While the beaches of Santa Monica are arguably one of the most iconic landscapes in Southern California, the trails running through them are less well known. Among those is the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, which runs from Mexico to Oregon and is commonly referred to as “The Strand” by locals. In recent years, The Strand bike trail had become congested and dangerous for visitors and recreational users who were crowding the concrete sidewalk at varying speeds. SWA, along with team members KPFF and Alta Design and Planning, provided a design update to this valuable recreational amenity so that all types of users can experience the space safely. Recognizing that this community amenity has a wide range of stakeholders, the design team, with the support of the City of Santa Monica, conducted community outreach to remain transparent about the process. SWA also provided support through exhibit production and by conducting interviews and open houses.
Culver City Medians
The Culver Boulevard Median Park has worn many hats over time, from railroad right-of-way to freeway on-ramp to bike and pedestrian conveyance. Today the Median Park is being asked to do more. Introducing below-grade stormwater management, SWA is working with the community to finesse an intricate network of stormwater, biodiversity, traffic, and program. The p...
Guangming OCT Trail
With its grand landscape views, Guangming Trail is both a green, healthy “slow circulation” system in an urban area, and an exemplar of innovation and sustainability. The trail’s topography changes as it progresses through mountains, valleys, hills, and farms. By considering vegetation, habitats, hydrology, and topography, sites with high value and potential w...
Buffalo Bayou Smith to Travis Streets Trail Segment
This effort in Downtown Houston extends the Buffalo Bayou trail system eastward with the Smith to Travis Trail, connecting two historically significant sites: Sesquicentennial Park and Allen’s Landing, where the city was founded. It is a technically challenging segment located twenty feet below street level that traverses under multiple roadway bridges crossin...
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...