American firms Lake Flato and Matsys, along with landscape architect Rialto Studio, have designed a riverfront park in southern Texas, with sculptural pavilions that provide shade on sunny days and help collect rainwater during storms.

Confluence Park is located on a bluff overlooking the point where the San Pedro Creek merges with the San Antonio River. Covering three acres (1.2 hectares), the public park encompasses a classroom building, a main pavilion and three smaller pavilions. The park is overseen by the San Antonio River Foundation, which manages the watershed.

"Confluence Park is a living laboratory that allows visitors to gain a greater understanding of the ecotypes of the South Texas region and the function of the San Antonio River watershed," said local architecture firm Lake Flato in a project description. "Throughout the park, visitors learn through observation, engagement and active participation."
Lake Flato said the "idea of confluence" and flowing water heavily informed the park's design, from the patterning in the pavers to the sculpting of the landscape. The firm collaborated with two design firms on the project: Matsys, an interdisciplinary studio in San Francisco; and Rialto Studio, a local landscape architecture practice.

The centrepiece of the park is the main pavilion, which consists of 22 concrete "petals" that form giant archways. The sculptural panels were cast on-site and lifted into place, similar to ...