UTSA student designs
UTSA School of Architecture unveils city project
(July 28, 2004)--Students from The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) Architecture Exchange Program recently presented to the City of San Antonio's Neighborhood Action department five designs for a children's playground in Arroyo Vista Park, part of a new West Side housing project.
City officials assured the students that one or a combination of designs will be used for the future park. "We’ve learned a lot from the presentation," said Paula Stallcup, assistant director of the Neighborhood Action department. "These creative ideas will definitely benefit the children."
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RSS FeedsPictured are two project proposals submitted by UTSA students for the Arroyo Vista Park playground project.
The UTSA architecture school was contacted by the city at the start of the summer semester to design a children's playground, which would be incorporated into the housing project to be built in December.
Students were divided into five teams and challenged to create designs to fit the city's request. While one duck-themed design featured shades shaped like a duck's webbed foot, another incorporated archways and color schemes reminiscent of South Texas missions. Each design included playground equipment, landscaping and a cost analysis of the project.
"This is more than what is usually done in a design class," said Jose Jimenez, assistant professor in the School of Architecture. "We've had requests to do more practical and 'real' projects. This is definitely a new experience for many of the students."
Sabina Iglesias, a third year architecture student from UNAM, described the experience as a challenge, especially in communicating with students from the United States. "I've had to learn how to adapt with ideas and thinking that take place here," she said. "It was difficult, but fun."
The student-exchange program, which is in its 16th year, is UTSA's longest running international exchange program. The objective of the program is to expose students to architecture from both cultures, while fostering an understanding of how architectural education and professional practice function in Mexico and the United States.
For more information, contact Jose Jimenez at 210-381-1590.