Hennepin Avenue is the oldest street in Downtown Minneapolis, and has gone through multiple transformations over time. The street is undergoing a major reconstruction, and SWA is leading the effort to enhance the character of Hennepin for years to come. The conceptual approach was developed through a robust public engagement process, and touches on the three main themes. “Movement” speaks to the multi-modal energy of the Avenue as the new street layout widens its pedestrian realm, accommodates bike traffic with designated bikeways, and introduces a BRT line. “History” is an interpretive component that ensures that the layers of Hennepin’s famed past are celebrated, and “Spectacle” connects with the Theater District, creating a spectacular ambiance day-to-night and throughout the seasons.
In curating urban design and landscape elements, we accounted for seasonal maintenance practices to ensure sustainability of planting material and streetscape finishes.
Dongguan Delta City
The Dongguan District is located at Binhai Bay in China’s Pearl River Delta, strategically situated between Shenzhen’s airport and the city of Guangzhou. An international competition asked for ways to capitalize on the heavy flow of traffic between them while also addressing extreme environmental risks: the World Bank ranks the Pearl River Delta at the top of ...
The Memorial at Harvey Milk Plaza
Harvey Milk Plaza is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro Neighborhood, and hosts one of the city’s busiest transit hubs. The plaza has been the site of countless gatherings and protests, including a candlelight vigil the night of Harvey’s untimely death and the White Night riots, which were sparked by the leniency of the sentence handed down to his ...
Guthrie Green Park
Guthrie Green transforms a 2.6-acre truck yard into a lively urban park in the heart of downtown Tulsa’s emerging arts district. Opened in September 2012, Guthrie Green has become the area’s leading destination, drawing 3,000 plus people weekly to activities that have enriched the urban experience and spurred district-wide revitalization. The high-performance ...
Yuzhu Riverfront Mixed-Use Development
Positioned along the Pearl River, Yuzhu’s landscape is shaped by the layered forces of geography, history, and industrial memory. The Yuzhu Riverfront Mixed-Use Development is organized along a north–south framework: a vibrant commercial and retail core anchors the waterfront, while the southern district is defined by ecological richness and a high-quali...