The University of Texas at San Antonio

School of Data Science & National Security Collaboration Center

This creek-side academic center has created a renewed sense of energy within the heart of San Antonio’s historic downtown. Adjacent to the newly revitalized San Pedro Creek Culture Park and within the Zona Cultural district, the new building and landscape stand at the intersection of educational, cultural, and environmental corridors.
Co’design collaborated with Overland Partners Architects and Jacob’s Engineering, to create an urban porch, entry plaza, and creek-side terraces. The landscape and building design feature murals by local artists as well as a large Corten steel sculpture by world-renowned artist Fletcher Benton.
Responding to the context of the urban grid as well as to the more fluid forms of San Pedro Creek, the landscape space becomes a transitional zone that expresses the combined character of both. The streetscape along Dolorosa integrates bus stop waiting areas, a café with outdoor seating, and energetic paving patterns designed to encourage those passing by to step inside and explore the School’s data science exhibits.
On the west side of the building, a terrace and wood seating steps—for outdoor learning– overlook the gardens. In keeping with sustainable design practices, the gardens integrate a vegetated bioswale that filters and cleans stormwater runoff and the gardens are planted with native species that typically inhabit Central Texas riparian corridors. Emphasis is also placed on species that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and dragonflies. The result is a vibrant setting for both human and wildlife interaction.