Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/504939
I 've been watching the transformation of Hermann Park and gazing at the fantastically talented Thomas Woltz's plans for Memorial Park, and I wonder where I've been all these years. Why have I never realized how intrinsic interesting green space is to the texture of a city. I bemoan Houston's lack of charm and history, and jump on a plane to see 18th-century gardens in England and covered bridges in Vermont. But here in Houston, we might have the beginning of something historically important. I've just begun gazing but will report back on my findings. I'm trying to think if I've seen many hauntingly beautiful natural settings, follies or gardens in Houston, and I can think of only two. First, Memorial Park horse trails in the winter, leading from the polo club past Memorial Park Hunters Club. Then there are Salle Werner-Vaughn's saved cottages. There are four on Blossom Street, and the overgrown surrounds are as much a part of the poetry as the cottages themselves. That's it, folks. Two. Relating to my other oft-heard rant about how this city is historically challenged, two stories in this month's issue have interesting historical threads. Neither of these projects, The River Oaks high-rise or the Petroleum Club, was slavish to its history but, in fact, took what was translatable and memorable and wove that into the renovation. The River Oaks luxury high-rise, on Westheimer between Buffalo Speedway and Edloe, was once called The River Oaks Apartments. We all know the building, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and heavily landscaped motor court, overlooking River Oaks rooftops. The1960s Miesian-style building, designed by Cameron Fairchild, could have easily been imploded — better buildings have been. But new owner Richard Leibovitch kept the footprint and the idea of the previous "skin" of the building, and the design team, EDI International and Rottet Studio, preserved what we remember: the Miesian precepts, the lush landscaping, the strong simplicity and floor-to-ceiling windows (page 34). Meanwhile, the mighty 63-year-old Petroleum Club has moved for at least the fourth time in its history, from one downtown skyscraper to another, so there is certainly nothing to be saved in this instance — except its wildcatting history, which Kirksey Architecture does in spades (page 34). Holly Moore Editor in Chief holly@papercitymag.com HUNT SLONEM 14 in this ISSUE M AY 2015 | STYLE | FASHION | SOCIAL 4 , 6 , 8 P O P. C U LT U R E . G O S S I P. 12 Party: Bayou Bend Garden Party 20 Design: Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations' modern offices 10 Party: Contemporary Arts Museum Houston Gala 23 Parties: Moores Society's An American in Paris Dinner Concert Gala; Society for the Performing Arts Gala; Houston Grand Opera's 60th Anniversary Celebration 24 Fashion: Spring's viva la vida 29 Decoration: What's new in the design whirl 34 38 Design: The River Oaks reaches new heights Design: The Petroleum Club's new digs 48 Design: Bailey McCarthy's River Oaks abode Party: John Alexander book signing at McClain Gallery PC House + Art Design: Five minutes with Holly Hunt 36 New Doors: Anejo, Peli Peli, Peska Seafood Culture 50 Art: Sicardi Gallery toasts 20 years. Party: Art League Houston Gala 54 22 Party: Houston Symphony Wine Dinner and Collector's Auction Party: Asia Society's Tiger Ball Newness Around Town … Aria Stone Gallery opens a Houston showroom this August in Decorative Center Houston on Woodway, main level, with 10,000 square feet of book-match displays and collections of quartzite, marble, onyx, calcite, travertine, soapstone and granite from some of the most exclusive quarries around the world. There's a reason they call it a gallery … Salt Air Seafood Kitchen, another great eatery from Clark Cooper Concepts, opens this summer at 3029 Kirby (in the former Brio Tuscan Grille), led by chef Brandi Key (Coppa Ristorante) … Cane Rosso, serving up wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza, opens in the Heights at 1835 North Shepherd with full bar, patio, house-made pastas and pizzas with San Marzano tomatoes. Jay Jerrier's original Cane Rosso is in Dallas' Deep Ellum … El Tiempo Cantina Annex has opened at 322 Westheimer at Taft (in the old La Strada space). Chef Dominic Laurenzo says three of the things he's most excited about at the new restaurant are: "We share a parking lot with Numbers, a real Houston institution. There are two palapas near the front door. And, three, the amazing eight-table patio facing Westheimer." And, oh yes, the dumbwaiter can lift 900 pounds of fajitas and margaritas in 18 seconds to the second floor. This JUST IN Special Section: Beauty Beauty: Where to get summer-ready 60 T he third year of the PaperCity Design Awards at The Houston Design Center elicited a record number of 181 entries across 17 categories. We downloaded more than 1,400 beautiful photographs of projects into digital libraries for our esteemed judges Rachel Ashwell, Jan Showers and Barbara Westbrook to review (they had some very tough choices to make). Watch for the winning entries to be published in the October issue of PaperCity. Herewith, the winners and first runners up in the 2015 PaperCity Design Awards at The Houston Design Center, each of whom were presented with an engraved Christofle award at the ceremony. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design Under 3,500 Square Feet WINNER: Ginger Barber Design. Lead designer Ginger Barber. Runner-Up: Ashley Goforth Design. Designer Ashley Goforth. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design Over 3,500 Square Feet WINNER: Ginger Barber Design. Lead designer Ginger Barber. Runner-Up: Strasser Design. Designer Scott Strasser, developer Carol Isaak Barden. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design — Bedroom WINNER: Dodson Interiors. Lead designer Julie Dodson. Runners-Up (three-way tie): Avondale Design Studio, designer Ben Johnston. Gindesigns, designer Gin Braverman. Creative Tonic, lead designer Courtnay Tartt Elias, with Barbara Tartt and assistant designer Lila Chumbley. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design — Kitchen WINNER: Dillon Kyle Architecture. Lead architect Dillon Kyle. Runners-Up (two-way tie): Osborne Cabinets and Millwork, designer Josie Haley. Creative Tonic, designer Courtnay Tartt Elias, with Barbara Tartt. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design — Bath WINNER: Marie Flanigan Interiors. Lead designer Marie Flanigan. Architect Hollenbeck Architects. Runner-Up: Munger Interiors. Designers Amy Munger and Elizabeth Stiver. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design — Dining or Entertaining Space WINNER: Lucas/Eilers Design Associates. Lead designer Sandy Lucas, project designer Melanie Anderson. Runner-Up: Munger Interiors. Designers Amy Munger and Elizabeth Stiver. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design, Children's Room WINNER: Caroline Morgan Interiors. Lead designers Caroline Frantz and Morgan Jones. Runners-Up (three-way tie): Maison Maison, designer Suzanne Duin. Marie Flanigan Interiors, designer Marie Flanigan. Meg Lonergan Interiors, designer Meg Lonergan. Residential Interior Design or Architectural Design, Use of Small Space WINNER: Shane Cook Designs. Lead designer Shane Cook. Runner-Up: Dillon Kyle Architecture. Lead architect Dillon Kyle. Commercial Interior Design, Hospitality: Hotel, Restaurant or Club WINNER: Found. Lead designer Aaron Rambo, for Local Foods, River Oaks. Runner-Up: Gindesigns. Designer Gin Braverman, for Beckrew Wine House. Commercial Interior Design or Architectural Design, Retail, Art Gallery, Boutique, Spa/Salon WINNER: Intexure Architects. Lead architects Russell Hruska and Rame Hruska, for Elizabeth Anthony boutique. Runner-Up: Habitat Roche. Lead designer Laura Roach, with LH2 Architecture, for Façade. Commercial Interior Design or Architectural Design, Office or Public Space WINNER: MaRS, Mayfield and Ragni Studio. Lead designers Kelie Mayfield, and Erick Ragni, with Becky Harrison, for the offices of Dancie Perugini Ware Public Relations. Runner-Up: David L Merryman Interior Design. Designers David Merryman and Karen Kramer, for an amenity space in The Woodlands. Residential Sustainable Design by an Interior or Architectural Designer WINNER: Intexure Architects. Lead architects Russell Hruska and Rame Hruska. Commercial Sustainable Design by an Interior or Architectural Designer WINNER: Studio RED Architects. Lead architect Pete Ed Garrett, for MetroNational's The Treehouse Memorial City. Runner-Up: Design House. Lead designer Connie LeFevre, for the conversion of Community Outreach Arts Academy. Historical, Restoration/Preservation WINNER: Kinneymorrow Architecture. Lead architects Michael Morrow and Taryn Kinney. Runner-Up: JD Bartell Designs. Designer JD Bartell. Outdoor Living Space, Garden or Pool WINNER: Powers Brown Architecture. Designer Matt Stephens, principal of design Jeffrey Brown, senior designer John Cadenhead, project manager Jeanette Shaw, for Sugar Land Veteran's Memorial. Runners-Up (a tie): Found, lead designer Aaron Rambo, for the patio at Local Foods, River Oaks. The Hanover Company, lead architect Wallace Garcia Wilson Architects, landscape architects GWH Landscape Architects, for the pool area at Hanover Post Oak. Best in Furniture Design WINNER: MaRS, Mayfield and Ragni Studio. Lead designers Kelie Mayfield, Erick Ragni and Paul Fleming, for the Cadbury Series. Runner-Up: Maison Maison. Lead designer Suzanne Duin, for a custom banquette. Best in Product Design WINNER: Tribute Goods Fine Linens. Creative director Karen Pulaski. Runner-Up: MaRS, Mayfield and Ragni Studio. Lead designers Kelie Mayfield and Erick Ragni, for the DD Series of custom carpets originally designed for the W Dallas Victory Hotel. AND THE 2015 WINNERS ARE … 42 Party: Houston Antiques + Art + Design Show @ T H E H O U S T O N D E S I G N C E N T E R 57 Vladimir Kagan Crescent Sofa at David Sutherland