Golf courses are among the most water-intensive and ecologically destructive landscapes in the world. A typical 150-acre site might exhaust over 200 million gallons annually – demolishing habitat in its wake.
At Exploration Green, SWA partnered with a local water authority to transform a defunct 178-acre course into its opposite: a monumental detention pond capable of storing over half a billion gallons of stormwater, hemmed with 39 acres of constructed wetlands and a meandering trail system.
Since the opening of its first phase, the park has served both as Houston’s critical flood risk reduction infrastructure and a popular nature destination where visitors can watch migratory warblers dart through an emerging canopy of bald cypress, sweet gum, and other native trees.
During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the site prevented floodwaters from reaching over 150 homes in the adjacent communities of Clear Lake and Bay Knoll; once all phases are complete, it will protect an estimated 3,000.
A range of seasonal programs like prairie planting, sunset yoga, light shows, educational tours, and more have also made it a civic centerpiece for Southeast Harris County, drawing a dedicated body of regular volunteers and patrons year-round, from local Cub Scouts troops to Texas Master Naturalists.
Learn more about how Exploration Green doubles as flood infrastructure in this Houston Public Media podcast
Cross Creek Ranch
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 re...
High Island Audubon Canopy Walk
High Island, Texas, a salt dome mound amidst the Gulf Coast flats, has been an active site for oil extraction over the past century. Today, it is primarily known as an international birding destination, with an outstanding variety of migratory birds that visit and nest in the nature sanctuaries managed by the Houston Audubon Society. SWA worked with HAS to dev...
Shenzhen Bay
Situated just across the bay from Hong Kong, the city of Shenzhen has transformed from a small fishing town of 30,000 to a booming city of over 10 million people in 40 years – and has grown over 200 times its original size since 1980. Along the way, the character of Shenzhen’s bayfront was radically altered. Over 65 km2 of marsh and shallow bay were filled to ...
Bray's Bayou
Stretching 35 miles from the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel westward through residential, commercial and institutional developments, Brays Bayou is one of the most important waterways in Harris County, and a critical link in the area’s watershed. The $450-million project was first established in the early 2000s, with the goal of mitigatin...