The New Architourist Destination: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Tourism has been an empowering phenomenon in our modern leisure oriented society, and become very important especially for politicians, economics and developers, as well as the urban planners and architects. Tourism has also a strong impact on architecture and urban space; approximately 63% of daily tourist activities are visiting famous places and urban spaces (Richter, 2010). In this context, this paper will discuss the relationships between the design of architecture, urban space and the contemporary practices of tourism. A relatively new term “Architourism” – Architecture as a Destination for Tourism –, which is coined by Ockman and Frausto in 2005, will also be studied.Ockman and Frausa suggested that architecture itself has become a marketable destination today, and now architourism has its own niche in the tourist industry. Frank Gehry s Guggenheim Bilbao Museum is a good example of how architecture can turn around a city s fortunes. All of these trends toward experiencing the architecture are allowing places such as Dallas and Fort Worth, Texasto augment and define tours that highlight the contributions that famous architects have made to the area, thus providing a valuable resource of revenue generation for the community.Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tourism Council (DFWATC) was formed in 1978 to be a comprehensive force within the tourism industry to jointly market the entire area as a single-destination. The Dallas/ Fort Worth Area Tourism Council has banded together all segments of the tourism industry. The Council represents area communities,area hotels, major area attractions, museums, restaurants, shopping/retail establishments, transportation companies and support services to the industry. In this sense,this paper will explore howDallas/Fort Worth Area is transformed or revitalized around architourism, how it stimulates the creation of new masterpieces of architecture, and some forms of “desire” that motivate architourism like authentic, exotic, escapist, and spectacular. It will also be questioned in what ways contemporary media culture,globalization, urbanism, and consuming economy have changed the relationship between architecture and tourism. This research discusses the relationships between the design of architecture, urban space and the contemporary practices of tourism. “Architourism” – Architecture as a Destination for Tourism –, which is defined by Ockman and Frausto in 2005, is also studied. Ockman and Frausa suggested that architecture itself has become a marketable destination today, and now architourism has its own niche in the tourist industry. Frank Gehry s Guggenheim Bilbao Museum is a good example of how architecture can turn around a city s fortunes. In this sense, this paper promotes Dallas/Fort Worth as an architourist destination. The research explores how Dallas/Fort Worth Area is transformed or revitalized around architourism, how it stimulates the creation of new masterpieces of architecture. The research also questions in what ways contemporary media culture, globalization, urbanism, and consuming economy have changed the relationship between architecture and tourism.