Phase I Report - Introduction

Foreword

In 1969, the Texas Legislature created the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) as a component institution of the University of Texas System. The original 600-acre campus is located near the intersection of Loop 1604 and IH-10 approximately 16 miles northwest of downtown San Antonio, on the edge of the Texas Hill Country. Classes were held at temporary locations until the first permanent buildings opened in 1975. UTSA established a downtown presence in the 1970s with various lease spaces, and started construction of a permanent downtown campus in the mid 1990s. The Institute of Texan Cultures (ITC) at Hemisfair Park was acquired in the 1980s. At present, UTSA is a vibrant institution with nearly 25,000 students on three separate campuses within the greater San Antonio metropolitan area.

UTSA is placing great emphasis on becoming a "university of first choice." The growing facilities will help to support this vision. To this end, the updated master plan will provide a framework for change and growth.

Charge

In December 2003, UTSA started the process of renewing their existing master plan by engaging Ford, Powell & Carson, Architects and Planners, Inc. to update the "2001 Master Plan and Planning Guide" for the 1604 Campus. The design team also includes Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc. to address traffic and civil engineering, Shah Smith & Associates, Inc. to study mechanical systems, Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. to address electrical systems, Kroll Security Services Group, Inc., to provide security analysis, and HOK Sport+Venue+Event for sports consulting.

The completed master plan update will be comprised of a physical plan for the anticipated growth of the institution as well as architectural and landscape guidelines to be used by designers to relate new development to the existing buildings and landscape of the campus.

Process and Product

The master plan process occurs in two phases: collection of background information required for planning, and the development of the master plan update.

Phase I

The design team gathers information necessary to understand the university's physical form, including the following major elements:

• Review of the original master plan and subsequent updates
• Study of the guiding principles of the campus design
• Review and photography of existing buildings and grounds
• Interviews with the community, students and faculty/staff
• Assessment of current traffic patterns and parking
• Assessment of current mechanical, electrical and plumbing capacities
• Assessment of relevant topographic/environmental factors (by others)
• Photography of existing conditions
• Development of site plans and relevant drawings
• Development of growth projections

UTSA develops a vision statement to outline the projected growth and change for the next twenty years. This work includes a direction for:

• University Restructuring
• Flagship Status
• Current Size and Growth Projections
• Housing
• Athletics
• Wellness/Recreation/Childcare
• Specialized Facilities and Support Services

The outcome of these tasks is summarized in this Phase I Report. The reports will be used as a guideline for the work of the next phase.

Phase II

The design phase of the master plan update will begin with a concentrated design charette for each of the campuses. During these events, the design team and selected representatives of the university will discuss the Phase I Report, and with the aid of site maps, photographs and other material, will generate alternative plans for the future of the campus. From this effort, selected concepts will be identified. The design team will then refine these concepts into design schemes. A second series of charettes will explore the positive and negative features of the ideas, and then select the direction for the new design. This concept will then be refined and finalized for review.

The master plan design will be developed in concert with updated architectural and landscape guidelines. The final report will be used to guide the future development of the campus.