Howard Hughes Unveils Interactive Bronze Sculpture Honoring Coulson Tough at Coulson Tough Elementary in The Woodlands

Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. celebrated the unveiling of a life-sized bronze, interactive sculpture honoring Coulson Tough, the late Woodlands community leader and art advocate. The sculpture, crafted by award-winning Houston sculptor Bridgette Mongeon, was revealed on Thursday at Coulson Tough Elementary, a K-6 school in the Village of Sterling Ridge.

The interactive sculpture, situated at the entrance of the elementary school, features Coulson Tough casually seated on a bench with one leg crossed. Designed for interaction, the six-foot wide bench allows two or three guests to sit and engage in a simulated conversation with Tough. Mongeon collaborated with Coulson’s son, Bruce Tough, to incorporate intricate details, including a blueprint held by the bronze hands of Tough, illustrating significant projects he contributed to, such as The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, and more.

Bruce Tough expressed gratitude for the recognition, stating that the naming of Coulson Tough Elementary was his father’s greatest honor. The interactive aspect of the sculpture involves children tracing images from the blueprint onto paper, bringing the artwork to life.

Jim Carman, President of the Houston Region for Howard Hughes, emphasized the company’s commitment to top-ranked education in The Woodlands. The sculpture is seen as a fitting tribute to Coulson Tough’s legacy of community service and dedication to education. The event was attended by Conroe ISD Superintendent Curtis Null, Tough Elementary Principal Christy Julien, Coulson’s son Bruce Tough, and Howard Hughes executives.

Coulson Tough, a key figure in The Woodlands’ development, played a crucial role in the initial commercial design and development of the community from 1973 until his retirement in 2003. He was honored as one of the original The Woodlands Hometown Heroes in 1999 and received the Legacy Award from The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce in 2019. Tough’s contributions to The Woodlands’ art program and his role in major milestones in The Woodlands Town Center were highlighted during the ceremony.

Howard Hughes continues to support The Woodlands’ art initiatives, including the Art Fund, initiated by Coulson Tough, which allocates a percentage of art funding from commercial development in The Woodlands. The community boasts over 90 pieces of outdoor art, making it one of the largest collections for a community of its size. The event also highlighted recent immersive artworks introduced by Howard Hughes, including “Shoal” by Squidsoup in Hughes Landing® and “Flowers” by Alex Katz in Waterway Square®.