Joined by friends and family at the Austin Center for Architecture, Latinos in Architecture (LiA) recently awarded scholarships to two talented Austin area high school graduates. In our continued effort to promote our profession amongst young Latinos, the two scholarships will assist two bright students attend the “Summer Academy in Architecture” at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture.
The Summer Academy is an intensive introductory course in architecture geared toward people who have little to no background in architecture and who wish to test and refine their interests in the field. The Academy introduces students to many of the important aspects of architecture and encourages personal exploration through individual studio work, supplemented by supporting activities such as faculty and visiting lectures, a film series, site visits, class reviews, and periodic meetings that emphasize students’ more practical concerns (i.e. application procedures, general admissions policies, and the preparation of a portfolio or resumé).
Funds for both scholarships were raised through various matching grants, corporate donations and fundraising efforts by our committee members. We would like to give special thanks to the Board members of the Austin Foundation for Architecture (www.austinfoundationforarchitecture.org), DAVCAR Engineering (www.davcar.com), the director of the “Summer Academy in Architecture” program at UT Austin and the staff of the Austin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (www.aiaaustin.org). This effort would not have been possible without their help and support.
Latinos in Architecture is honored to have played a vital role in this endeavor and we look forward to continued growth in the coming years for this great cause.
On a warm and humid Friday night in May, AIA Austin members celebrated the opening of El Naranjo, an adaptive reuse project at 85 Rainey Street designed by local architect, Martin Barrera, AIA. The joint social mixer was hosted by the Latinos in Architecture, and Emerging Professionals committees and was well attended by members and their guests. Martin Barrera, AIA gave a brief discussion about the project, and many guests lounged in the comfortable bar for hours, while others dined in one of the two cozy dining rooms or on the shady back deck.
El Naranjo is in the heart of the Rainey Street Historic District, a Downtown Austin neighborhood defined by IH-35, Lady Bird Lake, and Cesar Chavez Street. The neighborhood was first inhabited in the late 1800’s by white middle-class tradesman, but has long been an area in transition. The demographics of the neighborhood began to shift toward working-class hispanic families in the 1920’s and during the 1960’s and 1970’s re-development pressure from urban renewal and municipal planning projects stirred controversy over the fate of the deteriorating houses in the Rainey Street neighborhood. Residents and preservationists worked diligently to highlight the neighborhood’s historic value, and successfully listed the Rainey Street Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
85 Rainey Street was one of those historic yet deteriorating homes when Iliana de la Vega and Ernesto Torrealba, the husband and wife team behind El Naranjo, awarded the commission to Martin Barrera, AIA. The adaptive reuse project that ensued strives to preserve and highlight the existing historic building by liberating the structure from decades of shoddy additions, careless remodels, and poor maintenance. The interior of the historic home was transformed into open and free flowing bar, lounge, and dining spaces. The original features of the home subtly contrast with the clean lines of the modern wood wall finishes and floating white gypsum plaster ceilings. The addition to the rear of the property houses the commercial kitchen and other high-impact wet areas. In contrast to the historic home, the addition is constructed of a combination of single-wythe, stack-bond cmu, aluminum storefront, and cantilevered wood soffits. The effect is a tastefully transformed structure that is respectful of the surrounding historic district, yet meets the harsh programmatic requirements of the modern restaurant.
Photos by Veronica Castro de Barrera, AIA
Our Mission
To serve and support our local Latino communities, strengthen networks between design professionals and enrich our practices through diverse cultural views by fostering participation in educational, professional and community oriented programs.
