Tulsa Foundation For Architecture

TULSA FOUNDATION FOR ARCHITECTURE CHAMPIONS THE ART OF GOOD DESIGN AND CELEBRATES OKLAHOMAS ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE THROUGH EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND ARCHIVES. TFAS MISSION HAS THREE LEGS: EDUCATION, ADVOCACY, AND ARCHIVES.

THE FIRST LEG OF TFAS MISSION IS EDUCATION. UNABLE TO HOLD IN-PERSON TOURS OR EVENTS UNTIL JULY OF 2021 DUE TO THE ONGOING PANDEMIC, TFA CONTINUED HOSTING A LIVE/ZOOM VIRTUAL TOUR SERIES. TOPICS INCLUDED ARCHITECTURE BY THE DECADES, TULSA ART DECO, CHURCH BUILDINGS, MODERNISM, AND HISTORIC TAX CREDITS. IN JULY, IN PERSON 2ND SATURDAY TOURS RESUMED WITH OUR POPULAR TULSA SOUND MUSIC & CULTURE TOUR FOLLOWED BY OUR TULSA UNDERGROUND TUNNEL TOUR, MODERNISM: THE EVOLUTION, PRESERVATION THROUGH HISTORIC TAX CREDITS, AND DECO IN DECEMBER TOURS. IN ALL, WE SERVED A TOTAL OF 1109 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON TOURS. ADDITIONALLY, WE HELD AN IN PERSON HALLOWEEN EVENT TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS TO HELP CONSERVE THE ABBEY MAUSOLEUM AT ROSE HILL MEMORIAL PARK AND A SNAP AND STROLL ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP. THROUGH THESE PROGRAMS WE SERVED AN ADDITIONAL 147 PEOPLE. OUR GOAL IS TO GREATLY EXPAND PROGRAMS AND EVENTS IN 2022 AT TFAS NEW CENTER.

THE SECOND LEG OF TFAS MISSION IS ARCHIVES. TFAS ARCHIVES CONTAIN NEARLY 60,000 ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS,ENDERINGS, TRACINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS/SLIDES, BOUND PERIODICALS, SETS OF SPECIFICATIONS, AND BOOKS THAT DOCUMENT THE HISTORY OF ART DECO AND OTHER STYLES OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE CITY OF TULSA AND IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA. IN MARCH 2018, THE COLLECTION MOVED TO ITS CURRENT HOME IN THE HISTORIC PONCA CITY SAVINGS AND LOAN BUILDING WHERE THE OBJECTS ARE LOCATED IN A CLEAN, STABLE ENVIRONMENT. HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ARE MONITORED AND RECORDED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THERE IS NO ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT IN THE SPACE AS IT IS LOCATED ON THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. OUR ARCHIVES CURRENTLY ARE ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY APPOINTMENT. IN LATE 2021 WE RECEIVED FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR ARCHIVES FROM THE RAYMOND AND BESSIE KRAVIS FOUNDATION AND HAVE APPLIED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE OKLAHOMA HISTORICAL SOCIETY THAT WE HOPE TO RECEIVE BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY OF 2022. THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO FUND A PART-TIME CONTRACT ARCHIVIST AND PURCHASE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BEGIN TO DIGITIZE OUR COLLECTION FOR ONLINE ACCESS. OUR ARCHIVES COMMITTEE, WHICH REGULARLY MEETS ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS FROM 5:30-7:30 TO CONDUCT HANDSON WORK IN THE TFA ARCHIVES, WAS ON HIATUS UNTIL SUMMER OF 2021 WHEN IN PERSON MEETINGS RESUMED.

TFAS BOOK SALES ENHANCE TULSAS ARCHITECTURAL AWARENESS. WE CONTINUE TO MARKET AND DISTRIBUTE OUR PUBLICATION, TULSA ART DECO, AS WELL AS THE LAMINATED COMPANION, DECOGUIDE, THROUGH LOCAL BOOKSTORES AND MUSEUM SHOPS, AND OUR ENHANCED TFA STORE ON OUR WEBSITE. TFA DISTRIBUTES AND PROMOTES THE BOOKS OF JOHN BROOKS WALTON, INCLUDING ONE HUNDRED HISTORIC TULSA HOMES; IN 2017 WE ADDED GEORGE KRAVISS BOOK, 100 DESIGNS FOR A MODERN WORLD.

THE THIRD LEG OF TFAS MISSION IS ADVOCACY. IN 1995 A GROUP OF ARCHITECTS AND PRESERVATIONISTS FORMED A NONPROFIT TO PROVIDE A CREDIBLE VOICE AND EXPERTISE IN THE AREA OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION. TODAY, OUR ADVOCACY WORK INCLUDES PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THE OKLAHOMA PRESERVATION COMMISSION, AND THE TULSA PRESERVATION OFFICE. WE STAY UP TO DATE ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION INITIATIVES AND SHARE OUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THE PUBLIC AND PROPERTY DEVELOPERS. WE KEEP A SCHEDULE OF ACTIVE SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND HAVE PRESENTED TO GROUPS SUCH AS LEADERSHIP TULSA, ROTARY CLUB OF TULSA, AND THE DOWNTOWN COORDINATING COUNCIL. SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS WERE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY IN 2021. IN 2017 WE SIGNED THE LEASE ON OUR NEW HOME, THE 1965 PONCA CITY SAVINGS AND LOAN BUILDING. THIS MID-CENTURY MODERN STRUCTURED WAS DESIGNED BY ARCHITECT, ROBERT BUCHNER, AND HAD SAT VACANT FOR MANY YEARS. TFA FUNDED A $50,000 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO OVERSEE BUILDING RESTORATION. RESTORATION WAS MOSTLY COMPLETE IN EARLY 2020, JUST BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE OUR BUILDING FOR PUBLIC PROGRAMS, INCLUDING ADVOCACY INITIATIVES, IN 2022.