Future Landmark Award
About the award
Pier & Beam created the Future Landmark Award in 2014 to celebrate new construction that makes a lasting contribution to Houston’s built environment. These projects aren’t just architecturally significant — they also enhance the quality of life around them and set a standard for future development.
Each year, Pier & Beam members nominate outstanding projects completed within the past decade, and members vote to choose the winner. The award is presented at the annual Pier & Beam Spring Party.
Why this matters
Preservation isn’t only about saving the past — it’s about shaping a future that’s distinctive and rooted in a sense of place. By celebrating buildings that marry design excellence with community impact, the Future Landmark Award encourages development that strengthens neighborhoods and will one day be part of Houston’s preservation story.
Menil Drawing Institute (2018, Johnston Marklee) / photo by Richard Barnes, courtesy of Johnston Marklee
The 2025 Future Landmark Award winner: Menil Drawing Institute
The Menil Drawing Institute continues the Menil Collection’s legacy of world-class architecture with a serene, light-filled building that celebrates both art and place. Designed by Johnston Marklee, the institute offers a contemporary interpretation of the Menil campus’s understated elegance, reinforcing the neighborhood’s character while creating a destination for scholars and visitors alike.
Past winners
2014: Discovery Green
2015: BBVA Compass Stadium
2016: McGovern Centennial Gardens and Cherie Flores Garden Pavilion at Hermann Park
2017: New Hope Housing at Brays Crossing
2018: Raymond & Susan Brochstein Pavilion at Rice University
2019: Emancipation Park
2020: Asia Society Texas Center
2021: Buffalo Bayou Park
2022: Glassell School of Art and Kinder Building at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
2023–2024: Clay Family Eastern Glades and Kinder Land Bridge at Memorial Park