Landscape Architect Articles

LASN Landscape of the Month November 198711-01-87 | News

Southwestern Bell Plaza, Dallas, Texas

The plaza's emphasis is on people space and its main focus, obviously, is ?EUR??,,????'??people watching.?EUR??,,????'??

The Southwestern Bell Plaza, located in Dallas’ central business district, was recently renovated and designed with an emphasis on “people space.” Landscape Architects MyrickNewman-Dahlberg & Partners, Inc., were commissioned early in the design process to create a public space for the people of Dallas. Working in conjunction with MND were J.PJ. Architects, Inc., CMS Collabrative (fountain consultants), art consultants and the Architectural Arts Coalition.

The client, Southwestern Bell, purchased a block of the Akard Street Mall and closed it to vehicular traffic to create an understated city park on private land. The project was designed to provide multi-purpose activity areas for city concerts, ballets and exhibitions. Incorporated into the design were outdoor eating areas, stationary and kinetic fine art and simple palettes of water which created a “quiet backdrop” for the park’s main focus?EUR??,,????'???“people watching.”

Design by Myrick-Newman-Dahlberg & Partners, Inc.

Myrick-Newman-Dahlberg, Inc., carefully evaluated the context of this park given its surroundings in the central business district. The park floor was kept as close to street level as possible to facilitate ease of pedestrian and vehicle movements. Flexibility and variety in its outdoor seating arrangements within two flanking bosques of trees encourages people to come into the park. Granite seating tables in the lawn, planter ledges, seat pods, park benches with backs and “movable tables and chairs” all offer outdoor seating options and picnicking.

Neon sculpture by Stephen Antonakos is enhanced with lighting and fountains.

The “jog” in the park created a simple response to the two main pedestrian views. The view to the north is of a major neon sculpture by Stephen Antonakos located in the glass vault of a major buss shelter at the base of the historic Adolphus Hotel. The bus shelter vault is also a skylight that provides natural light and the continuation of neon art into the employee cafeteria below. The view to the south is of a George Rickie mobile.

Also carefully integrated was the existing mall’s lighting standards, trees, and red brick paving into an existing environment consisting of granite paving and travertine walls.

The ?EUR??,,????'??people space?EUR??,,????'?? is accentuated with this mobile by George Rickie.

Myrick-Newman-Dahlberg, Inc. tied the park into other neighboring projects and incorporated the 1980 Dallas Central Business Streetscape Guideline elements of benches, street pods, tree grates and telephone kiosks. The Southwestern Bell Plaza is truly a significant, carefully integrated public space designed for people.

The Landscape of the Month is a monthly competition produced by LASN and sponsored by Nightscape, who donates $50.00 to the Landscape Architectural Foundation (LAF) for each winning entry. LASN staff and contributing Landscape Architects judge each entry and select the applicant whose project shows effective long- and short-term planning complementing the overall design.

Moveable tables and chairs lend themselves to outdoor seating and picnicking. (Photos courtesy of R. Greg Hursley)

When submitting material for consideration, please include plant selection as well as details and special considerations for each slide. A minimum of five 35mm slides must accompany a project description mentioning the developer and architects. At least one of the slides must be in a vertical format which will be considered for the front cover. Winning landscapes will be honored at The L.A.T.E. Show and will receive a special plaque in honor of their achievements.