The Camellias Garden is inspired by the verdant green gardens of India and the petals of one of Asia’s most beautiful and vibrant native plant species: the camellia flower. These blooms’ flowing curves and lines are interpreted within the Garden’s design, drawing residents of these 16 luxury apartment towers out into the landscape and offering the sense of being enveloped by petals.
The design offers a unique view from each of the site’s primary features: the Pond, the Centering Garden, and the Colonnade. Each of these spaces provides a different respective function – the experience of lush plants and water; a space for quiet contemplation; and a place for gathering and socializing. Taken as a whole, the Camellias Garden is a centering, green respite for its residents’ everyday life.
The Camellias was honored with an International Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design in 2022.
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...
St. Louis Arch Grounds
Spanning three city blocks and linking two vibrant city attractions, the Grounds Connector is an integral but unfinished component of Eero Saarinen’s vision for the St. Louis Arch. This missing link can be partially blamed for the disconnect between a stressed downtown and a popular monument that draws four million visitors per year.
Following an intern...
Beaumont Quarter
Beaumont Quarter is a unique site. Located at the foot of an escarpment overlooking the Waitemata Harbor and Rangitoto Island beyond, it sits across from a Victorian-styled park and was originally a gas works. However, the architecture of the residential units in Beaumont Quarter suggests a modernist reinterpretation of the traditional New Zealand Terrace Hous...
Alexander Residence
The elements of the site program for this residence are relatively simple: a large pool and deck area without fencing; a large lawn area for children’s play; perennial gardens; concealed parking; and native plantings included in a playful manner. Since the dune height precluded any ocean views from the natural elevation of the site or the ground floor spaces, ...