Visit the Dallas Arts District

by Gary Juren, Architect

Did you know Dallas is home to the largest urban Arts District in the United States? The Dallas Arts District has been a thirty year plan in the making. The 68 acre district is in the heart of downtown Dallas and has become a living museum of architecture. Within a few blocks you will find buildings by Pritzker Prize winning architects Norman Foster, Rem  Koolhaas, I.M. Pei and Renzo Piano. The Dallas Center for Architecture provides a 90 minute walking tour which is led by trained docents on the first and third Saturdays of each month.  More information on these tours will be found at:  info@dallascfa.com

I want you to take notice of four buildings in particular as you explore the 19 block district.  The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Nasher Sculpture Center, Winspear Opera House and Wyly Theatre are stunning components of this rare neighborhood.

The Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center was designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect I.M. Pei.  Opening in September of 1989, the Meyerson has become the model expression of a modern symphony center.  Its soaring panes of glass and beautiful expanses of white marble are home to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The 2062 seat concert hall is ranked as one of the world’s greatest concert halls.

The Nasher  Scultpture Center was designed by 1998 Pritzker Prize winning architect Renzo Piano.  Opening in October of 2003, the museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of modern sculpture.  The 54,000 square foot glass and marble center is a quiet refuge within downtown Dallas. The innovative cast aluminum sunscreen device controls and filters the natural light into the galleries, eliminating the need for artificial illumination most of the time. The 2 acre outdoor sculpture garden designed by landscape architect Peter Walker exhibits pieces from Picasso, Rodin, Miro, Moore, Matisse, Lichtenstein and many others.

The Winspear Opera House was designed by Prizker Prize winning architect Norman Foster.  Opening in October of 2009, the 198,000 square foot facility is home to the Dallas Opera.  A grand louvered portico radiating from all sides of the opera house provides shade and creates a temperate outdoor oasis thereby reducing the energy requirements.  The bright ruby red glass panels create a bold signage in both the day and night time.

The Wyly Theatre was designed by Pritzker Prize winning architect Rem Koolhaas.  Opening in October of 2009, the 80,000 square foot 575 seat is home to the Dallas Theatre Center. The Wyly is one of the most innovative theatre buildings in the world.  The traditional arrangement of support spaces wrapped around the stage are instead organized vertically into a stacked design. Aluminum tube extrusions encasing the exterior glass panels give an effect of a giant metal stage curtain.

The Dallas Arts District architectural richness extends beyond these beautiful projects. Examples of significant buildings constructed in the 1880s, which is only 40 years after the founding of Dallas, can be found within this cultural landmark.  Make time to visit and appreciate this rare jewel.