Market Street has been one of Philadelphia’s most important thoroughfares since William Penn’s original plan for the city in the 17th century. Today, 3151 Market occupies a pivotal position at the edge of Schuylkill Yards, where the layered urban neighborhood meets the campuses of Drexel and UPenn to form a new nexus of knowledge and innovation. Designed by Gensler as a gateway between University City and Schuylkill Yards, the life sciences tower sits at the convergence of two diagonal pedestrian pathways connecting these adjacent universities.
At street level, SWA’s landscape design establishes public nodes for social engagement, frames gateway moments and vistas, and prioritizes pedestrian comfort. Because Market Street wraps the entire project, every edge was treated with equal care, from the primary frontages to the garage entry and temporary alley.
Special attention was given to materials and finishes to complement Gensler’s architecture while meeting public streetscape standards. Custom planters navigate the site’s grade changes, carefully coordinated to slope with the street, remain level at seating areas, drain on structure, and integrate cleanly with the building facade. The result is a ground-level experience that reflects both the ambition of Schuylkill Yards and the enduring civic character of one of Philadelphia’s most storied streets.
Lanchi Aqua Garden Hotel
Thomas Balsley Associates was invited to design one of six hotel villa sites near the ancient city of Xi’an. Collaborating with Joel Sanders Architect, the design draws inspiration from the lifestyle and design principles of traditional Chinese gardens. Like these ancient private retreats, this hotel site is also organized around a series of landscaped courtya...
Samsung R&D Campus
Comprised of six buildings on two adjacent parcels in the Umyeon neighborhood of Seoul, South Korea, the Samsung R+D design delivers on a complex program requiring a low maintenance landscape that provides restorative outdoor spaces at a variety of scales, visually unity for the campus and an enhancement of safety and security.
Site design focused on th...
Four Seasons Oahu at Ko Olina
The design team’s challenge was to re-envision the existing hotel as a premier luxury destination that employs aspects of local culture and heritage to create a unique sense of place. An existing pool and water features were renovated, two new pools added, and restaurants enhanced. The resulting Four Seasons Hotel redevelopment and new residences by partner To...
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 ...