OMA To Transform Houston Post Office into Entertainment Complex

Times are changing and there is an increase in the need for a new vibrant vision, and just like the fairy godmother in Cinderella turned the pumpkin into a grand carriage, OMA will transform the historic Barbara Jordan Post Office in downtown Houston, Texas, into a complex featuring arts and music venues, one of the world’s largest rooftop parks and farms, a concert venue, and many other retail and office concepts including restaurants, bars, an international market hall and flexible co-working space.

Renderings are by OMA and Luxigon.

Dubbed POST Houston, the 550,000 SF project will be re-used as a mixed-use cultural and commercial hub. Created for Lovett Commercial, the redevelopment rethinks the post building that was in use by the US government from 1936-2014. The new design aims to reinvigorate the city’s north downtown neighborhoods. the existing warehouse will be punctured vertically with skylights and atriums, while new passages will establish distinct thoroughfares of connected activities.

The three atriums, each covered with an ETFE roof system and excavated from the existing structural grid, bring light into the depth of the building. meanwhile, connecting the complex vertically, monumental staircases culminate in ‘sky lawn’ — a rooftop park and farm designed by Hoerr Schaudt.

Renderings are by OMA and Luxigon.

A key element of the design will be Skylawn, the expansive five-acre rooftop park and sustainable organic farm, designed by Hoerr Schaudt, the Chicago-based landscape architect behind Houston’s McGovern Centennial Park. As one of the world’s largest rooftop parks and farms, Skylawn features 360 degrees, unobstructed views of the city’s downtown skyline, and will include multiple dining and event venues, recreation, and open spaces, as well as a stage for events. The property’s culinary tenants will be able to source ingredients from the rooftop farm, allowing them to offer a rooftop-to-table experience. phase one of the mixed-use adaptive reuse project began in early September 2018 and is expected to complete in summer 2020.