ArchiTexas
PRESERVING HISTORIC TEXAS Inner-city revitalization and preservation planning are at the heart of this Texas-based firm, which focuses on the preservation of significant and unique structures and the enhancement of the built environment.
ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY www.architectureleaderstoday.com
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HISTORIC PRESERVATION, TEXAS STYLE
ARCHITEXAS PROVIDES SUSTAINABLE THROUGHOUT VAST HISTORIC LANDSCAPES
R E N O VA T I O N S
by Joan Tupponce THIS PAGE & OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: The Joule Hotel is a luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown Dallas on Main Street. The hotel is a conversion of the historic 16 -story Dallas National Bank Building combined with a new adjacent 10-story building addition. Working with Tihany Design of New York City for the interior design, ARCHITEXAS was able to convert the historic building to the new uses while maintaining the preservation standards required for a certified rehabilitation tax credit. The historic façade was completely restored, reconstructing many missing original elements. Above photo by Carolyn Brown, opposite photo by Eric Laignel. OPPOSITE PAGE (TOP RIGHT): City of Wylie. Photo by Thos S Byrne; (MIDDLE): University of Texas at Austin, clock tower. Photo by Architexas; (BOTTOM): University of Texas at Austin, clock tower detail up close. Photo by Architexas;
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To say the very least, the Texan culture is quite as unique as they come. Architexas, the state’s largest preservation based architecture firm, exemplifies the design that is also just as unique and original. Architexas was founded in 1978 by Gary Skotnicki and Craig Melde. The two natives of Dallas met as they were attending the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. During their four years together in the Urban Design Division of Dallas’ Department of Urban Planning, both were heavily involved with inner-city revitalization and preservation planning, and assisted in the development of the city’s Historic Preservation Program. This experience in urban planning, design and historic preservation inspired the creation of Architexas, a firm focused on the preservation of significant and unique structures and the enhancement of the built environment. In 1985, Larry Irsik joined the firm as co-principal and director of the firm’s Austin branch, also specializing in the rehabilitation of historic properties requiring certification by the U.S. Department of the Interior. He is also the firm’s primary expert in LEED design. Through the funding of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, Architexas was able to set new standards for historic courthouse restorations with their work on the Hill Country courthouse. As a result of the devastating fire of the Hill County Courthouse, the Texas Historical Commission established the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program in 1999 to fund the preservation of the state’s most
significant county courthouses. Architexas has already obtained more than $30 million in THCPP funding for their county clients, more than any other firm. The client list that Architexas maintains is as extensive as it is varied. Their customers include municipalities, county, state and federal government agencies, non-profits, institutional and private development organizations, and individuals. The firm’s design work for the public sector includes civic gathering places, festival grounds, historic fair grounds, restoring historic railroad depots and adapting historic buildings for use as museums and performing arts facilities. The firm also has experience in restoring individual residences, historic or otherwise, as well as designing entirely new homes. Architexas provides highly sensitive designs for additions and alterations to some of Dallas’ finest historic homes. They also have extensive commercial experience with loft conversions and multi-family housing incorporating sustainable and new town-planning principles. As broad and diverse as their portfolio may be, Architexas’ 32 year history is recognized by an equally extensive list of awards. The firm has won several different Preservation Dallas awards annually since 2000 as well as more nationally recognizable awards such as the Palladio Award in 2006. Further back in their history, after being in business for only a few years, they won honor awards at the AIA, Dallas Chapter – Ken Roberts Memorial Delineation Competition for three years in a row.
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