The Hobby Center for the
Performing Arts is a must-see, must-attend, state-of-the-art
entertainment complex. Designed by Robert A. M. Stern, this
$102 million shining star illuminates
Houston's Theater
District. The Hobby provides the ultimate experience for
cultural-connoisseurs with two opulent,
acoustically distinguished theaters - Sarofim Hall and Zilkha Hall,
Michael Cordua's Artista restaurant and its own above-ground 800-car
parking garage.
Conveniently
located in the heart of downtown, the Hobby's sweeping architecture
plays up its fabulous location. The glistening facade features
60-foot-high glass walls affording exciting vistas of
Houston's skyscrapers, interspersed with the lush
greenery of Tranquility Park and the
distinguished deco-era City
Hall.
The soaring
three-story Grand Lobby - open, inviting and contemporary - is
topped with a majestic roof, supported by tubular steel columns
which punctuate the facade, lending drama to the exterior. A
block-long, second-floor terrace offers another brilliant stroke,
providing a preferred spot to contemplate the panorama.
Everywhere, exquisite
detail abounds, from the creamy Cafe de Paris limestone employed
throughout to the transcendental gold leaf that graces the Grand
Lobby's ceiling. Melding texture and richness, the Hobby's
masterful modernism fulfills the vision of architect Stern, who said
of his new building: "There's a show before the show."
As befitting the city's role as a culture capital, art has
been integral from the start, with two significant works
commissioned. The Hobby tapped acclaimed contemporary masters,
American painter Sol LeWitt and British-born sculptor Tony Cragg, to
create site-specific pieces. LeWitt's color-suffused mural
Wall Drawing 2002 serves as the focal point of the Grand Lobby,
while Cragg's sinuous, two-part bronze In Minds mimics human
profiles as it stands guard outside at Hines Plaza.
Since its opening in May 2002, this visionary
venue has been wooing crowds with distinctive programming and a
splendidly enlightened building.
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