As the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) looks toward its future, with a recently-acquired one-acre plot of land added to its riverside property, the 44-year-old museum has selected notable architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron to create a comprehensive campus plan.
San Antonio Museum of Art
Upon her arrival to SAMA in 2022, Executive Director Emily Ballew Neff mentioned the need for more space to house the museum’s collection of more than 30,000 objects, as well as other uses. During her term leading the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art from 2015 to 2021, Ms. Neff engaged Herzog & de Meuron to create a new building in that city’s downtown, also located on riverfront property.
The Basel, Switzerland-based firm won plaudits for its 2000 redesign of the Tate Modern, in particular for respecting the structure of the original power station building while renovating it to house contemporary art. The firm also designed the Tate’s 2016 Switch House addition.
According to a press release, the museum campus plan will “thoughtfully integrate SAMA’s unique location along the San Antonio River and its historic brewery buildings while addressing the evolving needs of the city’s residents and visitors.”
Ms. Neff called the historic 19th-century Lone Star Brewery buildings housing SAMA “fantastic,” but said the complex wasn’t purpose-built for art, which has created challenges for storage and loading, as well as for sightlines and circulation through the galleries. “This really was a test case for adaptive reuse,” Ms. Neff told Glasstire.
The new campus plan will address those issues, Ms. Neff said, as well as the museum’s role “within the broader context of San Antonio,” as “a critical node” along the city’s River Walk linking downtown to the Pearl brewery district, a thriving urban mixed-use development. As stated in the news announcement, Herzog & de Meuron’s aim will be to amplify the charm of the existing buildings and outdoor spaces.
Edward A. Hart, Chair of SAMA’s Board of Trustees, said, “As stewards of the last remaining green space along the Museum Reach” — as the River Walk’s northern expanse is called — “and owners of the largest property adjacent to the river, this master plan will serve as a critical roadmap, enabling us to create a more vibrant, welcoming space for the community to enjoy.”
The initial phase of the project, which includes opportunities for community input, is expected to be completed by the end of June 2025.
