The Contemporary Austin began working on a Master Plan for Laguna Gloria in 2014, the goal of which was to envision a landscape that expressed Laguna Gloria’s unique cultural and ecological stories as a venue for making and experiencing art, aligning the site to The Contemporary Austin’s mission & vision.
After the completion of the Master Plan in 2015, the design team was tasked with designing and constructing enhancements to the visitor experience and orientation, while recognizing the historic nature of the site. These elements, making up what is known as the Arrival Garden, include a new parking scheme, fence, pedestrian and vehicular entry gates, visitor services and retail buildings, and a shade structure over the new entry, as well as the renovation of the existing Gatehouse to provide formal visitor restrooms and updated office space.
Benz Resource Group was hired after the completion of the Master Plan to manage the Phase 1 improvements at the Arrival Garden seen as a catalyst for the larger landscape-driven project. BRG is working closely with The Contemporary Austin to negotiate contracts, establish budgets, and manage the work flow through construction.