Winner of the 2017 AIA San Antonio Mayor’s Choice Award. The Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center expansion includes 3 new exhibit halls, a 60,000 sf ballroom, multiple meeting rooms and a dynamic entry lobby engaging the urban edge on San Antonio’s vibrant Market Street. The grand entry welcomes guests with a civic-scaled entry plaza and drop-off area and will act as a functional “crossroads,” becoming a hub for activity, social engagement and hospitality. The west entry is a collection point for pedestrians coming to the Convention Center from the north and west and will be a focal point from Hemisfair Park. A portion of the existing west wing building was repurposed to provide a double-height space, and to give the entry sequence a sense of presence similar to the grand lobby. Guests circulate directly into the existing link bridge to access either the new ground level prefunction space along the north edge of the existing exhibit halls C and D, or the existing concourse level prefunction space via existing stairs and escalators. The new prefunction space connecting the grand lobby and park entry not only provides clear and functional ground-level access to existing exhibit halls C and D, it was also programmed to provide food service and other amenities that will mitigate walking distances by providing architectural activation.
