Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Article by Taylor Stapleton We take a look at 5 Reasons Why Planting Fruit Trees Along Sidewalks is a Terrible Idea. Landscape architecture has often been touted as a profession that can solve urban problems, but sometimes we get a little ahead of ourselves. Recently going viral is the idea to replace street trees in our cities with fruit trees, providing food for the homeless during the summer and fall. While a nice thought in theory, this would actually be a terrible idea, and here is why:

1. Will enough fruit even get picked? It is very likely that a majority of the fruit would go unpicked. What isn’t picked would spoil and fall to the sidewalk below, creating a mess that would stink and attract insects such as wasps. The sidewalks would become slippery, creating a health and safety issue. 2. Would the government support it? The government just wouldn’t do it. With the health and safety issue of slippery sidewalks, there is a strong possibility of the city being sued if people were to trip and hurt themselves. There is also a large cost associated with fruit trees. The mess would need to be cleaned by city employees, and fruit trees require a lot of maintenance and nurturing. Watering, fertilizing, and pruning are just a few things that would be required on a regular basis. Essentially, a city would need to dedicate employees just to the care of these fruit trees, costing a lot of money. 3. Just how tolerant are fruit trees? Street trees are exposed to many modern toxins on a daily basis. Regular street trees are chosen for their tolerance of air pollution, a trait that fruit trees do not possess. Pollution from passing cars would lead to problems such as disease and sub-standard fruit growth. This would mean that the trees would need to be sprayed with chemicals, which in public places is never a good idea. 4. Would fruit tress have enough room to develop? Pollution from passing cars and limited root space stunt the growth of the current street trees found in most cities The trees often need to be replaced every few years. It is said that street trees only live on average for seven years. This means that fruit trees might not even reach the maturity needed to produce fruit — it takes between two and five years for an apple tree to bear fruit and between four and six years for a pear tree to mature. Even if apple trees were chosen for their faster fruit bearing, you might only get a few years of good fruit production out of the tree before it needs to be replaced. And that’s being optimistic, assuming that the fruit tree — which is not known for being tolerant of pollution — would live as long as the average street tree. 5. In such a linear format, how can we guarantee they all enough sunlight? Fruit trees are highly sensitive to sunlight, requiring a certain amount each day. Not only could this be a problem because of tall buildings that are common in cities, but also because of pollution. Car exhaust negatively affects growing fruit, as it contains sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that coat the leaves, preventing light absorption. Without the proper amount of sunlight, fruit-bearing trees are unable to photosynthesize, leading to small and poor-quality fruit. Many types of smoke pollution — from combustion engines and cigarette smoke — contain ethylene, which is produced naturally by fruit as it ripens. If fruit is exposed to smoke for extended periods, it will ripen prematurely, a practice commonly used by commercial fruit farmers to ready fruit for sale. However, when these fruit are not being picked on a regular basis and the process happens so quickly that the stems are unable to support the weight of the fruit, the fruit will fall to the ground uneaten, leading back to problem number 1.

An Unrealistic But Well-Meaning Idea

Fruit trees replacing street trees to grow food for the homeless is an unrealistic but well-meaning idea. While this wouldn’t work, it is heading in the right direction. A better idea would be to have community orchards that are freely accessible to the homeless to harvest. Combining urban farming with social outreach is an idea that is taking off in many cities. For example, look to what is happening in Detroit. WATCH: Hantz Farms: Detroit’s Saving Grace

Several different non-profit organizations, including Urban Farming and Michigan Urban Farming Initiative, are repurposing abandoned plots throughout the downtown area as urban farms. Each plot has been set up to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables that are maintained either by the group or by the community, allowing everyone to harvest. This concept doesn’t face the same problems posed by fruit trees as street trees. The trees and plants within the abandoned plots have enough space and sunlight to grow well, and they live much longer without the harmful affects of relentless car pollution. It is cost effective, as all maintenance can be done by the community. And with more people to maintain and harvest, less food will be wasted. As well, any food that is not used by the homeless or community members can be given to local soup kitchens. So while the idea going viral is not the best solution to a social problem, it does get people thinking. If you find this idea intriguing, I encourage you to start your own urban farming project or encourage your local government to follow in the footsteps of Detroit. What do you think is planting trees along the sidewalk a terrible idea? Let us know in the comments below! Go to comments Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Taylor Stapleton Return to Homepage Featured image: “Haikou street and bike lane – 01″ by Anna Frodesiak – Own work. Licensed under CC0 via Commons. Modified by SDR

Article by Rose Buchanan Maria Theresa Street, by Alleswirdgut, in Innsbruck, Austria. The traditional shopping street is a fantastic notion of bright shop windows, bustling pedestrians, and the buzzing activity of traffic. The reality, however, is often not so pleasant. There is nowhere to sit, one can barely look into a shop without being shoved by passersby, and the desire to quickly look into the shop across the road is met with treacherous traffic crossings. Maria Theresa Street in Innsbruck, Austria, was no exception to this, and while the beautiful buildings and tourist attractions such as the Golden Roof created a spectacular urban street, it was not user-friendly. In 2006, the city realized the need to revive the street, and launched a competition to design an attractive public “lounge”. The idea was to make a pedestrian zone in the northern portion of the street while accommodating the functional street requirements to the south.

Maria Theresa Street

The competition was won by Alleswirdgut, which managed to combine the dual functionality of the street in a sensitive and complex manner. Five years of planning and construction followed, with the northern pedestrian area being completed in 2009 and the southern public transport area in 2011. The street was opened with a street party on Aug. 6, 2011, in a celebration of public space. Let’s have a look at how this street was successfully transformed:

Unifying the Space Through a Carpet of Paving

The goal of the project was to create an urban site with a rich atmosphere. The designers strove to transform the street into a public space that invites strolling along, wandering comfortably in and out of shops, and relaxing on street benches or in dining areas. Alleswirdgut aimed to maintain the identity of the traditional street against the dramatic backdrop of an Austrian mountain while creating a rich, new public space. The landscape architects achieved this by unifying the space by applying a carpet of four different types of Austrian granite, which runs from the famous Triumph Gate to the Old Town.

This surface treatment was combined with a network of brass-colored ground plates with street furniture growing out of them. The golden color of the brass makes reference to the Golden Roof, and the robust quality of the granite and brass allowed for the street to withstand the daily rush of its users.

Design of Contrasts

This project relied on the simplicity of contrasts to highlight the tension between the urban site and the natural panoramic view. In this manner, the design created contrast between the past and future, as well as between the specific character of the space and a connection to the urban identity of Innsbruck. These contrasts allow for the experience of strolling along the generous pedestrian spaces to become a powerful sequence of facades and public activity. At night, the movement zones along the edges of the buildings are brightly lit, while the central spaces glow softly with low light, keeping the silhouette of the mountain backdrop in view.

At night, the movement zones along the edges of the buildings are brightly lit, while the central spaces glow softly with low light, keeping the silhouette of the mountain backdrop in view.

Central Public Space

Alleswirdgut created a central space in the street that defines a more intimate area for outside dining and relaxing. Three broad steps lead up to the space, accommodating changes in level while providing a stage-like area for events. Within this central space is a large water basin that serves as a place of interest halfway between the Golden Roof and the Triumph Arch. The beauty of this water feature lies in the purity of the construction – its rectangular, brass tray base with dark ash wood seating and a water level that is gently adjusted with waves. The water in the basin is continuously fed from the drinking fountain network, making the pool of water a continuously clear and sparkling feature within the complex urban surroundings.

Integrated Street Furniture

Street furniture including benches, lighting, and dust bins were carefully integrated into the design, emerging from brass inlays as pure elements of brass and timber. These elements respond to the linear nature of the paving, providing functional public space requirements while highlighting the traditional buildings through their aesthetic contrasts. Unlike the traditional approach of linear street planting, Alleswirdgut consciously did not implement any permanent planting, as the designers felt this would reduce the impact of the uniform space treatment. They therefore opted to plant Oleander trees in large plant containers, which correspond to the outdoor dining and tourist areas.

The power of the design lies in its ability to provide a new level of perspective while complementing the existing historical context. Alleswirdgut has managed to upgrade the space through the use of high-quality materials while at the same time creating a complex, multi-layered, yet homogenous urban space. The experience of walking down Maria Theresa Street has been transformed from a limited and uncomfortable walk into a sensual, experiential stroll. Now that’s a win for public space! What do you think of Maria Theresa Street? Let us know in the comments below? Go to comments

Full Project Credits For Maria Theresa Street

Project Name: Maria Theresa Street Landscape Architect: AllesWirdGut ZT GmbH Location: 6020 Innsbruck – A Auftraggeber Stadt, Innsbruck, Austria Competition: 10.2006 Start of Planning: 09.2007 Construction: 2008 Completion: 10.2009 (Phase 1) 2011 (phase 2) Size: 7,500m² Team: Alexandra Seip, Johanna Kropp, Jan Schröder, Lena-Maria Philipp, Martina Arend Special Experts: Pokorny Lichtarchitektur Photos: © Hertha Hurnaus Get Social with Alleswirdgut: Website: www.alleswirdgut.cc Twitter: www.twitter.com/AllesWirdGut_ZT Facebook: www.facebook.com/AllesWirdGut.Architektur Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Rose Buchanan Return to Homepage

This week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10. Sketchy Saturday is back for another week of awesome Sketchy Saturday talent, highlighting the best sketches of the growing LAN community (Currently 1,185,018 fans on Facebook) up 20,287 fans since our last Sketchy Saturday edition. Incredible 🙂 This edition took several weeks to compile as we had a lot of sorting through to do and of course, waiting on people to send us back their descriptions slows down the process, but it is a process worth waiting on, as we get a variety of opinions directly from the people who created the works, making each one of our Sketchy Saturday editions unique and worth reading for insights. Take a look at this week’s highlights and who knows perhaps you’ll be featured in the next one.

Enjoy this week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10

10 by. Francois van Rooyen, director Red Landscape Architects in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

“A3 Fabriano Paper, various black tip ink pens. A need to capture my surroundings and thoughts in a sketch book and create a visual diary, guided by various drawings and graphics from inspiring artists. Living in a mountainous landscape with our dog Suzy where the natural elements and seasons dictate my visual experience and day to day mood”. 9. by Simon Paulais, Student in Landscape Architecture in Angers, France ” I made this sketch in the frame of my study of landscape architecture in Angers, France. I started to draw it on the field, inside this building, which is a cultural centre but I finished the drawing afterward at home thanks to a photo that I took. I concentred my efforts on the shadows and the vanishing point to make understandable the complexity of the structure and architecture of this modern building. I used only pencils for this drawing.” 8. by CHARAIRAT BOWORNWATTANA. Studying in Environmental Design and Planning program at Maejo University, also teaching assistance in Landscape design studio at Agriculture Faculty, Chiangmai University, Chiangmai, Thailand. “I used a black pen on tracing paper and added color by markers. This sketch is a part of my thesis. It presents a strategy for Payap University, Chiangmai, Thailand, to provide more living plant biomass/unit area which will also give better heat reduction effect and minimize its impacts on microclimates from roads and parking lots. This is done by providing shade from Emergent layer and canopy layer tree canopy”. 7. by Katarína Fuková, a graduate of Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, Slovakia, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Engineering, Department of Garden and Land Architecture “I realized this garden for a family which had moved from a big city to a small village in the Czech Republic. As this garden is in the countryside, I wanted to make it natural, to connect the garden with surrounding nature. I used only local plants, shrubs and trees growing in Czech nature. This sketch was made with aquarel, pen, and copic markers”. 6. by İsa Eren AKBIYIK “It’s a conceptual sketch for “Nota Design – Crystal Hotels Hand Draw Album”, 2-point perspective with 0.05 – 0.1 – 0.3 – 0.5 drawing pen on A3 sized paper. Marker pen and PS used for brightness and contrast levels. Location – Belek /Antalya /Turkey.” 5. by Jack Tremblay “It is ink on Opulux. It was never built. The idea was to make an adult mini golf area. It’s an indoor perspective done for presentation purposes”. You can follow Jack on Facebook or on his website, alternatively, you can support his Go Fund me Campaign here.   4. by  Christopher T. Pugh, student at Academy of Art University, studying Landscape Architecture, the United States of America, state of Alabama  Unfortunately, we didn’t get Christopher’s description for this sketch, and that usually means we would not post it, but this was just so good, we felt we could not leave it out. We love the crisp, strong lines and feelings the image creates. 3. by Bibek Chatterjee “This is a hand sketch done for a residence. The medium used is ball point pen,rotring technical pen and color pencils. There is no digital media used for presentation and is purely on an old-school drawing”. 2. by Damian Ayarza, Landscape architect, Buenos Aires, Argentina “This sketch was done for a client in Vicente Lopez, Buenos Aires, to help them understand the garden design. It is a long narrow place situated at the back of a future office building, an excellent opportunity to produce oblique views. For a sensation of extra area, we create a plot of broken lines which are the raised beds that define different meeting points. The original sketch is 8.27 × 11.7 inches, made with black pencils on trace paper”. 1. by Linda Farrington, Landscape Architect, United States “This sketch was for a client in Northfield, Illinois to show them an alternate design for their backyard. They understand the sketches better than the plan views, so we showed them a few options. I used site photos and SketchUp to start the drawing. Then, I drew everything with black pens and color rendered the drawing with Chartpak markers and Blick pastels. I saved time by not having to build a super-realistic computer model, and the loose graphics conveyed the idea without getting too specific in the conceptual stage”. – That’s this week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10, congratulations to all of you who featured, you have come out on top of a very talented bunch of people. Check out the Sketchy Saturday official Facebook album and see literally 1,000′s of incredible sketches! Follow all the winning entries on our dedicated Sketchy Saturday Pinterest page. If you want to take part send your entries to us at office@landarchs.com What did you think of this week’s top 10? Let us know in the comments down below! Go to comments Recommended reading:

• Sketching from the Imagination: An Insight into Creative Drawing by 3DTotal
• Architectural Drawing Course by Mo Zell

Article by Scott D. Renwick Return to Homepage

Article by Ruth Coman YUL Condominium & YUL Sales Office, by NIPpaysage, Montreal (Quebec), Canada Citizens have a year-round interest in landscape and nature. This issue raises the question of how a design can give a proper answer to their enthusiasm. The surrounding natural landscape has to fulfill everyday needs like recreation and relaxation throughout the whole year for city dwellers. Residential and private ‘green spaces’, especially, have to be versatile and must not become boring. Recognizing this issue, NIPpaysage landscape architects chose to create a four-season design for the future inhabitants of YUL Condominium.

YUL Condominium & YUL Sales Office

YUL provides the ultimate in luxurious urban living in Montreal. Between stylish condominiums, limited-edition penthouses, and unique townhouses, the interior courtyard of unusually large proportions is the heart of the project. It is a unique space, dedicated to its inhabitants. The main inspiration for the design of the courtyard was the sculptural aspect of winter landscapes. The magical air was transposed through different compositional frames during the whole year.

The choice of plants also reflects the main theme of whiteness, related to Montreal. In this way the general aim of the designers to reveal the true character of the environments upon which they intervene can be seen in this project. NIPpaysage’s work combines a powerful conceptual basis, an approach sensitive to sustainability issues, and a strong attention to construction and detailing.

Working With Mounds to Create a Strong Spatial Experience

To implement the four-season landscape design in an effective way, NIPpaysage chose to work with mounds. These earthworks are the main elements in the project’s structure. The source of the material for the mounds is the excavation of the building foundation and is thus cost-effective. Following the fact that in nature very little is symmetrical, NIPpaysage created mounds of irregular shape. The sinuous shapes and well-planned slopes will support plants and will avoid erosion problems.

The earthworks configuration has multiple positive aspects that have to be discussed. The use of mounds is an answer for practical questions as well as aesthetic purposes. Emphasizing the different particular areas and creating subtle and natural-looking privacy barriers, the mounds will be defining the paths, plazas and private spaces. For the latter it will be blocking out unwanted views. The resulting niches will be enjoyable in all seasons. Paying attention to the drainage and to the different microclimates of the mounds, NIPpaysage chose plants for the tops which are tolerant of drier condition since the water drains more quickly there. Furthermore, the chosen plants emphasize the mounds’ forms. Their different heights, textures, and forms are also highlighted by the different seasons. More details on this will be given in the following paragraphs which describe how the landscape changes according to the different seasons.

4-Season Landscape Design in YUL Condominium

Designing a year-round courtyard ensures that the inhabitants of YUL will be surrounded by different landscapes and spark interest through all four seasons. For the most important aspect of such design – choosing the appropriate plants for that region – NIPpaysage chose the combination of blooming perennials, grasses, and birches. During the first part of the year – in the springtime – the mounds will be grass-covered combined with white blooming perennials.

YUL Sales Office

Until YUL Condominium is built, people have the chance to admire and visit the YUL sales office, also designed by NIPpaysage. Drawing on the inspiration of airport runways, the space includes pedestrian circulation and a parking lot. While the prominent white lines on a black background will attract you to the core – the sales office – of the site, the broad blue strips will remind you of the blue sky and flying experiences.

In Montreal, summers are warm and humid and temperatures in excess of 30°C are common. Subsequently, the summer months are dominated by water elements and bright cold shadows. The fountains and the birch canopy provide a refreshing space for hot summer days, by reminding the viewer, through the birch’s white bark, of magical winter moments. The transition between summer and winter is marked by different blooming perennials. In the cold months, due to the icy weather in Montreal that brings snow, the water feature transforms into an ice rink that provides animation into the entire courtyard. In this way a four-season landscape design will provide the inhabitants of YUL Condominium with different environmental atmospheres in the semi-public plazas whilst maintaining the necessary level of privacy. Behind the dynamic of seasonal change, the whiteness of an inspirational winter landscape remains the permanent element. What do you think of the YUL Condominium & YUL Sales Office? Let us know in the comments below! Go to comments

Full Project Credits For The YUL Condominium & YUL Sales Office

Project: YUL Condominium & YUL Sales Office Location: Montreal (Quebec), Canada Designers: NIPpaysage Planning: 2013 – 2014 Client: Kheng Ly Team: Mathieu Casavant, Michel Langevin, Mélanie Mignault, Josée Labelle, Emilie, Bertrand-Villemure, Benjamin Deshaies, Sylvain Lenoir, Mélanie Pelchat, Johanna Ballhaus, Catherine Blain, Claude Cournoyer Collaboration: MSDL Architectes, SYGMA Group architecture Get Social With NIPpaysage: Website: www.nippaysage.ca/en Twitter: www.twitter.com/NIPpaysage Facebook: www.facebook.com/nippaysage Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Ruth Coman Return to Homepage

Article by Elisa A.M. Varetti Ika Meditation Spot, by Batlab Architects and Studio Nomad, in Csernaton, Transylvania, Romania. Everybody knows how human beings affect the environment with all of their activities, as LAN writer Harkyo Hutri Baskoro reminds us in his article 10 Fascinating Climate Change Facts You Should Know. We all need to start changing our lifestyles to save the planet. But what you might not know is that there are other ways in which human beings are destroying the natural world; for example, by neglecting natural places. We need to start treating Mother Nature better if we want to avoid unpleasant results. That doesn’t only mean that we have to reduce pollution; we also need to start protecting our natural resources. Landscape architects are once more called upon to make people understand how the natural world and the different ecosystems are important for ourselves and for our planet. In order to do so, they need to focus on critical situations. That is exactly what Batlab Architects and Studio Nomad have done with their project Ika Meditation Spot, which they collaborated on with the CsomòPont Team for the Noise Workshop 2015, in the Csernation Region of Transylvania in Romania.

Ika Meditation Spot

A Spot to Save Nature from Abandonment

We all know names hold great power, and Ika Meditation Spot is no exception. The name refers to a decayed portion of the stream Ika, on which the designers wanted people to reflect. The focus of the project is to create a spot where visitors can feel in harmony with nature and discover again the beauty of this place, with the hope that this will lead to its restoration and maintenance.

Less is More

The real strength of the project is its simple design. As Mies Van Der Rohe used to say, “less is more” and indeed he was right! Ika Meditation Spot is basically composed of a wooden disc with a diameter of four meters. But it is capable of creating a magical connection between visitors and the surrounding environment. Like two sides of the same coin, its design is simple, but at the same time it has a deep meaning that it manages to evoke from those visiting it.

Constructing with Nature

One of the most interesting things about the design is that it takes advantage of the natural elements already existing in the environment, such as the peculiar geometry of the site deriving from the collapsed bank of the brook. Here, the trunk of a fallen tree forms the basis of the meditation spot, giving it a slight angle pointing toward the stream. Cantilevered beams clamped by wooden columns buried in the ground support the wooden disc. “By installing the disc, a new place is born,” the designers say.

Different Levels of Reflection

The project provides visitors with a number of things to reflect on, from the neglected situation of the stream Ika to our planet’s status, by giving them a place where they can relax in close contact with nature. Its special position — in the very heart of a natural ecosystem — offers people an intimate connection with the environment. Ika Meditation Spot will be left to serve its function until nature reclaims it.

Awareness is the First Step Toward Change

The final aim of this project is, of course, to focus people’s attention on the forgotten situation of this area of the stream, which has been abandoned in the past. Batlab Architects and Studio Nomad have designed a space capable of growing interest in those visiting it, and it is most likely that they’ll manage to make them understand the importance of protecting the environment of this stream. Raising awareness in people’s minds is an ambitious but important task to which we all have to contribute, and these two firms clearly know how to do it. Their action is likely to lead to the restoration and maintenance of this area in Transylvania.

Restoring Natural Environments

This project clearly shows what landscape architects can do to make people reflect upon the status of the natural environment. In the last few years, we have seen how different countries have been dealing with this same situation. All of a sudden, they seem to have realized the importance of a natural environment for people’s welfare. Every now and then, river parks are created to restore industrial spaces, abandoned environments, and neglected areas.

These include the renovation of Mill River Park, designed by The Olin Studio, which our writer Tania Ramones Gianone talks about in her article Green Revival Brings Life Back to River Park. Or the creation of Floating Gardens by Turenscape, about which you can learn more in our writer Dalia Zein’s article Turenscape Design Outstanding River Park. Restoring or protecting a natural environment always brings with it several benefits from different points of view, as our writer Rose Buchanan reveals in her article 10 Reasons Why Cities Should Daylight Rivers. We can only hope that Ika Meditation Spot won’t be forgotten once it is reclaimed by nature, but that it will produce an interest leading to the protection and discovery of this part of the Ika river. Do you like this project? Let us know in the comments below! Go to comments

Full Project Credits For The Ika Meditation Spot

Project Name: Ika Meditation Spot Location: Csernaton Region, Transylvania, Romania Date of Construction: 2015 Designers/Architects: Gergő Batizi-Pócsi and Péter Batizi-Pócsi /Batlab Architects Bence Pásztor /Studio Nomad Team Members: Botond Bölöni, Zoltán Gál /CsomóPont/ Photography: Bence Pásztor Get Social With Batlab Architects: Website: www.batlab.hu Facebook: www.facebook.com/batlab.blog Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Elisa A.M. Varetti Return to Homepage

Article by Valentina Ferrari

A review of art piece entitled “Generation – Circulation of Life” by Toshihiko Shibuya, a Japanese artist from Muroran.

Are you a prisoner of the daily grind, neglecting or forgetting everything that transcends your work or routine? Embracing art could help you restore balance in your daily life and aid you in focusing outside your boundaries, allowing you to see new horizons. All you need is to be open minded, have listening and sensibility skills, sincerely watch, and then accept that the message will not always be immediately understood. Be patient. The meaning of an artwork — which at your very first could be charming or mysterious or even funny — is hidden within the artist’s mind. Once you understand the artist’s thought process, the artwork will take on a deeper meaning. Clearly, having some sort of guide makes the process easier and the rise of empathy cleaner, but what it comes down to are the emotions the artwork provokes in each of us, which develop when the message arrives at the destination with a resonance effect.

“Generation – Circulation of Life” by Toshihiko Shibuya

Harukayama Art Fort

Take the artwork of Toshihiko Shibuya, a Japanese artist from Muroran who was born in 1960 and works in Sapporo. Shibuya’s work has been inserted into an outdoor contemporary art museum known as Harukayama Art Fort, at the foot of Mount Haruka in the coastal tourist zone of Hokkaido island, near the city of Sapporo. The museum sits next to a hotel built 40 years ago, which was ruined after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. In the last few years, the art show that takes place here between August and September has seen an increasing number of works (67 this year). The artists focus mainly on the relationship between art and environment.

A Wasteland Landscape

The landscape is a wasteland, where a neglected and abandoned woods evokes the idea of a land without maintenance. In this woodsy context — even a bit wild — the leitmotiv results in a tidy theme, constant in shape and rhythm, reminiscent of the cycle of life.

After the terrible earthquake of 2011, Shibuya said he lost his ability to create. But paradoxically, what permitted him to revive the creative process was working in that same damaged landscape, which gave him a chance to express what he felt and elaborate on it. “The rundown hotel and the fallen trees gave me a drive to express regeneration, symbiosis, coexistence of nature and human beings,” he said.

From Mushrooms to the Cycle of Life

Shibuya created his “White mushrooms breeding project” in 2011, followed by “Generation 1 – circulation of life” in 2013 and “Generation 2” in 2015. All of them have the same theme, with similar material, but with a few differences: In the 2011 work, there are bright pink pins settled on the trunks of fallen trees. On the bark, the passage of time has left its mark with the growth of mosses; the artist added his own touch — families of pins resembling stylized mushrooms.

In 2013, on the same trees, he added ethereal, little pin spheres following a scheme, seeming to represent the translucent eggs of some mystery animal, maybe frogspawn. The spheres are transparent, and the lower part was coated with a luminous paint, communicating a kind of fantastic scenery reflected in the moonlight or by flashlight. Then in 2015, Shibuya installed 3,500 blue pushpins on the same trees, evoking the image of spawning life.

The Symbology

It’s a fairy-tale context with a clear symbology. Year after year, the temporary installation renews itself and assumes new connotations, developing a theme or narrating the evolution of life itself throughout the mutation of the pushpins. In this way, the pins that had plate and stylized pink hats have assumed rounded and transparent shapes, with the newer blue pins arriving in a sort of continuous evolution, much like the cycle of life. I wonder how it will look in a few more years.

As the artist says, “The law of ‘natural cycles’ has begun to be lost little by little. I will question again how my artwork performs as media to re-encounter the environment surrounding me and my life, rather than just placing the artwork to face nature.”

The Inner Cycle

Nature itself is bound to a continuous cycle of life and death; there is no life without death, and vice versa. The metaphor is clear: As natural forces push the regeneration process and create new life from decomposition, so does the artist send a message of rebirth, both physical and spiritual. Everything that happens in our lives – from the monumental to the seemingly inconsequential – leaves its mark and becomes the substratum for the growth of something else.

We cannot know what the future holds. But one thing is certain – change will come. With an often imperceptible slowness, life starts to flow again, reaching its maximum peak, whether it’s the wood’s climax, the evolution of big civilizations, or an individual’s realization.

Let it Flow: It’s Not a Challenge

Personally, I love the circulating life, death, and rebirth concept. It has its own meaning, both in the strict sense and broadly speaking: It is a fascinating idea, that all the obstacles could be demolished and we could start again, even if it seems like a fairy tale. The good news is that it is not a fairy tale; it will simply happen. Something will happen — let it flow as the artist does in this artwork. But even if you can’t force the process, and you have to face your monsters, don’t be blind. You have to be patient — For a while, you will be like those mushrooms, grown over the ruin of fallen trees. Remember that life goes on, in its own continuous cycle. What did you think  of this art feature? Let us know in the comments below! Go to comments

Recommended Reading on Phytoremediation:

• Phytoremediation: Transformation and Control of Contaminants by Steven C. McCutcheon
• Phytoremediation: Role of Aquatic Plants in Environmental Clean-Up by Bhupinder Dhir

Article by Valentina Ferrari

Kic Park, by 3GATTI, in Shanghai, China. The spaces between urban buildings and interstitial spaces are often difficult ones to deal with in terms of design. Many turn into surface parking lots, small buildings, or paved spaces devoid of any character, sense of place, and any natural elements. It is these very spaces that can become very important as a unifying element of an area, such as a city, where development and redevelopment create fragments that are unrelated to each other, and where ‘nature’ in its basic sense is, often, forgotten. So, how did one small urban park in Shanghai, China, achieve a functional yet attractive space that entices visitors to gather and be influenced by nature?

Kic Park

Kic Park, designed by Francesco Gatti of 3GATTI Architects has proven that these interstitial spaces can be created with a purpose, and in this specific case, the purpose was to serve as a place where people can gather and pause, and reflect on their surroundings in an otherwise busy urban centre, as well as have a bit of fun with the playful nature of the park. Creating various levels and viewpoints and the use of a variety of different materials set this park apart from its urban and concrete surroundings, and draws the passersby into the space, encouraging various activities and social engagements.

The Urban Setting

Urban settings are scenes of development, bustling with people, traffic, construction, and a constant buzz of busyness. In a place like China, whose urban centres are heavily populated and congested, public spaces can often be hard to come by since real estate is at a premium, and the need for housing and business development comes at a high price.

Creating places where people can pause, gather, play, and be exposed to natural elements are a challenge within urban settings, but also arguably necessary. Enter Kic Park and you see natural elements within a tight urban centre, and that too, combined successfully. Here, in this highly urbanized area in Shanghai, 3GATTI Architects has developed a playful, thoughtful, yet practical design for all the people.

Kic Park – The Small But Mighty Park

Kic Park is an interstitial place; a small piece of property in between a variety of buildings and streets that it likely proved difficult to develop as a park due to encroaching building development. However, designer Francesco Gatti viewed this as a place with promise, and a place that had the potential to turn into a great public space that people could stop and engage with while commuting in and around the city.

This relatively small (1100 m2), but mighty public space uses a variety of hard materials, including wood and acrylic planks and decking, river rock and gravel, as well as soft materials including grass and trees, scattered throughout the park at different intervals and heights, adding dimension and movement to the small space.

It’s All in The Details

Details, details, and details. Everything is always in the details, and this is something that makes this park so appealing as an engaging place. The areas that promote circulation are all planked wood, in boardwalk style. The boardwalk encompasses most of the park, which helps to create the sense of unique place, and draws people into the site. The boardwalk is set at heights keeping in mind the human scale and can be used as areas to sit, or to ride a bike over and perform tricks, with some areas of the decking extending straight up and doubling as a base for signage. The varying heights, widths, and angles of the boards are, therefore, playful, and appear as though it is almost asking visitors to be imaginative in how they use it. Is one supposed to sit on the edges, or lean against the angled boards that look like they can be a backrest?

The visitor gets to decide, which is one of the reasons why this space is engaging and important! The activities and locations for various activities are not implicitly prescribed, but rather they foster creativity and play. And who doesn’t like to play? Of course, there are some obvious tables and chairs scattered around the site for those who aren’t as privy to playing as others may be. Activities such as skateboarding, biking, and general people watching are not prohibited, so people can come and spend more time in the park than they perhaps would in one with just some simple benches to sit on. The grass and trees are scattered around the site, often in ways that can appear to be ‘hidden’ planting beds, and bring about that subtle nature to the site that softens it, and brings visitors back in tune with nature. They can act as subtle queues in the park, almost like punctuation marks strewn about, continuing with the playful theme. It is the small and delicate intricacies, the juxtaposition to the urban surroundings, and the playful and engaging nature of the site that helps to make this interstitial space an important one, and one that brings people to it. Whether it is being used as a transitory stop in one’s journey or a specific destination, remains up to the individual, but it is arguable that this space serves as a distinct feature in its urban setting. Do you think small, interstitial spaces are important for creating a cohesive urban fabric, or are they simply spaces that stand alone as unique features in a landscape? What other ways can these spaces be developed to engage people? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Go to comments

Full Project Credits For Kic Park

Project Name: Kic Park Programme: Public open spaces, gardens, playgrounds, resting areas, advertising supports. Architecture firm: 3GATTI Chief architect: Francesco Gatti Project manager: Summer Nie Collaborators: Nicole Ni, Francesco Negri, Dalius Ripley, Michele Ruju, Muavii Sun, Charles Mariambourg Client: Shui On Development Limited Location: KIC VILLAGE Blok8-2, Zhengmin Road, Yangpu District, 200433 Shanghai, China. Total floor area: 1100 m² Design and construction period: 2009 Materials: Wooden deck, steel structure, brick walls, acrylic boards. Photographer: Shen Qiang Get Social With 3GATTI: Website: www.3gatti.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/3GATTI/ LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/company/3gatti Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/3gatti YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/studio3gatti Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Kaila Johnson Return to Homepage

Bonn Square, by Graeme Massie Architects, in Oxford City, United Kingdom. The city of Oxford is a unique place with a strong historic university identity. Like many cities built around universities, its public activity is focused on the spaces surrounding the campus buildings. Students and lecturers spend most of their time in these spaces, with the result that very little public space is developed outside of university property. Bonn Square is, therefore, one of the few public spaces in Oxford, and its transformation from a derelict, forgotten place into a contemporary yet historic square is worth exploring.

Bonn Square

A Catalyst for Urban Regeneration

Bonn Square falls within the boundary of the Oxford Central Conservation Area, which includes the old city and the university. It was formed in a piecemeal fashion over the years and includes historic structures, with various land parcels under separate ownership. The square occupies an important intersection of four major routes, but its fragmented form had meant that it had no definite function or character. Modernization of the city functions and a reduction in natural surveillance resulted in a slow degradation of the square, turning it into a neglected and unsafe city space.

The Beginning of an Urban Regeneration

By the end of the 20th century, Oxford City Council members realized that they needed to revive parts of the historic city and begin urban regeneration. The redesign of Bonn Square was flagged as a catalyst project, and a RIBA open international design competition was held in 2005. This was won by Graeme Massie Architects, which successfully met the principal design challenge of transforming the neglected square into a welcoming, modern, and flexible public space. The design received planning permission in 2006, and the new square opened in 2008.

Uniting the Old and the New

Graeme Massie’s concept for the design of Bonn Square was simple: Create a contemporary open space while preserving and enhancing the important historic assets of the square. One of the key factors in achieving this was the use of sandstone paving to pull the elements of the square together, creating spatial clarity and improving permeability.

The sandstone forms a continuous taut surface, folding itself over the existing layers and levels while preserving the archaeological remains of the Georgian church and its cemetery below. Massie took the paving element one step further by arranging sawn and split faced paving in different configurations. This not only echoes the historic sandstone fabric of Oxford, but allows for different areas to be defined.

Time as an Element of Design

An important aspect of the design was the introduction of “time” as an element, using materials in a contemporary manner that reflects and references the past. For instance, the use of sandstone as a paving material meant that the surface would change over time as the space is used. This molding of the materials recalls a similar change in time in the old stone stairs of the university. Other references to time include bronze furniture and fittings, which will patinate and stain as time goes on, and tree species that were selected for the manner in which they change throughout the year.

Key Design Elements

The design of Bonn Square is defined by four key elements. The first is the variegated sandstone surface that unites the square’s components and connects the space to the historic fabric of Oxford. The second is a central ramped area, which allows the square to be easily accessed by all users while accommodating the archaeological remains of St. Peter-le-Bailey Church and its cemetery. The third is a grove of Robinia pseudoacacia trees, which recall trees commonly found in the university college while shading a collection of bespoke bronze street furniture. The fourth is four 15-meter-high bronze lighting columns that act as landmark features within the cityscape and provide lighting for the square.

Included within these four key elements is the accommodation of important historical structures, such as the Tirah Memorial and the classical façade of the New Road Baptist Church. At the same time, the square accommodates the need for relaxation in the city, providing seating augmented by public art features.

New City Function

Bonn Square has demonstrated that it is possible to combine the preservation of historic value with the current public space needs. The project has radically altered the character of Bonn Square and created a flexible space that provides a safe and accessible venue for formal and informal civic events. Its reference to the historic fabric allows the square to connect the new and the old, forming a backdrop to the future life of the city. What is clear about this project is that sometimes all it takes is a deep understanding of the context and a careful manipulation of materials to transform a public space. Do you like this project? Let us know in the comments below! Go to comments

Full Project Credits For Bonn Square

Project Name: Bonn Square Landscape Architect: Graeme Massie Architects Location: Oxford City, United Kingdom Date of Construction: 2008 Size: 1,200 m² Client: Oxford City Award: Oxford Preservation Trust Environmental Award, October 2009 Website: www.graememassie.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/graememassiearchitects Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Rose Buchanan Return to Homepage

VAS (VinaAmSteel) / Layerscape, by Kiến Trúc O architects, in Đà Nẵng, Vietnam. The VAS (VinaAmSteel) project, designed by Kiến Trúc O architects, is developed based on a series of interesting concepts that are used for both architectural and landscape design. The “layerscape” concept is the most important of all of them and establishes the idea of understanding program spaces and landscape as individual elements which function as a group of elements with the same goal. Located in Vietnam, the project has been developed by studying traditional design methodology, the climate conditions, and the architectural program in order to reach a satisfactory outcome.

Shredding the Layerscape Concept

According to Kiến Trúc O architects, “the core principle of this project is to provide multiple transitional layers from inside out and outside in to achieve a soft and light spatial transparency.” (Kiến Trúc O, 2015). In consequence, the core of the project is the landscape design, not only physically but also as a design line for the whole building. Offices, restrooms, dining areas, and other public spaces are all arranged around the green areas, where the biggest garden serves as a green open and central area. Therefore, the zoning is developed based on the landscape design.

Layering Allowing For Flexibility

The indoor spaces are quite simple and big, defined by geometric horizontal and vertical planes. Such elements allow the space to be flexible in the activities it can shelter. With flat long floors made of exposed concrete, the presence of indoor gardens amplifies the dimensions of the space, creating a feeling of a bigger area. Each space is correctly designed in order to be comfortable. Finally, the project areas are distributed along three main axes, the first one of which welcomes you to the building and gives you the first glimpse of what the project is about: straight lines, vegetation, exposed materials and glass facades.

Covered by Green areas: The Green Layer

According to Kiến Trúc O architects, some of the design ideas came out of studying the traditional architectural style of Vietnam. It is important to point out that Vietnamese architectural design is based on having a central garden big enough to serve as an open green area for various spaces at the same time.

A Room With a View

Public spaces, the CEO offices and the director’s office are privileged with open views to the biggest central garden. The strategic location of tall bushes, palms or trees has, as its main goal, to strengthen the privacy for each one of these mentioned spaces.

Using The Landscape to Pull People Through The Building

The VinaAmSteel project not only holds a central green area, its landscape design also consists of a group of small gardens placed in sequence in order to invite the user to walk through all of the building and also to act as a visual point of reference.

Smashing Monotony

The presence of this small gardens breaks the monotony of having sequential planes of walls and doors and also changes the psychological experience of the offices by visually combining indoor and outdoor areas. Amongst the benefits gained by having offices with open views towards the gardens is the color palette and the game of shadows and silhouette that is created.

Increasing Natural Daylight Through Design

The colors selected; gray and white for the walls, the concrete exposed as floor, and the contrasting green of the vegetation, create a unique composition of colors, shadows, and silhouettes. This combination of colors, forms, and textures also helps to increase the natural daylight for indoor spaces.

Green Flora Palette

The landscape design takes into consideration the Vietnamese climate known as monsoon, which is characterized by strong winds, high humidity, and short but strong periods of rain. The use of groundcover plants is the main characteristic of this palette, because of their low maintenance and easy reproduction. Some of the species used on the green areas are Elephant ear (Xanthosoma xx), areca palms (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), salad peperomia (Peperomia pellucida) and mango tree (Magnifera indica).

Introducing a Thoughtful Measure

Another thoughtful aspect of the building is the use of rainwater, by implementing a concrete drainage system at the perimeter of the green areas and drainage pipes at the perimeter of the rooftop. This system collects all the rainwater that drips from the rooftops of the offices and uses it for irrigation purposes.

How a Negative Urban Context Becomes a Design Opportunity: The Exterior Layer

Nowadays all design, no matter their scale or program, has to consider its immediate urban context in order to develop itself as a part of the community. As we can appreciate on the VinaAmSteel project, the urban context of the site is very aggressive for the project, so Kiến Trúc O architects decided to establish a green barrier between the industrial context and the offices.

The green barrier incorporates a steel fence with clear tall glass panels, which lessen its presence. This gentle and simple design allows the landscape design not only to serve the offices but also to be accessible to the industrial zone in which the project is situated.

Putting the Design into Content

The design also comprehends the Vietnamese climate, which presents strong winds almost all year; that’s why the steel and glass fence is separated from its foundations. It’s a simple detail that fulfills several functions: increasing the lifetime of the fence and contributing to natural ventilation inside the building. This minute detail takes an interesting role and influences the entire operation of the building.

Finally, the fence becomes a green showcase, which allows open views from the outside to the inside green areas without compromising the privacy and security of the offices. However simple the VinaAmSteel appears, its analysis has let us know how complex it really is. Each idea became a concept and each concept became a layer. The whole project is only understood by understanding its layers and its unique elements. Do you think there are more layers to analyze? Go to comments

Full Project Credits For VAS (VinaAmSteel) / Layerscape

Project name: VAS (VinaAmSteel) / Layerscape Design: Kiến Trúc O architects Location: Hòa Khánh Industrial Zone, Đà Nẵng, Vietnam Date of construction: 2014 – 2015 Size: 1833 sqm (site area) / 1,025 sqm (site area) Client: Vietnam American Steel Corporation Principal architect: Đàm Huỳnh Quốc Vũ Project team: Lê An Ni, Trần Minh Tuyến, Thái Thanh Xuân, Lê Hồng Đức, Tăng Vĩnh Anh Duy, Nguyễn Đình Việt, Lê Hữu Triết. Website: www.kientruco.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/KIENTRUC-O Photographs: Hiroyuki Oki Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Luis Guísar Return to Homepage

Kardinaal Mercier Square, by OMGEVING landscape architecture urbanism, Jette, Brussels, Belgium. It is necessary to consider function and aesthetics equally when looking at a well-designed project in landscape architecture. Take the city square: The square has always been the apple of its city’s eye. So many activities happen around a square — people hanging out, enjoying, relaxing; a square portrays the vibe of the city. Designing a square involves many challenges. Some sites might focus on a vibrant and playful space or on a new outlook. Others might demand functionality in order to revive urban networks and uplift the city’s image. One such example is Kardinaal Mercier Square, in which the designers stressed the square’s functionality to strengthen the adjacent urban connections.

Kardinaal Mercier Square

The Kardinaal Mercier Square, designed by OMGEVING Landscape Architecture, is located in the center of Jette, one of the greenest of the 19 communities of the Capital Region of Brussels, Belgium. Once a town hall, Jette now houses a police station, a train station, a major tram and bus stop, a church, a library and schools. The square is the center for all of these civic activities, providing a major challenge for the design team. The team had to arrange all of these activities spatially while at the same time separating pedestrian traffic from motorized traffic to ensure easier accessibility.

Balance Between Spatial Organization and Functional Coherency

To improve the public transportation infrastructure, Jette’s train station will be renovated and transformed into a communal hub of the Regional Express Network over the next few years. This will provide for easier accessibility throughout the capital. The emerging demand for better accessibility of the new station and efficient mobility around it gave the incentive to rethink and redesign Jette’s main square.

The existing eastern passage under the track was upgraded, while a new western passage has been introduced, allowing passengers to move between the platforms and the square. Tram and bus transportation — another important part of traffic in the area — was reorganized through the design of a joint stop on the southern side of the church. Parking provisions are planned in the center of the square for people who have physical challenges. The design team’s approach toward the area under development is quite appreciable because of its flexibility. Although the motorized traffic has been planned for the center of the square, the direction of the movement of vehicles can be changed at any time without compromising the basics of the design theme.

Organizing the Traffic

The square has been redesigned as a thoroughfare for police, ceremonial vehicles for the church, and the town hall. Lowered stripes at various places were added to allow for the loading and unloading from buses and the maneuver of fire vehicles. In addition to the cluster of parking facilities along the northern side for the residents, short-term parking facilities for cars and other vehicles will soon be introduced.

The Integration of Park and Square

An existing municipal park is seamlessly integrated with the square. Its entrance is marked by broad steps and white, hexagonal kiosks. The contrasting colors and the eye-catching structures rightfully represent the entry and serve the square’s purpose as an informal gathering place or a space for small-scale performances. Although these kiosks are beautiful, the designers could have scored points for energy efficiency if they had integrated photovoltaic cells with the exposed surfaces of the kiosks.

Variations in Paving

Variations in the paving of the square are marked with colors, textures, and patterns. Stripes of darker-colored pavers are designed to give direction toward the police station, church, and library. The charm lies in the fact that these darker-shaded stripes provide a visual demarcation while at the same time changes in hues and textures in the paving create a vibrant space.

Although the design might have done justice in solving the traffic problems with the separation of motorized vehicles and the circulation of pedestrians, the use of hard surfaces throughout the square and the limited number of trees might lead to environmental issues. The use of such impervious surfaces not only leads to a rise in temperature but can also be a major cause of stormwater runoff. Instead of a hard surface on the pedestrian walkways, permeable paving could have been used.

The Square: A Meeting Place for All

The square offers space to carry out civic activities and events, such as music festivals, the brocante market, and the Christmas market, bringing in people from throughout Jette and Brussels. The elongated wooden benches entice people to relax and to enjoy the setting while providing a recreation space for school children during lunchtime. Different terraces are designed to allow people to picnic and gather, making it a vibrant space. Overall, this project teaches us how the design of a square can help rebuild the urban network and widen its impact on the city image. For those who are facing problems in balancing the urban connections with the multiple activities of a square, this project can be helpful in generating ideas to solve different sorts of problems. Go to comments

Full Project Credits For Kardinaal Mercier Square

Project Name: Kardinaal Mercier Square Landscape Architecture: OMGEVING Location: Jette, Belgium Budget: € 3,800.000 Date of Construction: 2007-2013 Awards: 1st prize in the international competition Client: Beliris Project Size: 4 hectares Project Team: Luc Wallays, Koen Moelants, Maarten Moers, Peter Swyngedauw Facebook: www.facebook.com/OMGEVING LinkedIN: www.linkedin.com/company/omgeving Website: www.omgeving.be Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs

Article by Farah Afza Return to Homepage