Nestled between two hills in Shenzhen’s Luohu District, Honggang Park is a green corridor bringing over 80 acres of open space through the city’s dense fabric. Celebrating the site’s stark topography, SWA’s design carefully threads hiking trails along the slopes to minimize ecological disturbance, with stairs providing shortcuts along switchbacks. Altogether, the plan adds or preserves over 5,000 trees.
At either end of the park, sweeping views of the city and mountains can be seen from elevated plazas, with irrigation and security systems discreetly tucked out of view. At the eastern terminus, a “hillside lounge” incorporates sky bridges with a 360-degree lookout terrace from which visitors can see the King Building, KK100 skyscraper, and clusters of new high-rises. At the western end, a multi-tiered, all-weather viewing platform offers views of the surrounding peaks, including Weiling and Yinhu Mountains, and the lush canopy swathing the surrounding park. Outfitted with broad overhanging eaves and spacious wood decks, the platform is configured for flexible, cross-season uses—from fitness and recreation to secluded cultural programs and daily activity.
Embracing the park’s elevation and infrastructure constraints while balancing its dual roles as a high-traffic public park and nature preserve, Honggang Park supports the rapidly growing population of Luohu while offering a sense of retreat and natural immersion.
Fernwood Avenue Park
The Fernwood Avenue Park represents a significant opportunity for the city to enhance the water quality and availability of groundwater for residents, while also offering public amenities. Equipped with four detention basins that capture water onsite and from the street, the project plays an important role in the community as a stormwater infiltration site. Th...
Main Street Garden Park
A key component in the downtown revitalization strategy, Main Street Garden Park required razing two city blocks of buildings and garages to make way for its transformation into a vibrant public space teeming with civic life. This two-acre park fosters downtown residential and commercial growth and was designed to accommodate the needs of residents in adjacent...
The Clearing: Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial
This project was designed to honor the 20 children and six educators who were slain on Dec 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Designers Dan Affleck and Ben Waldo created a competition-winning design for a memorial space which is both open-ended and unifying in how it is experienced, honoring the full spectrum of emotions this tragedy evokes. They wanted...
Tuscany Meadows Park
This neighborhood park renovation was a collaborative effort with the city and neighborhood to create a welcoming space. The new vision sought to make the site more universally accessible and attractive for multi-generational community members. Four new “play rooms” include an outdoor fitness facility, sensory play zones, a n...