New archival wing reading garden of Julia Ideson Building.

Unexpected City: Julia Ideson Outdoor Reading Room

OffCite presents the seventh submission to the Unexpected City challenge, made by Wendy Heger, Assistant Director for Planning & Facilities for the Houston Public Library system. Click here to learn about making your own submission.

A little-known oasis in downtown is the recently-completed Outdoor Reading Room at the corner of Smith and Lamar, part of the Julia Ideson Building which houses the Houston Metropolitan Research Center. Graceful palm trees complement the Spanish Plateresque architecture framing the courtyard. Seated on a chair next to a historic bubbling wishing well, visitors are slightly elevated above adjacent public sidewalks, allowing peaceful reading or contemplation in the midst of a busy downtown landscape.

Read Cite and OffCite’s previous coverage of the Julia Ideson building:

The Librarian Returns: Rehabilitating Houston’s Beloved Julia Ideson Building (Cite 74, Spring-Summer 2008)

The Julia Ideson Building: An Interview with Barry Moore (OffCite, March 4, 2009)

Julia Ideson Archival Wing Opens (May 4, 2010)

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