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 population growth has caused this important cultural and business district to lose much of the luster that once characterized Cairo’s importance on the world stage. SWA’s plan uses the rich cultural, historic and natural features that remain to create a framework for revitalizing this important district resulting in a new business, tourist and residential center for Egypt’s growing middle class. While the Khedive’s plan for Cairo is laid out along European lines, the details of our Plan are based upon, and interpret the life style of the modern Egyptians that will inhabit the Khedive’s Cairo.
Rather than furnishing streets with Eurocentric rows of street trees, the plan calls for the use of “micro parks” to provide respite from the frenzy of Downtown Cairo and create a green matrix of usable open space that is imbedded into the fabric of the street. The “micro park” can take on a variety of forms but will typically be a raised garden or paved space of 30 to 50 square meters, which contains a cluster of broad canopy shade trees or an architectural trellis. Micro parks were created to specifically embrace the authentic way that Caireans use the street, and address the realities of maintaining stately rows of street trees in such an urban setting.
Wuhan East Lake Greenway
PHASE 1: Wuhan, known as the land of one thousand lakes, is one of the most ancient cities in China, and is the third largest technological and education center in China, only behind Beijing and Shanghai. Now home to over 8 million people, Wuhan has become the dominant transportation hub in Central China and holds the distinguished role of capital of Hubei Pro...
San Diego Embarcadero
The redevelopment plan for the waterfront and port facilities adjacent to downtown San Diego included translating community and economic requirements into a specific planning program. Emphasis was placed on urban design, circulation and parking, landscaping, environmental planning, and engineering considerations with a set of comprehensive implementation guide...
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...
Nanhu New Country Village
China’s rapid urbanization over the past several decades has radically diminished its agricultural landscapes and labor force, focusing instead on industrial and technological advancements. The Nanhu New Country Village brings a contemporary approach to integrating agriculture and residences in a village setting, enhancing existing rural character, and improvi...