A pollinator garden and public greenhouse are among the new features coming to the San Antonio Botanical Garden (SABG). Last June, SABG announced Reed Hilderbrand, SO – IL, and others would renovate the 38-acre campus. This month, Reed Hilderbrand shared renderings that visualize the longterm, $8.3 million strategic masterplan. The masterplan, Reed Hilderbrand said, will further position SABG as an educational and cultural hub for the city. It introduces new access programs aimed at underserved parts of San Antonio, and is informed by lengthy community input sessions. Other envisioned features include the Texas Native Trail’s renewal, representing the three ecological regions of Texas. The masterplan prioritizes improving circulation and accessibility. (Courtesy SABG and Reed Hilderbrand) SO – IL is designing a new Horticultural Campus and Public Greenhouse for the site. In renderings, these structures have translucent roofs and rounded, conical massings that echo that of the Emilio Ambasz–designed Lucile Halsell Conservatory. “We have loved working with the full-hearted community of the Garden to set this new vision together,” Beka Sturges, Reed Hilderbrand principal, said in a statement. “Appealing to the senses and spirit, our plan opens up the horticultural campus for education and enlivens the center of the garden with an immersive pollinator meadow. We’re welcoming more people from across San Antonio to a future centered on conservation.”Shading structures and tree canopies will help provide comfort in the warmest months. (Courtesy SABG and Reed Hilderbrand) Today, pathways within SABG are often disjointed and hard to navigate, creating a confusing visitor experience. The design, Reed Hilderbrand added, prioritizes pedestrian circulation. The reimagined pathways will offer moments of pause and comfort, framed by “ribbons of gardens.” Carefully graded routes will eliminate stairs, ensuring accessibility for those with mobility limitations. Shade structures, tree canopies, and rest stations will be interspersed throughout the campus; this will be especially appreciated during midday heat. Local residents will have access to community gardens. (Courtesy SABG and Reed Hilderbrand) The masterplan considers the longterm maintenance of the gardens and grounds. (Courtesy SABG and Reed Hilderbrand) “We are working hard to create a future where conservation and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do,” noted Katherine Trumble, SABG president and CEO. “Our programs are designed to help individuals and communities reduce their environmental impact while enriching their lives through nature.” The contribution by SO – IL arrives as the office engages in another prominent landscape project further afield, a pavilion at Art Omi in Chatham, New York. Other collaborators include consultants that will address economic, sustainability, grounds management, and engineering needs: James Lima Planning & Design, Thornton Tomasetti, Tim Marshall/ETM Associates, and San Antonio’s Pape Dawson. The strategic masterplan is slated for completion in the next 10–15 years.