Ruby City is a striking example to the power of architecture to inspire and engage a community. This 14,000-square-foot contemporary art center, located in San Antonio, Texas, serves as a dedicated space for the city’s creative community to experience works from both local and internationally acclaimed artists. Envisioned in 2007 by the late philanthropist and artist Linda Pace, Ruby City was designed to house Pace’s collection of more than 800 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, installations, and video pieces.
Ruby City Technical Information
- Architects1-11: Adjaye Associates
- Location: 150 Camp Street, San Antonio, Texas 78204, USA
- Area: 1,300 m2 | 14,000 Sq. Ft.
- Project Year: 2007-2019
- Photographs: © Dror Baldinger, © Mark Menjivar
The exterior form consists of a ‘heavier’ top with sloping soffits, emphasizing its upward lift, topped with two crowning lanterns that create an animated roofline. The lanterns, in turn, bring natural light into gallery spaces, when desired, and coupled with the two lenses facing Chris Park and San Pedro Creek, respectively, reintroduce views back to the exterior and San Antonio at large.
– Adjaye Associates
Ruby City Photographs
Architectural Concept and Form
Designed by renowned architect Sir David Adjaye, the building is part of a growing cultural campus that includes Chris Park, a serene public green space named in memory of Pace’s son, and Studio, an auxiliary exhibition venue. Ruby City’s completion marks a significant moment in San Antonio’s cultural and architectural landscape, providing a physical and symbolic home for the arts.
Ruby City is as much a work of art as the pieces it houses. Adjaye’s design centers on the concept of an ambulatory loop, encouraging visitors to journey seamlessly through the building. This loop starts at the ground level, winds through the independent gallery spaces, and culminates with a return to the lobby and outdoor plaza. The design fosters an intuitive flow, blending discovery with a sense of unity.
The building’s exterior is a bold declaration of materiality and symbolism. Its angular form is clad in precast concrete panels fabricated in Mexico City, imbued with rich red hues. The base of the structure features a polished finish, inviting touch and interaction, while the upper portions are rough and encrusted with fragments of red glass, creating a tactile contrast. This duality—smooth at the human scale and rough above—suggests a dialogue between accessibility and raw creativity, making the building itself a sensory experience.
Two lantern-like structures crown the roof, animating the skyline while bringing natural light into the gallery spaces below. These lanterns, along with strategically placed windows, reconnect visitors with the surrounding cityscape, including views of Chris Park and San Pedro Creek. This interplay of light and perspective reinforces the building’s connection to its context.
Key Design Features and Spaces
Lobby:
The lobby embodies the continuity of material and color that defines Ruby City. The ruby-red plaza outside flows seamlessly into the lobby, creating a visual and physical connection between interior and exterior. The polished red concrete floor, ground to reveal its aggregate texture, contrasts with a reception desk crafted from roughly cut Lueders limestone, accented with blackened metal. This juxtaposition of finishes highlights the tactile richness of the space.
Sculpture Garden:
The sculpture garden is more than an outdoor extension; it is a carefully curated environment in its own right. Defined by an oval-shaped walking path of decomposed granite, the garden features a central mounded green lawn flanked by a crushed basalt field. Regional materials root the design in its local context, while the placement of artworks by Nancy Rubins and Marina Abramovic elevates the garden’s status as a formalized art space. The perimeter walls, constructed from red acid-washed precast concrete, frame the garden with a sense of enclosure and intimacy.
The Jewel Box:
Perhaps the most intimate space within Ruby City is the Jewel Box, a hidden room accessed through Jorge Pardo-designed doors. This space is clad in locally sourced Long Leaf Pine, creating a warm and textured environment. A large window frames a view of the sculpture garden, offering a moment of contemplation while highlighting the red concrete walls outside. The Jewel Box embodies a balance of privacy and openness, inviting visitors to pause and reflect.
Ruby City Critique and Conclusion
Ruby City is a triumph of architecture’s ability to merge bold materiality with intimate human experience. Adjaye’s design successfully balances the building’s iconic presence with its role as a functional and welcoming space for the arts. The interplay between the rough and smooth textures, the bold red hues, and the carefully choreographed lighting exemplifies a thoughtful approach to architectural storytelling.
The building’s integration with art and nature is particularly compelling. The dialogue between the sculpture garden, the gallery spaces, and the surrounding cityscape creates a holistic experience that elevates Ruby City beyond a mere exhibition space. It becomes a cultural landmark that reflects the vision and legacy of Linda Pace while anchoring itself firmly in the fabric of San Antonio.
As an architectural work, Ruby City achieves timelessness. Its bold yet thoughtful design ensures that it will remain a source of inspiration for years to come. Adjaye’s vision, realized with the collaboration of local and international experts, is a testament to the transformative power of architecture as a medium for cultural expression. Ruby City is not just a home for art; it is itself a masterpiece.
Ruby City Plans
Ruby City Image Gallery
About Adjaye Associates
Sir David Adjaye OBE is a globally acclaimed Ghanaian-British architect known for his innovative and culturally resonant designs. Born in 1966 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Adjaye is the founder and principal of Adjaye Associates, established in 2000. His work spans continents and typologies, blending a deep sensitivity to cultural heritage with modernist principles. Notable projects include the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., the UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, and Ruby City in San Antonio, Texas. Adjaye’s designs are celebrated for their poetic integration of form, material, and context, often addressing social and historical narratives. He has been recognized with numerous awards, including a knighthood in 2017 for his contributions to architecture.
Notes & Additional Credits
- Design Architect: Adjaye Associates
- Architect of Record: Alamo Architects
- Landscape Architect: Madrone Landscape
- Structural Engineer: Guy Nordenson and Associates
- Mechanical Engineer: WSP
- Lighting Consultant: Tillotson Design Associates
- Façade Consultant: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
- Project Manager: Norton Company
- Cost Consultant: Whiting-Turner
- Client: Linda Pace Foundation
- Construction Cost: $16 million
