Light Up the Night

See Waller Creek transform from urban waterway to dreamy art installation

Every November, downtown's Waller Creek undergoes a magical transformation from urban waterway to dreamy art installation. On April 19, the Waller Creek Conservancy unveiled the participants for the 2018 show, and if the sneak peek is any indication, it's going to be another dazzling display.

Like every Creek Show, the lineup spotlights local Austin architects, landscape architects, artists, and designers who submitted their ideas via an open call for submissions. From more than 50 entries, the following six were selected:

Parabolus by aod
||| L I G H T L I N E S ||| by Campbell Landscape Architecture + Tab Labs
la noria by Drophouse Design
Urban Scrim by Lemmo Architecture and Design
TENTSION by Perkins+Will
Ambedo βeta by Polis

In addition to the art, the conservancy also released details about this year's show — including a new route. Creek Show returns to Waller Creek from November 9-17 and will be displayed beginning at Ninth Street, about three blocks north from its entrance in years past. "The new site means a blank slate for designers and generates new opportunities for partnerships with neighboring businesses," says the conservancy in a release.

The show will end at 11th Street at the 2018 Creek Show Lounge at Symphony Square Park. This new feature "will include interactive activities and fun ways to learn about the Waller Creek parks project."

Last year, Creek Show welcomed more than 20,000 attendees to the Insta-worthy show, a number they expect to only increase in 2018. Says the conservancy: "Come with friends, bring your family, or stroll solo, just don’t forget to snap a selfie."

Parabolus by aod.

Courtesy of Waller Creek Conservancy

Parabolus by aod.

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New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

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