Prior to construction of this Brays Bayou feature, road and rail infrastructure had conspired with the waterway to sever connectivity between parks and surrounding neighborhoods. The Mason Park Pedestrian Bridge, part of a larger effort including trails, seating plazas, lighting, and planting, connects the north and south parts of the City of Houston’s Mason Park. The bridge provides important pedestrian connectivity between the two park areas, as well as a return crossing for cyclists using the lower Brays Bayou trail system. Essentially, the bridge allows cyclists to ride down one side of the bayou and back up the other.
This signature bridge is a cable-stayed, truss-decked structure designed in three spans to accommodate the width of the bayou. Despite several design and planning constraints, the bridge is integrated seamlessly into existing park features and plantings.
Buffalo Bayou Park
This thoroughly renovated, 160-acre public space deploys a vigorous agenda of urban ecological services and improved pedestrian accessibility, with two new bridges connecting surrounding neighborhoods. The design utilizes channel stabilization techniques, enhancing the bayou’s natural meanders and offering increased resiliency against floodwaters while preserv...
Tianjin Eco-City
The vision for Tianjin Eco-City is of a socially harmonious, environmentally friendly, and resource-efficient model for sustainable development. The new city encompasses two flagship civic projects: the National Maritime Museum and the surrounding South Bay Park. South Bay Park is the project’s central green infrastructure, but also provides a significant outd...
Thousand Oaks Urban Forestry Master Plan
While residents and businesses are clearly proud of the City of Thousand Oaks’ two-decade-long “Tree City USA” designation, recent drought conditions created an urgent need for the City to decrease grassy landscapes and update maintenance practices. As a key part of these efforts, the City selected SWA, along with team partners Planning & Energy/Entitlemen...
Sanshan Hillside Park
Sanshan New Town, a fast-rising urban development in Foshan City’s Nanhai District, is full of hope and vitality. In the New Town’s center lies Sanshan Hillside Park, composed of three hills known respectively as Big Pine Forest, Central Hill, and Liangangwei Hill. This area is envisioned to become an “urban forest” park with diverse programs and distinctive f...