Architecture of San Antonio
Architecture in the American city of San Antonio, Texas comes from a wide variety of sources, but many of the city's buildings mostly reflect Texas' Spanish and Mexican roots; with some influence from French builders, among others. Relatively rapid economic growth since the mid twentieth century has led to a fairly wide variety of contemporary architectural buildings.
Traditional architecture
The first European buildings in Texas were a series of religious Spanish Missions built by Catholic Dominicans, Jesuits, and Franciscans to spread the Christian doctrine among the local Native Americans, and to give Spain a toehold in the frontier land. The missions introduced European livestock, fruits, vegetables, and industry into the Texas region. In addition to the presidio (fort) and pueblo (town), the misión was one of the three major agencies employed by the Spanish crown to extend its borders and consolidate its colonial territories. In all, twenty-six missions were maintained for different lengths of time within the future boundaries of the state. The San Antonio de Valero Mission known for the Battle of the Alamo is a prime example of this kind of architecture in San Antonio. Among other examples are:
- Mission San Juan Capistrano
- Mission San Francisco de la Espada
- Mission San José
- Mission Concepcion
- Espada Acequia
Among other notable buildings of historical, architectural, and religious significance are the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower and Cathedral of San Fernando, both still in use. While most of these were influenced by Spanish and Mexican styles of design, some buildings display other origins. Francois Guilbeau's House, for example, was built in 1847 by Jules Poinsard, and harbors 19th century French Neo-classic elements, while Hipolito F. Garcia Federal Building and United States Courthouse (1937) is of a Beaux-Arts design, and yet Koehler Cultural Center (1901) carries prominent influences of Victorian and eclectic designs.
Bexar County has a distinct courthouse in Downtown San Antonio. The Bexar County Courthouse, like many of the aforementioned buildings in the city, is a historical landmark and protected city’s Spanish heritage of San Antonio.
- The Bexar County Courthouse by James Riely Gordon is a work of Romanesque Revival architecture from 1892.
- The Cathedral of San Fernando is one of the oldest operating cathedrals in the United States, dating back to 1731.
- "The Taj Mahal" at Randolph Air Force Base, completed in 1931, is one of the US Air Force's most famous buildings.[1]
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- Guenther & Sons, Pioneer Brand flour mill and grain elevator
Among other older notable buildings in San Antonio are the Pearl Brewing Company, the Spanish Governor's Palace, The Majestic Theatre, the Spanish Colonial Revival Thomas Jefferson High School, and many houses to the immediate south of Downtown San Antonio, located in the King William Historic District, built by 19th century German industrialists.[3]
19th century vestiges of the tourism industry
Much of the architecture of Downtown San Antonio, both old and new, has traditionally revolved around the tourism attractions industry. Buildings like The Aztec Theatre, La Villita, Fairmont Hotel, and Menger Hotel are over a century old, and are still in use today.
San Antonio Walks - offers an Architecture Tour
Contemporary architecture
In addition to the city's traditional architecture, San Antonio also has some noteworthy contemporary buildings. Many world class architects have left their enriching marks on the landscape of the city. Some facilities harbor the marks of multiple architects. The San Antonio Museum of Art and The McNay Museum of Fine Arts are examples of aesthetic buildings where craftsmanship of the old and the new have merged into one. Some of the city's more prominent contemporary works have been summarized in the table below:
Building | Architect | year |
Tower of the Americas | O'Neil Ford | 1968 |
Trinity University campus | O'Neil Ford and Kell Munoz Architects | 1960s |
Northrup Hall, Trinity University | Robert A. M. Stern[4] | 2004 |
Oliver Wendell Holmes High School | Marmon Mok | 1964 |
Lucile Halsell Conservatory, San Antonio Botanical Garden | Emilio Ambasz | 1988 |
Administration building, UTHSCSA | HKS, Inc. | 2004 |
South Texas Research Facility, UTHSCSA | Rafael Viñoly | 2011 |
The Grand Hyatt of San Antonio | Arquitectonica | 2008 |
McNay Museum of Art extension | Jean-Paul Viguier | 2002 |
San Antonio Public Library | Ricardo Legorreta | 1994 |
AT&T Center | Ellerbe Becket | 2002 |
Medical Arts & Research Center, UTHSCSA | FKP Architects[5] | 2010 |
Alamodome | Populous (former HOK) | 1993 |
Frost Tower | Cesar Pelli | 2019 |
Ruby City | David Adjaye | 2019 |
Skyline
While the skyline is not the tallest in Texas (Houston, Dallas and Austin are taller), Downtown San Antonio is a unique one with a mix of old and new styles of architecture.
Some buildings, such as the Emily Morgan Hotel, Gunter Hotel, the Nix Medical building, The AT&T Building (105 Auditorium Circle), Drury Hotel, and Tower Life Building date back to the early to mid twentieth century, and are considered national or state landmarks. These are "exceptional examples of NeoGothic Revival architecture, complete with carved faces (grotesques), gargoyles, and other carved stone embellishments".[6]
Other buildings add a more modern tint to the city's skyline. Among these, the most prominent are the Tower of the Americas, The Weston Center, the Marriott Rivercenter, and the Grand Hyatt. Yet other buildings, such as The Vistana complex, offer a more modern Art Deco form of architecture to the city's image.[7]
The most recent movement of new highrises and skyscrapers including The Arts Residences, The Canopy, and The Frost Tower offer a more Neo-Futuristic design.
Education
The primary school for higher education in architecture is the University of Texas, San Antonio, at its Downtown Campus. However, Trinity University in Midtown San Antonio has a notable architectural campus.
See also
References
- ^ "Randolph Air Force Base - Fact Sheet (Printable) : TAJ MAHAL". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
- ^ Elizabeth Arnold, Demand Media. "San Antonio's Famous Tourist Attractions". Travel Tips - USA Today.
- ^ http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/MYSA081405_guide_arch_3133529_html.html?c=y&page=2&ua=i&c=y[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Kell Muñoz Architects | Northrup Hall". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2010-12-07.
- ^ "UT Health Science Center San Antonio MARC | FKP Architects". Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2010-12-06.
- ^ "San Antonio: Architecture". tripadvisor.com.
- ^ "The Vistana - Centro San Antonio". downtownsanantonio.org. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
External links
- Architecture Foundation of San Antonio
- The San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architecture (AIA)
- v
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- Architecture
- Culture
- History
- Neighborhoods
- Metropolitan Area
- San Antonio River (Springs)
- The Alamo
- Alamo Cenotaph
- Acequia Madre de Valero
- La Antorcha de la Amistad
- Basilica of the National Shrine of the Little Flower
- Cathedral of San Fernando
- Convention Center
- Earl Abel's
- Guenther House
- HemisFair '68
- Houston Street
- La Villita
- Market Square
- Rivercenter
- River Walk
- St. Joseph Catholic Church
- Tower of the Americas
- Tower Life Building
- San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium
- Artpace
- Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum
- Briscoe Western Art Museum
- Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
- Casa Navarro State Historic Site
- Fort Sam Houston Museum
- Gallista
- Gas Gallery
- Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center
- Guinness World Records Museum
- Institute of Texan Cultures
- McNay Art Museum
- Museo Alameda
- Museum of Aerospace Medicine
- O. Henry House Museum
- Ruby City
- San Antonio Academy Museum
- San Antonio Museum of Art
- Southwest School of Art
- Spanish Governor's Palace
- Edward Steves Homestead
- Texas Air Museum
- Texas Transportation Museum
- United States Army Medical Department Museum
- Witte Museum
- Yturri-Edmunds Historic Site
See also: List of museums in Central Texas
- Alamo City Comic Con
- Arneson River Theater
- Aztec on the River
- Charline McCombs Empire Theatre
- Fiesta Noche del Rio
- Fiesta San Antonio
- Freeman Coliseum
- Majestic Theatre
- Morgan's Wonderland
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- San Japan
- Santikos Theatres
- SeaWorld San Antonio
- Six Flags Fiesta Texas
- Splashtown San Antonio
- St. Mary's Strip
- Texas Folklife Festival
- Tobin Center for the Performing Arts (San Antonio Symphony)
- San Antonio Municipal Auditorium
- Woodlawn Theatre
- Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Enterprises
- Christus Santa Rosa
- iHeartMedia
- Frost Bank
- H-E-B
- Jim's Restaurants
- Luby's
- M7 Aerospace
- NewTek
- NuStar Energy
- Rackspace
- San Antonio Express-News
- SAS Shoemakers (SAS)
- San Antonio Water System
- Security Service Federal Credit Union
- SWBC
- Taco Cabana
- Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas
- USAA
- Valero Energy
- Visionworks of America
- Whataburger
and education
- The Alamo Colleges
- Baptist Health System School of Health Professions
- Cancer Therapy & Research Center
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute
- Oblate School of Theology
- Our Lady of the Lake University
- San Antonio Public Library
- San Antonio Municipal Archives
- South Texas Medical Center
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute
- Southwest Research Institute
- St. Mary's University
- Texas A&M University–San Antonio
- Texas Neurosciences Institute
- Trinity University
- University Health System
- University of the Incarnate Word
- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- University of Texas at San Antonio
- Acequia
- San Antonio Botanical Garden
- Brackenridge Park
- Denman Estate Park
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Park
- Friedrich Wilderness Park
- Government Canyon State Natural Area
- Phil Hardberger Park
- Mahncke
- Milam Park
- Miraflores Park
- Roosevelt Park
- San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden
- San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
- San Pedro Springs Park
- O. P. Schnabel Park
- Travis Park