Campsite at Shield Ranch

Located just south of Rocky Creek on the historic 6,800-acre Shield Ranch, the Campsite at Shield Ranch is a net-zero, 100% off-grid, sustainably constructed nature immersion camp. The incredible ecological sensitivity of the site within the Barton Creek watershed - it is protected under a conservation easement that strictly governs development - informed the ground-truthing process to locate all elements to protect the habitat, limestone geology, existing stormwater processes, and native vegetation. The design includes a mile of trails, wooden pedestrian bridges, a new parking area, eleven screened sleeping shelters, and an open-air pavilion wrapped in natural cedar stays that is accessible via a pedestrian bridge floating within the tree canopy. All elements are tucked within the mature hillside woodlands and open meadow heightening the immersive Texas Hill Country experience. The campsite serves El Ranchito, an ecological summer camp for 4th through 12th graders, and provides year-round nature programming for the larger community.

LOCATION

Dripping Springs, Texas

SIZE

14 Acres

YEAR COMPLETE

2022

PROJECT TEAM

Andersson Wise, Regenerative Environmental Design, WGI, Architectural Engineers Collaborative, Hill & Wilkinson, Asterisk Design

AWARDS

2025 American Architecture Award; AN's 2023 Best of Design Award in Commercial-Hospitality; 2022 Austin Green Award; 2022 SITES Gold