Santa Gertrudis School-Element 1: Tower

Based upon the movement of a diamond back rattle snake, the King Ranch "Running W" brand is given a most prominent position as a floor inlay at the center point of the tower. Considered the most well-known of all cattle brands, the "Running W" is recognized as an icon of the American cattle industry. As such it was granted by the King Ranch as the official insignia for the school and is located in key positions throughout the school.



Graphic Images in the Tower
The large black and white photographs by Toni Frissell are hung in the tower at the entry portals to the academic wings. The enlarged photographs are from Life magazine and secured from the archives of the Library of Congress. Life magazine featured the ranch in it publication on numerous occasions beginning in 1940's depicting various aspects of work and life of the ranch. The photographer is noted as one the great American woman photographers of the Twentieth Century, alongside such photographers as Margret Bourke-White.


Borrowing from traditional and local materials and styles, the walls of the tower are stucco in appearance and wall openings are given a baroque scroll bracket detail. The walls are in turn are painted in naturalistic colors and finish indigenous to the region.


Wood and wood grain are selectively used in the tower, including the plank of the floor and ceiling of the tower. LVT (luxury vinyl tile) wood grain was used due its natural appearance, durability and low-maintenance, which are desirable features for a school.


The tower is located at the intersecting point of a ‘T' which bisects the school in two directions. The long leg of the ‘T' begins at the entry of the school. From the long leg one can view through the expanse of arched windows in the tower into the courtyard where a multiple-tiered water fountain is given a most prominent location. Along the short arms of the ‘T' are the two academic wings of the school that flank tower.



Tower as Landmark
The tower acts as the "heart" of the school due to its vertical prominence and location in the layout of the school. As a metaphor, the tower marks itself as a lantern and a gathering feature for the school, offering a sense of security to the students of the school. From a long distance the tower can be seen and recognized as a landmark in the horizon.