Essence of Texas Hill Country Captured by ForrestPerkins

Photography by Barbara Kraft

Resort’s stone palette reflects Texas Hill Country

By Jennifer Adams

 

Set just outside of downtown San Antonio in the rolling Texas Hill Country, the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa is a reflection of its surrounding environment. Featuring an extensive stone palette throughout its interior and exterior areas, the hospitality establishment was built in a hacienda-style design. The materials employed for the resort and spa were chosen for their rich colors and various textures, which together create a warm and inviting atmosphere for guests.“The design goal or story, if you will, was to capture the essence of the Hill Country in a way that is true to Texans,” explained Mendy Huddleston Winkler, Vice President of ForrestPerkins in Dallas, TX. “We wanted it to appear correct for the location — not necessarily what people who are not from Texas think of Texas Hill Country. We describe it as a ‘transitional and clean Texas Hill Country’ design. We utilized a wide variety of materials and textures to create pattern and depth in the design elements. There is only one Texas Star on the whole property, which is made of a variety of limestone and sits in the transition between the hotel and conference center. This was purposeful, as to avoid an overabundance of stars which would have resulted in a kitschy feel.”Winkler went on to explain that at the start of the process, key words such as “hacienda,” “healing waters,” “strategic views” and “authentic roots” were used to assist in conceptualizing the design of the resort. “As we were striving to create an authentic Texas Hill Country experience and a sense of place, one of the biggest challenges we encountered was the sheer scale of the project,” she said. “This is the largest JW Marriott resort in the world, and the vast spaces naturally required appropriately scaled furnishings and finishes. With a property so large, it sometimes presents a problem to obtain enough of the desired stone, wood and metal with approved consistency.”HKS — headquartered in Dallas, TX — was the Architect of Record for the new resort and spa, and responsible for the exterior stonework. An extensive amount of Lueders limestone was employed for the exterior design — creating a rustic yet elegant appeal.

The limestone pieces, which were all custom cut, adorn everything from the porte cochere to the outdoor patios and pool cabanas. The golden tones of the stone — combined with the textured surface — create a glowing rich aesthetic and warm inviting feel for guests.

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http://www.stoneworld.com/articles/86709-resorts-stone-palette-reflects-texas-hill-country-