UTSA students shed fresh perspective on city's future
By Elena Tucker The Boerne Star
May 19 2008

As Boerne's central planning develops a full head of steam, fuel for creative thought is coming in from an unexpected source — UTSA architecture students.

Boerne's public library was recently the venue for an exposé put together by bachelor and master level students who've spent enormous amounts of time and energy envisioning the town center's potential future. "It's awesome," said Ben Adam, Boerne architect and RUDAT member. "These kids have great ideas, they really do. These guys are uninhibited because they're young. They haven't been involved in local politics. They don't know what's sacred and what's not. So all of a sudden here's a chance to do something where there aren't any boundaries. The reality is, since they're not being paid any money, the rules are free." Various members of the team and the public at large circulated through the library's meeting room examining the scope and minutiae of student plans and discussing with them their many ideas and innovations. The UTSA exhibit was the culmination of a process that began with the need for legwork preparatory to June's upcoming RUDAT meetings, explained City Planner, Paul Barwick. A great deal of baseline work was required.

"'Where are the sidewalks?'" Barwick said. "'Where are the streets?' 'Where are the areas that we want to preserve?' 'Where are the natural resources?'"

Because Boerne has only three persons on its planning staff, Barwick contacted UTSA architecture professor Mark Blizard for help.

"UTSA has students available," Barwick said. "They're always looking for projects for students to get involved with real life."

But student participation turned in to much more than just objective mapping and on-site research. In the process of their work they were incorporated into the creative planning, something that, professor Blizard said, is fairly uncommon.

"So far, none of this is normal for a RUDAT process." He said. "Putting (university students) to work for it, so far as I know, has never been done."

Not only has student participation provided a big man-hour boost, but their creative infusion is invaluable, according to those in charge.

"We just need to bring in some fresh ideas," Barwick said, "and you can leverage that with local college students. They get real-world application and learn some good theory and we get this fabulous end product." Seeing Boerne through the eyes of another age group is of great importance, Barwick added, to the extent that high school students will be pulled into the RUDAT process as well.

"They open us up to being aware that there's probably something out there besides the typical limestone building with a metal roof," Adam said.

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