asked HRDD to design an outdoor fireplace and canopy extension to the existing structure. Recently, we visited the project with photographer Pete Molick to celebrate the anniversary and enjoy the new addition.

In the 2016 adaptive reuse, two renovated metal buildings were stitched together by a simple shed canopy. After settling into the home, the owners decided to add an outdoor fireplace and expand the outdoor covered space by extending the existing canopy. HRDD designed a fireplace “wall” that serves to help protect the outdoor space from wind-driven rain and offers an additional privacy layer from the neighboring property. The fireplace is clad in large format porcelain (Neolith through our friends at La Nova Tile here in Houston) and rests on a concrete plinth. Designed to be a multi-tasker, the back of the fireplace notches for an entertaining buffet counter or weekend re-potting tasks.

The Delz Residence was awarded a 2016 AIA Houston Design Award. It has been published by Houstonia, Dwell, and Houzz.

Collaborative Design

Working collaboratively with other creative minds always leads to better architecture. Louise Fili's new book on her own inspiration and process released last week and highlights one of our favorite experiences. Goodnight Hospitality hired Louise to design the Goodnight Charlie's logo while we were developing the building concept at Content. Early architectural renderings were shared with her team as they worked to define the branding -- and we quickly set aside spaces within the project to highlight the neon signage concept. Louise's logo captures the spirit of the modern honky tonk we all envisioned for Montrose!

Purchase “Louise Fili: Inspiration and Process in Design” here!

AIA Houston: Michael G. Meyers Design Competition

HRDD is proud to support the AIA Houston Michael G. Meyers Design Competition. Each year the competition is open to Houston area high school students and hosted by Architecture Center Houston in partnership with the Houston Chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

This year, the Competition awarded $11,700 in scholarships to 12 Houston-area high school students earlier this month. This year's competition was held entirely online to include as many students as possible. The jury included Carole Brady, Krystyn Haecker, and HRDD’s Heather Rowell.

The MGMC design competition emphasizes creative problem solving and graphic presentation. This year students were challenged to design a mixed-use living community in the heart of Houston's Montrose neighborhood, adjacent to the Menil campus. The design had to include housing units and community spaces. In previous years students have been asked to design an education center with a focus on sustainability, a community center, animal shelter, a soccer stadium, and a high-speed rail station.  The MGMC Committee hosted a competition workshop and a project site tour to help the students learn basic architectural skills and understand the competition requirements.

More about MGMC on the AIA Houston website.

WiA Houston Equity Series: Work/Life - Balance by Design

HR Design Dept is a proud sponsor of this year’s Women In Architecture Houston Equity Series! Work / Life - Balance by Design explores the need for broader implementation of systems that combat and prevent burnout and support the goals of our peers at work and at home.

The WiA Equity Series was started in 2017 through an AIA College of Fellows grant and was one of WiA Houston’s first initiatives as HRDD’s Heather Rowell served as Chair. The Series aims to take on bold, often uncomfortable, topics to create awareness, discussion, and cultural change within the profession. Previous topics have included unconscious bias, workplace collaboration and recognition, and the hidden costs of workplace inequities.

And follow future WiA events on their webpage, facebook, and instagram.

"An Open Invitation"

“At 2500 square feet, the house is not exactly small, but its size feels considered. There’s plenty of room, all in the right places.”

— Jessie Temple for Dwell

The newest issue of Dwell shares the journey that led to the creation of the Crestview Residence — one that began with a friendship between HRDD’s Eric Hughes and owner Anthony Orona. The March/April issue should hit the newstands mid March. Thank you to photographer Leonid Furmansky whose images capture the life and light of the home; and Jessie Temple for so articulately describing how the home was designed to reflect and embrace the spirit of the Birk-Orona family!

Read the article on Dwell.com!

PDF of “An Open Invitation” can be viewed here.

More about the Crestview Residence here.

Who Builds Our City?

Did you miss this year’s Rice Design Alliance virtual gala? You can view the entire event focused around “Who Builds Our City?” online!

RDA’s annual Gala celebrates leaders in the architecture, engineering, design, and construction communities. This year—due to the pandemic—RDA reimagined the event into an online celebration of Houston’s built environment. Who Builds Our City? brings together practitioners and industry leaders to celebrate the collective effort of those who build our cities. Paying tribute to the diverse range of people and professions that shape Houston, RDA shares stories of those who often are out of the spotlight, but who are integral to the making of our built environment. Click here to learn more.

This event was live-streamed on Thursday, January 28, 2021. View or download the event program here.

RDA Young Professionals Studio Tour

Last week, the Rice Design Alliance Young Professionals paid a virtual studio visit to HRDD! We shared some of our current and past projects during an informal conversation and happy hour. Rice Design Alliance’s Young Professionals is a dynamic group of practitioners in the design, architecture, construction, and engineering fields who have an interest in improving and pushing the limits of design culture in Houston.

HRDD Added to the Rebel Architette World Map!

RebelArchitette, founded by Italian Architect Francesca Perani, has developed an online tool that aims to detox architecture from inequalities. The interactive public world map of women-led architecture practices can be used as a guide to women architects and their practices around the world. Following the RebelArchitette e-book, Architette=Women Architects, that profiled 365 female architects, the map propels forward their mission to make female architects around the world more visible – and their exclusion less defensible.

We need to give a better future to younger generations of students and discourage male-dominated literature and conferences resulting in a single-gender role model reference. We are pushing to have a social and cultural impact through a powerful, collaborative approach, which we are already experiencing with incredible international associations.

— Elena Fabrizi RebelArchitette Co-curator

HR Design Department’s Heather Rowell is honored to be included on the map and named a RebelArchitette! The ever expanding resource is made possible through an international network of partners and advisors. Houston architect, author, and professor, Donna Kacmar, FAIA, is one of three RebelAdvisors from the United States. In addition to the map, the RebelArchitette Resource page lists communities around the world working towards equality in the building and design fields (including Houston’s dynamic Women in Architecture committee).

HRDD Receives AIA Houston Design Awards

This week, AIA Houston held the 2020 Virtual Awards Gala. The event celebrated the work of Architecture Center Houston, AIA Houston members, and awarded some of the best architectural work by local architects. The Design Awards program recognizes design excellence in architecture, residential architecture, interior architecture, restoration/renovation, and urban design. Criteria to be used by the jury include quality of design, resolution of the program idea, sustainable responsibility, innovation, thoughtfulness, and technique. This year’s jurors were Annie Chu, FAIA, IIDA; Ned Cramer, Assoc. AIA; and Elaine Molinar, AIA.

HR Design Department was honored with a Residential Design Award for the Crestview Residence and an On the Boards Design Award for the Montrose Hotel! Watch the entire Awards gala on YouTube!

In addition to the Design Award announcements, Luis Ayala was awarded the Ben Brewer Young Architect Award and Stantec received Firm of the Year.

Rice Design Alliance NEWS

This week, the Rice Design Alliance announced their 2020-2021 Officers. HRDD’s Heather Rowell is honored to serve. The RDA was founded in 1972 and has developed into a strong community dedicated to the critical exploration of the urban condition in Houston and beyond. Through their lecture series, design competitions, exhibitions, publications, and curated trips, the RDA raises awareness and inspires solutions to the challenges that citizens and cities worldwide are facing today. This year’s officers include:

Doug Childers, President; Andrew Albers, President-Elect; Sheryl Kolasinski, Vice-President; Mark Lund, Treasurer; Heather Rowell, Secretary; and Steve Mechler, Past President. New to the Board of Directors this year are Rice Architecture student representatives Elina Chen (B.A. ’22) and Alec Burran (M.Arch. ’23).

For more information on the Rice Design Alliance and to become a member - visit: https://www.ricedesignalliance.org/

Rice School of Architecture Adjusts to Distant Learning

The closure of the Rice University campus mid-semester forced educators to creatively adapt their planned curriculum to a challenging virtual classroom setting. This semester, HRDD’s Heather Rowell assisted Wonne Ickx with a graduate architecture studio - “Pyramid Schemes”. The class drastically pivoted after an early semester field trip to Mexico City and intensive physical model investigations. In an attempt to save the original goals of the studio, Wonne asked the students to create simulated physical models of their final projects. ArchDaily recently published the students’ hard work:

"Students were asked to simulate, to feign a physical model: to create an image that would look as much as possible as if a physical model had been produced, but the whole image had to be engineered in virtual space. A playful exercise in simulation. Students invented specific backgrounds, accidental spots of shade, disregarded tools, studio-lighting or leftover masking tapes... to make their images look as realistic as possible. Lots of effort was spent in avoiding the pristine quality of the digital assembly: walls were places slightly off-grid, handrails were bent or received a minor fold, glue remnants were digitally applied and uneven joints were carefully crafted into the virtual realm.”

The Rice Architecture students were resilient and results were fantastic!

The Women of Rice

HRDD’s Heather Rowell, AIA was selected as one of the Rice School of Architecture Alumna to be included in The Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality’s newest exhibition, The Women of Rice: Alumnae, Here and Beyond.

“Just as Rice faculty and staff have demonstrated, our alumnae also seek to “be the change.” Since 1912 these enterprising Women of Rice have continually made their own way: occupying high-profile positions of leadership; developing patents; becoming Poets Laureate; trailblazing a path for women to the highest education possible; winning prestigious prizes in their fields, including Pulitzers, Emmys, Grammys and Peabodys; founding groundbreaking companies; playing in the WNBA; contending in the Olympics; and even venturing into space.

Organized by school, this third Women of Rice exhibit celebrates a handful of alumnae whose talents, courage, savvy, and determination ratcheted the standards of Rice yet higher – and these women maintained or surpassed those standards “beyond the hedges.”

We recognize that many women and men, inside and outside of Rice, laid a path for these outstanding alumnae to follow, shaping conditions decade by decade to ease access to varied career opportunities.”

The exhibit is on view through Friday, February 14th in Rice University’s Fondren Library.

Bellmeade Residence Interview

Designers Andrew and Gretchen McFarland collaborated with HR Design Dept architect Eric Hughes to create a modern, respectful addition to their River Oaks Home. Together they created a solution that aimed to adapt the older home to the growing family while preserving the landscape and scale of the original home - which was completed in 1926 and renovated by William F Stern and Associates in 1986.

Check out the Rice Design Alliance interview with Andrew and Eric.

TxA Conference in Galveston

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!