Drawing from research into the hotel’s creative history and San Antonio’s urban fabric, and social rhythms, we worked with the DLR Group to developed design strategies for interior and exterior that strengthen the hotel’s relationship to both the local and international creative community that would be passing through the hotel’s doors.

Before SCAAA’s intervention, the Gunter’s public spaces felt disconnected from both the energy of downtown and the building’s own storied past. While rich in history, the interiors lacked a clear spatial narrative and offered limited opportunities for guests and locals to overlap. Circulation paths were unclear, programming was siloed, and social activity was constrained to single-purpose rooms. Our collaboration with DLR focused on re-establishing visual, spatial, and programmatic continuity—allowing movement, sightlines, and uses to overlap and encouraging a more dynamic social atmosphere within the hotel.

In the lobby, we restructured the layout to clarify circulation and foreground gathering. Underutilized back-of-house and support functions were consolidated, opening the main floor to flexible seating, informal work zones, and social nodes that accommodate both short stays and extended use. Finishes, lighting, and furnishings were selected to reference the Gunter’s historic character and creative history while introducing contemporary warmth, creating a space that feels distinctly San Antonio without becoming nostalgic or static.

Adjacent bar and lounge areas were reimagined as active extensions of the lobby rather than isolated destinations. By improving visual connections and aligning furniture, lighting, and material palettes, we enabled the spaces to operate independently or as a single social environment depending on time of day and programming. Local materials, textures, and curated artwork ground the interiors in place, reinforcing a sense of authenticity and local identity.

The renovated Gunter Hotel aligns its spaces, operations, and atmosphere with the cultural life of downtown San Antonio. SCAAA and DLR’s design balances respect for history with contemporary hospitality needs—supporting revenue generation through flexible, efficient planning while contributing to the ongoing vitality of one of the city’s most storied urban settings.