runoff and reduce irrigation needs. The native plants also provide habitat for birds, butterflies, and other species. This rather radical departure from the carefully groomed lawn aesthetic of SMU and much of Texas raises the bar for ecological design in the state. Texas cities are leading urban growth and becoming centers of design innovation. For
The challenge for architects, landscape architects, and planners becomes to design more interconnected green infrastructure and to do so with greater cultural sensitivity. instance, as described in this issue of Texas Architect, Buffalo Bayou Park revitalizes a green corridor in Houston; Klyde Warren Park connects two central city districts of Dallas; improvements continue to expand the value of the San Antonio River to more communities; and two proposals in Austin present a bold new vision for the city.
Texas cities possess considerable potential to advance green infrastructure and urban ecological aesthetics. The potential rests on two factors beyond the growth rate. First, the population diversity presents particular challenges and opportunities. We need to better understand the culture and building traditions of Latin America. Second, Texas cities differ significantly from one another, setting up several urban design laboratories. The necessity to construct new urban ecologies is evident. As Texas cities continue to grow, we need to expand, rather than deplete, ecosystem services, especially those related to water, through design and planning. Our future depends on these services. Trend is not destiny, as Lewis Mumford observed. The growth of Texas cannot be sustained without enhancing the ecological processes of the state. Frederick R. Steiner is a fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and dean of The University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture.
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38 Texas Architect
PHOTO OF PASSAIC RIVER PARK BY COLIN COOKE. RENDERING OF SPONGE PARK COURTESY DLANDSTUDIO. PHOTO OF GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER BY MICHAEL MALONE, AIA.
the East Coast, Lee Weintraub’s Passaic River Park and dlandstudio’s Sponge Park are transforming EPA Superfund sites into community assets. Meanwhile, in Dallas, Michael Van Valkenburgh’s park for the George W. Bush Presidential Center presents a model for a new ecological landscape aesthetic for Texas.
1/2 2014