ARTFUL DESIGN

In 2021, award-winning local firm Richter Architects of Corpus Christi broke ground on the RCA’s new permanent home. “We had a lot of creative liberty,” said principal architect David Richter, “but there were an established set of needs such as the galleries, studios, the Rockport Conference Center (ROCC) and the sculpture garden.”

David and his wife, Elizabeth Chu Richter, worked to find a way to respect factors including the climate, urban downtown setting, culture and history of Rockport when designing the building. In the end, they created impressive structures that combined coastal elements with a contemporary style.

The use of light and the relationship of the building to Austin Street are among the intangibles that make this structure breathtaking. “Art facilities, by their nature, often capture the north light because it is the

The openness and flow from this design is also evident in the Patricia Bennett Moore Sculpture Garden, an exterior green space featuring sculptures from the Art Center’s permanent collection. It also provides connectivity between the two buildings. “The Sculpture Garden is even accessible outside the center’s regular hours of operation,” said David.

As if the building weren’t already impressive enough, the Richters included an environmental aspect: The north light is low energy, and the building is designed for shaded openings and low heat gain. Because of Rockport’s flat typography, the area tends to flood, so it includes flood control components for safety that are invisible to the casual viewer. More than half of the Sculpture Garden is designed as a stormwater retention outlet. The RCA is one of the first buildings in downtown Rockport designed with these built-in outlets. All of these components achieve a utilitarian purpose without dominating the design.

The Richters are proud of the results, and they credit Aaron Geiser, their project manager, as extremely dedicated to the success of the project, and working diligently to make it happen.