Golf courses are among the most water-intensive and ecologically destructive landscapes in the world. A typical 150-acre site might exhaust over 200 million gallons annually – demolishing habitat in its wake.
At Exploration Green, SWA partnered with a local water authority to transform a defunct 178-acre course into its opposite: a monumental detention pond capable of storing over half a billion gallons of stormwater, hemmed with 39 acres of constructed wetlands and a meandering trail system.
Since the opening of its first phase, the park has served both as Houston’s critical flood risk reduction infrastructure and a popular nature destination where visitors can watch migratory warblers dart through an emerging canopy of bald cypress, sweet gum, and other native trees.
During Hurricane Harvey in 2017, the site prevented floodwaters from reaching over 150 homes in the adjacent communities of Clear Lake and Bay Knoll; once all phases are complete, it will protect an estimated 3,000.
A range of seasonal programs like prairie planting, sunset yoga, light shows, educational tours, and more have also made it a civic centerpiece for Southeast Harris County, drawing a dedicated body of regular volunteers and patrons year-round, from local Cub Scouts troops to Texas Master Naturalists.
Learn more about how Exploration Green doubles as flood infrastructure in this Houston Public Media podcast
Long Beach Shoreline
SWA prepared a land use and urban design plan for six miles of waterfront adjacent to downtown Long Beach. Through a series of meetings with local community stakeholders, we were able to determine the different needs of each district in the plan: of critical importance was the need to preserve valuable open space inland, and to maintain an ecological corridor ...
Sims Bayou
The story of Sims Bayou is based on a large vision. The project is the first step in implementing a long-range plan for watershed greenbelts in the Houston region, a comprehensive system which addresses the potential for parks, wildlife habitat, and economic real estate revitalization while also controlling flooding. The Sims Bayou project has profoundly chang...
High Island Audubon Canopy Walk
High Island, Texas, a salt dome mound amidst the Gulf Coast flats, has been an active site for oil extraction over the past century. Today, it is primarily known as an international birding destination, with an outstanding variety of migratory birds that visit and nest in the nature sanctuaries managed by the Houston Audubon Society. SWA worked with HAS to dev...
Bray's Bayou
Stretching 35 miles from the mouth of the Houston Ship Channel westward through residential, commercial and institutional developments, Brays Bayou is one of the most important waterways in Harris County, and a critical link in the area’s watershed. The $450-million project was first established in the early 2000s, with the goal of mitigatin...