Remembering Dick Clark, 1944-2017

Much of Austin’s architectural landscape looks the way it does due to the contributions of Dick Clark. With his team of like-minded collaborators and clients iterating on a theme of contemporary architecture, Dick Clark + Associates delivered inspired designs that have shaped the look and feel of a city.

Dick Clark, renowned Austin architect, died August 8^th, 2017.  Among the numerous awards he, and his firm, have been honored with was the 1999 Downtown Austin Alliance Inaugural Downtown Impact Award recognizing his work in the creation and development of restaurants, bars, hospitality and residential projects in the Downtown Austin and Warehouse Districts, that helped define the sense of visual creativity that is associated with Austin today.

Clark’s approach to projects, large or small, was site-specific, which helped in the evolution of the unique nature of central city Austin, paying attention not only to the cultural appropriateness of the environment in structural terms but in material selection and interior design, referencing both modern and historical attributes.

For anyone unfamiliar with the work of Dick Clark + Associates it would be challenging to ascribe a particular style to the many private homes, restaurants, bars, commercial and hospitality projects that the firm designed for clients, and perhaps that was part of the grand plan in Clark’s work; his style, while broadly and deeply influential, was thoroughly contemporary in attitude – an evolution based on a lifelong interest in people and human nature with a community-minded outlook on the world.

Contemporary is not always sleek and streamlined and easily recognized, it may be gritty and earthy, look backwards and forwards, but the manner in which materials are used and the locale in which they are employed speak to the concept of living in a modern world. The diversity of the listing below speaks to the wide range of interests and collaborations that appear to have been the focal point of the architect’s life and work.

Dick Clark grew up in Dallas and attended UT Austin, receiving his master’s degree in architecture from  Harvard’s Graduate School of Design in 1972. He founded his architectural practice in Austin in 1979. He was elected Fellow of the AIA in 2013. He was 72 years old when he died. www.dcarch.com remembers him for his guidance, mentorship and friendship. The city of Austin, the architectural community and Austin’s residents will remember him for helping to define “Austin”, the city as it stands today.

 

Some of Dick Clark + Associates projects:

The ’04 Lofts, Annie’s on Congress, Barker Residence, Basin Ledge Residence, Bevel House, Capitol Studios Foundation Communities, Congress Avenue Residence, Craven Building at 416 Congress, Day Residence, Eliza Page, Fino, Flyrite Kitchen, Folts & Margaret Residences, Granite Café, Guadalupe 31, Halcyon, Hangar Lounge, Hiatus Spa, Ivini, Jack Allen’s Kitchen, Kenichi (Austin), Kenichi (Dallas), Kenya Rainwater Court, Key Bar, Lakecliff Country Club, Lakeside Country Club, Lake LBJ Lakehouse, Lake Travis Retreat, Llano Bunkhouse, Lonesome Dove Restaurant, Luna Notte (San Antonio), Maiko, Matthews Residence, Maudie’s Milagro, Mezzaluna Restaurant, Mikado Ryotei Restaurant, Miracle Foundation, Mount Barker Residence, Mount Bonnell Residence, Nightcap, Northwest Pediatrics, Oasis Texas Expansion, Palma Paso Robles Residence, Plaza, Propaganda Salon, Rain Addition, Renner Project, Ridgeline Residence, Schwantz Barn, Sherry Matthews Advocacy Marketing, Ski Shores, Sky View Condo at Nokona, Skyline Spec house, Soleil Restaurant, South Congress Hotel, Spanish Oaks Restaurant, SpeakEasy Bar, Spring Interiors, Star Bar, Steiner Ranch Steakhouse, Stratford Mountain Residence, Sustainable Food Center, Syndicate, Terrace Mountain Restaurant, Texas Military Institute Castle, The Grove Wine Bar and Kitchen, The Island Residence, The Real World Austin, The Stig House, The Trails, The Village, Tollett Residence, Town Lake Residence, UT Dining at Jester, Waterloo Southpark, Whole Earth Provision, Wildcat Hollow Residence, Wilhem (Kerrville), Windsor Residence, Zilker Brewing Company.

~Georgina