This ten-acre mixed-use development with parks, plazas, and retail will become the center of social and retail activity in downtown Flushing. Driven mostly by an influx of immigrants from East Asia, Flushing is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse neighborhoods in the US. Abuzz with shopping and socializing at all hours of the day and evening, its streets and public realm have become overtaxed with this newfound success. At its center, a huge oversized municipal parking garage stands as an impediment to smart urban development, and will be replaced with Flushing Commons. From its large green central park and animated fountain plaza, a series of important pedestrian thoroughfares provide strong connective links to the area’s retail streets and nearby heritage sites.
One Uptown
Bringing a singular landscape design expression to a site featuring two buildings designed by different architects, the SWA/Balsley team worked to seamlessly integrate a variety of outdoor spaces to accommodate the mixed-use One Uptown. At the ground level, tree-lined streetscapes and bike lanes lead visitors to a coworking and dining courtyard along Burnet Ro...
Brentwood Town Centre
Following SWA’s development of a 2013 master plan for a new town center adjacent to the existing Brentwood Shopping Mall, the firm was enlisted to design the project’s public realm and expand its role as an integrated, sustainable, urban community. With key connectivity to main vehicular arteries and a high-speed train line, the new development functions as a ...
Guiyang CBD
In the heart of Guizhou province lies China’s Forest City: Guiyang. Nestled on the banks of the Nanming River, today’s Guiyang is a vibrant metropolis poised to play a significant role in the rapid development of inland China. The Nanming Riverfront Cultural Central Business District Master Plan, led by SOM, leverages this potential and proposes Guiyang as the...
Busan Lotte Tower
Busan Lotte World is an extraordinary mixed-use destination for residential, office, hotel, shopping, entertainment, and tourism and includes one of the tallest buildings in the world at 107 stories. The SOM designed tower is composed of four buildings that connect to each other internally via a covered arcade.
The landscape strikes a dramatic pose in t...