Next C Water City is a new, fully self-contained sustainable city planned for 500,000 residents. Water was central to the Next C planning concept, supplied by two adjacent rivers and monsoon rains. The city is a system of wetlands, rivers, lakes, and canals, cleansing the water from up-river communities and managing floods during the monsoon season. Working with SOM’s urban design team, Thomas Balsley Associates strategized an open space plan that consisted of seven primary landscape typologies: Central Parks, Civic Squares, Urban Promenades, Water Edge Parks, Canal Parks, Neighborhood Parks, and Wetland Parks filtering and polishing poor quality water from the Chaobai River prior to discharging into the new city’s extensive waterways and eventually into the Yongding River. Each open space typology collectively provides green links throughout the city, and open space programming relates directly to adjacent land uses. Parks along waterways were designed with each season’s environmental extremes in mind, from dry to flooded, creating unique parks for every season.
Hicks Mountain Ranch
Hicks Mountain Ranch is a 900-acre sustainable ranching operation in West Marin County. The watershed, which includes grassland, wetland, and riparian habitats had been impacted by decades of grazing. In addition to developing a home on the property, plans were instituted to restore the ecosystem and mitigate the impacts of development. In addition to undertak...
3Roots
A transformed mining site in Mira Mesa, 3Roots captures San Diego’s innovative spirit, drive, and natural beauty. SWA’s work began with the master plan, including 1,800 new homes, 160,000 square feet of commercial, retail, and office spaces, a five-acre mobility hub, and over 250 acres of parks and open space. The landscape blends the region’s mining her...
Cross Creek Ranch
As urban areas expand, degraded lands robbed of natural resilience and biodiversity often lie in development’s path—presenting both challenges and opportunities. The Flewellen Creek Restoration project transforms a derelict 130-acre ranching ditch into a vibrant 3-mile ecosystem, anchoring the new 3,200-acre Cross Creek Ranch community.
Rooted in ...
The Summit
Offering iconic views of the East River and Chrysler Building, residents can find serenity without sacrificing convenience in East Midtown’s The Summit. The tower’s “public face” is set back from the street, where a circular motor court establishes an elevated and elegant tone as residents arrive at the project. The ground level includes a reflecti...