Armenia has set an initiative to increase global tourism and develop a site within its capital city with majestic views of Mount Ararat, where Noah’s Ark is purported to have landed. SWA developed a strategic plan based on several principles derived from the existing context of the site: first, to capitalize its proximity to important landmarks that allow for visual and physical links; second, to position land use strategically; third, to reference “Noah” with a museum plaza; fourth, to leverage graded topography for walkability and strategically hidden parking; fifth, to create an internal pedestrian loop; and lastly, to reference historical orchards throughout the site. The resulting vision creates a dynamic mixed-use public realm engaged in dining, entertainment, arts, and history within districts that represent the various cultural regions of Armenia.
NOAH is an integrated district that is viewed as a reverent destination and draws on the rich traditions of Armenian culture to preserve, celebrate, and promote the spirit of the Armenian people.
Hennepin Avenue
Hennepin Avenue is the oldest street in Downtown Minneapolis, and has gone through multiple transformations over time. The street is undergoing a major reconstruction, and SWA is leading the effort to enhance the character of Hennepin for years to come. The conceptual approach was developed through a robust public engagement process, and touches on the three m...
Downtown Cairo Planning & Revitalization
The Khedive’s Cairo is often referred to as the heart of modern Cairo. Laid out by Ismail Pacha in the late 19th century, the Khedive’s Cairo was a physical manifestation of the governmental and societal evolution that the Khedive envisioned for Egypt. Like many American and European cities, time and intense pressures of popul...
Downtown Jebel Ali Landscape Master Plan, UAE
Downtown Jebel Ali is a new development located 35 kilometers southwest of Dubai, along an 11 km stretch of Sheikh Zayed Road. Representing the first phase of a major mixed-use development on the outskirts of Dubai, the project includes two high-rise office buildings and two high-rise apartment buildings with access to Sheik Zayed Road. Mixed-use buildings and...
Walmart Home Office
As Walmart evolves in response to a changing workforce and focus on sustainability, the company’s new Home Office campus in Bentonville captures these values over 350 acres—both a blueprint for ecologically sensitive campus design and a renewed anchor at its origin in the Ozarks. More than a headquarters, the campus is a major regional investment for Northwest...