SWA prepared a land use and urban design plan for six miles of waterfront adjacent to downtown Long Beach. Through a series of meetings with local community stakeholders, we were able to determine the different needs of each district in the plan: of critical importance was the need to preserve valuable open space inland, and to maintain an ecological corridor for stormwater management along the shoreline. The resulting plan, endorsed by the California Coastal Commission, proposed improved road circulation, a continuous pedestrian boardwalk, marina and commercial development, and a 50-acre shoreline park. In addition to recommendations related to building density and height restrictions to preserve view corridors, SWA proposed several strategies for improving access to the coast from different points within the city. Specifically, we proposed a major new pedestrian spine linking downtown to the bay with provisions for new high-density office and residential development. Following approval of the plan, SWA was hired to perform more detailed studies of downtown development in support of the new convention center arena, performing arts center, Hyatt Regency hotel, and the Shoreline Village. The important recommendations made by SWA are still evident today in the distinct qualities of Long Beach’s downtown and shoreline neighborhoods.
San Diego Embarcadero
The redevelopment plan for the waterfront and port facilities adjacent to downtown San Diego included translating community and economic requirements into a specific planning program. Emphasis was placed on urban design, circulation and parking, landscaping, environmental planning, and engineering considerations with a set of comprehensive implementation guide...
St Johns Riverfront Design Incentive Strategy
As part of a larger effort to establish its downtown as a center for business and culture during a period of unprecedented growth, the City of Jacksonville was in need of a design and investment strategy for its underused waterfront along both banks of the St. Johns River. The design team’s approach entails both a large-scale and a node-based strategy, identif...
Longgang River Blueway System
The Shenzhen Longgang River Blueway System is envisioned to unlock the tremendous land value of this 13-mile-long suburban watershed and galvanize the city’s future growth. SWA’s proposal addresses urbanization issues pertaining to water, the environment, and open space shortage, while also activating industrial and cultural revitalization in the surrounding d...
San Pedro Waterfront Connectivity Plan
Spanning over 460 acres and 8 linear miles of waterfront, the Port of Los Angeles is among the most important pieces of infrastructure in the Western Hemisphere—the largest container port in the U.S., a linchpin for global logistics, and an industrial hub critical to San Pedro and L.A. County at large.
Today, the Port is imagining a more connective, acc...