NOT EMBEDDED TA24-S-O-Pages-copy - Flipbook - Page 7
Editor9s Note
A Fresh Look
by Anastasia Calhoun, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
E
xciting new changes are afoot. Next
year will mark Texas Architect9s 75th year
of production. To celebrate this signiocant milestone, we will be launching a
new magazine design, one that continues to document the outstanding architectural work
and creative thought being done in our state.
This new iteration of Texas Architect has been a
long time in the making. Discussions of a new design
began among the TxA Publications Committee four
years ago as the current publication branding neared
its 10-year mark4the typical lifespan for a periodical
design. The pandemic brought about many changes
in the way we work and think about whom architecture serves and how. This naturally underscored the
need for a similar rethinking of the expression of the
magazine9s purpose and identity, while honoring the
75-year legacy of our revered publication.
In 2023, the Publications Committee began
to develop and document this identity through
the creation of a mission statement and guiding
principles for the magazine4the orst in TA9s history4and to brainstorm the new look and feel
of our publication. This same year, our new art
director, Ian Searcy, joined the ranks. Ian spent a
year working with TA9s current branding, becoming
intimately familiar with the magazine9s content and
developing insights into the strengths and limitations of its design.
Our team began the magazine redesign process
in earnest in early 2024. The Publications Committee established a special subcommittee to meet
twice per month, and Ian assembled a team of
designers and brand strategists to lead us through
the redesign for both our magazine and its website.
Together, we talked at length about how to better
diferentiate each section of the magazine, emphasize the theme of each issue, and create more spacious layouts for articles. As we head into the fall,
we9ll onalize design details and begin production
of the orst issue of 2025.
To accommodate more bespoke layouts within
the magazine and higher print quality, the Publications Committee recommended to reduce publication frequency to ove issues per year. This will allow
for more focused attention on the development and
graphic design of each issue. With these changes,
what was previously the Design Awards issue will
become the Awards Issue, a holistic compendium
of the people and projects recognized that year
through not only the Design Awards program but
also the Studio Awards and Honor Awards programs. This is the issue before you now. We look
forward to joining you again in the new year as
we usher in this next phase of Texas Architect. Until
next time.
9/10 2024
Texas Architect 5
