Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou

Category
Environmental

Role
Concept and design development, copywriting, production

Date
Nov 2017–April 2018

Photo
Julio Aguirre
Bruce Chao
Sicily Dickenson
Isabella Serimontrikul
Nadia Tran

Sited at Allen’s Landing, the installation expressed an interpretation of the history, economy, resilience, culture or community values of the East End and Fifth Ward. The event affords visitors the opportunity to share ideas and opinions related to future plans along the bayou and green spaces.

We researched historical texts, put together words, designed and built the extensive typographic installation with the aim to inform and engage.

This project was in collaboration with: Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Julio Aguirre, Jon Inthavong, Jose Rivera, Nadia Tran.




Connecting people to place.

At Allen’s Landing, large-scale typographic cubes served as interactives that highlight the unique attributes of the six featured sites of the Encounter project along the Buffalo Bayou East Sector.

Each block is designed to reflect and hightlight a location in the poject—the public is encouraged to investigate each location and reflect on the sites’ significance and build a connection with the place. On the top face of each cube, a prompt provides an opportunity for the community to write down thoughts and ideas related to future plans along their bayou and green spaces.

The Birthplace of Houston
Allen’s Landing is referred to as the birthplace and the original port of Houston where the Allen brothers started a thriving commercial hub and Houston’s development commenced.
Located in downtown Houston at the epicenter of the city’s development, Allen’s Landing becomes a natural starting point for the Encounter project—guiding viewers eastward to visit the other sites.


On the top face of each cube, a prompt provides an opportunity for the community to write down thoughts and ideas related to future plans along their bayou and green spaces. (Shown here is the installation highlighting the Yolanda Black Navarro Buffalo Bend Nature Park). The blocks were built in panels for simple installation and transportation. This also allowed flexibility for the installation to be displayed as graphic panels.



Encounter: Meeting Points on Buffalo Bayou (2018)
Featuring all six installations by students from the University of Houston Graphic Design program.

Video by Julio Aguirre
Mark

Bruce Chao, 2024

In the process of being

All work © Bruce Chao 2020 (Please do not publish or reproduce without the express written consent of Bruce Chao.)