The four design teams selected for the Houston Endowment Headquarters International Design Competition were announced today by Houston Endowment and Malcolm Reading Consultants, the organizers of the contest. The teams chosen have to imagine the new head offices of the organization, a private institution that tackles the essential needs of the community of greater Houston.
The four finalist teams are (in alphabetical order by team lead):
Deborah Berke Partners with DAVID RUBIN Land Collective and Atelier Ten
Kevin Daly Architects with TLS Landscape Architecture, Productora, and Transsolar
Olson Kundig with Surfacedesign, Inc
Schaum/Shieh Architects with HKS and Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture
Launched in June 2019, the first phase of the competition was so popular that it attracted 121 team submissions from 354 individual firms. The selected four teams will be qualified to the next round where they would have to produce conceptual design drawings for the project in 10 weeks, based on their initial approach. They would have to create an inspirational and innovative 3700 square meters building, integrated within its natural context, near downtown Houston, and competing with the modern structures of the region. The construction will include spaces for its team and community partners, such as workspaces, meeting spaces, and engagement facilities. The winner’s announcement is expected in November 2019 and the final built project is due to open on May 2022.
“We had an outstanding response to our call for interest and the project’s special combination of the workplace, community engagement, landscape, and placemaking drew out many innovative, talented teams. [..] However, the final four demonstrated in their submissions the strongest mix of skills, know-how, and understanding of the ambitions of the project outcomes.” -- Malcolm Reading, Competition Director
