San Antonio’s river trail system has long stood incomplete, its northern reach at Brackenridge Park abruptly halted by a patchwork of private lands. Recognizing the waterway’s cultural significance, landowners forged an unprecedented partnership, opening sections of their properties for public benefit. The 162-acre Spirit Reach Vision Plan allows visitors to trace the city’s story from its source, illustrating how the river and the people of San Antonio have shaped each other over millennia.
A journey through time, Spirit Reach showcases stories of Paleolithic hunters, Neolithic settlers, Spanish colonists, French nuns, and 19th-century craftsmen. The historic Brackenridge Villa area features a great lawn and hillside terrace for reflection amid the historic panorama. At the University of the Incarnate Word, reoriented public spaces now embrace the river and integrate student experience. Winding paths lead to the Blue Hole, revered by Indigenous peoples as the “birthplace of creation” and recognized as the primary source of the San Antonio River. Safe connectivity is ensured through pedestrian underpasses and an elevated hike and bike path at the iconic Olmos Dam.
Throughout design, SWA engaged with Indigenous communities, archaeologists, environmentalists, and residents to ensure that — in addition to physically weaving together previously inaccessible spaces — the project accurately narrates the story of a city shaped by water.
Spirit Reach is positioned within the greater San Antonio River Vision Plan, along with Brackenridge Park and Miraflores.
Katy Trail
Katy Trail represents a remarkable resource for the residents of the Dallas Fort Worth region. This project enlivens and makes accessible right-of-way established by the storied, but later abandoned, Missouri-Kansas-Texas (better known as the “Katy”) line, and serves as a unifying element for the surrounding neighborhoods. Katy Trail provides appro...
Miraflores
Miraflores Park, crafted in the early 20th century by Dr. Aureliano Urrutia, a notable surgeon and Latino immigrant, stands as a vital historic landmark along the San Antonio River. Years of deterioration have obscured the park’s cultural significance, leading to its confusion with a cemetery and presenting financial and operational challenges to rehabilitatio...
Dubai Expo 2020
From October 2021 to April 2022, the City of Dubai hosted the World Expo: a large-scale International Registered Exhibition that brings nations together with universal themes and immersive experiences. It comprises an entirely new city, built on a 1,083-acre site between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Expo site is organized around a central plaza linked to three mai...
Lynwood Mega-Playground
Inspired by the city’s rich history of aerospace research and manufacturing, Lynwood Mega-Playground brings a dynamic space exploration-themed playground to the heart of the Central Los Angeles city.
Completed in Fall 2024, the playground transforms the Northwest corner of Lynwood Park into a colorful spectacle with super-sized play features including a...