For architects David Lake and Ted Flato, an early-career decision to move to San Antonio set the stage for not just shaping their work but also receiving the highest honor in U.S. architecture.
It’s the first time in the award’s 117-year history that the Gold Medal has gone to an architect based in San Antonio, much less two. About two dozen firms applied for the 2024 award, which starts with a process of elimination and several rounds of judging. The final requirement was the biggest challenge: a 10-minute video with a limit of 40 photos.
Heather Woofter, dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, lauded the pair for their impact on the field in sustainable design. That’s where the San Antonio Report caught up with Lake and Flato on a recent afternoon to talk about architecture and their work, and the prominent role the city has played in shaping their work.
The “father of modern regionalism” and a counterpoint to the post-modernism trend of that era, Ford provided a kind of graduate school experience for the young architects. Ford taught Lake and Flato about San Antonio’s deep architectural legacy. “That’s the beauty of being in San Antonio” versus other cities in Texas, Lake said.
The Dicke Hall at Trinity University, restored and adapted by Lake Flato from buildings originally designed by O’Neil Ford, pays homage to the legacy of Trinity’s architecture and environment.The Dicke Hall at Trinity University, restored and adapted by Lake Flato from buildings originally designed by O’Neil Ford, pays homage to the legacy of Trinity’s architecture and environment.
Don McDonald, a prominent San Antonio architect in his own right, is intrigued by how Lake Flato projects have stood the test of time. “Their first ranch houses were quietly rooted in the Texas landscape and got the attention of the architectural community on day one,” he said. And their buildings are simply smart: “They were sustainable before it was fashionable and continue to be at the forefront of developing and integrating cutting-edge technology.”Scott Ball / San Antonio ReportThe Soto Building, mid-construction, was designed by Lake Flato.The downtown skyline with the addition of Canopy by Hilton, a new upscale hotel that features a departure from traditional San Antonio architecture, was designed by Lake Flato.