It’s an exciting time to be an architecture and design geek in Houston! For the past 25 years, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects have collaborated to collect architect-designed furniture, accessories, textiles, and ephemera, most of which are actual prototypes of famous designs — no replicas allowed.

Those efforts have culminated in the museum's newest exhibition, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston presents 150 Years of Design: The AIA Houston Collection. With items dating from 1880 to contemporary times, this visual timeline of design history is not to be missed — excellent, then, that it will be on display through August 2025 (don’t forget that the museum is free on Thursdays). It’s worth noting that this is the only collection of its kind in the US, according to press materials.

Photo by Emily Cotton

The collection features pieces such as this stunning “Executive Desk Prototype” by Sally Walsh.

At a press preview led by the museum’s Department of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design curator Cindi Strauss and AIA Houston’s executive director Rusty Bienvenue, the duo explained that each piece of the 65-item collection was specifically chosen by recipients of the annual AIA-H “Lifetime Achievement Award,” which is now being referred to as their “Annual Honoree” as not to imply that the recipient has nothing left to contribute to their respective fields — how modern.

How does it work? Architecture and Design fellows annually nominate a significant contributing member of the Houston design community, who is then tasked with curating their own “wish list” of architect-designed pieces of historical significance that also align with the design interests and aesthetic of AIA’s “Annual Honoree.”

Once the object(s) have been decided, MFAH and AIA-H set out to acquire said pieces for the collection. Strauss says that depending on budget and availability, “Some years it’s one acquisition. Some years it’s three.”

Motioning to the multiple selections of seating on display, Strauss jokingly adds: “My job is to make sure we don’t have a collection of just chairs!”

While architects have been known to design anything from fire screens to teapots — both of which are featured — chairs are certainty a favorite, due to their structural nature. Make sure to follow the evolution of the cantilevered chair in particular, as it’s well documented in the collection, especially Gerrit Rietveld’s pine “Zig-Zag”chair from 1940. “We could not be prouder of this collection,” says Strauss.

Previously, the collection has been funded by a $5,000 contribution from funds raised during the AIA’s Annual Sandcastle Competition (taking place September 21-22), as well as member donations given during the AIA’s annual holiday party, which is hosted by MFAH. That changed recently.

“Seed money comes from our [AIA] general budget with the bulk of the dollars raised through member contributions,” says Bienvenue. To date, over $750,000 has been donated to the cause.

While everything in the exhibit is decidedly noteworthy, the CultureMap pick of the show has to be the “Executive Desk Prototype” by Sally Walsh. One of only three in existence, it’s one of the first examples of a continuous weld in tubular steel, showing no seams or structural breaks — a truly remarkable display of structure as design. Maple, glass, and burled ash perfectly compliment the chrome base. It truly must be seen to be properly appreciated.

Perhaps the best anecdote from the collection belongs to the uniquely design-fluid vase by Alvar Aalto, which was originally a press gift from the manufacturer while making its debut on September 21st, 1937. The vase left such an impression with the press that most of the vases were unceremoniously hurled from the windows of their train — which is why there are so few of the original vases left today. Rude.

An interesting addition to the exhibition is the inclusion of interviews from former award winners on the items they chose, as well as why they were chosen, told in their own voices. Access to these interviews is given via a QR code on display with applicable pieces.

This year, the AIA’s Annual Honoree is none other than Houston darling Lauren Rottet of Rotett Studio. We can’t wait to see what contribution(s) she will make to this incredible collection.

View the entire collection on the MFAH website.