In an era of one-click purchases and next-day deliveries, urban residents yearn for the once-prevalent ambiance of a lively urban environment. Heights Mercantile offers Houston an antidote. Revitalizing two acres in the heart of Houston’s historic Heights neighborhood, this low-rise, mixed-use development preserves the area’s charm while providing a vibrant “third place” to browse, socialize, and unwind.
Boutique stores, chef-driven eateries, and communal green spaces artfully blend along a series of patios, decks, and sycamore-lined walkways. Connected directly to the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, preserved bungalows with modern accents hold 16 first-to-market specialty brands and four destination restaurants – creating a dynamic retail landscape. Shade trees and low-irrigation vegetation weave together the adaptive reuse project, creating a gathering place perfect for weekend farmer’s markets or mid-week happy hours.
Balancing preservation, accessibility, and environmental integration, Heights Mercantile raises the bar for urban living. Its 100% occupancy demonstrates the demand for thoughtful mixed-use spaces that serve as community gathering places. As Houston continues to densify, projects like Heights Mercantile serve as vital centers of activity, drawing people together and fostering a strong sense of place within the urban landscape.
Beijing Finance Street
Awarded after an international competition, the Beijing Finance Center Master Plan creates an international destination in West Beijing. The project, which includes a mix of uses—housing, retail, hotel office, and cultural facilities—is focused in terms of the landscape design of a central park known as “The Heart” of western Beijing. SWA’s w...
East Quarter Mixed-Use
Two neighborhoods that abut the Downtown Dallas Central Business District have been disconnected for years by derelict blocks and buildings. The East Quarter Mixed-Use development establishes a walkable retail, dining, and entertainment connection between the thriving Deep Ellum Farmer’s Market and highly programmed Arts District. The project included the pres...
Kingold Century Centre
This new mixed-use development features a complex program that includes a hotel, rental space for other companies, eateries, service apartments, and retail facilities. SWA’s design challenge was to create a common space that can be enjoyed by the disparate users on-site at any given time. A common plaza includes multiple restaurants on a terraced platform that...
Xiamen Air Headquarters
The Xiamen Airlines campus comprises three large buildings: the corporate headquarters, a business hotel, and a commercial center. To unify the site, the landscape spans across the campus as it transitions to express the distinct character of the various programs and patronage. Lush perimeter terraces adorn the stately Foster + Partners-designed buildings, med...