The new center of contemporary art in the city of San Antonio, in the state of Texas, was conceived by the artist and collector Linda Pace to house her own collection while completing a cultural campus that also features a large park and an auxiliary exhibition space.

The building is configured as a continuous circular walk that ascends, connecting the various independent halls, then descends to the foyer and garden. Along this promenade are three main spaces: the entrance lobby, which blurs the lines between inside and out; the sculpture garden, formed by an oval-shaped path dotted with pieces by artists like Nancy Rubins and Marina Abramovic; and the “Jewel Box,” a room hidden behind doors designed by Jorge Pardo, and where a large window overlooks the garden.

The exterior skin was executed with prefabricated concrete of a distinctive reddish tone, transported from Mexico City. The facade has two textures. The base is even-surfaced, to give passers-by a smooth image, differentiating itself from the rough upper part, which is like a sharp-edged rock, polished by human action. The color range continues in the foyer and strikes a contrast with the white walls of the galleries.