Houston's Architectural Legacy
I am sure most of you saw the Houston Chronicle article by Clifford Pugh, "Has Houston Architecture Lost Its Edge?" This article was important for a number of reasons. The writer's premise was that Houston in the 1970s and early 1980s was getting worldwide attention for its cutting edge architecture, the likes of Pennzoil Place, the Menil Museum, and other buildings designed by well-known architects. He claims that since then, we have not seen buildings that have that "wow" factor, which he equates with tall skyscrapers or huge budget projects.
My notion was that since the boom days of incredible economic growth and prosperity are long past, we, as architects, have focused on a long slow process of maturing Houston as a livable city, laying the urban foundation that will define the physical characteristics, civic heritage, and future legacy of our young city.
Various new "wow" factor initiatives are in progress, largely driven by architects, such as the Buffalo Bayou Master Plan, where the overlaying vision is to restore Buffalo Bayou as a healthy natural system, as the core of Houston's identity. This is a very serious and important plan that integrates flood management with waterfront growth in Downtown and in the East-end neighborhoods. It introduces a diversion canal, north of Downtown, as a new scenic water body with interesting opportunities along both its water edges. It would create an island "Isle de la Bayou" -- a reference to a Parisian island in the Seine, with mixed-use development that would extend the Arts District in Downtown North. Balancing the economic growth development, the currently under-used sites and the abandoned lands surrounding the Bayou Basin are proposed to be assembled and developed as a Regional Wilderness Reserve amenity focused on hydrology and habitat which could put Houston on the World Eco-Tourism Map.
Another important initiative (actually a series of inter-linked initiatives combined in the interest of brevity) is the ambitious plan and public investment aimed at transforming the Main Street Corridor into a world-class signature street. Main Street links a number of important destinations and attractions. It will also provide the transportation infrastructure for Houston's first transit rail line, to support dense concentration of residents, jobs, and attractions. Starting at the north end of Downtown, at Allen's Landing on Buffalo Bayou, the birthplace of Houston, there will be a series of civic places and spaces of the magnitude and importance of 16th Street Mall in Denver and Pioneer Square in Portland. Houston's version will be "Preston at Cotswold" and "Main Street Square," people and commercial/entertainment development magnets enriched by pedestrian activity, art and the magic of water. To continue, encourage, and ensure sustainability of high quality urban development to Midtown, to the Museum District, to Herman Park/Rice University, to the Medical Center, and to the Reliant Park Complex, a public/private sector coalition, including AIA/Houston, Main Street--Houston's New Economic Corridor was formed. This endeavor includes planning and voluntary development guidelines with incentives to achieve high quality environments. Area Plan concepts focus on the individual character of the various unique areas along the corridor. City Council approval is expected for this Houston style approach to establishing predictability for development. Once again, architects are in the middle of all of this.
So why was this Chronicle article important? Because it is a challenge to us to create more memorable architecture, without the benefit of huge budgets or scale; because it declares Dallas is on course to surpass Houston's architecture, and we can't let that happen; and because it illustrates that we desperately need someone, an architecture writer or critic, writing regularly in the press about the built environment.
Rey de la Reza, FAIA
Industry Affairs
Last year was a significant year for legislative changes that had far
reaching impacts on the practice of architecture.
What follows is a short recap, a glimpse of the future and, perhaps, some incentive for more of us to become actively involved in BOTH the Codes and Governmental Affairs arenas.
State-wide Building Codes
The Texas Association of Builders was somewhat successful in their efforts to get a state-wide residential building code adopted. They will be trying another run at the legislature in their pursuit of a TRUE state-wide residential building code in the next legislative session.
Items of note:
* The 2000 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) is now in effect in municipalities, but not in counties.
* The Energy regulations that are a part of the IRC (and which were
adopted separately from the rest of the IRC):
* went into effect in COUNTIES on September 1, 2001 (yes, even though the IRC itself is NOT going to be enforced in counties, the energy
portions will be...). Note that it is ALREADY in effect.
* will go into effect in CITIES (municipalities) on September 1, 2002.
Note that the effective date is different from the IRC itself.
* The Houston and TSA Codes & Standards Committees will monitor the
enforcement of BOTH the IRC and the Energy Code for problems that need to be resolved in the next session.
ASBESTOS - Senate Bill 509
This bill has led to lots of misunderstanding:
* While the bill requires EITHER an asbestos survey OR an Architect's Certificate, the City of Dallas was requiring both. This has been cleared up, but was confusing.
* There is no such thing as a grandfathered building. Even a shell
building that was completed yesterday must have an asbestos survey
submitted along with the permit applications for new tenant buildouts.
* Many people looked at this bill as potentially providing new work
for Architects. While the potential IS there, practitioners must be sure to contact their liability insurance carriers before engaging in this kind of work. There are significant risks whenever dealing with asbestos.
* When doing an Architect's Certificate, the architect must review the Material Data Safety Sheets (MSDS) for ALL the construction materials used in the building. If the building is 60 years old, that would include not only the original materials used but all the materials used since. A daunting task, to say the least.
* The Certificate warrants that the building is asbestos-free. Even companies that deal with asbestos every day find that difficult to do. There are many materials standard construction materials that, if made in the US do not contain asbestos, but if made in a foreign country probably do contain asbestos.
* The law does NOT require that a NEW survey be done for each permit application. A prudent owner will, however, keep track of all materials used in his building, so there is an "audit trail" proving the building is asbestos free.
* The law requires that the municipalities collect the surveys or
certifications, but it does not require that the municipalities do
anything with them. Presumably, they are supposed to keep them on file, but no other action is required, even if the survey shows the presence of asbestos.
* There is a need for practitioner education.
Texas Accessibility Standards
Multiple issues are emerging:
* Nationally there is a move to make the ADAAG identical with the ANSI standard. This process is about a year away from completion. If this occurs, Texas should also adopt the ANSI standards. At this time, the State does not appear to moving in that direction.
* The 2000 International Building Code has been ruled as a "Safe
Harbor" for compliance with the Fair Housing Act.
* There is a need for more "broad-based" interpretations of TAS, as
opposed to requiring individual appeals.
* The TAS appeals process needs to become more user friendly.
* The term "issue" (referring to the point in time after which the
practitioner has 5 days to file the project with TDLR) has been
interpreted to mean "issue with intent to construct." Therefore, plans
marked "Not for Construction" do not trigger the filing requirement, even if they are sealed. Note that most cities will not do plan reviews on plans marked "not for construction."
Legislative Recommendations
The Houston and TSA Codes & Standards Committees intend to monitor the State Sunset Commission activities.
* TDLR is being reviewed by the Sunset Commission. This provides an opportunity for ALL interested groups to make suggestions as to how to change the way TDLR operates as well as which laws it is responsible for enforcing. Intense monitoring of this process will be necessary. If there are suggestions as to what positions TSA should take, please forward them to the Committee Chair.
Educational Programs
There is a need for local educational programs and others at the next convention. Suggested programs include:
* Classes by TDLR on the Texas Accessibility Standards
* Classes NOT by TDLR on the Texas Accessibility Standards
* 2000 IBC basic building code compliance.
J. Hal Caton, AIA, CBO, Director for Industry Affairs and Codes & Standards Committee Chair
