HOUSTON, TX
4203 MONTROSE
Increasingly common in today’s real estate market are new developments located on challenging sites, requiring sensitivity to surrounding structures and neighbourhoods. The 4203 Montrose project was no exception, featuring the preservation of a historic mansion designed by the late William Ward Watkin. The new office building is designed as an addition to the Campanile campus adjacent to the University of St. Thomas and Houston’s museum district.
The building’s classic lines and unified detailing compliments the tone and atmosphere of its surroundings. Borrowing overt references from Andreau Pallido, the design mutes the building’s presence in the neighbourhood and allows the Watkin mansion to have a stronger presentation. The vaulted stone entry opens into a contemporary lobby featuring a light installation inspired by James Turrell’s skyspace light sculptures. Along with this first impression, the tranquil atmosphere carries throughout the building with a comparable finish standard.