Civic Park Design Named for ASLA Honor Award

September 9, 2026
Awards, Latest News, News

An aerial view of The Springs and The Promenade shows central features of the landscape design of Civic Park at Hemisfair. Image courtesy HPARC.

Hemisfair’s Civic Park has been selected for an Honor Award to be presented at the 2026 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) conference. Civic Park is one of only 10 projects recognized in the General Design category from hundreds of submissions throughout the United States and world. This 8.1-acre park in the heart of downtown San Antonio received this award for its excellence in landscape architecture and how Civic Park has shaped the community. Notably, the project also was recognized internationally with the Large Urban Parks Award (North America) from World Urban Parks last week.

Civic Park at Hemisfair has become a vibrant, multi-generational urban oasis that reconnects the city to its public spaces. The integration of topography, water features, and programmatic flexibility—particularly the Springs and Promenade—effectively balances ecological stewardship, play, and large-scale events.

– ASLA 2026 Awards Jury

Alamo Architects congratulates our longtime collaborators, Seattle landscape architects GGN, on this prestigious recognition for their design of Civic Park. Their vision and leadership in shaping this new centerpiece of our downtown landscape steered the project toward an elegant set of solutions. As author of the urban design guidelines, Alamo Architects is proud to have contributed to the park’s authentic connection to the urban center, and to strengthening its economic sustainability through a P3 model that will increase land values and, critically, fund maintenance of the park in perpetuity.

“Hemisfair is all about building connections to the amazing regional landscape, the city’s unique fabric, and most of all to the lives of San Antonians,” said David Malda, Design Principal at GGN. “Civic Park is a key piece of the larger urban transformation of a former World’s Fair site into a more livable and welcoming place.”

The landscape plan for Civic Park at Hemisfair consists of five areas: The Great Lawn for relaxing and events; The Promenade, a place for an evening stroll connecting Civic Park to the surrounding cityscape and the two other parks in Hemisfair; and The Springs, a place to cool down on a hot day. In 2025, the The Zocalo, the Park’s urban plaza and informal stage; and Source Plaza, where the Park and City intersect – were completed.