The University of North Texas (UNT) envisioned a transformative greenfield campus in Frisco to support the region’s rapid growth and diverse economic needs. The site’s challenges, including topographical variation, stormwater management, and integration with natural and urban contexts, required a master plan that fostered innovation and sustainability while creating a vibrant sense of place.
The plan capitalized on the site’s natural ridge by introducing the Ridge Mall, a central spine that organizes campus zones, provides panoramic views, and establishes a clear spatial hierarchy. Detention and retention ponds manage runoff and enhance aesthetics, connecting directly to Panther Creek’s watershed and reinforcing ecological stewardship. A network of trails and pathways links campus zones and connects to Frisco’s future city park and the Fields HQ mixed-use development, fostering collaboration and accessibility.
The plan integrates native vegetation, existing water bodies, and topographical highlights to minimize environmental impact, while stormwater systems serve as both functional infrastructure and educational tools. A pedestrian-focused approach reduces vehicle reliance, creating a healthier, more connected environment. The Ridge Mall, Bell Tower, and amphitheaters establish a distinct identity, while the phased expansion plan ensures adaptability to future needs while maintaining architectural cohesion.
University of Houston Law Center
The University of Houston Law Center, established in 1947, has earned national recognition, with three of its programs ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report. Despite these academic accolades, the original Law Center building faced significant challenges due to its location and design. Situated in Houston’s low-lying coastal prairie ecoregion...
Soka University
When Japan-based Soka Gakkai International, one of the world’s largest lay Buddhist organizations, decided to establish a fully accredited liberal arts university in southern Orange County, SWA joined with the architects to create a setting that expresses the goals of the new university. Soka means “to create value” and the ideal of Soka education is to foster...
Stanford Hoover Institution Traitel Building
The Hoover Institution at Stanford University is a public policy research organization promoting principles of individual, economic, and political freedom. CAW and SWA collaborated as a design team to create a building and site that helped promote research collaboration through open site connections and workspace.
SWA focused on a site design that exten...
CREATE Campus, National University of Singapore
CREATE, the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, is an international research campus and innovation hub at the National University of Singapore. Home to a vibrant scientific community, CREATE hosts the National Research Foundation, interdisciplinary research centers from top universities, and corporate laboratories such as the Singapore...