Dallas City Hall

Architect: I.M. Pei

Shortly after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas Texas, Dallas mayor Erik Johnson commissioned I.M. Pei to design the city hall. Before starting any design project, Pei loved to get the feel for the city and its inhabitants. He would walk the streets and talk to people. The assassination of Kennedy in Dallas has left a dark stain on the city. As part of the healing process, Pei’s goal for the new city hall was to be a “symbol of the people.” Wiseman, Carter. I. M. Pei: A Profile in American Architecture. New York: H. N. Abrams, 2001. The unique architectural design has the façade of the building leaning at a 34-degree angle, which provides shading for the scorching Texas sun. 

The E.V.E Earthship Village Ecologies by Micheal Reynolds are a new type of earthship. In this village, people can live, work, and grow their own foods. It also addresses the needs for usual permits so ecology can grow without the needs of these things. That was the meaning of this building on the world’s first sustainable testing site. I think this village is marvelous and I would love to go visit it someday. I have positive feelings towards it.

In 2019, Micheal Reynolds and his team went to Uruguay and built an four unit eco hotel for the community. He built one of his earth-ships with a concrete vaulted floor. This continues to amaze me the building’s material are reusable and they give some communities that have nothing somewhere to come and gather. The meaning of this building was to give some people a place to live and come to gather while also be eco-friendly. The building has a beautiful design and seems to work very well for the community. The community now has a place to teach spanish and english classes.

This design of the current and soon to be development of the Seguin Island Urban development project is a piece of art. This design of Jean Nouvels is one that will display his true meaning of architecture at a massive scale. His visions provide modernism architecture following Arabic fretwork. This design is still not in the works, but it displays how Nouvel views the future. When I first saw this design, I thought it was something off the movie, Divergent. The white and reflective façade makes the building glow in the daylight. It is unfortunate that the development has not begun, yet because Nouvels knows what this development can become. Hopefully soon this urban development can start, and we can see a beautiful area of unique architecture.

Micheal Reynolds built the first sustainable school in Latin America out of 60% recycled material. That is incredible. I think the meaning of this building was so that they would always have somewhere to go to school because the building can take care of itself with electricity. I think this is a positive influence on the future generations because it shows that it can be done and it is very useful. I think the building is very beautiful and will have great use in the future.

Michael Reynolds first house that he ever built was called the thumb house. His meaning for his first house was to use sustainable architecture, would rely on natural energy sources, and it would be feasible for someone with no construction background to be able to make. He did make all of these things come true. When I first saw this house I thought it was outdated, but it is from the 1970s, and that it was very unique. I think this is a great idea and I would love to see it someday in person.