Situated within Foshan’s emerging art district near the Nanhai Art Center, Poly VITA reimagines high-density residential living by drawing from the spatial traditions of Lingnan water town culture. The design translates the layered, processional quality of classical southern Chinese gardens into a contemporary community landscape, moving residents through a sequence of art-infused spaces from the public edge to the intimate residential core.
A looping trail system doubles as required fire access while connecting exercise stations, contemplative gardens, and children’s play areas throughout the site. Rather than treating safety infrastructure as a constraint, the design integrates it into a continuous recreational path that threads together the community’s activity nodes.
At the heart of the development, a sculptural pavilion inspired by Lingnan tea house architecture anchors a gently bermed amphitheater, offering flexible space for daily use and larger community gatherings. Surrounding gardens draw on regional cultural programs, incorporating native species — Albizia falcataria, Terminalia mantaly, and Sweet Osmanthus — to reinforce a sense of place while mitigating urban heat island effects.
Custom paving patterns reference the Poly brand identity, marking arrival moments at building entries, while a layered lighting program featuring sculptural installations extends the landscape’s utility into the evening hours.
Sonoma Residence
Set amidst a coastal oak grove in Sonoma, this modern residence provides a peaceful retreat for a family and their growing children. Selected for its trees and pond, the site offers a rural escape where the owners can connect with nature. SWA’s design integrates oak grassland, chaparral, and riparian planting over a clean, minimal hardscape. Native meadow gras...
SunCity Tower Kobe
Kobe has a unique geographical context in Japan, with breathtaking views both inland to Mt. Rokko and to the broad expanse of Osaka Bay to the south. The landscape design of SunCity Tower Kobe, a landmark senior community in this newly developed city district, celebrates this environment. The tower is tucked into the northwest corner of the site, setting it aw...
Wuhan Liantou Center
Wuhan Liantou Center is a high-end residential development along the edge of the Yangtze River. Phase One of the project focuses on the display area, which houses the sales office and introduces potential residents to a sequenced, experiential tour of this forthcoming residential retreat.
The landscape design harmoniously integrates with the building’s ...
Ping Yuen Public Housing Renovation
The San Francisco public housing projects known as “pings” are widely viewed as successful. Part of this success is a direct result of their ties with the wider Chinatown community: they are comparatively low-crime, and their tenants are well-organized. Composed of four buildings with 434 units, 2,000+ residents, and five acres of landscape, the Pings are a pa...