THE DOGRUN

The Urban Ecology Center is a visitor center and event facility for Phil Hardberger Park in San Antonio. In collaboration with landscape architects Stephen Stimson & Associates and Rialto Studio, the buildings' architecture and its surrounding landscape perform in concert to teach strategies for sustainable water usage and collection as well as demonstrate alternatives to surface water drainage. This strategy includes collecting rain water from roof areas for plant irrigation, harvesting air conditioning condensate, and allowing surface water runoff to filter into the ground. The program will house office space for the Phil Hardberger Park Conservancy, public restrooms, outdoor classrooms and a large event hall. The center will break ground this summer and will help contribute to an already rich & diverse park as well as the conservancy effort at Hardberger Park. Above: landscape site plan in collaboration with Stephen Stimson Associates Above: Urban Ecology Center site plan Above: storm water drainage diagram Above: gathering hall Above: gathering hall porch and courtyard Above: model photos