The dry arroyo wasn’t dry when I visited Mesa Arts Center last fall. This gold tile and lava rock gash in the so-called Shadow Walk that arcs through the site was supposed to be dry most of the time—like an actual desert arroyo—but it seems the water runs almost constantly. “I don’t know of anybody that has seen it…

Tree Gardens: Architecture and the Forest, written by Gina Crandell, is a sweeping exploration of projects that changed the way we think about trees in the landscape.…

Quite recently I had a conversation with a classmate of mine about representation. This past semester I decided to spend my ‘extra time’ on studying representation. I also decided to work on my skills in representation. (See previous posts for further details.)

Anyway, our conversation…

With an impending publication and a constantly evolving practice, Bernard Trainor has a  slew of interesting works in the pipeline. Bernard's diverse background involves practicing in Australia and Great Britain, subsequently starting his own practice in San Francisco, California. His…

No longer the undeveloped concrete eyesore it once was, Discovery Green has been transformed into a 12-acre, LEED Gold certified public park located in Houston's dense urban core. Opened in 2008, the park was the result of a successful public-private partnership between the City of Houston and Discovery Green Conservancy and has been incredibly well-received by millions of visitors.  …

Every place is unique. Every region has its own set of qualities which sets it aside from other regions across the United States. In project #2 we were required to look at and distill the qualities found in our region; the South Eastern United States. We were to then take this information and create a regional garden located on the grounds of the Knoxville…

I don’t have much time to write this kind of stuff so I’ll keep it short.  This post is tailored specifically to those seeking acceptance to a top-ranked Master of Landscape Architecture program, although the information is equally applicable to pretty much any design program.

TIP I

Your portfolio may be the most influential element of the whole application, so cut out everything else in your life and spend time getting it into shape.  Drawings of any kind are great,…

When I think of William H. Whyte, that pioneer of urban observation, one image comes to mind. I watched Whyte’s 1980 film “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” in either 1994 or 1995 in an architecture building classroom. Still today in my mind I can clearly see that famous overhead…

Nature possesses the ability to adjust and morph to the ever changing environment.  We have managed to present Mother Nature with a few road blocks, but nature has found ways to progress past the wounds that we have made. Only in recent years have people tried to reverse the effects we have had on our environment. It is in these attempts at solving…

With this competition contestants are being invited to submit a design for a show garden which, if selected will become part of SlantFest, our new on-line garden festival for summer 2013.

The theme for this festival is “Evoking Memories” and you will be free to interpret this…

Michael McGillis is an environmental artist who creates beautiful pieces using diverse materials and brilliant colors. He recently shared some of his new work and answered a few questions about his artistic process, ideas and background.  Read…

This projects comes from an up and coming Landscape Architecture studio in Portugal.  After working together for 7 years, João Bicho and Joana Carneiro branched out on their own in 2011 to create their studio JBJC arquitectura paisagista.  The…

Street Art Tours seem to be all the rage right now!  'Street Art' is loosely definable, but in most cases refers to unsanctioned art in the streets. Made famous, or infamous, by artists such as Banksy, Space Invader, and Morley. The Telegraph Travel…

Our friends at The Architect's Newspaper are launching a new e-newsletter, City Terrain. Each week, City Terrain will compile their top stories in lanscape architecture and urban design, coverage ranging from waterfronts and innovative streetscapes to water retention systems and green roofs.  With all the…

The San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden, also known as the Chinese Sunken Gardens, is a registered Texas historical landmark with over 90 years of rich history. Formerly an abandoned limestone quarry, the site was the source of limestone for much of San Antonio, and thus played a prominent role in the development of the cement business. In recognition of the site's…

Over the last five years, the Times Square Alliance has invited architecture and design firms to submit proposals for a romantic public art installation celebrating Valentine’s Day in Times Square. This year’s winning design, Situ Studio’s "Heartwalk",…

Congratulations to Nikko Carlo Cayaga for taking home first place in the first annual Land8 T-Shirt Design contest.  Cayaga submitted the above winning design, FLO, which received 474 votes along with his Central Park, Est. 1(8)57 (below) which received 423 votes.  With the amazing response to the designs, we combined his entries into one grand prize which opened the…

Winner of the 2006 ASLA General Design Award of Honor, the Henry C. Beck Park is a privately-owned public space created in tribute to Henry C. Beck, Jr., founder of Beck Construction and one of Dallas’ great and innovative contractors of the 1960’s.…

The big recent news from the world of preservation is the listing of Peavey Plaza on the National Register of Historic Places. This Paul Friedberg-designed space is also the subject of a lawsuit brought by The Cultural Landscape Foundation (…

Earlier this month, an article was posted on ASLA’s The Dirt, titled ‘Detroit Is Not a Ruin’.   I read the article, and posted a response as a discussion on Land8, found…