Architects: Lake Flato Architects, Matsys Design
Area: 900 ft²
Year: 2018
Photography: Casey Dunn
Pavilion Designer: Matsys Design/ Andrew Kudless
Project Team: Sunnie Díaz, Tenna Florian, Bob Harris, Jordan Tsai
Structural Engineer: AEC
Landscape Architect: Rialto Studio
MEP Engineer: CNG Engineering
Civil Engineer: Pape Dawson
Petal Framework: Kreysler & Associates
Lighting: Mazzetti Lighting
Contractor: SpawGlass
Client: San Antonio River Foundation
City: San Antonio
Country: United States
Confluence Park, a public space designed by Lake Flato Architects and Matsys Design in San Antonio, Texas. Completed in 2018, the park features a pavilion that funnels rainwater into a catchment system and an education center with a green roof. Photovoltaic arrays power the entire site.
Confluence Park serves as a dynamic learning environment, encouraging visitors to explore and understand the diverse ecotypes of South Texas and the function of the San Antonio River watershed. The park’s design fosters learning through observation, interaction, and participation.
Located where the San Antonio River meets San Pedro Creek, the park’s design embodies the concept of confluence. Large gestures, such as the landform, symbolize the convergence of various ecotypes in South Texas, while the pavilion’s petal-shaped structures mimic plants that direct rainwater to their roots. Even the paver patterns reflect the flow and merging of waterways.
The BHP Pavilion, constructed from concrete petals, is designed to lightly integrate with the landscape. It features a geometry that collects and channels rainwater into a catchment system used throughout the site. The pavilion structures provide shade and shelter while visually engaging visitors with the water cycle and its connection to the San Antonio River.
The Estella Avery Education Center, with its green roof, provides thermal mass for natural heating and cooling. It functions as a classroom that opens onto the pavilion. Rainwater harvested from the park is the primary water source, and the entire site is powered by a photovoltaic array that meets all of the park’s energy needs annually.
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Project Location
Address: 310 W Mitchell St, San Antonio, TX 78204, United States
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
