Author: postcardsfromsanantonio

Postcard from Morelia, Mexico: Vamos a comer

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Gaspacho. Spelling the word with an “s” and not a “z” makes a world of difference in Morelia. Cubes of refreshing fruit with no tomatoes in the mix. Traditional gaspacho stands are found everywhere in the heart of the city, with locals more than willing to line up at their favorite ones. Although customized for the individual, don’t miss out experiencing estilo Moreliano with its contrasting flavors of tangy lime juice, cotija cheese and chile layered into the combination of regional fruit. Beware. It’s highly addictive.

With that ideal breakfast out of the way, time to head out for more substantial repasts at restaurants listed alphabetically. By chance, these first three spots are a bit off the main tourist grid but are all a walkable distance from the center.

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Postcard from San Antonio, Texas: Time to toast the Alamo Trust

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Above: Rendering of plans for the Alamo Visitor Center and Museum from the Alamo Trust

Recent international trends in museum design and development have emphasized the reuse and transformation of historic industrial and commercial buildings for interpretive programming, providing stronger links between complex layers of history and dynamic visitor experiences. Through the historic preservation treatments of exterior restoration and interior rehabilitation, these three buildings on Alamo Plaza can provide the opportunity for a unique twenty-first century museum experience that is innovatively housed within some of San Antonio’s most historically significant commercial architecture of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

“Historical Assessment of a Trio of Historic Buildings on the West Side of Alamo Plaza,” John G. Waite Associates’ study commissioned by the Alamo Trust, 2020

The Crockett Block (1882); the Palace Theater (1923); and the Woolworth Building (1921). All three recognized as significant historic landmarks in San Antonio and nationally. The 2020 evaluation by John G. Waite Associates let preservationists breathe a bit easier.

A cause for celebration: The block is no longer in danger of complete demolition to make way for a new museum directly across the plaza from the Alamo Chapel. The rendering at the top of this post is the current one espoused by the Alamo Trust. Most of this complex on the west side of Alamo Plaza will be transformed into a handsome museum and visitors center designed by a team of architects and designers from internationally renowned Gensler and San Antonio-based GRG Architecture.

In addition to private donations, the overall Alamo Plan is receiving an amazingly generous boost in the Texas State Budget – a whopping $400-million. In other words, the museum, preservation of the Alamo itself and redo of Alamo Plaza are all moving forward.

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Postcard from London, England: Art restores power to the station

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 Above: “Life in His Mouth, Death Cradles Her Arm,” Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa, 2016. Photo grab from video.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

Architectural Challenge Number One, 1940s: Design an industrial complex on a site directly across the Thames from one of London’s most cherished landmarks – Saint Paul’s Cathedral. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was an accomplished architect by the time he was tapped to tackle the Bankside Power Station. Unlike his earlier two-chimneyed Battersea Power Station, Bankside featured a single soaring chimney front and center, prompting some to refer to it as the cathedral of industry.

Architectural Challenge Number 2, 1990s: Convert a massive decommissioned power station into a frame for modern art. An international competition attracted 168 submissions, with the Swiss architectural firm of Herzog & de Meuron selected for the adaptive reuse project. The firm’s respect for and desire to preserve the external features of the brick power station impressed the selection committee of the Tate Modern.

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