For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. As architects, we embody Newton’s third law of motion in profound ways. Our projects are essentially the result of reactions to countless actions from infinite sources and directions. Buildings—and the places they inhabit—respond to climate, politics, economics, memory, maintenance, and use. They are shaped by how people move, gather, learn, remember, and create a sense of belonging. In this issue, our guest editors explore the theme of reaction and how it is manifested at different scales and in various circumstances: how our buildings age, how our cities transform through both man-made and natural infrastructure, how we respond to constructive feedback, and even how we react to common perceptions of our profession.
Andrew Barnes, AIA, Co-Owner of Agent Architecture, examines the reaction to Dallas’s quintessential urban solution: the deck park. Klyde Warren Park established a familiar reference point—a public space spanning a freeway that is generous, visible, and connected. Now, Halperin Park in Oak Cliff bridges the gap between the Dallas Zoo and the 10th Street Historic District. Barnes traces the activity surrounding Halperin Park before its construction, evaluates the built result, and draws lessons about access, connection, and how neighborhoods respond to change.
In contrast to Barnes’s broad urban perspective, Craig Borkenhagen, AIA, of DLR Group, investigates how reaction is perceived at the scale of the body. Through interviews with an urban planner, a professor, and a seasoned practicing architect, the dialogue explores our responses to proportion, light, enclosure, material, memory, and meaning. Their perspectives reveal universal reactions common to us all but also offer surprising insights that invite readers to rethink their own assumptions.
Tess Haverstick, AIA, of Glenn | Partners, approaches the theme of reaction through the design process itself. At JJ Pearce, Amon Carter Riverside, and Northwest ISD, student workshops uncover observations on daily routines, campus identity, social patterns, and site planning. She traces how these comments capture a critical perspective on how students use these buildings every day, directly influencing the conversation between architects and the school district client.
Buildings are often defined by how their constituent parts respond to their natural environment and the passage of time. In “Designing for Distress,” Justin Leal from Gensler examines how buildings perform long after opening day. His article moves through major architectural landmarks in Dallas, reflecting on the importance of weathering, repair, material honesty, and the patina that time applies to a structure. It asks how buildings change after completion, and how those changes affect their use, memory, and maintenance.
Traditionally, cities grew as human habitation responded to water in the landscape. Dallas stands out for its history of trying to tame its creeks and waterways by actively suppressing them. Eric Tam of Dan Shipley Architects takes to a kayak and observes a different city—connected, ecological, fragile, and marked by trash, erosion, access challenges, and inconsistent management. White Rock Creek, Five Mile Creek, and the Branch Waters Network frame a larger conversation about public land and the need for citizens to be good stewards, helping bring about balanced harmony in our city between nature and the built environment.
We invite you to immerse yourself in these feature articles and reflect on the many ways you react to things—from our minds and bodies to the broader built environment.
Julien Meyrat, AIA
Columns Magazine, Editor-in-Chief
