THE DOGRUN

At the recent Texas Society of Architects annual convention in Dallas, four people from Lake Flato presented sessions on an array of topics. Here's a look at what they covered:   Bob Harris: Balancing Design and Sustainability What makes a sustainable building an excellent building? “People don’t love buildings or places because they are non-toxic and biodegradable, they love them because they speak to the head and the heart”. But, what does it mean for a building to speak to the heart… why is it that people find certain environmental conditions innately attractive and what does this tell us about design? Bob Harris presented on this subject as part of a panel that included Larry Speck and Brian Malarky.   Jennifer Young and Heather Holdridge: Lessons Learned from Post Occupancy Evaluations of High Performance Homes Leon Springs: This residential project case study demonstrates how LEED for Homes helped guide the process for creating beautiful architecture using building materials, methods, and systems that address sustainability issues. The session will cover water and energy saving strategies that helped the design achieve LEED Platinum, the 2030 Challenge target and regional sustainable leadership. Hacienda Ja Ja: Lake|Flato is collaborating with the University of Texas at San Antonio’s College of Architecture to develop a protocol and overall strategy for post-occupancy evaluation. The team has fully implemented the process at one residence and is planning to apply to many others in the near future.   Brantley Hightower: The Courthouses of Central Texas The 254 county courthouses of Texas represent a rich and enduring architectural legacy. While the 50 courthouses of the Texas region exhibit an endearing collection of historical styles, they remain relevant for the contemporary architect, providing lessons about meaning and modernity as well as sustainability and community.   The Grand Tour - Travel Influences on Architectural Design The Grand Tour has long been a part of an architectural education, one that combines the actual experience of a building and its context in an understanding of how it comtributes to the built environment. How has this seminal activity influenced the work of architects? In an ever global world, architectural practive everywhere is influenced, shaped, and inspired by work done internationally, yet we do not always understand this work, its context, or the forces that served to shape it in the first place. Brantley presented on this subject with Michael Malone