50 years in the making, East Blocks envisions a new mixed-use neighborhood spanning 10 blocks of EaDo near Downtown Houston—building. Located within an already diverse, eclectic, and walkable arts and entertainment district, the design celebrates the neighborhood’s history as an industrial hub.
East Blocks will be developed in a multiphase process over several years, beginning with a first phase of nearly half a million square feet, including a series of interconnected green spaces, retail and restaurant space, flexible office space, and more. Its first tenants include the existing 8th Wonder Brewery and Pitch 25.
Together with Gensler, SWA’s Houston studio has been working with the client and consultant team since 2022, developing an overarching landscape strategy for East Blocks that draws inspiration from the neighborhood’s industrial character, weaving together repurposed infrastructure and a native planting palette into a contemporary public landscape that feels authentically EaDo.
The existing promenade will be transformed into a flexibly programmed civic space that can accommodate picnics, farmer’s markets, fitness classes, children’s events, and more. The design improves district-wide mobility, bridging into bike and pedestrian paths that run from EaDo throughout the East End District.
Wuhan East Lake Greenway
PHASE 1: Wuhan, known as the land of one thousand lakes, is one of the most ancient cities in China, and is the third largest technological and education center in China, only behind Beijing and Shanghai. Now home to over 8 million people, Wuhan has become the dominant transportation hub in Central China and holds the distinguished role of capital of Hubei Pro...
NOAH Ethnographic Village
Armenia has set an initiative to increase global tourism and develop a site within its capital city with majestic views of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark is purported to have landed. SWA developed a strategic plan based on several principles derived from the existing context of the site: first, to capitalize its proximity to important landmarks that allow for ...
The Landscapes of Wuhai
The Inner Mongolian city of Wuhai is transforming from focusing on coal mining as its main industry to tourism. This very special place has many different, striking landscape types located within just 1666 sq. kilometers: sand dunes, mountains, and wetlands, plus adjacency to the Yellow River. Consequently, the city has decided to boost its tourism. Already pl...
Shunde New City
The Pearl River Delta is the second largest bird migration delta and estuary in Southeast Asia. Preserving and restoring bird and wildlife corridors while also providing regional connectivity, transportation, and development options is at the pinnacle of today’s development challenges. In the Shunde New City Plan, urban development and nature are integra...