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.
The Landscapes of Wuhai
The Inner Mongolian city of Wuhai is transforming from focusing on coal mining as its main industry to tourism. This very special place has many different, striking landscape types located within just 1666 sq. kilometers: sand dunes, mountains, and wetlands, plus adjacency to the Yellow River. Consequently, the city has decided to boost its tourism. Already pl...
Nanchang Xiangnan Urban Infill
Situated in the capital city of Jiangxi Province, which is known for its rich cultural and ecological resources, the Nanchang Urban Infill project strives to weave two new districts into the historical heart of the city. To the west, a tower and mall create a modern icon for Nanchang. Here, the landscape reinforces the architectural design through a fluid, con...
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. ...
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...