Project Description
Multifamily / Grand
Lake|Flato’s task was to find the best use for 19 concrete superstructures spanning three city blocks that were built 15 years ago and then abandoned. “The trend in San Antonio is big, blocky buildings without sequestered space for community,” says David Lake, FAIA, who likened the puzzle to a Rubik’s Cube. “We wanted to make a place with a strong sense of purpose and identity.”
Part of a 350-acre master plan to reinvigorate the downtown and river area, the new compound is a standalone destination for urban living. Concrete, metal, and stucco-clad buildings with varied balcony types give the sense that it was built over time, and big projecting arbors and patios help the buildings meet the street gracefully. They’re ringed with five courtyards, each with its own color and character, for swimming, grilling, and outdoor theater. The multilevel outdoor bridges connecting the units with the garages also supply a bit of theater. “Some people are walking two city blocks from the garage to their unit, so it has to be fun,” Lake says. “There are incredible views of downtown, and people meet and talk on bridges.”
The judges applauded the “smart, strategic regeneration” and the way the landscape is woven in. “The interiors are great, and there’s something modest about it,” said one judge. “They knew exactly how much to do.” —Cheryl Weber, LEED AP