Kunshan, China, located near Shanghai, has experienced unprecedented population and business growth in recent years which has resulted in environmental degradation and the need for the city to reshape its identity. SWA’s proposal aims to create a new waterfront district providing businesses as well as residents with public amenities and viable open space. The master plan balances development and environmental conservation on the Wusong Riverfront by employing highly detailed infrastructural systems that integrate cutting-edge hydrological design and land planning. The water treatment system acts as the central organizing structure of the site by introducing a sequence of several pools and channels that remove targeted pollutants by settling, filtration, aeration, and bio-processing in alternating oxic and anoxic environments. Existing storm pipe outlets that previously discharged directly into the inner bay are retrofitted, allowing water to pond onsite and flow over land in bio-swales before entering the treatment system or inner bay. SWA’s design also seeks to reconnect the population and river by maximizing the waterfront edge for varying scales and layers of experience. The perimeter of the bay is designed as an open space system with interconnected bicycle and pedestrian paths. Sustainable systems created by the compact master plan create a comfortable outdoor microclimate, encouraging people to use alternative, eco-friendly means of transportation. By designing a comprehensive sustainable network of water-cleansing and climate improving systems, the project exceeds development objectives while creating a new riverfront park for the residents of Kunshan.
Hangzhou Hubin
West Lake in Hangzhou, China, one of the world’s most romantic places and as familiar an icon as the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, has been designated by the United Nations as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites. Seven hundred years later, the city that served ancient emperors as a capitol boasts a population of over three million and is still a...
South Waterfront Greenway
A bold new plan for the area along the Willamette River includes a 1-1/2 mile extension of the City’s downtown’s parks and the reclamation of the river’s edge for public recreation. Working closely with the City of Portland, developers, and natural resource advocates, the design team devised a rational plan that places access and activity in targeted nodes wit...
Longgang River Blueway System
The Shenzhen Longgang River Blueway System is envisioned to unlock the tremendous land value of this 13-mile-long suburban watershed and galvanize the city’s future growth. SWA’s proposal addresses urbanization issues pertaining to water, the environment, and open space shortage, while also activating industrial and cultural revitalization in the surrounding d...
Dubai Creek Harbor
Dubai Creek Harbor is a progressive and innovative new neighborhood that aims to respond to environmental concerns with professional, best-practice measures that will ensure an environment that is healthy, accessible, and environmentally responsible.
The storied history, culture, and nature of Dubai Creek serves as the inspiration for the design of Duba...