Placemaking

The Seattle Space Needle, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the White House are all examples of placemaking – architecture that becomes identifiable with its city, whether intentional or not. These are embedded in American collective awareness but numerous examples exist in communities all over. Page designed the built architecture of Buffalo Bayou Park and knew the park itself had a wide audience of admirers, particularly after it won a 2017-2018 ULI Global Award of Excellence. However, the firm did not realize its structures had made their own mark until a keen-eyed Pager spotted The Lost Lake Building in the oeuvre of an artist.

Syd Moen is a resident Houstonian who also has created works in other major US cities. She currently has a very distinctive series called Little Planets that feature community landmarks – examples of placemaking – and chose The Lost Lake Building as a recent subject. It houses The Dunlavy Restaurant, a visitor’s center and a kayak rental. When asked about it, Syd explained, “I’m a native Houstonian and I have frequented Buffalo Bayou Park and the trail for over 40 years. I absolutely love the new developments and I am indeed inspired.”

Moments like this are the dream of urban design architects because they confirm how completely their project has captured the public’s attention. Kudos to the Page design team for the architecture of Buffalo Bayou Park and thanks to artist Syd Moen for validating their work.