The San Francisco public housing projects known as “pings” are widely viewed as successful. Part of this success is a direct result of their ties with the wider Chinatown community: they are comparatively low-crime, and their tenants are well-organized. Composed of four buildings with 434 units, 2,000+ residents, and five acres of landscape, the Pings are a part of a complex web of social, cultural, and historical constructs – but due to a long period of mismanagement, corruption, and wear and tear since the 1950s, they had fallen into disrepair. SWA’s landscape improvements are part of a $64M refurbishment that strategically allocates resources for the greatest impact on residents’ quality-of-life. The design is driven by three key principles: dignity, the sense of home, and an environment that supports shared activity. Unconventional, gardenesque plantings, residential furnishings, and natural materials dramatically shift the space toward these principles and away from a previously “institutional” aesthetic. Spear-pointed entry gates were removed, while the addition of front porches, outdoor living rooms, a playground, and three large community gardens make the landscape a shared amenity and a framework for enabling community.
The Summit
Offering iconic views of the East River and Chrysler Building, residents can find serenity without sacrificing convenience in East Midtown’s The Summit. The tower’s “public face” is set back from the street, where a circular motor court establishes an elevated and elegant tone as residents arrive at the project. The ground level includes a reflecti...
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...
SunCity Takarazuka
Twenty percent of Japan’s population is 65 years or older and the demands for high quality residential communities for seniors is growing. Helping to meet that demand, SunCity Takarazuka is a new continuum of care retirement community in Takarazuka, a suburb of Osaka, Japan. The project, owned and operated by Half Century More Co., Ltd., a leader in Japan’s fa...
The Camellias Garden
The Camellias Garden is inspired by the verdant green gardens of India and the petals of one of Asia’s most beautiful and vibrant native plant species: the camellia flower. These blooms’ flowing curves and lines are interpreted within the Garden’s design, drawing residents of these 16 luxury apartment towers out into the landscape and offering the sense of bei...