Douglas Newby Insights - Page 30
Rooftop Prairie
Architect Max Levy has always been fascinated and attracted to the endless open spaces of the Texas prairie. This penthouse is in such an interesting location. It is right in the heart of a vibrant urban neighborhood of restaurants, bars, galleries, offices, and apartments, but just far enough from the dense cluster of downtown high-rises to create a visual plateau that extends from the extraordinarily deep and wide terraces of The Centrum. The rooftop is planted with prairie grasses which further creates the illusion of endless uninterrupted space looking into the horizon.
#TexasPrairie #PrairieGrass #MaxLevy #ModernHighRise #Penthouse #Terrace #Downtown #TheCentrumDallas #DallasNeighborhood #Contemporary #Modern #Architect #Architecture #Dallas #modernhome #skyline
Translucent Partitions
Translucent partitions is another way architect Max Levy diffuses and directs light. In this downtown Dallas penthouse, Max has deployed translucent partitions throughout the penthouse, creating definition and privacy for specific rooms and spaces while maintaining the open floor plan and light-filled residence.
#Translucent #TranslucentPartitions #Modern #Contemporary #Design #MaxLevy #Penthouse #Downtown #Dallas #TheCentrumDallas #Architect #Architecture
Connecting Sky
Max Levy connected the sky with an arced blue plaster ceiling of this Dallas penthouse. Max Levy also in 2010 connected a tired building from the 1980’s, often ignored, to the imagination of those in Dallas. The merits and desirability of the building with its massive terraces and balconies was rediscovered when the penthouse of The Centrum became an architecturally significant residence surrounded by a vibrant downtown neighborhood.
#TheCentrumDallas #MaxLevy #Penthouse #ModernHome #ContemporaryResidence #Design #Interior #ModernInterior #Downtown #DowntownDallas #Architect #Architecture #DallasNeighborhood #Dallas
Little Mexico 1960’s Water Source
Priscilla Escobedo, archivist at the Dallas library, presented at the Legacies Dallas History Conference in the Hall of State, a talk on how water was delivered first by mule-drawn water wagons and then by water trucks to Little Mexico well into the 1960s. This was not just drinking water—this was water for all household needs as there was no indoor plumbing. Even those with backyard wells risked being contaminated by the outhouses next to them. Priscilla Escobedo has done incredible research on these neighborhoods where little published information exists except for Sanborn fire maps showing water sources from creeks in Dallas. She was very cute when she said to an audience predominantly born in the 1940s and 1950s that she did not know how many of the audience might have been born by the 1960s but the 1960s was not that long ago. She made the point we had put a man on the moon by the 1960s when Little Mexico and parts of West Dallas had no piped-in municipal water.
#LittleMexico #WestDallas #Dallas #History #HistoryConference #LegaciesDallas #PriscillaEscobedo #DallasPublicLibrary #FairPark #HallOfState #City #WaterTrucks #WaterWagons #1960s
Materials Reflect Nature
materials inside the house reflecting the materials on the exterior of the home and nature, along with continuing the sleek horizontal lines inside the home suggests the architecture of Max Levy. Max Levy designed the renovation and extension of the home in 2005.
#InteriorDesign #MaxLevy #Architect #Architecture #Modern #1950s #Renovation #MidCentury #MidCenturyModern #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Kitchen #Wrightian #dallas
Cantilever Over Creek
Creek lot. Decks were cantilevered over the creek to draw in nature and project the home into nature.
#Cantilever #Deck #Creek #MaxLevy #Architect #Architecture #Landscape #ModernHome #Design #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood
Wrightian Concept Max Accentuation
Interest continues to grow in the northwest Dallas 1950’s neighborhoods. Architect Max Levy contributed to this surge in renovation and new modern homes in this neighborhood when he renovated and extended this vaguely Wrightian styled home originally built in 1955. For an older neighborhood to gain traction, with a new audience of homeowners, it is important that renovation and new construction makes a positive impact on the neighborhood. Max Levy did that in two ways with this home. Aesthetically, the home, unlike the homes around it, is still a good neighbor with its surrounding homes. The home also conveys architectural significance, a home of importance creating confidence in the neighborhood. Max Levy accentuated and enhanced the Wrightian concept of the home to become a Max Levy designed home.
#Modern #MaxLevy #Renovation #1950s #MidCentury #MidCenturyModern #Wrightian #ModernHome #Architect #Architecture #Dallas #CityHouse #DallasNeighborhood
Architects of Dallas Wards
Legacies History Conference at Dallas Hall of State concluded with the architects of 14-1 City Council configuration. Diane Ragsdale recalled thousands who protested Queen Elizabeth and Mayor Strauss arriving for dinner. Marvin Crenshaw, a plaintiff that sued the City for more minority representatives, had the most insightful commentary, using Mayor Starke Taylor as an example of why it was essential to keep City elections in May. He said Mayor Taylor was a Republican and had different positions, but they could come to an agreement on issues as he was not beholden to the Republican Party. National politics did not prevent accomplishments in Dallas. The panel’s overriding theme of 14-1 was not about minority participation. It was about electing low income representatives. Chris Luna quoted Al Lipscomb, “Might be my color but is not my kind,” a sentiment reiterated by rest of panel. When it was pointed out that minorities were elected in majority white at-large districts and never in majority white single-member districts, the panel said that didn’t matter. Minorities elected in at-large districts were supported by rich white people. Afterwards I had a nice conversation with Diane Ragsdale, telling her I agreed that protests can be effective and more political participation is better. I thanked her that she and City Councilperson Al Lipscomb were always available to meet with me and others even though not in their district. One downside of 14-1is that the City Council seldom meets with anyone outside of their district or who does not publicly support them. This panel provided sentimental memories of a messy political time in Dallas that also included more participation with the City Council and Dallas residents.
#LegaciesDallas #HallOfState #14-1 #DianeRagsdale #MarvinCrenshaw #DallasPolitics #MayElections #Dallas
Courtyard and Skylights
Max Levy designed in 1997 an architectural front façade of windowless boxes that inside becomes a sunlit house with walls of windows wrapping around a courtyard and a central deep and wide skylight sheathed in trellises diffusing light throughout the home. Sunlight and simplicity create a cheerful and tranquil mood that one has trouble leaving. This architecturally significant home makes one think about architecture in a new way.
#Skylight #Trellis #Courtyard #ArchitecturallySignificant #Architect #Architecture #MaxLevy #Interior #ModernInterior #InteriorDesign #ModernHome #BentTree #Dallas
Ornamental Shadows
Metal leaves protrude from a white stucco wall. From the blank white canvas of this Max Levy designed home in 1997, shadows of these leaves appear. One can view them from the exterior of the home or the interior of the home. This is another Max Levy detail—simple, elegant, and captivating.
#MaxLevy #ArchitecturalDetail #MaxLevyDetail #SunlitHouse #Shadows #SunlightAndShadows #ModernHome #Contemporary #Modern #Art #SunArt #Leaves #Dallas #BentTree #90sArchitecture