Houston's Architecture!

Houston is one of the greatest cities in the world for Architecture and in this post I will explore Houston’s architecture.

Houston’s Architectural variety is impeccable.

I will start with some of Houston’s earliest buildings. The northern section of Downtown is the historic district, also known as Allen’s Landing. This is where Houston’s earliest buildings were built. The Allen Brothers took their boat to the convergence of the Buffalo and White Oak Bayou’s. The original urban plan for Houston, created this area. A wide-road grid, with a City Hall sitting at the current Market Square Park location. Today, this area is the city’s historic district.

The original urban plan also designated a block for the Republic of Texas Capitol. Today, that building burned down in an accidental electrical fire. However, there is still a landmark on that location. The Rice Hotel. A beautiful Building.

 One of Houston’s earliest iconic skyscrapers was the Gulf Building, built in 1929, it was Houston’s tallest building until 1963

The Gulf Building had a tall neighbor about a block away, called the Niels Esperson Building, completed in 1927.

Houston is also home to many other skyscrapers. Pennzoil Place is an award winning, optical illusion skyscraper. Although it appears like one building, it is actually two buildings. It reveals itself as two buildings from certain positions downtown, where you can see a thin line of light separating the two.

Wells Fargo Plaza is a 900 foot postmodern building downtown.

Two buildings that landmark and shape Houston’s skyline is the Bank of America Center and the Texas Heritage Plaza.

The Bank of America Center has three triangular shapes, accentuating a beautiful line of buildings behind it, including the Wells Fargo Plaza.

Texaco Heritage Plaza, directly faces the west, shaping the western skyline view with the rest of the downtown buildings behind it.

Uptown Houston is home to a truly beautiful building. Combining Post Modern Architecture and Art-Deco Architecture The 900ft Williams Tower Stands tall over downtown Houston. It is beautiful both in the day and at night. At night, it has a nighttime beacon on the top of the building that can be seen throughout the city.

This blog chronicles my favorites among Houston Architecture. Houston is a great city for Architecture and if you ever visit the town, make sure to check out all of its architectural assets.