Museum Tower v. Nasher Sculpture Center

D Magazine's cover article in its new issue is about the problems that the 40 story mirrored Museum Tower is causing for its neighbor, the Nasher Sculpture Center.  The story details how the original Museum Tower doubled in size, could be a risky investment for city taxpayers and how its mirrored facade is harming the Nasher Sculpture Center and its other neighbors.

Read the article here, and Frontburner here, here, and here for additional tidbits that didn't make it into the article.

If this bridge could talk...

D magazine's Zac Crain imagines a conversation between himself and the soon to be opened and Santiago Calatrava designed Margaret Hunt Hill bridge.

Read the "interview" here.

Weekend Plans - Red, White and Blue Edition

1. Half Price Books on Northwest Highway will be showing movies in their parking lot every other Saturday. The weekend it is E.T.

2. If you are a bit insane like me, get up early on Saturday and head over to the Dallas Running Club's Independence Day 5K & 10K. I am doing this so I justify all the hot dog and potato salad eating I'll be doing this long weekend.

3. Look, it is 4th of July weekend and I am feeling a bit lazy. Go here for all things pyrotechnic-y and Americana music related. Me, I'm just looking for a friend with a pool and a grill this weekend. Feel free to invite me over to your 4th of July party.

Dallas Arboretum Expansion Project

D Magazine's Frontburner blog got a sneak peek into the Dallas Arboretum's $50 million expansion project the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden. The location of the garden will be to the right of the lawn if you are sitting there listening to a concert. The project's completion date is 2013.

From the comments in Frontburner's post, there is concern about the garden disturbing the "serenity" of the park and potential destruction of existing exhibits and gardens. D magazine responded that there would not be any destruction of existing gardens and exhibits. The new garden will be taking advantaged of currently unused land within the Arboretum. My concern is that the new garden be in line with the rest of the style of the arboretum. I don't want this to look like an amusement park.

You can see more images of the proposed park here.

Image from D Magazine's Frontburner blog.

What I have been reading lately

I am on the road this week for work, but here is what I have been reading up on:

1. The Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation announced that Thomas Phifer and Partners will be the architects for The Park's restaurant and performance pavilion. Phifer used to work with Richard Meier, who designed the Rachofsky House in Dallas. More info here.

2. One of the finalists of the Re:Vision Dallas competition (turning a parking lot into a sustainable mixed-use development) is on the shortlist to exhibit its competition entry at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona, Spain this November. Still trying to figure out if I should be proud of that or embarassed. Read about it here.

3. The Disney Streets and the people who live there - home to some beautiful MCMs - are still duking it out over whether there should be a conservation overlay. Read about the nastiness here.

The Language of Things: Understanding the World of Desirable Objects

Go here to read a review of Deyan Sudjic’s new book, The Language of Things: Understanding The World Of Desirable Objects, and how good design perseveres in the Internet based world we live in.

H/T to FrontBurner.

Don't forget to comment here to win an Aalto vase from All Modern!

I apologize for the radio silence this week. Work has been crazy. Tune in next week for progress on renovations to the Quadrille MCM abode.