Architect and Director of Costa Rica’s Universidad Veritas School of Architecture, Iván Delgado Salazar, visited the San Antonio area on a “three rivers” field tour of sites where he will bring students in August.
Universidad Veritas is a partner with Northwest Vista College’s Geography and Environmental Studies Department in conjunction with the Alamo College District’s Office of International Programs. Funded by our 100,000 Strong in the Americas field study exchange grant. Mr. Delgado visited Confluence Park, the San Antonio River/Olmos Creek from Olmos Park and dam to the museum reach of the San Antonio river walk. This included a visit to the Blue Hole on the campus of the University of the Incarnate Word and to Breckenridge Park.
Additionally, in San Antonio, he visited the Lake|Flato architect’s designed Urban Ecology Center at Hardberger Park and the Tobin Land Bridge that crosses Wurzbach Parkway. He also visited the Pearl urban revitalization site, 1221 Broadway lofts, and the Credit Human LEED certified building, each with significance to environmental architecture.
In New Braunfels, he previewed the Comal River from its headwaters to the artesian springs of Landa Park. In San Marcos he visited aquifer recharge sites in Prospect Park, high and low-density housing subdivisions and the flood control dam on Prospect Creek. The highlight of the field tour was a glass bottom boat excursion on Spring Lake at the Meadow’s Center, headwaters of the San Marcos River. Universidad Veritas students will return in August to snorkel this ecologically important Spring Lake as part of their field study experience.
Dr. Scott Walker guided most of the field site visits and is collaborating with Mr. Delgado on the field study curriculum and itinerary. Meanwhile, Dr. Walker is leading a three-research station excursion to Costa Rica with Environmental Studies students. In Costa Rica they will do a crocodile census, sea turtle capture and measurement, and bat/bird surveys, among other undergraduate research activities.