San Antonio-based firm Lake|Flato Architects has looked to Mother Nature for inspiration on their latest project, channeling the natural environment of Texas in Confluence Park, a new public amenity combining leisure and education in their hometown. The park is designed to educate visitors about the natural cycles and diverse habitats of the San Antonio River and encourage greater environmental stewardship of this key ecological location within the state of Texas.
The park has been envisioned in collaboration with landscape architects Rialto Studio and concrete specialists Matsys, working with the San Antonio River Foundation and the River Authority to combine aesthetic qualities with an in-depth educational experience. Different zones within the park will offer insight into five distinct ecosystems present in the local region: the Grassland, the San Antonio River, the Trans Pecos/Chihuahua Desert, the Texas Oak Conservatory, and the Savannah.
A series of thin concrete shells will form a sculptural pavilion at the far end of the park, reminiscent of Félix Candela’s elegant canopies constructed from the same material. The forms are molded to funnel rainwater, speaking to the natural cycle of water through San Antonio River and San Pedro Creek and will provide ample shade and shelter for visitors. Satellite pavilions entitled “river,” “energy,” and “water” are sprinkled throughout the rest of the park, echoing the language of the primary structure.
A multipurpose building is proposed for the southeast corner of the site near to the river itself, which will be used as a classroom, meeting space, and function room for different events. The green-roofed structure reads as an extension of the natural landscape and will have integrated photovoltaic panels that should provide 100% of the park’s energy requirements year-round.
All told, Confluence Park — particularly the distinctive concrete pavilion at its heart — should provide a valuable cultural stimulus for this part of San Antonio, which the architects say has been traditionally underserved in the past. Construction of the facility should begin before the end of this year, with the San Antonio River Foundation anticipating completion in the fall of 2016.
