BRACKENRIDGE PARK
- Firm
- SWA Group
View project at SWA ↗ - Principal/Partner in Charge
- Kinder Baumgardner
- Rachel Wilkins · Role
- Project Manager and Design Lead
Ancient bones. New possibilities.
Water has shaped Brackenridge Park and the stories people tell about it. This 17.5-acre rehabilitation proposal for the City of San Antonio connects historic water infrastructure, ecological repair, and everyday park life along the San Antonio River.
At SWA, Rachel served as Project Manager and Design Lead. The proposal reveals the relationships between the historic Pump House, Upper Labor Diversion Dam, raceway, and Lambert Beach through new pedestrian connections, gathering spaces, and planted plazas.
Native planting, riverbank stabilization, and reduced hardscape support the rehabilitation of historic structures. Proposed arrival and dining plazas create new ways to use familiar places while keeping the river at the center of the experience.
Coordination with preservation agencies, river authorities, Indigenous groups, and the public shaped decisions about historic fabric, ecology, and accessibility. The design makes the park’s water history legible while creating room for its next chapter.
PARK STRUCTURE & PHASING
The illustrative plan and phasing study organize the park’s connected spaces and areas of work. Select either drawing to view it at full size.
