San Jacinto Plaza: An Update of 100-Year-Old Park with Historic Identity

An update and a reborn process of this awesome 100-yeard-old park are designed by SWA. San Jacinto Plaza is a historic gathering place in the middle of a business district, El Paso, Texas. It provides an urban open space and also a protection for the culture and history on the site. Today, San Jacinto Plaza becomes the best place to gather for the people around the site area.

Project

With an intensive community process result and an input from the constituent wide range, this project provides a lot of awesome facilities. San Jacinto Plaza is not only a place for gathering but also sustainability area for the economic and environmental.

Design

SWA shows a great design on this park with an active programming and a good sustainability. It becomes de facto criteria to improve renewed investment and interest in urban open spaces. This updated plaza becomes an example design for the others.

Idea

The main idea of this park is about programming it, based on the community’s desire. The community wants to retain the historic identity of the park. That’s why SWA answers it by creating an integration from the informal paths and the existing formal axial paths on the site.

Facilities

The bridges and the paths take the visitors to some facilities in this park. There are some gaming areas for chess, washoes and also ping-pong. Washoes is a local gaming similar to horseshoes but it uses water. San Jacinto Plaza also has a cafe with colorful seating and a children’s splash pad.

Restoration

SWA also restores Los Lagortos in the middle of the park. It is a beloved sculpture made by Luis Jimenez. It is a tribute to the alligators that live at the plaza 45 years ago. It also becomes a unique identity for the site area in this park.

Structure

SWA also works together with Lake Flato Architects to make a metal structure. This kind of structure can help the sculpture safe from the sun. The structure also provides a shaded area for the community activities, so they will not feel too hot.

Via swagroup