Sunset

H. E. Butt Foundation
San Antonio, Texas

With a legacy of hospitality, community engagement, and architectural excellence in rural settings, the H. E. Butt Foundation wanted an urban headquarters for hosting their San Antonio neighbors. Here they would convene people from disparate demographics and zip codes in order to redefine their constituency’s understanding of the word neighbor.

A roof canopy stretches across the streetfront entrance, connecting two community buildings and blurring boundaries between enclosed and outdoor. The large meeting room sits across from a pre-function lobby, while the breezeway doubles as outdoor event space.

The organization is managed from a timber-framed office wing bordering a courtyard of informal meeting spaces. A terraced fountain, a nod to the client’s origins along the Frio River, parallels the east entrance. By maintaining the footprint of demolished structures, a red oak grove and other native plants were preserved. Inside, the sun filters through lobby skylights, clerestories, and studio windows, recreating the way daylight scatters through a motte of trees. Pocket courtyards shield the west facade.

The client’s value of small, localized work is reflected in thoughtful details. Salvaged artifacts and reclaimed stone from existing structures blend old with new. Furniture maker Andy Rawls crafted custom tables from ash and pecan trees felled on site. Artist Dana Tanamachi designed a steel entry gate that features icons from the Texas landscape and client’s history.

Since our client believes transformative change is the result of genuine human connection, we designed a space to put their guests at ease and foster a culture of openness.