Downtown Houston’s city blocks are more like cinder blocks, studded with parking lots and seemingly abandoned office buildings, and when walking around downtown, it is easy to quickly lose interest. Eyes glazing over in a concrete gray haze, every building seems to be the same. However, hidden in the cement metropolis are eye-catching, architectural beauties, far more attractive than their cookie-cutter concrete counterparts. As there is no doubt Houstonians are in need of visually appealing buildings to bring back downtown’s personality, these are the five buildings to star on Google Maps or include on your walking tour!
Houston Legendary Graffiti Building
Architecture is often thought of as something fixed, permanently cemented in a building’s facade. However, the graffiti building provides a sense of fluidity and ever-changing color to downtown Houston’s drab landscape, while also providing a canvas for local artists to tell their stories. While the overall design of the building is nothing new, squat and rectangular, with iron industrial staircases and pipes jammed onto the roof, the graffiti that covers the building is what makes it unique. Petty crime turned couture — you are sure to see and appreciate new stories every time you walk by.
The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
The Hobby Center, a hub for the performing arts of Houston, is hard to miss. With a sloped roof that turns up into the sky and large french windows that pour light onto the sidewalk, it acts as a beacon, drawing in theatre fans, pedestrians, and everyone in between. The slender columns supporting its sloped roof and large balconies make the building feel open and welcoming. Whether you include it on your walking tour list or stop to see a show, it is a must-see!
Houston Cotton Exchange and Board of Trade
Built in 1884, less than 50 years after Houston was established in 1837, the Houston Cotton Exchange’s bright red brick and white trim tell the rich but complicated history of the cotton trade and the beginnings of business and industry in Houston. Part of the Texas Historical Association, its historic marker offers a learning opportunity, as well as memorializes this Houston icon.
JP Morgan Chase & CO Building
From the sidewalk, a throne appears; its base surrounded by other buildings with a tower emerging from the middle, as is common to the Art Deco style. Standing tall and regal, it differs from the surrounding skyscrapers. On the inside, its lobby is a modern miracle — floor to ceiling glass sculptures and minimalistic furniture provide a sense of calm amid downtown’s depression. Its industrial exterior and delicate interior definitely makes it a stop where you can appreciate the way serenity can thrive within a metropolis.
Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens
Tucked away in the midst of a lush, deep green, and fern-filled bayou-side garden sits the house of former Houston philanthropist, Ima Hogg. With a palace of white columns, all-encompassing balconies, and homely green shutters, the house is a striking image of Southern hospitality in the middle of dense bayou fauna. Illuminated by the glow from the surrounding blooming flowers, a pink haze mixes with the bayou’s humidity, causing the house to almost appear pink. If you are looking to trade the concrete jungle for an authentically Houston one, make sure to stop by!
