50 years in the making, East Blocks envisions a new mixed-use neighborhood spanning 10 blocks of EaDo near Downtown Houston—building. Located within an already diverse, eclectic, and walkable arts and entertainment district, the design celebrates the neighborhood’s history as an industrial hub.
East Blocks will be developed in a multiphase process over several years, beginning with a first phase of nearly half a million square feet, including a series of interconnected green spaces, retail and restaurant space, flexible office space, and more. Its first tenants include the existing 8th Wonder Brewery and Pitch 25.
Together with Gensler, SWA’s Houston studio has been working with the client and consultant team since 2022, developing an overarching landscape strategy for East Blocks that draws inspiration from the neighborhood’s industrial character, weaving together repurposed infrastructure and a native planting palette into a contemporary public landscape that feels authentically EaDo.
The existing promenade will be transformed into a flexibly programmed civic space that can accommodate picnics, farmer’s markets, fitness classes, children’s events, and more. The design improves district-wide mobility, bridging into bike and pedestrian paths that run from EaDo throughout the East End District.
Houston Resilience Hub Network Master Plan
The Houston Resilience Hub Network Master Plan aims to mitigate the disproportionate impact of disasters on vulnerable communities by establishing a network of strategically located facilities. These hubs offer vital resources and support during routine operations, emergencies, and recovery phases.
The network comprises four interconnected components: H...
Lewis Avenue
In a city renowned for fantasy, the design of Las Vegas’ Lewis Avenue celebrates the local desert landscape and affirms the street as part of a real-world working district. It was one of the first projects to be implemented in Mayor Oscar B. Goodman’s 2000 Las Vegas Downtown Centennial Plan, aimed at revitalizing the historic downtown core. The City asked SWA,...
Qatar Public Realm
SWA’s set of illustrative Design Guidelines promotes a public realm that is a relaxed manifestation of the Qatari vernacular landscape, and serve to maintain the locale’s cultural integrity. Unique among the fast-growing areas of the Gulf region, Doha’s landscape reflects a balance of cultural imp...
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...