The new Rolex tower in Dallas is straight out of a superhero movie – The Dallas Morning News

These are fraught times for Dallas. A demon virus has spread across the land, forcing a beleaguered citizenry indoors and behind masks. There is anger and there is frustration, understandably. There are no, or few, professional sports. Lets face it: The city could use all the help it can get. But heres some good news: Five homegrown superheroes have come to the rescue, and theyre ready to bring healing to the city. Theres just one problem: They need a place to call home, a headquarters where they can plot their acts of derring-do.

Emmy: Im sorry. Your name is...Pegasus?

Peg: Right.

Emmy: Like the horse with wings?"

Peg: Yes. But you can just call me Peg.

Emmy. OK. And how can we help you, Peg?

Peg: Youre real estate brokers. I need something in downtown Dallas. Something big. Something secure.

Emmy: OK. And what is this for, exactly?

Peg: Part headquarters. Part lair. For a team of superheroes.

Emmy: Excuse me?

Peg: Superheroes. You know. Capes. Special powers. Masks. That kind of thing. There are five of us. Me, Big Tex, Trinity, Erykah and Dirk.

Emmy: You know what? I might have just the thing for you.

Peg: Looks pretty cool. What is this thing?

Emmy: The Rolex tower. Its their North American repair and sales center. It opened last year, before the virus shut everything down. Its a proprietary design. Definitely not your typical office building.

Peg: It is distinctive, unlike so many of the boring buildings around here. Tough but not brutish. I like the way it corkscrews up as it rises. A building that shape-shifts seems right for a band of superheroes. And its not too flashy or garish, not covered in LEDs what is it with this town? We dont want a lot of attention.

Emmy: Thats the Rolex brand. A little butch, but also classy. I would say its the most interesting new commercial building the city has seen since, well, for a long time. The best tower since Fountain Place, and that was in 1986. The architect is Japanese. Kengo Kuma. Not a household name, but he should be. He actually designed the stadium for the Tokyo Olympics this summer, but I guess thats not happening, now. It would have made quite a splash, though. Its largely made of wood larch and cedar and modeled on an ancient Japanese temple.

Peg: Interesting. But lets get back to Dallas. Whats with the stone wall at the base? Must have cost a bundle.

Emmy: Yes it did. It is, quite literally, a castle wall, built using traditional Japanese methods by a 15th-generation stonemason named Suminori Awata. Were talking Shogun-era craftsmanship. The different sized stones represent the diversity of life. Kuma believes quite strongly in using traditional materials and techniques. Architecture should go back to fabrication, to using real materials, to using the hand, he has said.

Peg: I like that it has a fortress quality. That will be good for us.

Emmy: Thats why I brought you here. The stone wall gives you extra protection at the rear of the building where it faces Harry Hines. You dont want anyone sneaking up on you.

Peg: Yes, that is good. What are those white bands that wrap around it?

Emmy: Thin metal louvers. Sun shades three rows on each floor. They keep the heat load down, and they give it a nice flair, so its not just another black box. Theyll give you a little privacy, too. Im sure you superheroes dont want villains seeing what youre up to all day.

Peg: No, we dont.

Emmy: Youll also notice that as the building torques around, it creates these little garden ledges. In Japanese, theyre called engawa, in-between spaces. Kuma had a Japanese landscape architect, Sadafumi Uchiyama, come and design them. The idea is to dissolve the distinction between inside and outside. You see this kind of element in his work elsewhere. I think the inspiration is the rice-growing terraces you see in rural Japan.

Peg: Nice. But, there are only five of us. Im not sure we need this much building.

Emmy: Actually, It looks tall but thats deceptive; its really just seven stories. Thats one story each, and then some common space. I know superheroes need room for equipment development and training.

Peg: True. Can we get a look inside?

Emmy: You can see theres a nice entry sequence, with a path across landscaping and fountains. Good for surveillance of anyone approaching. This is the front lobby. Its quite spacious and cool, with black granite floors, blackened walls and horizontal blond wood slats running from the ceiling down along the walls, animating the space and referencing the louvers on the exterior. Its got a broad security desk, where you can put one of your minions.

Peg: That works. It is nice. Corporate, but not too impersonal or cold. Thats rare."

Emmy: Right. Walking back behind it you have a little sitting area. Rolex uses this as a waiting space for repair returns you can see it has a small counter for a clerk. Maybe this could be a room where you screen requests for assistance?

Peg: Yes. What about upstairs?

Emmy: So this is the executive boardroom. You can see we once again have the horizontal wood elements that create a seamless flow between wall and ceiling.

Peg: This will be an excellent place for us to plan operations.

Emmy: And come this way. Here is one of the most exciting features: The entertainment deck here is enclosed by a two-story screen of louvers. If you get up close you can see how sharp they are: aluminum, with a leafy pattern printed on the bottoms, to give them a natural feel and help diffuse light. So when youre out here, youre both outside and inside. You can look out, but its hard to see in. Its perfect for superheroes, like yourselves. Its meant as an event space and for employee dining, but you can train out here and, of course, for those of you who can fly, you can just take right off, and nobody will see.

Peg: "Wow. Perfect.

Emmy: As for the rest of the place, its ideal for your secret laboratory and fabrication needs. The floors have a sophisticated ventilation system that sucks out any particulate matter key for when theyre doing watch repair.

Peg: Excellent.

Emmy: And of course theres a vault where you can store any secret plans, manifestos, genealogies whatever. I know superheroes maintain a lot of proprietary information.

Peg: Yes. Thats all great. But this is Dallas, so you know I have to ask: What about parking?

Emmy: No problem. The garage here is actually below grade, which is nice generally if this city was smart it would mandate that for all new construction and of course it means you can keep your super-mobiles hidden. There are also a couple of short-term spaces on the street, for deliveries. Which is handy.

Peg: And this is all available?

Emmy: Well...for the moment. During the shutdown, anyway.

Peg: I think well take it.

Emmy: "You know what? You guys could call yourselves The Watch Men. Get it?

Peg: Stick to real estate.

Pegasus (aka Peg)

Uniform: Red neon wings

Power: Can transform into a flying horse

Trinity

Uniform: Covered in patchy grass

Power: Sprays jets of toxic water

Big Tex

Uniform: Hokey cowboy

Power: Transforms into giant

Erykah

Uniform: Head wrap

Power: Voice renders enemies helpless

Dirk

Uniform: Mavs warmups, weird haircut

Power: So likable villains just surrender

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The new Rolex tower in Dallas is straight out of a superhero movie - The Dallas Morning News