Watershed Urbanism Kicks Off North Texas Tour with UTA Exhibit
The Watershed Urbanism and the DFW Metroplex exhibit has returned from the Venice Architecture Biennale showcase to begin its North Texas tour. The tour kicked-off with an Opening Reception at the UTA University Center on March 8th to celebrate the work of CAPPA faculty and students. The Watershed Urbanism exhibit will continue to be on display in the University Center's Bluebonnet Foyer, 300 W. First St., through March 20th. Then, the exhibit will be featured in the following locations:
- Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy St., Fort Worth, 76107, March - August 2022
- Lewisville Grand Theater, 100 N. Charles St., Lewisville, 75057, August 20th - September 17th, 2022
- Texas Discovery Gardens, State Fair of Texas, 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas, 75210, September 29th - October 23rd, 2022
Previously, the Watershed Urbanism and the DFW Metroplex exhibit was displayed in the European Cultural Center's (ECC) 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale. The ECC's Biennale showcase has been considered a significant event for cultural critics, investors, and designers to share cutting-edge work in the field of architecture throughout the globe. Both the ECC and the Architecture Biennale welcomed approximately 600,000 international visitors as the exhibitions were hosted throughout Venice.
Adrian Parr, former CAPPA Dean and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Water Chair, led the design and development of the Watershed Urbanism exhibition to focus on the Trinity River in North Texas. CAPPA faculty and students contributed studio works to feature alongside highly regarded designers and design programs.
Watersheds are critical components of the environment that collect rainfall to safely store and slowly release runoff water, which help prevent floods. However, increasing urbanization of DFW has heavily impacted the health of watershed ecosystems with the removal of wetlands, diversion or channeling of water, pollution of runoffs, and other development issues. Urban areas continue to encounter challenges from population booms, sprawl, aging infrastructure, and climate changes.
Dr. Maria Martinez-Cosio, Interim CAPPA Dean, emphasized how the Watershed Urbanism exhibit highlights these issues in the North Texas region. “We’re especially excited to see the exhibit make its way back to this area,” Martinez-Cosio said. “We hope that our DFW communities learn about how our water systems function in our region. Students will benefit from learning about the waterways in our backyard and the ways they are connected, as well as the critical role watersheds have on our environment and surroundings.”
The exhibition was designed by CAPPA faculty and students in collaboration with Parr, curator of the exhibit. Architecture faculty involved were Dennis Chiessa, Brad McCorkle, Steve Quevedo and Boback Firoozbakht. CAPPA students involved include Tuyen Lemai, Ashley Foster, Jackeline Menjivar, Belén Vigil, Fernando Olmedo Rivera and Francisco Gonzalez.
Donors and contributors include UT Arlington, UNESCO, Diane and Chuck Cheatham, city of Arlington, city of Lewisville, Paul Geisel, HKS, MIG Inc., Grieger, Perkins & Will, Streams and Valleys, Trinity Park Conservancy, Tarrant Regional Water District, Fort Worth Promotion & Development Fund, Pentagram, URBANCOMMONS and William E. Scott Foundation.
Exhibitors include CAPPA, city of Arlington, city of Dallas, city of Fort Worth, city of Lewisville, HKS Design Fellows, Perkins & Will, Streams & Valleys, Trinity Park Conservancy and Tarrant Regional Water District.
- by Herb Booth, UTA Press