In San Antonio's historic Pearl District, a new luxury apartment building designed by local architect Don McDonald in collaboration with Dallas-based Three: Living Architecture integrates old with new in a concept that pulls in elements of the site's original brewery with fresh, local craftsmanship.
The 10-story mid-rise, dubbed Cellars, evokes a Spanish "refined-ranch" aesthetic, featuring a palette of native stone, mission tile, reclaimed brick, and hardwood longleaf pine floors salvaged in Indianola, Texas.
“The architecture of Cellars evolved from the unique combination of cultural identities that inform San Antonio’s history: American industrial wed with 19th-century German neoclassicism, Hispanic exuberance, and refined French sensibilities,” says McDonald. “The design philosophy continues to the interior spaces, [which] function as a repository for local craftsmen, artists, and authors. Furnishings were designed and crafted regionally, a library contains books on regional history, and the art and sculptures were done by local contemporary artists.”
In addition to concierge-curated services, a rooftop pool, a spa, and two fully equipped kitchens, residents also enjoy access to amenities at the site's adjacent, award-winning property the Hotel Emma.
Local curator Alice Carrington Foultz and her team commissioned site-specific works by local artists to display in the building's public spaces and worked with The Witte Museum to research and re-create historic maps of San Antonio, which are installed in Cellars' conference room.
“Cellars' art collection is an exploration of the cultures and themes that have formed our unique San Antonio ethos,” says Foultz. “This ethos is influenced by our local flora and fauna, historic architecture, Mexican and German heritage, and urban growth. These themes have been captured in a variety of mediums, including stone and woodcarvings, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and textiles.”
Cellars' 122 apartments range in size from 650-square-foot one-bedrooms to three-bedrooms, including penthouses, that measure up to 3,986 square feet. Rents start at $1,830 a month.
