The new the Hangzhou Alipay Headquarters is located between the Xi Xi wetlands and downtown Hangzhou, a city renowned for its rich culture and beautiful landscapes. Hills and small mountains surround the headquarters building in three directions, and in the fourth lies downtown Hangzhou. Three landscape “movements” derived from openings in the building direct people to the central open space area, where they converge. Using traditional Chinese garden principles, plants on the site are arranged according to landforms, with locally sourced stone pavers giving way to soft planting areas with an emphasis on central gateways. Both active and passive water features enliven the site, creating opportunities for interaction or tranquil enjoyment of the mountain views. Whether viewed from outside the building or experienced within it, the landscape integrates the richness of its natural surroundings into its open spaces.
Work by SWA/Balsley Principal Gerdo Aquino on behalf of SWA
Progressive Design Center
This corporate campus is sited in a natural woodland, punctuated with ravines, dry streambeds, and the companion beech and birch stands found in this area. The facility’s size, one million square feet, is deconstructed into smaller programmatic components that are expressed in two linear building forms connected by enclosed walkways at two locations and divide...
Marinaside Crescent
SWA provided urban design and overall conceptual landscape architectural design for this mixed-use project including condominium buildings with shops, restaurants and storefronts at street level, a waterfront promenade, a marina, parks and inner building courtyards, and pedestrian-oriented pathways linking the Marinaside Crescent Road and surrounding streets. ...
Osaka World Trade Center
The World Trade Center Building, also known as Cosmos Tower, is the centerpiece of Cosmos City, a mixed-use development along Osaka’s harborfront. The tower’s base is dedicated to public spaces, including a major retail center that, together with the adjoining Asian Trading Center, attracts visitors, office workers and shoppers. The public open spaces consist ...
Suzhou Center
The Suzhou Center is a landmark urban space within the Suzhou Central Business District that embodies the spirit of the city of Suzhou as a gateway for intersecting old and new cultural and historic heritage. The successful combination of high density development and ecological conservation will allow for Suzhou to transition to a garden city where the state-o...