This Thursday, May 24th, the DOCOMOMO North Texas chapter will be hosting an event honoring the influential Dallas practice Pratt, Box, and Henderson in an evening featuring the stories and work that shaped the practice since the 1950s. “The body of work of James Pratt, Hal Box, and Philip Henderson is among the most significant of any 20th century firm in North Texas, notable for its creativity, quality, and diversity,” explains Robert Meckfessel, FAIA, who currently serves as the DOCOMOMO US Vice President. In addition, the principals of the firm have had major impact on the urban form of Dallas through decades of planning and advocacy for more humane and more rational urban design.”
The event will open with remarks from Dallas Morning News critic Mark Lamster, speaking to the importance of the firm’s practice within the greater history of Dallas. In a Sunday Dallas Morning News column Lamster states, “The magic of the architects James Pratt, Hal Box and Philip Henderson was not so much the thoughtful work they built, but what they suggested Dallas could be: a place of creative invention and human scale.”
Following Lamster will be an in depth look into the portfolio of the firm by Meckfessel and Marcel Quimby, FAIA. Andrew Barnes, Michael Friebele, and Gray Garmon will collectively share their experience and takeaways with James and Joanne Pratt from a recent visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the Pratts currently reside. Capping off the evening will be a one on one conversation between Philip Henderson, FAIA and Willis Winters, FAIA, shedding light on the firm’s formation, the dynamics of the partnership, and the lasting legacies throughout the built fabric, academia, and practice.
Shaping Dallas Architecture is the first in the line of many programs the DOCOMOMO NTX chapter aims to host in honor of the legacy and work of hallmark firms and practitioners throughout North Texas. Meckfessel explains, “Docomomo US NTX has sought — from our beginning ten years ago — to highlight work and values of significant 20 century Texas architects including E G Hamilton, Arch Swank, Jim Wiley and Bud Oglesby, Frank Welch, Jane and Duane Landry, and O’Neil Ford. As part of that commitment we have long talked about honoring PBH in some fashion, and this the fruition of those discussions.”
Shaping Dallas Architecture, The Legacy of Pratt, Box, & Henderson will be held at the new Perkins+Will office within the Old Dallas High School from 6:30 to 9:00pm May 24th. Tickets are $10.00 dollars and can be purchased through the link below.
The event is hosted alongside Preservation Dallas with support from AIA Dallas, Dallas Architecture Forum, UTA Cappa, and the Dallas Center for Architecture. Perkins+Will is sponsoring the event.