EarthX 2023: Celebrating Environmental Innovation
I recently had the pleasure of attending EarthX 2023, an event that continues to inspire and educate on environmental issues. This conference holds a special place for me, as it’s been a consistent highlight over the years.
Why I Recommend EarthX
EarthX has become a must-attend event for me, and I highly recommend it to others who are passionate about environmental sustainability. The speaker sessions and documentary film series are particularly enlightening, offering deep dives into critical environmental topics and solutions.
Excitement Builds for EarthX
This year, I headed to Dallas for EarthX, held at the Texas State Fair Grounds. The anticipation was high, and I was eager to immerse myself again in the latest innovations and discussions surrounding environmental conservation.
(more…)Design Workshop – Houston Site Walk
Exploring Urban Parks with the Houston Team
I recently had an exciting experience that I’d love to share with you. On January 11, 2023, I spent the day at our Houston design studio, where I had the opportunity to meet the team and participate in my first site walk.
Houston Design Studio Visit
My day started with a warm welcome from the Houston team. It was great to finally put faces to names and get to know the talented individuals I’ll be collaborating with on various projects.
Site Walk to Urban Parks
The highlight of the day was going on a site walk to two nearby urban parks, Midtown Park and Bagby Street Park. Seeing the firm’s projects come to life was incredibly inspiring. It’s one thing to see designs on paper, but witnessing the physical spaces and how they interact with the community brings a whole new level of appreciation for the work we do.
- Midtown Park Project – Design Workshop Webpage
- Midtown District Project – Design Workshop Webpage
- Houston Midtown Park by Design Workshop – Architizer
- Fast Company Recognizes Midtown District Project – Fast Company
- Published in General, Professional, Road Trip, Texas
EarthX 2022
EarthX is one of my favorite environmental events in Texas! I’ve attended EarthX years prior to the pandemic and loved every experience. This environmental conference is held in Dallas, Texas, and invites people and organizations from across the world. Its part educational in-person conference and exhibitor hall, and part film festival.
This year EarthX was held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center downtown. Usual the event is hosted at the State Fairgrounds, but was relocated for in-person attendance during the pandemic. I met up with a friend and we took the DART rail to the convention center as a greener travel method.
We started off looking at international environmental art submissions. A lot of these art pieces were beautiful and represented environmental and regional concerns. We had the opportunity to publicly vote on our favorites too.
(more…)South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center and Coastal Trip
My girlfriend wanted to get away from Austin for a weekend Texas coast trip. We rented an AirBnB in Aransas Pass, TX with no real set plans, other than just hanging out. So I looked for eco-destinations in the area to go visit. We considered going to the Texas State Aquarium, but two adult tickets were going to be $80! Meaning we looked elsewhere. That’s when I found the South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center in Corpus Christi, TX. We headed over there with her dogs because unlike the aquarium, these gardens were pet-friendly.
Domes and Rounded Structures List
You could say my architectural preference is round. As documented on my travels and adventures, I came across lots of dome homes, rounded buildings, curved greenhouses, portable structures, and many other circular constructions!
Below is a hefty list of rounded structures to support the success and longevity of circular design.
The Domes, (AKA Baggins End Innovative Housing)
The Domes, (AKA Baggins End Innovative Housing) is an on-campus cooperative housing community designed by Ron Swenson. Consisting of 14 polyurethane-insulated fiberglass domes located in the Sustainable Research Area at the western end of Orchard Park, it is home to 26 UCD students. – The Domes Webpage
Learn more about my Muir Commons Cohousing & Davis Domes visit.
Taylor’s Favorite Architecture Visits
Here are some of my favorite architectural spots from my travels. Not all of these sites are located in Texas, but many have a roundish or natural material feel to their construction. Those are elements I truly admire in my ideal world of construction too. Check out each blog post for more pictures aside from the ones featured below!
Architecture Spot: Village Farms
“Village Farm features an initial phase of 40 home lots, and an additional 112 in phase 2. Amenities include a general store and cafe, community kitchen, pathways and sidewalks connect homes, farms, gardens, a school, neighborhood pocket parks and commercial areas into a seamless network reminiscent of a traditional village. A wide variety of activities and events, including pop-up restaurant nights, a weekly farmers market and cooking classes for kids and adults, foster community engagement and connectivity among residents.”
Architecture Spot: Community First Village
“Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. A development of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, this transformative residential program exists to love and serve our neighbors who have been living on the streets, while also empowering the surrounding community into a lifestyle of service with the homeless.”