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SWA and Thomas Balsley Associates Joins Forces in NYC11-16-16 | News

SWA and Thomas Balsley Associates Joins Forces in NYC

SWA and Thomas Balsley Associates have consistently created award-winning projects and progressive designs for a wide spectrum of public and private clients. One could select dozens of project images from either firm to illustrate their work, but here is SWA's Charleston Park in South Carolina (top), and Thomas Balsley Associates' Hunter's Point South Waterfront Park in Queens.

SWA, a design leader in landscape architecture, planning and urban design, has partnered with Thomas Balsley Associates of New York City to form SWA/Balsley in New York City. The new firm will succeed Thomas Balsley Associates and retain Balsley as the lead principal. Balsley will in turn join SWA as a principal.

SWA/Balsley will begin operations on December 1, 2016 out of a 9th floor office at 31 West 27th Street in New York City. Balsley will be working alongside SWA principles Gerdo Aquino, FASLA, and John Wong, FASLA. Aquino has been working out of the Los Angeles SWA Studio, with the title of CEO and principal. John Wong has been working out of the SWA Sausalito office with the title of chairman and managing principal.

SWA/Balsley will retain all of the employees of Thomas Balsley Associates.

SWA will be referring clients to SWA/Balsley in New York City to provide landscape architectural services in New York state. SWA has more than 200 professionals working in its studios: California (San Francisco, Sausalito, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach), Texas (Dallas and Houston), Shanghai and the UAE. Since its founding nearly six decades ago, SWA has worked on projects recognized with more than 800 awards.

Thomas Balsley is widely respected for his landscape architecture designs in New York City, creating unique spaces that enrich the lives of urban dwellers. His studio has designed more than 100 parks and plazas in New York City alone.

Like SWA and Thomas Balsley Associates, SWA/Balsley will be dedicated to smart, sustainable design, drawing on expertise of both firms to provide innovative design solutions to the urban environment.

"Developing sustainable, creative solutions to today's environmental and urban problems, all without compromising beautiful design, is at the very core of what SWA and Thomas Balsley Associates do," said SWA's Gerdo Aquino. "With our combined expertise, we will be able to develop ever more creative, innovative and thoughtful solutions to urban design challenges."

"SWA's approach to design is complementary to the practice we've built at Thomas Balsley Associates," said Balsley. "By creating SWA/Balsley, we are solidifying our position for the future, and ensuring that the quality of our work and dedication to our clients will continue unchanged."