TOURS
Day 2 offers optional tours that attendees can add to their registration. Attendees can choose one of three tours in each tour block: 9:00am (CDT) and 10:45am (CDT). These walking tours will begin at the symposium venue (AD EX, AIA Dallas) and explore areas of downtown in 90 minutes before returning to the AD EX - AIA Dallas. All tours will return by lunch on Day 2 for participants to fully participate in the afternoon programming.
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Continuing education credits (AIA / ASLA / AICP) four tours.
Tour 1A - The Commercial Heart of Dallas: Main Street District
(Day 2, 9:00am CDT) Tours 1A / 1B / 1C run simultaneously; select one of the three "1" tours at registration.
​Tour Leader: Alan Richards
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Situated in the heart of downtown Dallas, this tour showcases a diverse range of architectural styles and iconic structures, from Beaux-Arts to Post-Modern. You'll explore and learn how they were adapted for a rapidly growing metropolis. Beginning at Main Street Garden and its panoramic view of a time capsule of some of Dallas' most important buildings, your trained tour guide will lead you on a walk and discussion of a variety of architectural icons, including the Adolphus Hotel, the Magnolia Building, the Statler Hilton, and the Wilson Building. Along the way, you'll examine examples of Beaux-Arts, Art Deco, Post-Modern, Renaissance Revival, and Victorian designs, as well as how they were adapted to suit a rapidly growing metropolis. The tour will also include the AT&T Discovery District, a vibrant downtown urban space offering a blend of technology, dining, entertainment, and public art. It serves as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, offering a diverse range of attractions and experiences.
Tour 1B - From Mansions to Museums to Deck Over Park: Arts District
(Day 2, 9:00am CDT) Tours 1A / 1B / 1C run simultaneously; select one of the three "1" tours at registration.
​Tour Leader: Kay Johnson
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Explore this fascinating neighborhood and its rich history, which spans from the 1860s, when Dallas was established, to the present. Along the way, learn about the people who helped create what is now the largest urban arts district in the United States. The Art District architecture walking tour examines buildings and developments from the 1890s to the present day. You will explore the architectural details of the District, including the designs of four Pritzker Prize laureates, as well as the institutions, individuals, and visionaries who are part of the neighborhood's fascinating story. The tour will also include a stop at Klyde Warren Park, a popular 5.2-acre urban park situated on the edge of the Arts District and built over the recessed Woodall Rodgers Freeway. It serves as a central gathering place, connecting Downtown and Uptown Dallas, featuring numerous amenities and attractions. ​
Tour 1C - Where Dallas got Started: West End District
(Day 2, 8:30am CDT*) Tours 1A / 1B / 1C run simultaneously; select one of the three "1" tours at registration.
​Tour Leader: James Adams
Stroll through the West End of Downtown Dallas, the oldest district, where the city was established on the banks of the Trinity River. Once a warehouse district and later an entertainment district, the neighborhood now hosts an eclectic mix of restaurants, housing, creative offices, museums, and event space. Participants will walk through the district to visit both adaptive re-use projects and new construction, in addition to visiting West End Square, one of the newest parks in downtown Dallas. Topics will include urbanization pressure from neighboring districts and the role of the city's oldest historic district guidelines.
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* Note earlier start time for Tour 1C.
Tour 2A - The Commercial Heart of Dallas: Main Street District
(Day 2, 10:45am CDT) -- Tours 2A / 2B / 2C run simultaneously; select one of the three "2" tours at registration.
​Tour Leader: Alan Richards
Situated in the heart of downtown Dallas, this tour showcases a diverse range of architectural styles and iconic structures, from Beaux-Arts to Post-Modern. You'll explore and learn how they were adapted for a rapidly growing metropolis. Beginning at Main Street Garden and its panoramic view of a time capsule of some of Dallas' most important buildings, your trained tour guide will lead you on a walk and discussion of a variety of architectural icons, including the Adolphus Hotel, the Magnolia Building, the Statler Hilton, and the Wilson Building. Along the way, you'll examine examples of Beaux-Arts, Art Deco, Post-Modern, Renaissance Revival, and Victorian designs, as well as how they were adapted to suit a rapidly growing metropolis. The tour will also include the AT&T Discovery District, a vibrant downtown urban space offering a blend of technology, dining, entertainment, and public art. It serves as a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, offering a diverse range of attractions and experiences.
Tour 2B - From Mansions to Museums to Deck Over Park: Arts District
(Day 2, 10:45am CDT) -- Tours 2A / 2B / 2C run simultaneously; select one of the three "2" tours at registration.
Tour Leader: Kay Johnson
Explore this fascinating neighborhood and its rich history, which spans from the 1860s, when Dallas was established, to the present. Along the way, learn about the people who helped create what is now the largest urban arts district in the United States. The Art District architecture walking tour examines buildings and developments from the 1890s to the present day. You will explore the architectural details of the District, including the designs of four Pritzker Prize laureates, as well as the institutions, individuals, and visionaries who are part of the neighborhood's fascinating story. The tour will also include a stop at Klyde Warren Park, a popular 5.2-acre urban park situated on the edge of the Arts District and built over the recessed Woodall Rodgers Freeway. It serves as a central gathering place, connecting Downtown and Uptown Dallas, featuring numerous amenities and attractions. ​
Tour 2C - From Pavement to Paradise: The Rise of Downtown Dallas Parks
(Day 2, 10:45am CDT) -- Tours 2A / 2B / 2C run simultaneously; select one of the three "2" tours at registration.
Tour Leader: Evan Sheets
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Downtown Dallas has experienced a significant rise in public parks in recent years, transforming the urban landscape and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors. This transformation is largely due to the Downtown Dallas Parks Conservancy's (DDPC) effort, in a public-private partnership with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, in developing and activating green spaces, including Pacific Plaza, West End Square, Carpenter Park, and Harwood Park, where former parking lots have been converted into urban parks, which added 23 acres of new green space in the urban core. Downtown Dallas was originally a commercial center where people came to work and shop. Over the past 20 years, a renaissance has taken place in our city center. In the late 1990s, only 200 people lived downtown within the freeway loop. Today, there are more than 15,000 residents, and more housing is on the way. These parks have been catalytic in driving residential and economic development, significantly improving the quality of life for those living, working, and playing downtown. Wear your comfortable walking shoes and join us as we tour three of the most recent parks: Pacific Plaza (2019), Carpenter Park (2022), and Harwood Park (2023).