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(Continued from page 50) skylit interior spaces punctuated by sculptural staircases — our tour concluded with a trip to the rooftop oasis. We came away with a sense of what's been missing in Houston for the past decade: the Big Idea. The Post's striking embrace of new materials and high industrial functionality — one of OMA's calling cards — has forged a dynamic, architecturally profound project guaranteed to attract international interest. One of the most innovative aspects owes its existence to NASA: a sci-fi-like plastic, a spinoff of research into space suits. The resulting ETFE skylight system employs plastic air-filled pillows spanning the vast atrium bays of the former postal structure. One percent the weight of glass, the pillows are more energy efficient, have greater translucency, and offer tremendous cost savings in the structural steel that would be needed to uphold such extensive spans of fenestration. The Post debuts the space- age plastic's first large-scale use in a commercial building in Texas. Besides the dramatic staircases and expansive use of light, the rooftop SkyLawn serves up an inspiring green feature. Chicago-headquartered landscape architect Hoerr Schaudt (Hermann Park's McGovern Centennial Gardens), designed seven gardens atop the Post that would be the envy of many a botanical park. An adjoining rooftop farm comprises another element, where the harvest will be plucked daily for two well-known chef-concept restaurants (yet to be announced), as well as serving as an event space. During the November opening festivities, we encountered Jason Long, out of OMA's New York City office, who served as lead architect. Long admitted that the Post is his favorite project to date. "Post Houston will be a microcosm of the diversity that makes the city itself so exciting: an agglomeration of culture, food, and tropical urbanism housed within a solid concrete shell," he told us. "The impact should be larger than even the massive footprint of the warehouse itself … By cutting into the building and drawing people in and through it, we are aiming to fold different programs into every corner — weddings next to food halls next to concerts next to new ways of working — and to turn Houston to a view that reveals the city's radical ambition." posthtx.com. Post Skylawn SCOTT SHIGLEY Valentine's 2022 Be Prepared... Pre-Orders begin January 3 Only a limited number of orders will be filled this year. So don't be left out. Order NOW. Deliveries will begin February 8 through February 14th. DAVID BROWN f l o w e r s davidbrownflowers.com davidbrownflowers