As one of the largest U.S. cities, Houston’s sprawling, car-centric infrastructure is underpinned by a vast arterial system of over 2,500 miles of bayous—an untapped ecological feature that could redefine urban life.
Recognizing this potential, the Houston Parks Board worked alongside SWA to develop a visionary plan for nine central bayous as an interconnected park system, bringing 60% of Houstonians within 1.5 miles of green space.
The network was reimagined as a 3,000-acre greenway and blueway system linking neighborhoods with multimodal trails and restored habitat. Named Bayou Greenways, the master plan represented a shift in Houston’s approach to designing with water—framing it as a civic asset rather than a source of risk. The framework identifies opportunities to enhance ecosystem performance while reducing flood impacts on adjacent neighborhoods, carving out space for direct water access and alternate modes of transit.
The monumental task required a decade-long collaboration between the Houston Parks Board, City of Houston, Harris County Flood Control District, and numerous stakeholders. Beyond recreation, the Bayou Greenways initiative embodies a broader vision for living in Houston—prioritizing health, resilience, equitable access to open space, and authentic connectivity to the city’s natural heritage.
Thousand Lantern Lake Park System
Nanhai Citizen’s Plaza and Thousand Lantern Lake Park exemplifies the exciting and innovative opportunities for master planning and urban design in new international communities. The site is located in the newly established city of Nanhai, and consists of a commercial precinct, public parks, and civic buildings arranged around a series of lakes and waterways. ...
Guangming OCT Trail
With its grand landscape views, Guangming Trail is both a green, healthy “slow circulation” system in an urban area, and an exemplar of innovation and sustainability. The trail’s topography changes as it progresses through mountains, valleys, hills, and farms. By considering vegetation, habitats, hydrology, and topography, sites with high value and potential w...
Hermann Park
Hermann Park is one of Houston’s great civic resources containing a significant urban forest and many public venues. It is the flagship of the Houston Park system, serving the recreation needs of the City’s diverse population of some four million and welcoming over six million visitors a year. However, like many urban parks in America, much of Hermann Park has...
Resonant Memory: One October Memorial
Inspired by the shared love of country music that brought people from all over the world together for the Route 91 Music Festival, Resonant Memory is based on the shape of an acoustic guitar. The design makes particular use of the instrument’s sound hole as a recurring motif to represent absence, honoring the lives lost on October 1, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada...