Last week, the Board of Directors of VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas, officially approved plans previously presented by the architecture design team from EE&K a Perkins Eastman company to construct Phase 2 of the Westside Multimodal Transit Center. This construction award comes mere weeks before the groundbreaking, which is scheduled for July.
The new 90,000-sf development will principally service San Antonio’s growing network of city bus and VIA PRIMO bus rapid transit service, including real-time arrival updates, as well as become an iconic public plaza for the city. The design team is led by Principal Stan Eckstut FAIA and Associate Principal Jonathan Cohn AIA, LEED AP.
The public plaza, comprising a full city block, will be encircled by a varied metal and glass Grand Canopy, approximately 50% of which is covered by a photovoltaic panel array that will generate a large portion of the electricity required to light the facility. The plaza’s expansive interior will feature a significant stand of cedar elm trees, while a permeable ground surface and underground detention systems will control stormwater runoff.
The EE&K a Perkins Eastman company team includes local architects Ford, Powell & Carson Inc., led by Principal Jay Louden AIA and Senior Associate Michael Guarino, and landscape architect Lawrence C. Clark ASLA, Vice President of Bender Wells Clark Design.
“This will be the next great place for San Antonio, and not just for transit riders” says Eckstut. “First and foremost, the plan for Westside Multimodal accommodates the site’s various transit elements, but the space is designed to draw people in for food, entertainment and leisure. We have designed a public square that will encourage future private investments and continue to revitalize the city’s Westside District.”
The design vision for Westside Multimodal Transit Center balances mass transit with open green space, mixed-use development, public art, educational signage, and a host of sustainable design features. The Center’s main entranceway will be located at the corner of Frio and Houston Streets, and clearly identifiable from long distances thanks to the planned “Light Tower” installation, designed by local San Antonio artist Bill Fitzgibbons.
The site is adjacent to the historic and newly renovated I&GN Station, which served as inspiration for the final design. The new facility will also further expand B-Cycle, the city’s bike share system, and plans are in the works for the Transit Center to accommodate future rail service as well.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Apr 26, 2017
Huh? A subway car on the roof?
Chicago’s newest multifamily development features an iconic CTA car on its amenity deck.
High-rise Construction | Apr 26, 2017
Dubai’s newest building is a giant gilded picture frame
Despite currently being under construction, the building is the center of an ongoing lawsuit filed by the architect.
Architects | Apr 25, 2017
Two Mid-Atlantic design firms join forces
Quinn Evans Architects and Cho Benn Holback + Associates have similar portfolios with an emphasis on civic work.
BIM and Information Technology | Apr 24, 2017
Reconciling design energy models with real world results
Clark Nexsen’s Brian Turner explores the benefits and challenges of energy modeling and discusses how design firms can implement standards for the highest possible accuracy.
Higher Education | Apr 24, 2017
Small colleges face challenges — and opportunities
Moody’s Investor Service forecasts that closure rates for small institutions will triple in the coming years, and mergers will double.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 24, 2017
Treating the whole person: Designing modern mental health facilities
Mental health issues no longer carry the stigma that they once did. Awareness campaigns and new research have helped bring our understanding of the brain—and how to design for its heath—into the 21st century.
Architects | Apr 20, 2017
Design as a business strategy: Tapping data is easier than you think
We have been preaching “good design matters” for a long time, demonstrating the connection between the physical environment and employee satisfaction, individual and team performance, and an evolving organizational culture.
Architects | Apr 20, 2017
‘Gateways to Chinatown’ project seeks the creation of a new neighborhood landmark for NYC’s Chinatown
The winning team will have $900,000 to design and implement their proposal.
Architects | Apr 19, 2017
Tour Zaha Hadid, Frank Gehry architecture with Google Earth
Google Earth’s new ‘Voyager’ feature allows people to take interactive guided tours.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 18, 2017
Three multifamily, three specialized housing projects among 14 recipients of the AIA’s 2017 Housing Awards
2017 marks the 17th year the AIA has rewarded projects and architects with the Housing Awards.