12
TERMINALS  
July | August 2026      AirportImprovement.com
SAT
“A sense of place is hard to define for San Antonio,” O’Krongley 
acknowledges. “We have so many options that could define us.”
Outsiders often single out the Alamo, the downtown River Walk 
or the Spurs professional basketball team. Many locals, however, 
cite home-grown artists and the city’s vibrant food scene that 
ranges from Savor, a Culinary Institute of America restaurant, to 
Schilo’s, a German-American deli that’s been slicing cold cuts 
since 1917. If they’re not your style, Tex-Mex eateries are nearly 
as omnipresent as Whataburger locations. (The popular fast-food 
chain was born in Corpus Christi, TX, but moved its headquarters 
to San Antonio in 2009.)
On another front, San Antonio has trademarked the moniker 
“Military City USA” in recognition of Joint Base San Antonio, 
which is comprised of the U.S. Army’s Fort Sam Houston, 
Randolph Air Force Base and Lackland Air Force Base. The latter 
is where every U.S. Air Force recruit undergoes basic military 
training, and is also home to the TSA Canine Training Center.
With so many local highlights that could be referenced, the 
design team ultimately chose to emphasize the colors, materials 
and landscapes that reflect San Antonio’s connections with 
nature—from its many rivers and linear parks to the nearby Texas 
Hill Country. 
“We spend a lot of time outside, so we 
brought that into the design,” says O’Krongley, 
himself a sixth-generation San Antonian.
With that inspiration in mind, Terminal C 
will feature a sizable “paseo” between the 
curbside and building entrances designed to 
evoke the city’s River Walk. Airport leaders 
hope the outdoor park area becomes a 
popular dwelling point because its plants, 
materials and colors are what travelers will see 
around the region.  
Finishing details in the Terminal A ground 
loading facility will also portray local 
authenticity and natural elements. A mural 
titled Rise Up, by local artist Kim Bishop, 
references artesian springs, including the city’s 
famous “Blue Hole.” 
The new artwork is scheduled to be 
installed in July. 
For further local flavor, Trupiano and 
the team at Corgan worked closely with 
Lake Flato Architects, a hometown firm 
that O’Krongley says “knows San Antonio 
backwards and forwards.” 
Joseph Benjamin, a 
partner with Lake Flato, 
says SAT is effectively 
the city’s front door, so 
his colleagues worked 
diligently to ensure that 
the airport makes the 
right impressions on 
travelers. Airport and city 
leaders made it clear they want an airport that 
lets guests know they are in San Antonio, and 
the current terminals don’t really achieve that, 
he adds. 
Design inspiration came from all corners of 
the city, including historic missions that feature 
timber wood ceilings built over stacks of 
caliche stone. The strategy was to reflect San 
Antonio’s past while also portraying its future. 
Terminal C, in turn, will feature mass timber 
We get it. One vendor, one procurement,  
zero hassle. But let’s face it… a single contract 
gets you a single point of view. 
Doesn’t your program  
deserve better?
Owner advocates, 
ORAT experts.
chrysalisaviation.aero
JOSEPH BENJAMIN

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