Top Left, Completed in 1962, the Humble Oil and Refining Co. building is an elegant example of the International Style. Pronounced shades protect all sides of the glazing from the blistering Texas sun. Welton Becket and Associates, of Capitol Records Tower, LA fame and also responsible for the Xerox tower in Rochester, NY is credited for the design. The tower, located at 800 Bell was recently sold as Exxon Mobil vacated the building for their new digs in the Woodlands, TX. We'll see what the new owners have in store for the tower.
Top Right, I.M. Pei and Partners penned this five-faced skyscraper completed in 1982. It stood as the tallest tower west of the Mississippi river until 1990. The 60th floor boasts an observation deck open to the public with expansive views of the Galleria, Texas Medical Center and points west and south. The ground level plaza is home to a towering Joan Miro sculpture auspiciously placed opposite Jones Hall and the downtown theater district.
Bottom Left, Louvered shading returned to the Houston Skyline with the addition of architect César Pelli's second tower for the now infamous Enron Corporation. Completed in 2002, Pelli lamented his involvement in high-rise architecture feeling deep sadness as a result of the September 11 attacks. His buildings are noted for their light-filled spaces and this modernist tower is no exception. Passing under his circular skybridge crowning the intersection of Smith and Bell Streets is a particular urban thrill.
Bottom Right, Two ubiquitous skyscrapers form a glass canyon along Lamar Street in downtown Houston. In latter half of the 20th century, the city's central business district became a laboratory for fame seeking design firms. Phillip Johnson's Pennzoil Place, located at 711 Louisiana Street garnered him the Pritzker Prize in Architecture in 1979 and brought international attention to Houston's architectural scene. Johnson, and partner John Burgee would later add the post-modern styled Bank of America Center to the skyline; evoking Dutch Gothic canal house architecture rendered in 56 floors.