BY ZACH MORTICE
Avenida Houston is a 60-foot-wide promenade in front of Houston’s convention center. Image courtesy of Jonnu Singleton/SWA.
Avenida Houston was designed to celebrate the flyway paths of migratory birds and the vibrant energy economy that has made Houston attractive to domestic and international migrants alike. But in early February a new set of visitors will be attracted to this linear plaza: Football fans drawn by the suite of Super Bowl programming unfurled at the nearby (and newly renovated) George R. Brown Convention Center, and Super Bowl LI, to be played a few miles away at NRG Stadium.
Avenida Houston, designed by SWA Group, is a four-acre, 60-foot-wide strip of space that turned a desolate and unforgiving stretch of multilane traffic in front of the city?s convention center into an informal promenade. Two central themes, seemingly opposed, animate this new public event space: Houston?s industry and nature. ?The conversation really started as, ?What is Houston"?? says Peter McStravick, the chief development officer of Houston First, the city-created and sponsored developer of Avenida Houston. The promenade is lined with groves of native Texas shade trees (Mexican sycamore, sweet gum, live oak) and raised planter beds that feature African iris. Paver patterns demarcate long, parallel strips punctuated by trailing dots. Embedded, programmable lighting also runs in long, gridded lines. Both elements call to mind the flight paths of birds zoomi...