Dallas News Ch. 8: Fully Sustainable City Block To Be Built Next To City Hall

Re:Vision Dallas drew hundreds of entries from the worlds top architecture firms and city planners in 26 countries (www.revision-dallas.com).

Dallas' new self-sustaining inner-city block will run off the grid using advanced technologies to capture wind, solar, water and geothermal resources. Meant to contribute to an array of revitalization programs in Dallas, the block will generate resources, and support and empower the community, all while acting as a working model of sustainability for cities around the world.

A local community development organization, the Central Dallas Community Development Corporation (CDC), is the lead developer for the project. The quality of the thought and effort of the design teams is astounding. It was very clear that a lot of people had put their hearts and souls into this competition, said CDC Executive Director John Greenan. It was an absolute privilege spending time with the competition entries and seeing their creative vision.

On Dec. 5, 2008, prior to the competition, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert hosted urban planners and leading design professionals from around the country for an intensive design charette put on by Re:Vision to examine the necessary framework and community impact of what will become the first fully sustainable, urban square block in the U.S. Id like to see Dallas be at the forefront of design, sustainability and vibrancy of cities, says Mayor Leppert.

Entries were judged by a panel comprised of a number of Dallas community leaders as well as several expert global architects and community planners. Among the judges were Eric Corey Freed, principal of organicARCHITECT and Aidan Hughes, principal at ARUP, leading North American planning practice. Also on the panel were Nathanial Corum, an architect with Architecture For Humanity, Pliny Fisk, director/co-founder of Maximum Potential Building Systems and Sergio Palleroni, director/co-founder of the BaSiC Initiative at University of Texas at Austin. Acting as advisors were Cameron Sinclair, executive director/co-founder of Architecture For Humanity, and Peter Head, director of ARUP.

The jury criteria were evenly balanced to consider:

* Sustainability and reality of intent
* Affordability/Constructability: Could it be built in the next few years?
* Innovation and Originality
* Incorporation of Sustainable Materials and Practices

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