Katy Trail represents a remarkable resource for the residents of the Dallas Fort Worth region. This project enlivens and makes accessible right-of-way established by the storied, but later abandoned, Missouri-Kansas-Texas (better known as the “Katy”) line, and serves as a unifying element for the surrounding neighborhoods. Katy Trail provides approximately 3.5 miles of intercity bicycle and pedestrian trail, resulting in a transportation and recreational corridor for jogging, passive nature interpretation and walking. The trail links approximately 20 neighborhood areas to the Central Business District, the American Airlines Center and Southern Methodist University. Active integration of legacy establishments and involvement with the neighboring communities were part of an ongoing process that enhanced the project’s success.
Nickerson Gardens Playground
Originally designed in 1955 by architect Paul Revere Williams, Nickerson Gardens is a 1,066-unit apartment complex in Watts, South Los Angeles — the largest social housing project west of the Mississippi. Core to Williams’ vision was an emphasis on shared open space, but its central playground, neglected for years, fell into a state of disrepair. In collaborat...
Bensonhurst Park
Bensonhurst Park is part of the larger Shore Parkway, an 816.1-acre collection of parks that stretches across Brooklyn and Queens. Today, the site provides a series of pathways, passive seating areas, recreational fields and a playground.
SWA/Balsley created a master plan for the redesign of the north end of the park and final design and construction doc...
Haden Park
Tucked into a corner of Houston’s Spring Branch district, Haden Park has been reimagined as a shaded, amenity-rich landscape shaped by over a decade of community input. The transformation of the 12-acre site, long overlooked despite its central location, unifies the fragmented layout into a connected civic space, introducing a forest-themed play area, a dog pa...
Jeddah Central District
For many Muslims making the holy pilgrimage to Makkah, the journey begins in Jeddah. Recognizing the resource strain from religious tourism, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan outlined the need to address the city’s mounting concerns surrounding housing, mobility, and flooding.
SWA’s Central District master plan introduces 58,000 new acco...