I have gone on tours, organized tours and had my own house on tour. After dozens of tours, I was over tours, until AIA Dallas initiated their tour of architect-designed homes. While there are still many good tours like the upcoming tour of Frank Welch-designed homes, the AIA Dallas tour of homes designed by Dallas architects is the one tour I go on each year and recommend to anyone interested in Dallas neighborhoods, Dallas real estate and Dallas architecture. With a Premiere Party ticket you can see on October 26th the renovation design of architect Dan Shipley at the Highland Park home originally designed by Scott Lyons. With a tour ticket you can see seven houses designed by several of Dallas’ finest architects on the weekend of October 28th and 29th.
Dallas AIA Home Tour Introduces Architects
Many architects may have a substantial body of work, but most people have never seen their work. The AIA Dallas Tour of Homes is a chance for one to be introduced to the work of a specific architect or see the new work of an architect one is already following. Also, the architect is often present at the home they designed that is on tour. This gives you an opportunity to exchange ideas about their work and ask any questions about the house they designed. The architects always learn from the questions and insights from those attending the tour.
A Series of Architect-Designed Homes Provides Look at 2017 Design
In contrast to visiting builder homes that are open very weekend that showcase what has just come off the builder convention showroom floor, the architect-designed homes on the Dallas AIA tour collectively show a direction architecture is progressing in 2017. While builder homes might show glaring trends, architect designed homes show the subtle evolution in modern design and materials.
AIA Dallas Tour of Homes Gives New Focus to Neighborhoods
New architect-designed homes are often found in developments that lend themselves to modern homes or in neighborhoods that are transitioning from the original architecture to new homes. The AIA Dallas tour will further acquaint you with emerging neighborhoods or clarify the direction of a transitioning neighborhood like the Henderson neighborhood or White Rock Valley neighborhood.
When One Understands the Evolution of a City’s Neighborhoods, One Understands the City
Even if you are not passionate about architecture, the AIA Dallas tour is still great to go on if you are interested in real estate, own a home, or plan on buying a home. Sales prices of homes are tightly influenced by comparable sales, but these sales do not reflect or give any indication of a home’s future value. The AIA tour will give you an indication of the trends in real estate, the future path of development and investment, and the commitment of forward thinking architects and their patrons. These architect-designed homes will help forecast design and locations. How many times have you heard that artists are always the first to find the next emerging neighborhood.
You Will Have a Chance to Meet the Next Generation of Dallas Architects on the AIA Dallas Tour of Homes
Make sure you say hello to those volunteering at the ticket tables, the front door or inside the homes. Most of those volunteers work for important Dallas architectural firms. It is exciting to hear how they respond to the home you are visiting and what projects they are working on. The next generation of Dallas architects is incredible and the tour is a fantastic way for you to meet some of them.
The Homes Are Still the Focus of the Home Tour
Of course the main reason to go on tour is to see these fabulous architect-designed modern homes. I will be writing about these homes further, but for now here is the list of homes on tour, their architects and the neighborhoods in which you will find them. Tickets are available for purchase for $30 at any of the homes on tour.
Home of the AIA Premiere Party – Preservation and Architectural Triumph
A highlight of each year’s tour is the home selected for the AIA Premiere Party. This year’s home is the modern period home in Highland Park where architect Dan Shipley is the featured architect. Those with a ticket to the Premiere Party on October 26, 2017, will be able to see this renovation design of architect Dan Shipley at the 1978 Scott Lyons-designed Texas Modern home. At a time when a 1954 10,000 square foot O’Neil Ford-designed home in Highland Park was recently torn down, Dan Shipley demonstrates with his deft and inspired design why even a 5,000 square foot Highland Park home can and should be preserved. Scott Lyons came out of the O’Neil Ford architectural firm and you can see the influence of Lyons’ mentor. Here one can also see the elements of Scott Lyons’ distinctive design shared with other homes designed by Scott Lyons and considered some of the most significant modern homes in Dallas from the 1960s.
AIA Homes Available to Tour October 28 and 29, 2017
On Saturday and Sunday you will be able to visit these homes from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 28 and 29, 2017. Tickets purchased in advance are $25 or tickets may be purchased for $30 the weekend of the tour at any one of the homes on tour.
8255 Santa Clara Drive
Maestri Studio
Forest Hills/East Dallas Neighborhood
2963 Magnolia Hill Court
ZERO3, Inc.
Downtown Dallas Neighborhood
7815 Deer Trail
Marek Architecture
White Rock Valley Neighborhood
6018 Northaven
NIMMO Architecture
Northaven Neighborhood
6010 Royal Crest
Domiteaux + Baggett Architects
North Dallas Neighborhood
2307 Madera Street
FAR + DANG
Henderson Neighborhood
4230 Woodfin
M-Gray Architecture
Preston Hollow Neighborhood
