Park Tower Canopy

At the intersection of Lamar Blvd, Cesar Chavez St, and the Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge, a pavilion channels the art of placemaking to bring newfound shade to an otherwise-corporate plaza. To keep the canopy a minimal intervention, the formal moves are straightforward - a plane folds upward, suggesting a notion of openness as one approaches. The project invites guests from all walks of life to intermingle.

Exposed steel expresses the structure while allowing the roof assembly to remain astonishingly slim, celebrating the locally reclaimed and repurposed wood soffit from a decommissioned storage tank at the University of Texas’ JJ Pickle Research Center. The canopy floats within the tree canopy above while protecting and integrating all trees that predate it. Alongside the adjacent Mañana coffee shop, the canopy assimilates into the popular Seaholm District with an additional public space that intends to become an icon along a busy corridor of the city.

Install: Boomtown Design

Structural Engineer: Fort Structures

Photo Credits: Leonid Furmansky