The big new Asia Society Texas building designed by Japanese architect Yoshio Taniguchi along Southmore Blvd. in the Museum District won’t officially open until next April, but a new slideshow featured on the organization’s website provides early peeks into some of the 38,000-sq.-ft. structure’s ultra-spare interiors. Included in Paul Hester’s photos: Views of the 280-Poltrona-Frau-seat Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater, meeting spaces with carefully framed garden perches, and closeups of several sleek staircases. The AsiaStore Texas gift shop will probably look a little different from this once it gets loaded up with stuff to sell:
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A short feature in this month’s Architectural Record notes the organization had originally hoped its building would face Caroline St., but wasn’t able to buy up a holdout property on the block. That would be the former doctor’s office at 5219 Caroline St., since purchased by Chris Balat of Balcor Commercial and now slated to become his, chef Randy Rucker’s, and pastry chef Chris Leung’s new restaurant, conÄt.
- First Look: Asia Society Texas Center [Asia Society ]
- Asia Society Texas Center [Architectural Record]
- Previously on Swamplot: Asia Society Texas Center: Your Trees Have Come In, Taniguchi’s Asia Society Texas Center Gets Into the Ground, More Images of the Asia Society Headquarters Design, Still Tinkering: Yoshio Taniguchi at the Asia Society
Photos: Paul Hester
yaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn….
I love the theater with the floor cusions. I personally prefer a chair, but hey – it’s an Asian thing.
This is a very welcome addition to the Museum District, especially since it took up several abandoned properties that were unkempt.
A place to get a big dose of zen, if ever such be needed.
looks good to me, i’ll have to find out what goes on there though since i’ve just assumed it’s a place for overbearing moms to send their daughters to meet asian suitors.
At night when the lights are on it’s incredible. Museum District has added (or expanded) a lot lately.
Honestly, a lot of the exterior shots don’t do it justice (even though they’re great photos). I drive by it several times every day, and I can’t keep my eyes off of it. I had no idea that mist was coming from a pool of water! From the street, all you can see is the mist, not the pool and fountain.
Amanda, keep your eyes on the road!
This is a great addition to the Museum District and Houston. This will be a true architectural gem on par with any other building in the city.
@movocelot Oh dont’t worry, I mostly look while I’m at the stop sign, otherwise I go real slow :-)
What happens to that hovering mist on a windy day? Also, I love that railings must be installed on the floor to keep people from under the floating staircase.
I haven’t been by there in 4 or more years but I do remember seeing the sign in that vacant lot each time I would drive down Southmore.
Is it a tin building? For some reason the photo reminds me of a tin farm building.
Maybe I’ve just been out here in the country for too long.
A waste of space. Dull & boring. At least the abandoned buildings were demolished.
The black chairs in the second to last picture are UNCOMFORTABLE. Like the barely there seats in the rehearsal auditorium at the downtown Houston Ballet building .