Opened in June 2020, the Promenade on Forest transformed one of downtown Laguna Beach’s primary streets into a pedestrian-only promenade for the summer. The effort converted a three-block section of the road from a one-way vehicular corridor with angled parking stalls into a car-free zone with cafe seating, work from local artists, and retail display areas. The project supported local businesses impacted by lost revenue associated with COVID-19.
The design introduced seven large decks, with rails made from wooden pallets and painted in a mahogany tone, as well as movable tables and chairs for additional dining space that adhered to social distancing requirements while offering alternate uses for retail display and performances. Additional elements included works by local artists, overhead string lights that provide a warm evening ambience, Adirondack chairs, umbrellas, and boxed Australian willows.
With a design that anticipated quick fabrication and installation, the Promenade on Forest offers a model to help local businesses stitch together social, environmental, and economic community fabric. Public health and safety measures were made visible through directional sidewalk and street arrows for one-way pedestrian traffic, introduction of hand washing stations, additional retail signage in the street, and visible cleaning staff.
Houston Green Loop
With the coming expansion and realignment of the highways around Downtown Houston, SWA identified the opportunity to enact a bold vision: a multi-use branded connectivity system that will leverage the immense reconstruction investment. SWA’s concept creates a continuous pedestrian loop over, under, and around the downtown highway system, thus redirecting the u...
Beijing Finance Street
Awarded after an international competition, the Beijing Finance Center Master Plan creates an international destination in West Beijing. The project, which includes a mix of uses—housing, retail, hotel office, and cultural facilities—is focused in terms of the landscape design of a central park known as “The Heart” of western Beijing. SWA’s w...
Bagby Street Improvement Plan
The Bagby Street Improvements Project brings a complete renovation and transformation of one of Houston’s most important cultural and civic corridors. As the western gateway to downtown, Bagby Street is home to City Hall, the Central Library, major theater and entertainment venues, hotels, and some of Houston’s most significant urban parks.
Utilizing th...
Santana Row
SWA provided full landscape architectural services for the development of a neo-traditional town center near downtown San Jose. The client’s vision called for a variety of design styles to create a town center with an impression of growth over time. This theme is expressed in building elevations as well as landscape design. The restaurants and boutique r...