The Cross Creek Ranch acreage was worn-down pasture land when Trendmaker Homes bought the ranch, located about 30 miles west of Houston. The curves of the land’s natural creek had been straightened, the grass was pounded by cattle and the property was barren, without trees. Sediment filled the creek, which no longer supported wildlife. SWA devised a plan to restore the land, make it consistent with native vegetation and make the community a showplace for sustainability and sound ecology. 3200-acre Cross Creek changes the way housing developments are designed using the environment as key inspiration and sustainable landscape as a central focus. SWA’s planning concepts created a consistent identity for the project with an internal roadway network and the expansion of an existing waterway to help organize and maintain distinct neighborhoods. The water systems provide natural filtration services for the entire ranch, cleaning wastewater for reuse in irrigation. SWA’s full green design included re-forestation, establishment of wildlife habitat, water quality enhancement, an emphasis on native species and low-maintenance planting regimens. SWA created a natural system through planning and landscape architecture that will preserve the natural environment while fostering economic and community growth.
The Cannery
The Cannery is a new pedestrian-friendly neighborhood in the City of Davis that exemplifies the most current and best practices of sustainable community design. Drawing from the agricultural roots of the adjacent landscape, the development emphasizes wellness through the establishment of a comprehensive open-space and recreational system and locally produced f...
Tata Eco City
At the crossroads of ecology and community, this master plan synergizes a unique blend of spaces that support active lifestyles and foster innovation and creativity. Tata Eco City Master Plan was been developed layer by layer, using a set of strategic design interventions to help ensure that the delicate balance between nature and the built environment is prot...
Mountain House
SWA provided comprehensive master planning services for a new 4,700-acre community located near the foothills of California’s San Joaquin Valley. Envisioned as a sustainable, “smart growth” town located on less productive agricultural land, the community is designed to provide an internal balance of jobs and housing to mitigate traffic impacts. Working for the...
Hunter's Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point
Perched on the edge of San Francisco Bay, the Hunters Point Shipyard was an important naval manufacturing center for the WWI and WWII war efforts. The abandoned shipyard and Candlestick Point were combined into a new, mixed-use residential, retail and light industry development—the largest in San Francisco since WWII. Thomas Balsley Associates collaborated wit...