We were remiss in not mentioning Nicholai Ourroussoff’s interesting and detailed critique today, so here it is. Bottom line:
The no-nonsense approach of these buildings — one cautiously experimental, the other more backward looking — should fit nicely in our new era of cautious restraint, even if they were designed when the excesses were still not over.
Cautious restraint? The description may be accurate, but did you ever think those words would be applied to Dallas?
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‘Cautious restraint’ explains why Anna Nicole Smith was not buried here, …..her tomb garnished (as seems fitting) with a bust larger than the Dallas Zoo giraffe…. and, instead we’re building The George W. Bush Presidential Center.
Did Ourroussoff visit the Wyly? He writes:
“The walls and ceiling of an upper-level terrace are covered in artificial turf, a superficial flourish that is out of character with the rest of the design.”
Eh, not so much. That was the original intent. But as John King reported in his review of the building in our October issue, fire code prevented the faux grass from appearing on the walls and ceiling. See for yourself here.
Wick writes, “Cautious restraint? The description may be accurate, but did you ever think those words would be applied to Dallas?”
Well, yes, actually.
I think those words apply to me, I think they apply to Wick, and I think they apply to most natives, from Stanley Marcus to Clint Murchison.
Oh, sure, the Cowboys have always been flashy and over-the-top as an institution, and newbies like Mark Cuban are what they are. And then there’s North Dallas, of course.
But culturally, even Neiman’s, despite the Christmas catalogue, is a model of restraint.
Dallas is a button-down city. Always has been, for better or worse.
There’s always been funky here and there, but it’s usually stamped out like a grass fire by the proper standards committee. Remember: the town did have its own movie-ratings board until well into the 1980’s.
The term “cautious restraint” is not being used to describe Dallas, but the times we’re living in as a nation.
As for the artificial turf, I’m surprised the article didn’t mention that green is a theme throughout the structure. Maybe they’re too sophisticated for that type of minutia.
Is this true? I don’t recall that.
“Is this true? I don’t recall that.”
Not quite true. It didn’t last until the 1980’s as stated.
It lasted until 1993.
Trivia: Current city councilperson/absentee vote fraud specialist Pauline Medrano was one of the the official city movie censors.