"San Antonio architect Ted Flato's bold, classically modern designs reveal deep roots in Texas...

I had been on the ground in San Antonio for maybe a day when I heard the story that Tommy Lee Jones had allegedly–allegedly–introduced his architect and fellow Texan Ted Flato with the sentence: “Ted Flato builds the best damn barns in the country…”

"The highest accolades given by the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects — the honor awards — went to Lake|Flato Architects and Overland Partners Architects.

The awards were presented at a dinner and ceremony at the Pearl Stable.

Lake|Flato received honor awards for both the headquarters of the Livestrong Foundation, the Austin-based cancer charity founded by Lance Armstrong, and the Story Pool Pavilion in Center Point, a private residence."

We're happy to announce that Lake|Flato recently accepted three awards at this year's Builder's Choice Awards in Washington D.C., including 'Project of the Year' for Porch House. LC Ranch and Hacienda JaJa were Grand Award winners.

12 of 257 entries were selected for the 2011 Texas Society of Architects Design Awards on May 20. Out of those 12 awards, L|F won 5 awards (listed below). Jurors were David Salmela, FAIA, Steve Dumez, FAIA, and James S. Russell, FAIA.

• Arizona State University Polytechnic Academic Building
• Armstrong Oil & Gas Heaquarters
• Brown Residence
• Cutting Horse Ranch
• Full Goods

The terms “high-end home design” and “prefabrication” don't often go together, but Lake|Flato Architects is trying the mix with a modular house.

The San Antonio-based firm — better known for its modern residences and for snagging the American Institute of Architects' coveted Architecture Firm Award in 2004 — is launching a new subsidiary company, Lake|Flato Porch House, to offer factory-built homes certified under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

Armstrong Oil & Gas and LIVESTRONG Foundation featured in the San Antonio Express-News. "Despite the challenges, reusing old buildings for new purposes, called adaptive reuse, is a hot trend in development and architecture for a number of reasons: It's green, it's urban and it's often affordable…"

HemisView Village Apartments were selected as the winner of the 2011 Downtown's Best Awards for best residential multi- family project.

Hotel San Jose and Hotel Havana have 'allure and spice' according to the New York Times. The article profiles client Liz Lambert who is given praise for her exceptional taste in design as well as her efforts at quirkier things like perfecting hand-chipped-iced margaritas.

This article describes Hotel San Jose as "a balance of brand and place that hoteliers dream of achieving" and lists Lake | Flato as a "celebrated hometown architecture firm."

Armstrong Oil & Gas continues to win recognition, this time with a prestigious Honor Award from The American Institute of Architects for Interior Architecture.

"This adaptive re-use of an early-1900’s industrial machine shop with a rich and colorful history launches a new identity for an established local business in lower downtown Denver. Charged with bringing new life to an underutilized building, the design team planned the enclosed program around existing elements in place and created generous, sophisticated spaces filled with daylight, natural ventilation and views to the Denver skyline. Maintaining the existing shell and structure of the building eliminated tons of waste from local landfills while preserving a venerable building that contributes to the historic nature of its context."

In collaboration with Bothwell Davis George Architects.

Lake|Flato Architects has been honored in the 2010 Cooper-Hewitt National Design Awards, which recognizes excellence, innovation and enhancement of our quality of life through design in a variety of fields. The San Antonio-based firm is best known for creating architecture that reflects the unique region, climate and culture in which each project is based, was named a finalist in the Architectural Design category.

“This year’s honorees reflect the design climate of the times,” said Bill Moggridge, Cooper-Hewitt Director. “We are in an era that demands public commitment and work that strives for change and the responsible use of resources. The public impact of the daily work of the nominees demonstrates the far-reaching effect of design innovation in every sector.”

Founded in 1984 by David Lake, FAIA, and Ted Flato, FAIA, Lake|Flato’s architecture is tactile, modern and artfully crafted, as well as highly sustainable and energy efficient. “We are truly honored by this recognition,” said David Lake. “It’s particularly meaningful for us because we embrace authenticity and sustainability in everything we do as a firm.” Adds Ted Flato, “We are very fortunate to have such an outstanding team of architects that have contributed to making the firm what it is today.”

Lake|Flato Architects was honored with 4 awards at this year’s AIA San Antonio Design Awards banquet. LC Ranch and Cutting Horse Ranch were awarded the highest accolades- the Honor Award. The Brown Residence was honored with a Merit Award, and the Miller Porch House was awarded a Citation Award.

The American Planning Association recognized San Antonio's newly renovated Main Plaza as one of the “Great Public Spaces in the United States.” In two separate efforts, Lake|Flato collaborated with SWA Group to redesign the historic Main Plaza and the adjacent Portal San Fernando. The renovated spaces create lively pedestrian orientated public space that connects San Antonio’s historic San Fernando Cathedral, County Courthouse and City Hall to the San Antonio River. “The American Planning Association’s flagship program celebrates places of exemplary character, quality, and planning.” The ten public spaces recognized embody a “true sense of place, cultural and historical interest, community involvement, and a vision for tomorrow.”

Five new interactive fountains are located in the center of the Plaza, helping create a serene and cool atmosphere — and a fun place for kids to play. Small vignettes of San Antonio's history are scattered throughout the plaza in 30 artistic pavers, each telling a historically accurate story about the plaza through quotes and drawings. The redesign closed two north-south streets allowing the pedestrian park space to connect to the adjacent historic buildings while also preserving important east-west vehicular traffic.

Former Mayor Phil Hardberger remarked: "The plaza is truly the heart of our city. This restoration will transform what had become an afterthought in the middle of a busy city into a peaceful, relaxing oasis where today's generations can pay tribute to our past."

Armstrong Oil & Gas is featured on Architectural Record's web site.

The modern vernacular buildings of Lake|Flato Architects combine ingenuity and craftmanship with new technologies.  Hear our very own Mr. Flato share the firm's work and design philosophy at this year's (okay 2010's) Spotlight on Design on February 2 in DC. Spotlight on Design is an ongoing lecture series featuring architects and designers of distinction from around the world. Since its inception in 1997, the series has presented many of the world's premier design voices in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design.  Past Speakers include Pritzker Prize Laureates Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid, and Rem Koolhaas; American Institute of Architects' Gold Medalists Antoine Predock, Santiago Calatrava, and Frank Gehry; and the American Society of Landscape Architects' Medal recipients Richard Haag and Joseph E. Brown.

Lake|Flato Architects picked up two Honor Awards, the highest given by AIA San Antonio, for the company’s design of Armstrong Oil & Gas’ offices in Denver and for the University Polytechnic Campus at Arizona State University in Mesa, AZ. Lake|Flato swept the Merit Awards with the Pearl Brewery’s Full Goods Building and Il Sogno restaurant, as well as the Wyatt Retreat.

The City of San Antonio was awarded an International Dowtown Association's Award of Distinction for Main Plaza. The heart of the City Redevelopment Project recieved the association's award in the Public Spaces category out of 77 award submissions.

Lake|Flato projects have been presented with two national education design awards at the AIA Convention: AIA CAE Educational Facility Awards for Francis Parker School and Arizona State University Polytechnic. Congratulations to all those who worked on these projects.

Best Adaptive Use – Full Goods Building at the Historic Pearl Brewery

Formally known as the “Full Goods Warehouse Building,” this addition to the original structure helped serve to consolidate all shipments out of the brewery. Now a 67,000-sqaure-foot mixed-use office, retail, restaurant and residential complex, with a multitude of inhabitants, the projects boasts an urban aesthetic that compliments the nourishing environment. As a “learning laboratory” for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship, the Full Goods Building is a component of the Pearl’s commitment to adaptive reuse and authentic re-purpose and organically inspires abundant opportunities to learn, discover and contribute.

Best Public-Private Partnership – Private – Solar Panel Installation at the Historic Pearl Brewery

As a public/private partnership between CPS Energy and Pearl Brewery owner Silver Ventures, this solar panel installation atop the Full Goods building has established San Antonio as a leader in solar energy generation in Texas. The $1.35 million project, funded with $950,000 from Silver Ventures and $400,000 from CPS Energy, now generates approximately one quarter of the building’s energy needs. The project aims to educate and demonstrate how to best make a solar energy program work in an economically viable way.

Best Construction Restoration – Smokestack at the Historic Pearl Brewery

Best New Retail – Melissa Guerra Culinary Store at the Historic Pearl Brewery

Check out the "Our Home" page in the "About Us" section of the Lance Armstrong Foundation's web site. See photos, learn why they moved where they moved, get information about the environmental friendliness of their new building, and more. There's even a shout out for the architects! (Guess who?)

For those that are keeping count, this is Lake|Flato's FOURTH Top Ten Green project in three years! The World Birding Center and School of Nursing won in 2006, followed by Government Canyon in 2007.

From theMarch issue of Texas Monthly..."A tour of our greatest architectural masterpieces -- from the Alamo to the World Birding Center..." by Michael Ennis

#10 World Birding Center "...sustainability is rapidly becoming to this century what functionalism was to the last...the best designs of this century will be machines that use far less energy and fewer resources. The World Birding Center completes a circle for Texas architecture, proving that looking back doesn't preclude moving forward with creative panache."