Bishop’s Lodge Resort is a 66-acre parcel situated along valleys and ridges in the high New Mexican desert, four miles from downtown Santa Fe, known for its history, natural beauty, outdoor activities, and isolated location. The core of the resort is composed of a number of individual lodge-style buildings, along with the historically significant 150+-year-old Lamy Chapel. SWA’s renovation includes remodeling the resort’s buildings and the addition of 20 new units. The site is complex, consisting of ridges, valleys, floodplains, and thickets of natural vegetation.
Before renovation, this beloved destination had suffered the decline of its usable exterior spaces, failing hardscape, patchwork grading solutions, and numerous drainage issues. The renovation included preserving and maximizing native vegetated areas and linking exterior functional spaces to their surrounding context. New landscape also incorporates drought-resistant native species, reducing the resort’s need for irrigation – which is supplemented by water harvested from the roofs. Permeable pavement will be used for hardscape areas.
Mukul
The memorable landscape architectural designs at Mukul highlight the native features of the site, as well as the rich horticultural diversity found in the Pacific Region. Connecting the built environment to the land is achieved by minimal disruption to the site and preserving its native flora and the site’s many geologic features. Landscape solutions repair di...
Hotel Higashiyama
At the Northern end of Kyoto, Japan’s cultural capital, a 100-year-old elementary school sat vacant for years at one of the city’s three Edo-era entrances—in feudal times, a rest stop for weary travelers. Vacant for years, the school was transformed into a dual-purpose property, its central building functioning as a boutique hotel with sweeping views of the Hi...
La Cantera
Perched atop one of the highest points in San Antonio, this luxury resort was designed around its unique views of the city and its own golf course. SWA’s renovation of this striking hotel’s landscape included terracing down over 10 feet of the San Saba courtyard, expanding the resort’s many hospitality venues. Within San Saba, guests are invited to explo...
Elephant and Moon Resort
Set within the quiet valley neighboring Moganshan (Mount Mogan), the 247-acre Elephant and Moon Resort unfolds as both a retreat and conference center—an immersive landscape shaped by the client’s ethos, “A passion for the outdoors.” At the heart of the site, a traditional mulberry dyke fishpond anchors the master plan, embodying a cyclical agricultural system...