The Art Studio at RDG Receives AIA Excellence in Craft Award

October 14, 2019
Public Art

Aguas onduladas”(Rippling Waters) has been recognized for its thoughtfulness and beauty by the American Institute of Architects Iowa Chapter.

The Art Studio at RDG Planning & Design has been recognized with a Merit Award for Excellence in Craft from the American Insitute of Architects (AIA) Iowa Chapter for Aguas onduladas (Rippling Waters), a public art installation in San Antonio, Texas that showcases how public art not only creates inspiring community spaces but gives new life and meaning to everyday environments and experiences.

The installation serves as the new “front door” to a revitalized neighborhood park, welcoming pedestrians and drivers alike with sculptural rhythm and poetic resonance.

San Antonio selected one of its prominent lakefront parks, at the headwaters of a 23.4 square mile creek watershed, to undergo major improvements as part of a larger city-wide watershed improvements plan for urban streams. The park is a neighborhood amenity that connects people with nature and affords a variety of opportunities to engage with the water while also learning about stormwater management. The project site, a traffic island that has been a barrier to access, is re-imagined as a new “front door” to this reinvigorated park.

By transforming a previously inaccessible traffic island into a dynamic cultural threshold, Aguas Onduladas increases visibility for the park, supports local stewardship and instills a lasting sense of pride for residents. It is art that not only reflects a community but grows from it.

Functioning as an iconic marker for both vehicular and pedestrian experiences, waveforms of stainless steel create a meandering path inviting people to walk through the park. The waveforms point to a visual phenomenon of motion, reflection, and light on water coupled with the integration of poetry from Dr. Carmen Tafolla, the state’s former poet laureate and native of the city. Interior illumination creates a soft glow that changes from day to night, transforming what was a site barrier into an opportunity and invitation to explore the park and connect with nature.

Written by Erin Van Zee, Director of Communications