Houston, Tx

Michael MorowARCH 5502

Urban Design StudioFall 2010

Prof. Torres-MacDonald

“The Bayou City”

History• Houston was founded by the Allen

brothers in August of 1836. – It was originally 6,642 acres at the

cost of $1.40 per acre.– Property was bought from Mrs. T F L

Parrot.• Named after General Sam

Houston.• Houston Railroad started in 1854.• Oil was first discovered near

Houston in 1901.• Houston Shipping Channel opened

in 1914• NASA appeared in Houston in 1961

http://Blogs.chron.com

Current• Houston has over two million

people in the city.• Over 5.5 million in the metropolitan

area.• The fourth largest city in the nation.• Largest concentration of medical

facilities in the world.• Two major airports.• Has twenty four Fortune 500

companies based here.• One of the busiest ports in the

nation.• Home to NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS

teams.

http://www.seanbronze.com

Economy• Energy

– Oil & Gas• ConocoPhillips, Marathon Oil, Halliburton,

National Oilwell Varco, and Frontier Oil are all based in Houston.

• BP, Shell, Exxon-Mobil, and Chevron all have large amounts of their company located here as well.

• Healthcare– Texas Medical Center

• The world’s largest concentration of healthcare and research intuitions employing over 70,000 people.

• Shipping– Port of Houston

• 14 straight years ranked first in foreign tonnage handled in the U.S.

• 19 straight years ranked first in U.S. imports.

• 19 straight years ranked second in total tonnage and export tonnage.

http://www.chriscreamer.net

Houston Bayou’s• Armand Bayou• Brays Bayou• Buffalo Bayou• Carpenters Bayou• Cedar Bayou• Greens Bayou• Halls Bayou• Hunting Bayou• Jackson Bayou• Luce Bayou• Sims Bayou• Spring Creek• Vince Bayou• White Oak Bayou

Houston Bayou’s• Is a total of 2,500 miles

long with creeks and other waterways.

• Provide watershed for the city.

• Many have been channelized to increase water flow.

• Preservation groups have been created to sustain the bayous functionality of watershed while adding public use.

Buffalo Bayou• Winds across the city of

Houston from west to east starting at the Barker and Addicks reservoir where it is controlled by dams and makes it to the Port of Houston.– 52 mile path.

• Several parks and public spaces located along the bayou in city limits.

• Acts as the primary drainage for the city of Houston.

http://www.archicentral.com

Buffalo Bayou

Brays Bayou• 31 miles in length.• Effects major areas of

Houston such as:– Rice University– University of Houston– Texas Medical Center– Texas Southern University– Hermann Park– Houston Zoo– Bellaire– West University Place

http://www.projectbrays.org/about.html

Brays Bayou

Works Cited• http://www.archicentral.com

• http://www.bayoupreservation.org/

• http://blogs.chron.com

• http://www.buffalobayou.org/

• http://www.census.gov/

• http://www.chriscreamer.net

• http://www.eng.hctx.net/GIS/gis.htm

• http://www.hcfcd.org/index.asp

• http://www.hellohouston.com/History.Cfm

• http://www.houstonhistory.com/

• http://www.h-gac.com/rds/gis/clearinghouse/default.aspx

• http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/

• http://www.portofhouston.com/

• http://www.projectbrays.org/about.html

• http://www.seanbronze.com