Fountain Place is a towering gem that stands out in the Dallas skyline. Designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, planning on the fifth tallest building in Dallas began in June 1982. Construction began in March 1984 and was completed in September 1986. Located on Ross Avenue and Field Street in the central business district of Dallas, this 62-story structure is easily recognizable. Originally, the plans were for a hotel and two identical towers turned at 90 degrees to each other. Yet the second tower and hotel were never completed.
The 720-foot tower boasts 62 stories and 1.88 million gross square feet, including a lobby, executive penthouse, boardroom, dining, and three levels of underground parking for 950 cars. The exterior is green reflective glass, with the inside being home to a variety of merchants and offices. The prism form of the building makes the structure unique, creating unconventional office spaces. Each floor is different in plan.
The clients, Campeau/Criswell Development, wanted to “establish a unique identity on the skyline and an inviting presence at street level.” The intent was to fill a void that they recognized in Dallas downtown. Henry N. Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners seemed to be the right person for the job. Looking at his body of work it is easy to see how Fountain Place fits in. Many of his previous projects feature towers of glass and angled, geometric forms. He takes the same approach at Fountain Place, while keeping in mind the desire for a unique, eye-catching design. The result was this prism shaped form. However he could not forget the clients desire for the building to be welcoming at street level. This is where landscape architect Dan Kiley came into play.
Dan Kiley is an established landscape architect famous for his use of fountains at the Ford Foundation building and the Lincoln Center in Manhattan. At Fountain Place, he found a way to add an element of human scale to the superhuman building through the construction of a fountain plaza at the entrance. This area welcomes pedestrians to the towering structure without intimidating them. As with any monumental building, it is essential to make people feel comfortable approaching it so that they feel they belong.
Although the concept and plans for the building were well thought-out, there was still skepticism. Critics had problems with the sloped windows and oddly-shaped offices. They expressed concerns about the top floor being only 8,000 square feet. Despite the criticism, both the designer and client were confident in the design. In 1990, the building won the National Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects and the Dallas Urban Design Award from the city of Dallas. The building has achieved its purpose and left its mark in architectural history.
2 comments:
be more analytical in your writing....move beyond merely describing the building. in the paragraph about pei's design intentions, you begin to move in the right direction. write about what is the most important IDEA in the building and WHY? use evidence to help support this claim.
I think the intention of our buildings are the same, and they were both built around the same time period, not to mention there is much manipulation of water and material in both buildings. I think it's important for you to maybe emphasize the effect that water has in reflection of the tall structure? I am thinking of talking about the same thing in my essay as well.
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