Julia Ideson Library – Houston, TX

Client: Gensler

Opened in 1926 as Houston’s central library, the Julia Ideson Library is a rich literary and historic resource center and a historic landmark in the heart of downtown Houston. TBG created a sustainable design satisfying requirements for LEED certification while completing the original 1920s-era design for the Spanish Renaissance Revival structure, which was left incomplete amid the Great Depression. The design included renovating the entry plaza to incorporate adapted plant materials and Spanish Renaissance elements in order to respect the original 1926 plan. The plaza is defined by a geometric pattern that includes an octogram made from brick and stone that is overlaid with a lawn square at its center.

Julia Ideson Library originally opened in 1926.

DETAILS:

5-acre shared historic public library in downtown Houston, Texas
Design is rooted in research of historical data from original 1926 Hare & Hare plan, while meeting contemporary needs
Includes front entry plaza as well as an outdoor reading room
TBG created plans and perspectives to raise funds

Enhanced security was a pertinent objective.

The library’s historic character provides a stark contrast to the more contemporary downtown fabric. An outdoor reading room was part of the original 1926 plans but was not built due to lack of funds. The Spanish Renaissance structure’s landscape architectural design was created by the renowned firm Hare & Hare .

Project Team: Kyle Grist, Drew Mengwasser, Susan Cita, Amy Harr