For the installation at Lawndale Ned Dodington will fill the Grace R. Cavnar Gallery with pods of grass seed and potting soil left to grow into green, verdant, almost hairy, living sculptures. Poly-Lawn-Dale is at once intricately designed and totally unplanned. Here, human intervention is visible and also erased by the whimsy of living grass.

Dodington states, “ 'Nature has never been natural’ and as our global economy and global populations continue to expand and intertwine the distinction between what were once thought to be the natural and cultural worlds become less and less clear. Furthermore, with continued movements towards social equality, and environmental responsibility, the vanguard of social activism is centered around bio-politics and ethics.  It is becoming less and less clear what makes us Human and exactly why we find that so important. Poly-Lawn-Dale will explore these issues with a highly artificial/natural installation. Poly-Lawn-Dale will show that by recontextualizing the natural and the cultural we can begin to understand new ways of being in a complex and multi-natural world.

Click Here For a full write up from the Houston Press

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Lauri Goodman Lampson comments on "Changing office space needs keep interior architecture firm in demand"
Houston Business Journal

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Malini Fuangvuthi, LEED AP, Heather Van Ravenswaay, RID, and Bonnie Wampler-Taras, RID LEED AP, comment on "Five Ways to Create a More Productive Workplace."  Law Practice Magazine

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HOUSTON, TX – PDR, which creates high-performance work environments for companies around the globe, has announced the completion of LEED-CI Silver Certified space in the third and fourth levels of the Devon Energy Tower in downtown Houston. The 36-story Devon Energy Tower, located at 1200 Smith in the heart of Houston’s Central Business District, was completed in 1978.

 “Our analysis concluded Devon could achieve LEED-CI certification with a few revisions to its material standards, construction and operation practices,” says Kirstin Weikert of PDR.

 Spanning 56,000 square feet, the transformed, newly-certified space achieved its energy efficiency goals by reducing overall ambient lighting power densities while maintaining recommended light level quality for the workplace, according to PDR’s Laura Feist Malek.  Energy efficiency measures included the installation of Energy Star appliances and equipment and LED task lights with occupancy sensors at all workstations.

All standard components (finishes, construction materials, furnishings) within the space were evaluated for green attributes including recycled content, manufacturing location, Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) levels and company environmental policies.

Indoor environment quality was addressed by reducing VOC exposures during construction and by protecting new and retrofitted HVAC systems to reduce the spread of particular matter. Low-emitting carpet systems, furnishings, wall coverings, adhesives and paints also were installed. 

The opportunity to address water efficiency was made possible due to required upgrades in the base building restrooms to meet accessibility codes.  Existing water closet valves were replaced with dual-flush valves and aerators at lavatories, improvements which resulted in a 40-percent reduction in potable water.      

Founded in 1977, PDR focuses on corporate architecture, working with Fortune 100 companies around the globe to create high-performance work environments for organizations which recognize the workplace as a key, strategic asset in promoting the effective integration of talent, process and technology.

Stuart Harris, AIA LEED AP comments on "Energy efficiency, daylight views are among the keys to being green"
Houston Business Journal

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