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
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...
Intercontinental Hotel
Located in the center of the vibrant Times Square district, this new four-star hotel (one of only three in New York City) serves as the base for well-traveled tourists, businessmen and dignitaries from around the world. As a unique product of the hotel’s branding and place-making strategy, the client asked that the courtyard make a memorable first impression o...
Giant Interactive Headquarters
We collaborated with Morphosis Architects on a new ecological park and living laboratory for Giant Interactive Headquarters, a 45-acre corporate campus in Shanghai, China. The design concept blurs the distinction between the ground plane and the structure, weaving water and wetland habitats together with the folded green roof of the main building design. The s...
Samsung Headquarters
The new headquarters for Samsung SSI, in San Jose, is a bold vision for a campus and a workplace that highlights interaction. The buildings encourage communication and interaction, leading to a synergistic working environment designed to further transform Samsung into a regional leader in Silicon Valley. To harmonize with the architectural expression, we creat...