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.

Per the AIA Iowa jury, “The curvilinear forms are well crafted, and the changes from day to night are beautiful." Photo by Matt Niebuhr.

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.

The wave forms are lit from within using LED decorative floodlight fixtures, highlighting the intricate patterns in the metal and giving the park entrance a welcoming nighttime ambiance. Photo by Matt Niebuhr.

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, Communications Director