SWA worked closely with the client and architect in siting the house to maximize views and preserve opportunities in which to develop the landscape. The varied program for the landscape included a small family vineyard, a multi-use field, flower gardens, fountains, terraces, a koi pond, swimming pool and spa, tennis courts, courtyards, a heli-pad and guest parking. The landscape design incorporates these program elements into a formal framework of connected open spaces and paths. The landscape maintains a dialogue with the building plan to foster interesting opportunities in which the interior functions of the building can extend outdoors. The design also condenses the program within an efficient area to minimize impact on the natural landscape. Native grasses, trees, and the natural landforms are used extensively to integrate these new interventions.
Work attributed to SWA/Balsley principal John Wong and his team with SWA Group.
Vi Living (Formerly Classic Residence By Hyatt)
The Classic Residence by Hyatt in Palo Alto provides seniors with independent and assisted living facilities. The roughly 19-acre site is adjacent to the San Francisquito Creek, a shopping mall, Ronald McDonald House, and Stanford West Apartments. Hyatt has been working closely with us as well as the City of Palo Alto and Stanford University to develop the si...
Sky Terrace at the Grand Millenium
Located on a penthouse located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the terrace offers stunning panoramic views of Midtown, Central Park, Broadway, the East River, and the Hudson River. The design takes advantage of this prime location with glass parapets and low planters for unhindered views.
Cantilevered ten feet above the deck is the main feature of the t...
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...
Stanford Toyon Hall
Toyon Hall, a significant historic building originally designed by Bakewell and Brown Architects in 1922, is a three-story structure centered around a magnificent formal courtyard with arcades and arches. The purpose of the project was to preserve, maintain and enhance the building and site. Our scope of work included evaluation of existing site conditions and...