Beijing Xingfa Cement Plant Quarry, founded in the early 1990s, was an exposed scar of rocks between the Great Wall and Yanqi Lake. The site was reconsidered as a picturesque rural park in relationship with the adjacent cement plant, which also underwent revitalization. Established around the region’s culture, research, and technology-oriented outlook, the design focuses on the potential to host a variety of outdoor culture and art events. With a sunken water space and an elevated rock space, the park’s mood ranges from meditative to otherworldly. Carefully considered cliff stabilization, rock reuse, industrial accessory reuse, water collection, and planting strategies allow the park to become an incubator of ecology, culture, and art, reversing a history of negative landscape intervention.
The project’s initial phase encompassed a hiking trail to establish an initial image of the project. Reused quarry rocks and carefully considered natural water management methods portrayed a highly ecological integrated landscape. A hilltop pavilion provides phenomenal views, setting an industrial memory with corten steels and strengthened design languages.
Elk Grove Civic Center
SWA’s design for this community resource improves upon part of a 56-acre master plan with a civic center campus set within a beautiful park, and an added public outdoor commons. The pedestrian-friendly commons weaves new buildings together with mature trees and an outdoor living space linking together a community center, an aquatics center, and a future librar...
Nickerson Gardens Playground
Originally designed in 1955 by architect Paul Revere Williams, Nickerson Gardens is a 1,066-unit apartment complex in Watts, South Los Angeles — the largest social housing project west of the Mississippi. Core to Williams’ vision was an emphasis on shared open space, but its central playground, neglected for years, fell into a state of disrepair. In collaborat...
Polliwog Park
Originally built in the 1970s, Polliwog Park is a high-use neighborhood amenity that provides active recreation and play facilities to local families. The original playground was replaced in 2003 but required a full update in 2020 to account for routine flooding. SWA’s design allows the park to remain an active community feature year-round.
In addition ...
Shekou Promenade
A gateway for China’s open-door policy, Shekou has revitalized its fragmented and hazardous coastline into a dynamic six-kilometer promenade that masterfully captures the area’s cultural and natural essence.
The promenade repurposes the disconnected former industrial waterfront into a celebrated open space system with new recreation programs...