This new series of buildings for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (MHMR) was designed to sensibly provide for the needs of almost 2,000 mental health patients in the Laredo area.  Simple, one-story structures gather around a series of courtyards that serve as an oasis in a severe environment.  The buildings utilize a familiar palette of regional materials and forms, including multiple colors of stucco, soft Mexican brick walls, stained concrete floors, and continuous porches cooled by ceiling fans.