Hengqin Island, located in Zhuhai, China, is embedded within a unique and beautiful landscape, and is currently being developed for urban growth throughout the region. Taking cues from the surrounding site, SWA’s master plan intends to capture the essence of the place, and pay homage to its most fundamental landscape elements: the sea, valley, and mountains. SWA takes its inspiration for their plan from these natural landscape elements and uses them as a framework for the development and growth of the island. Henquin’s ultimate goal for the master plan seeks to define a unique environment, focusing on the relationship between water and landscape, and preserves the natural beauty of the site. A saltwater estuary, previously filled between the two islands, is re-introduced in the plan as the physical framework for new urban growth. Waterways ebb and flow through mixed-use neighborhoods, and link to the natural freshwater drainage from the mountains, while smaller neighborhood islands are created that serve to fulfill specific roles, including a multi-modal transportation and shopping center. SWA’s design seamlessly connects water, land, and the larger cultural context of the site to create an ecologically sensitive and aesthetically invigorating island that will serve as an incubator for urban growth throughout the region well into the future.
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park
Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park has been heralded as Tampa’s missing “here” and the crown jewel in the city’s Riverwalk, a bold urban plan conceived to reactivate the Hillsboro River and downtown Tampa. The master plan sets the park as the district’s focal point, positioning the Riverwalk, museums, and park buildings to the park and the waterfront. The plan...
North Bund Riverside
North Bund Riverside Park, located on a prominent 2.1 km waterfront along Shanghai’s Huangpu River, is the first project of its kind in Shanghai to address contiguous waterfront open space. The goal of the associated international competition was to find innovative solutions to transform a post-industrial waterfront with historic elements into a viable active ...
SIPG Harbor City Parks
This new riverfront development is located on the Yangtze River in the Baoshan District of Shanghai. This area boasts some of the highest shipping activity in the world. However, in recent years this single-function industrial zone has given way, allowing for waterfront parks to develop. Within this historically layered water front the Baoshan Park and Open Sp...
Xinyang Suo River
SWA recently completed a master plan for a 36 km length of the Xingyang Suo River located in Xinyang, China. Located on a site at the confluence of an elaborate network of waterways, the River has served as a transportation system for the movement of goods, services and people between Xingyang, Beijing and the coastal cities to the Southeast. This has transfor...