In 2012, when the Children’s Hospital of San Antonio announced board approval of the renovation and expansion of the hospital, it was to be no small undertaking. The Children’s Hospital had been a part of San Antonio for over 50 years, and wanted to ensure that the newly renovated hospital would encompass the values of the community. The world-class freestanding hospital, located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, was projected to be twice the size of the current building with state of the art medical technology, top pediatric medical providers, and great attention to care in all steps of the patient healing process.

In 2016, when the time came to build the facilities new Santa Rosa Chapel to welcome and comfort family, friends, and patients in their times of need, architects Stanley Beaman & Sears wanted to create something indicative of the surrounding community, and that fostered the community’s faith. The architect drew communal inspiration from the San Antonio River in an overlaying theme that came to be known as the Spirit of the River, interlaced aspects of faith through graceful curves meant to emulate angel’s wings, and hands grasped in prayer.

While SBS visually knew what they wanted to create in the Santa Rosa Chapel, framing the dramatic curves in the design would be a structural feat. To overcome the structural obstacles in the design, the general and interior contractors worked closely together with the steel manufacturer to merge models generated in varying engineering software to eventually reach a framing solution. However, SBS not only wanted the chapel and surrounding area to be visually stunning, but also serene and welcoming, a task often hard to accomplish in a large space coupled with hard surfaces.

In order to decrease excessive reverberation within the space, and create a serene environment BASWA Phon sound absorbing plaster was used throughout the chapel and surrounding lobby area. BASWA Phon provided the necessary acoustical absorption for a peaceful environment, while also contributing to the aesthetic of the space. Unique to BASWA Phon panels is the ability to be applied to curves while maintaining a monolithic surface. When asked how BASWA Phon worked within the project, Stanley Beaman & Sears Associate, Godfrey Gaisie, stated, “I am very pleased with how the project turned out. We specified BASWA because of the sturdiness it provided, the smoothness of the finish, and the acoustical properties.”

Through innovative approach in materials and construction, the Santa Rosa Chapel at Children’s Hospital of San Antonio was awarded the prestigious 2017 AWCI Excellence in Construction Quality Award.