Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

We take a trip down memory lane and honor some of the most influential landscape architects in the history of the profession.  Gone, but not forgotten: This is the legacy of 10 influential landscape architects, who have made their mark on history both physically (in their lasting designs) and spiritually (in their influence on the profession). Listed in chronological order, behold LAN’s top 10 most influential Landscape Architects of all time.

1. André Le Nôtre (1613-1700)

As the son and grandson of gardeners of the French court, André Le Nôtre learned about art and architecture from his early childhood on. He grew up to become gardener to the king’s brother and other French lords, and his first gardens sowed the seeds of his unique and thorough landscape architecture perspective. His work caught the eye of King Louis XIV, who appointed him to design the king’s garden and restore the gardens of Versailles. While the number of Le Nôtre’s creations can’t be counted on the fingers of two hands, those he did design remain iconic, including his masterpieces — the Garden of Vaux-le-Vicomte and the gardens of Versailles. Recommended Reading:  André Le Nôtre in Perspective (Editions Hazan) by Patricia Bouchenot-Déchin

2. Lancelot “Capability” Brown (1716-1783)

Lancelot Brown was an English landscape architect who was often known by his nickname, Capability. He earned the moniker because he used to tell his customers that their sites had good “capability” for landscaping. Brown followed in the footsteps of William Kent (1685-1748), advocating a more naturalistic style using large expanses of undulating grass, water bodies with irregular shapes, and shelterbelts. This earned him criticism during his time, but his style became a key innovation in the history of landscape architecture, giving birth to the modern English garden. Many of his 170 gardens remain today, including Kew Gardens, Blenheim Palace, and Chatsworth House. Did you know that the Blenheim Palace park has been regularly used in films? You will look more carefully at “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” next time! Recommended Reading:  Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown: The Omnipotent Magician, 1716-1783 by Jane Brown

3. Peter Joseph Lenné (1789-1866)

This Prussian landscaper was born into a family of castle gardeners. He learned the profession from big names in early 19th century landscape architecture and became a fine connoisseur of plants. Lenné created one of the first public parks in Germany — Park Klosterberge in Magdeburg. But his major works were the redesign of the park at Sanssouci in Potsdam and the Tiergarten in Berlin. Lenné’s success lies with his ability to mix utility and beauty, combined with his extensive botanical knowledge. Lenné remains a source of inspiration for many artists and landscape architects.

4. Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903)

Most of us think of New York City’s Central Park when we think of Olmsted. But this iconic American landscape architect was a man of many passions. He studied engineering, agronomy, and journalism, and traveled widely through Europe and the United States. He was passionate about nature and its preservation. Olmsted played an important role in the protection of nature, including the creation of the Niagara Reservation in association with Calvert Vaux (1824-1895). In additional to Central Park, Olmsted left his imprint on many urban projects and parks, including several university campuses and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol. Recommended Reading:  Frederick Law Olmsted: Plans and Views of Public Parks (The Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted) by Frederick Law Olmsted

5. Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932)

English landscaper Gertrude Jekyll was one of the first famous women in the profession. Her contribution resides mainly in the publication of many books and articles focused on her research into landscape compositions. Influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, her creations showed the importance of proportion and color balance, as well as the use of textures and fragrances in plantations, such as mix-borders. She created about 400 gardens in England, and some in Europe and America, but few have been preserved. Others have been restored and can be visited. Jekyll was also passionate about creepers and roses — Rosa Gertrude Jekyll has been named in her honor. Recommended Reading:  Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden: From the Archives of Country Life by Judith B. Tankard

6. Geoffrey Jellicoe (1900-1996)

The English landscape architect and theoretician had a vast knowledge of landscape history, writing several books, including “Italian Gardens of the Renaissance”, with the help of J.C. Shepherd (1896-1979). In 1948, he became the founding president of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA). Several of his projects, including the Kennedy Memorial at Runnymede and the garden of Sutton Place in Surrey, are significant works of landscape architecture. See More History Inspired Articles: 

• Going Vertical: The History of Green Walls
• How Winter Bay Culture Park Merged History and Revitalization
• 15 Great Examples of Historical Landscape Architecture

Recommended Reading:  Landscape of Civilisation – Moody Gardens by Geoffrey Jellicoe

7. Thomas Church (1902-1978)

This American landscaper was known for developing the modern movement in landscape architecture. He mixed innovative principles of modern style, such as the use of abstract forms, with the following four design principles:

1. He thought of the garden and the house as a whole — a set to design. The garden is an extra living room.
2. He focused on the function of the site, while still respecting the beauty of the place.
3. He advocated the simplicity of a project for aesthetic reasons.
4. He connected the place with the surrounding context.

During his career, he designed many projects, often at universities and private residences. Probably the best known is Donnell Gardens, an icon of modern style. But above all, Church is the father of a whole generation of American landscape architects who have made their mark on the American landscape. Recommended Reading:  Gardens Are For People, Third edition by Thomas D. Church

8. Pechère René (1908-2002)

This Belgian landscape architect participated in the design of the outdoor facilities for the Universal Exhibition of 1958. The gardens of the Congo and the Four Seasons that he made for the event provided him with international fame. Pechère designed nearly 900 public and private gardens in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Germany. His philosophy was to design the garden as a space that contributes to the joy of living. His work also highlighted the importance of the knowledge of many notions of art (sculpture, drawing, history, etc.). His designs used plants as well as architectural elements, taking into account shadows, sunlight, and colors. Renowned for Botany Park — or the Mont des Arts — in Brussels, Pechère is also known to have collected countless books in the field of garden art. His books are now gathered at the René Pechère Library, where you can view all kinds of documents on landscape architecture, onsite or via their website.

9. Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994)

Back to the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, more specifically, Brazil: Burle Marx has been widely recognized for his gardens and parks, but he was also an artist, ecologist, naturalist, musician, and painter. He studied the fine arts long before creating his first garden at a private residence. Passionate about botany, he studied the tropical plants of Brazilian forests along with other botanists and researchers. He created a collection of plants that is kept in Guaratiba, now owned by the state and considered a national monument, with its 3,500 species of plants (Sitio Roberto Burle Marx). Several plants also bear his name, including Calathea “Burle Marx”. Recommended Reading: Roberto Burle Marx: Brazilian Modernist by Jens Hoffmann

But if Burle Marx is known for his contribution to botany, he is even more famous for his modern landscape architecture style. He favored the use of free form, asymmetry, and endemic tropical plants and did not hesitate to use color in his designs. One of his best-known works is the four-kilometer promenade along Copacabana Beach, with its abstract mosaic.

10. Corajoud Michel (1937-2014)

The French landscape architect and professor contributed to a new vision of landscape design, especially in urban areas. Corajoud believed that the work of an urban landscape designer should take into account the architecture surrounding it, providing a continuity with the buildings. His work also focused on people in the landscape project, giving special attention to their expectations and happiness. His projects’ success was measured by the attendance rate of the public. This way of thinking has earned him several awards.

– These emblematic figures of the current landscape are, for us, a way to trace the history of landscape architecture. We can proudly follow their example when we look and think about the landscape, understand the relationship between landscape and man, and admire the increased knowledge that is their legacy in the field of garden art and landscape.

Recommended Reading:

Go to comments

• Drawing and Designing with Confidence: A Step-by-Step Guide by Mike W. Lin
• Landscape Perspective Drawing by Nicholas T. Dines

Article by Alexandra Wilmet Return to Homepage

This week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10. Sketchy Saturday brings with it another whirlwind of talent and styles as we get set to announce this week’s top 10. Covering the globe, over a range of skill levels, it truly is a hard job to determine who gets that coveted top spot. But low and behold someone always manages to elevate to the top spot, sometimes our choice is obvious, sometimes it is debatable. Have a look at our choice for number spot this week and let us know if you think we got it right.

Enjoy this week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10!

10. by Susan Isawi

“I drew this sketch when I was in Porto, I was inspired by the elements that were different. All heights and styles where different, but at the same time in harmony between them. It is a black and white pen drawing, that perhaps best shows the nature of this territory”. 9. by Viviana López Argüello, Architect from Chiapas, Mexico “This sketch was made when I studied at University. I only used stylograph, mixing some shading techniques: hatching, cross hatching, stippling and scumbling. The building is the “CETEC” of Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, in Mexico”. 8. by Susan Isawi “Evora is the object of this Sketch. A city in Portugal where I lived for a period. Every angle and the palace are unique and commemorate the history of the village so old but still very much alive. The streets are narrow and the buildings are with different heights and windows”. 7. by Kerri Chuaquico, Landscape Architect “This sketch is just made in a scratch sketch paper when I needed to a concept for a pavilion in a garden with natural pond. Then I colored it up quickly with chartpak pens. This was done long ago, 3 years ago back in the Philippines for a project”. 6. by Architect Sebastian Varela, Learning landscaping design in the Buenos Aires University “The technique is mixed, I used a ballpoint pen and a quill pen. I made this waiting for my wife in the Barrancas de Belgrano Plaza in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Watching these kids dancing inspired me to draw the scene, and when I was in the middle, a street seller stopped and tried to sell me some things, I really ignored what he said to me but he fit in my line of vision so I did not have another option than to draw him” 5. by Kodsart Denaro, a third year Landscape Architecture student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo “The following sketch was done as part of an assignment for a cultural landscapes class at Cal Poly. We were to recall a favorite childhood place and express the sensual features of this place through imagery and a written narrative. For me, this place evoked a sense of nostalgia. It was the house where I grew up situated in the midst of a forest in Tarrytown, NY. The sketch was created from both memory and imagination using pencil and white colored pencil on Toned Tan Paper”. 4. by Kapil Natawadkar, a student of School of Planning and architecture. New Delhi, India “This sketch is developed as academic work of my masters of landscape architecture. In which we are supposed to design urban civic space next to commercial centre in urban context. The sketch is made in sketchUp and further rendered in Lumion 4 with artistic effect. This is a computer generated rendering and the material is watercolor effect”. 3. by NG SHENG JIE, MLA Final Year Student, Universiti Putra Malaysia  “The sketch was done during my site visit in Putrajaya, Malaysia. I was amazed by the lush green and water body in the park, and it was an on-site hand sketch drawing. It was completed with hand sketching by using Artline 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8, and rendered by Photoshop”. 2. by Prachpasit Saikaew, Freelance Landscape Architect, Bangkok Thailand “It is simply to express my thinking. Ink pen and Copic Marker on Tracing paper. Project U-Town is a mix-use mall complex”. 1. by Walter Bone, ASLA CLARB, US Licensed Landscape Architect “Recreation Area Walk-In-The-Trees The sketch above prepared in 12 minutes represents one of many recreational activities at a new multi-use project in Dubai, UAE. The original black and white sketch prepared by Walter Bone, ASLA CLARB, Landscape Design Manager and the color rendering prepared by Jeena Delizo, Landscape Designer, both from Khatib & Alami in Sharjah, UAE. The design of the catwalk system has been used around the world, but the project we have designed it for further supports the theming with beaches, boats and birds. The crows nests are for bird watching and gazing down the slopes over the sea. Simple soft graphite pencil to form the shapes and mass and void of the paper space, followed by a fine tip felt pen and thick felt pen highlights to create depth and texture. The color rendering was prepared in PhotoShop with a marker tip to give more a realistic hand rendering effect”. – 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 Leave a comment 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

We look at some of the common misconceptions students tend to hold, which turn out to be complete rubbish. Student days, aren’t they the best time of our youth? Full of new emotions, new happenings, and new experiences aren’t those years exciting and full of expectations; wild but educative simultaneously? Although we usually don’t realize it at the time, the period of our studies is one of the most momentous stages of life within which our personality, character, and attitude take shape. That shape is far from simple and explicit when we graduate, but its base is already deeply engraved. If that basic shape is bad, it will be almost impossible to transform or delete it. If it’s good, on the other hand, it can be improved and cleared up with ease and willingness. However, the four or five years at a university are varied enough for students to go through different phases. And though they last long enough to give you time to decide what you wish to do with your life, these years can also pass you by before you can say “I want to become a landscape architect.” So what are the things landscape architecture students believe in? And why are so many of them deceitful? What should you bear in mind that can help you make the most of your studentship? See the naked truth in the following lines. The 4 Deadly Sins Landscape Architecture Students Commit To assimilate the information readily, we will group twelve venial beliefs into four sections; Pride, Sloth, Gluttony, and Wrath. Each segment will display the relationship between the sin and the misbelief. PRIDE

1. “I’ll wait for my inspiration to come before I start working on the project.” As a creative discipline requiring the uninterrupted generation of original ideas, landscape architecture lays its first trap for students. “It is true that behind each great project lies an even greater concept, but it is also true that a project takes as much time as you give it. Don’t ever forget that landscape architecture isn’t only about ideas, no matter how marvelous yours are. And don’t let your pride prevail; you can always utilize your time by doing some technical work. Such no-muse days really do exist, but they don’t have to turn into routine excuses for indolence. Inspiration won’t come until you start searching for it – that same moment you actually start working on your project! The sooner you understand the veracity of the previous sentence, the less stressful situations you will meet in your future work. In the article “5 Common Mistakes You Should Avoid When Starting a Project” Eleni Tsirintani’s professionalism reveals helpful techniques to help beat early project missteps. 2. “I won’t listen to my lecturers. They don’t understand my concepts.” The second delusion originating from students’ pride is the disregard of teachers’ directions. We’ve all been there. The lecturer says in front of all your fellows that your idea sucks and there’s no one in the world you hate as much as him/her at that moment. But for good or bad, such cases are vital for your progress. No one claims you have to agree with everything the academics think, yet you need to be open to criticism. Have individuality and defend your opinion, but listen to what the more experienced say about your work as well. If you reckon that teachers can’t get your ideas, try to present your project in a way they’ll understand. And don’t fall for the other extreme, either; professors’ opinions are not set in stone or indisputable. Observe, analyze and discuss – in that order! An excellent list of tips for developing the student-professor relationship is comprised in this article by Yuliya Georgieva, “9 Ways to Milk Your Professors for Everything They’re Worth!” 3. “I won’t work harder than my fellows. Why should I?” The third false belief may sound familiar to almost every landscape architecture student. It refers to the point at which you begin to wonder if there is a reason for you to push harder than the others. Subconsciously or not, people always tend to follow the average level. The problem here occurs when the majority of your student-fellows are below the standard. You can’t be responsible for all your classmates, but you have to be responsible for your own improvement. So why should you work harder than the rest when you will pass the year one way or another? Think about the possible benefits that extra work can bring to you. You will learn to set your bar higher alone, even before you graduate. Your efforts won’t go unseen. It may take time before you get attention, but the results will pay off later. Last but not least, you will awaken to who your real friends are in the university. Those who will support you will be few, but at least you will be aware of who you can trust for your future projects and career path. You can draw more advice on how to be a successful landscape architecture student from Ashely Penn’s terrific article exploring “5 Common Habits of Successful Landscape Architecture Students” 4. “I don’t want to participate in student competitions. I don’t have time!” The last false understanding coming from students’ vanity is represented by an unwillingness to take part in student contests. The most common excuse for not being active outside the university is related to the bad time management skills of most students. College is an immense source of knowledge, but it often puts you in cotton wool, sheltering you too much from external influences. Student competitions, workshops, and all kinds of extracurricular activities widen your views in a priceless way. Joining such initiatives helps you see how the land lies, as you’re put in an entirely new and different context. Networking, creating a team, or just learning what weaknesses and strengths you have are amongst the profits you gain after undertaking such a step. So don’t get fooled by your pride. You can be an awesome landscape architecture student, or perhaps the next Burle Marx (why not?), but no one will know that until you sit, work, and present your ideas. For more useful lines about the opportunities beyond the university read Paul McAtomney article “7 Things You Must Know to Succeed as a Student That Your Lecturer Can’t Teach You!” SLOTH The second deadly sin, sloth, concerns the stages of apathy, lack of interest and negligence we’re often faced with through the years of our studies. 5. “I’ll start meeting deadlines when I begin to work. It’s not that crucial now.” This misbelief is dreadfully widespread among students. Missing deadlines is perhaps the biggest mistake we make in college. Postponing building the habit of finishing your projects on time can only make things worse in future. The sooner you learn to manage your time, the better designer you’ll become. Organization and prioritizing are not talents which we were born with. They have to be developed and maintained. Studentship is the perfect opportunity for creating and stabilizing that way of working, so don’t miss it! If you are interested in discovering why being well-organized means everything, take a look at that article by Elisa Garcia, “Bad Landscape Architecture Students, Can They Improve?” 6. “I don’t have to visit classes regularly. Only nerds do that.” We’re moving on to the issue of attending lectures regularly and absorbing knowledge directly from the source, and learning to bear proudly the title: “nerd of the course”. The truth is that you shouldn’t care too much about other people’s thoughts. Chances are, whoever you meet after graduation, he/she will say that they regret not going to classes when they had the chance. The opportunity of direct contact with lecturers and colleagues is invaluable – no one will quote exactly what the teacher said, and no one will perceive a lesson the same way you did. So don’t make excuses just to comfort yourself. Fight prejudices, and fight laziness if you have to. Embrace your opportunities. How else will you become the best professional? How can you become a top landscape architecture student? Find out in Nick Shannon’s article “10 Tips to Help You Be a Top Landscape Architecture Student” 7. “I can always learn what I missed from school later.” Our sloth-inspired misbeliefs continue with students’ arguments on catching up with the lessons they failed to study. You must never rely on that whim if you strive for a reputable name. It’s clear that some subjects will be easier than others, but that doesn’t mean you can catch up on everything when you become a professional. You can’t make up for five years, after all. Give the best of yourself now, as a student, to save from embarrassing situations later as a working landscape architect. Other mistakes students make, and the clues to avoid them, are revealed in the article on “10 Mistakes Every Landscape Architecture Student Makes and How to Avoid Them” by Cameron R. Rodman 8. “Education isn’t as important as work experience.” As we search the depths of students’ thoughts, it gets clearer that most of their delusions are just another form of excuses. The next wrong understanding pretends that university education isn’t as valuable as the work experience after it. But wait a minute, aren’t both equally substantial? What happened to theory and practice, or is it practice that matters only? If education wasn’t necessary, we wouldn’t have to go to universities at all. Moreover, we’re not only talking about knowledge here. Five years at university teach you how to comprehend, how to listen, how to talk to erudite personalities, when to talk, and when to be silent. Five years at university can teach you how to behave according to the business etiquette, how to act like a professional, and how attitude is everything. You could learn all those things before you start working, not after. Ten easy steps to help you craft your image among colleagues are described in Cameron R. Rodman’s article “10 Easy Ways for Landscape Architecture Students to Network with Professionals” GLUTTONY We are switching now to one more deadly sin landscape architecture students meet; gluttony. How is it represented, you wonder? Think about the exaggerated, enormous amounts of enthusiasm you had in your first year in college. Did we answer your question? 9. “I’m a freshman, but I’m already ahead of schedule! And it even gets easier in the following semesters…” Maybe there are successful examples of students who have managed to keep a steady pace through all the years of studying. Unfortunately, when you are overenthusiastic in the beginning, you burn out very fast. And truth be told, it doesn’t get easier in time; it’s quite the opposite. So if you push it too hard right from the start, it turns out that you wasted all your power on the more general subjects in the first years, and you feel tired and spiritless later when the most exciting, narrowly specialized disciplines come. Of course, the best option is to estimate and distribute your energy uniformly with an accent on the final year. Whatever you choose, make sure you handle the situation instead of it handling you. Explore what things you should keep in mind if you want to study landscape architecture in the article by Dalia Zein, “10 Things You Must Know If You Want to Study Landscape Architecture” 10. “I’ll start thinking and living for landscape architecture. Nothing else concerns me.” One more shape of gluttony appears in the ultimate grasping; that in order to become good at landscape architecture, one has to forget about everything else. This is insanely wrong! Running into any extreme is never a good idea. We shouldn’t forget that students are often 19- to 25-year-old people who need to have fun, take rests and do their own hobbies. It’s hard to find the balance between being a top student and having a normal social life and relationships, but once you get it, you will see how both things synchronize and improve each other. Remember that everything that is not landscape architecture still inspires landscape architecture; whether it be love, nature, a book, a travel experience or a song… so don’t deprive yourself of being a complete person. To learn why monotony is your enemy and how to avoid eight more productivity killers, read the article “9 Productivity Killers in the Studio and How to Avoid Them” by Ashley Penn. WRATH The last deadly sin encountered by students is wrath. It covers two fallacies, disguised in a rebellious behavior often accompanied by self-pity. 11. “I don’t want to be a landscape architect. I just want to graduate.” Is there anyone who can explain such reasoning? Why would you waste your time, your money (or your parents’ money), and your endeavors for a subject you don’t have a desire to develop in? Think of the professors who are sharing their time with you. They would scarcely feel motivated to tutor a person who shows no ambition himself. The best action you can take in such a case is to drop out of university and find what really amazes you. If you’re hesitating about that decision, maybe there is a problem somewhere else. In either case stop, think, and decide. Life is right before you, so don’t waste it studying a matter which isn’t your passion. In this article, Erin Tharp posts a list of reasons that students drop out of college. Read it here. 12. “I will never be as good as him/her.” The final misbelief was saved for the end with a set purpose. The most sinful thought a student can hold is doubt in themselves. Not believing in yourself is the source of all your problems. The lack of faith can stultify everything. You should compare your projects with others, but you shouldn’t try to imitate or strive to design like somebody else. If your fellow student is good at renderings and you are good at planting design, that’s perfectly normal. Don’t run after someone else; concentrate on yourself. You possess unique skills and unique potential. So set your bar according to you, not according to someone else. In this way, the only person you’ll compete with will be your better self. Grab some more inspiring words on the road to success in landscape architecture from this interview with one of the most successful Bulgarian landscape architects, Veselin Rangelov – With those lines, we end our journey of right and wrong beliefs. Yet, who are we to say what’s right or wrong? Which points do you agree with and which made you wrinkle? Feel free to comment below. We’re expecting your opinion! Go to comments Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Velislava Valcheva Return to Homepage

LAN’s Brett Lezon and Win Phyo went to Expo Milano 2015 and compiled a list of 10 Highlights that stand out for Landscape Architects.  Dating back to 1851, in London, the Universal Exhibition has served as the stage for showcasing the world’s successes. From the phonograph (1878 Paris World Expo) to electricity (1904 St. Louis World’s Fair), endless inventions have made their first appearance at World Expos. Based in Milan, the economic and cultural capital of Italy, Expo Milano 2015 took place from May 1 to Oct. 31 and featured pavilions from 143 participating countries, representing 93 percent of the global population. Open and inclusive, beautiful and ambitious: Bringing the world to Milan for six months was certainly an impressive challenge, and the organizers succeeded — more than 20 million people visited the Expo. Titled “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, the Expo observed traditional food production, shared cultural values, and explored the implementation of new technologies. We had the opportunity to attend in mid-October and witnessed a number of concepts that landscape architects could employ on many different scales. Whether your next project aspires to be quirky, productive, or simply experiential, take a look at our Top 10 takeaways for Landscape Architects.

Highlights From Expo Milano

1. Large-Scale Event Master Planning

Designed by Stefano Boeri, Richard Burdett, Mark Rylander, Jacques Herzog, and William McDonough, the site covered an area of 290 hectares (490 acres) and was readily accessible by several modes of transportation. Interestingly enough, the site was harmonically organized by two wide avenues: “Decumanus” and “Cardo”. Decumanus  stretched for 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) along the east-west axis and was dedicated to participating countries who presented their riches in terms of food and production. WATCH: Expo Milan 2015 The “Cardo” extended along the north-south axis and was assigned to Italy and its regions. This grid-system planning style was popularized by the ancient Romans to transport massive crowds. The master plan was not just a collection of large buildings, but a complex landscape — the impressive exposition garden included more than 12,000 trees, stunning water features, and a canal.

2. Details Matter

Even at a gigantic scale, the little details were not neglected. The repurposed wood sourced from the original Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn at the United States pavilion and the 17,000-piece, carefully assembled Japanese pavilion that allowed sunlight to pass through were just a few of the many crafty designs…. WATCH: Biodynamic cement for the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2015 – Press Conference …Not to mention the intricate latticework of the air-cleaning façade at the Italian pavilion, which was made from bespoke smog-purifying concrete by material manufacturer Italcementi. Is this perhaps the technology of the future?

3. Porous Solutions

The United Arab Emirates pavilion, designed by Foster + Partners, creatively mimicked the narrow streets of an early desert city through the use of resin-bound surfacing — mostly locally sourced in Italy. The result was a porous, unified surface that delivered an undulating, sandscape feel.

4. Innovative Mapping Conventions

At 290 hectares (490 acres), it was rather easy to become overwhelmed while traversing the Expo. However, a sleek mapping style dramatically simplified the way-finding process.

5. Whimsical Seating Elements

Seating should never be repetitive at the World’s Fair, and Lithuania’s teeter-totter benches and Estonia’s kinetic energy swings were the most adventurous we encountered. The kinetic energy swings gave users a sense of how much energy is required for basic tasks such as charging a phone. We strolled past a group of wildly spinning children having fun on the British designer Thomas Heatherwick’s infamous Spun armchair. WATCH: Expo 2015: Estonian Pavilion The seats were arranged in the Lake Arena setting, where the most important installation of the exhibition — the “Tree of Life” — stands. Who would have thought this creation would be shown iconically in the most-visited and prestigious location of the Milan Expo 2015?

6. Out of the Box Uniqueness

The Brazilian pavilion had to be the quirkiest representation of a plaza or an outdoor space. Redefining the given space and created as a light and open structure that supports nothing but a huge trampoline net, the Brazilian pavilion is a plaza that welcomes people into its unique area. We clambered our way through and tried to keep our balance! Seriously speaking, the project shows how a space built with very few resources can provide such a memorable interaction.

7. Biodiversity Park Was a Plant Lover’s Dream

Consisting of 0.85 hectares (2.10 acres), Biodiversity Park raised awareness of Italy’s environmental, agricultural, and food production qualities. We strolled the sweeping landscapes to observe different examples of organic farming styles from the major eco-regions of Italy. See More Cool Projects From Italy:

• Mediterranean Terrace Provides Inspired Living in Italy
• Historical Square Gets a Shocking Makeover!
• 15 Great Examples of Historical Landscape Architecture

The park had a strong narrative power: We discovered the riches of the Italian natural environment and its biodiversity. Boasting more than 300 species of plants, Biodiversity Park proved that the Italian organic farming methods serve as a global model. WATCH: Welcome to the Biodiversity Park in Expo Milano 2015

8. Lighting Counts

Proper lighting can add another dimension to any setting, and this was most certainly true for the Italian, United Kingdom, and Kuwait pavilions. While impressive by day, these pavilions were stunning at night. The cuboid lattice form known as the “hive”, which was the centerpiece of the UK pavilion, was designed by Wolfgang Buttress. It glowed based on activity from a real beehive.

9. Design for the Experience

What’s a World’s Fair void of an enjoyable experience? The luna park-like festival grounds of the Holland pavilion was one of the most unique of all. It was furnished with a greenhouse, the world’s only Ferris wheel restaurant, nine food trucks, and Dutch DJs spinning the hottest dance tracks. What’s not to love about this incredible ambience? WATCH: Expo 2015: The Netherlands Pavilion

10. Vertical Farming

In the next 35 years, the world’s population is expected to grow from about 7 billion to 9 billion people. Many experts believe that vertical farming presents a solution to growing plants when maintaining a large tract of land is unattainable. We were impressed with the 860-square-meter (9,250-square-foot) automated vertical farm at the United States pavilion, which featured ZipGrow towers that are scalable, maximizing output in limited space.

Israel’s “Fields of Tomorrow” also attracted our attention with an eco-friendly vertical field, 70 meters long (230 feet) and 12 meters high (39 feet), made up of agricultural crops grown on modular tiles, each containing a “computerized drip irrigation system” to boost plant growth. Despite Israel’s lack of natural resources, the pavilion was a celebration of the nation’s innovative agricultural advances, which have succeeded in turning its arid area into fertile ground. What’s Next?  The design practices we have highlighted above can be transferred to projects of various scales, typologies, and geographies. You are probably curious as to what will happen to the pavilions after Oct. 31. Careful considerations have been given for the pavilions, which were constructed to be energy-efficient and sustainable. The buildings were designed to be removable, so that they can be reused even after the event concludes. Expo Milano 2015 has highlighted the strategic topics of the right to have healthy and secure food and the battle against waste and for environmentally friendly development for the future of a planet that in 2050 will have 9 billion inhabitants. The event was a stimulus for suggesting solutions, but the real result was, in fact, arousing a sense of urgency and the importance of these issues in our lives. It invited us to consciously rethink our use of natural resources and our relationship with the ecosystems and the services they provide for us, the importance of biodiversity, and the impact of climate change on food production, the economy, and society. We should challenge more landscape architects to be involved in this design-oriented discussion and debate, because landscape architecture is a profession that can deal with the sensitive relationship between humans and nature. Were you at Expo Milano 2015? What do you think were the highlights for landscape architects? Leave a Comment Expo Milano 2015 Details Website: www.expo2015.org Dates: May 1 to Oct. 31, 2015 Location: Milan, Italy Venue: Milan-Rho Area: 200 hectares (490 acres) Participating Countries: 143 Number of Pavilions: 96 Number of Visitors: Over 20 million Next Universal Exposition: Expo 2020 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates Article by Brett Lezon and Win Phyo Return to Homepage

In a conversation with writer Nicholas Bueskingkeys, top plantsman, Roy Diblik explains the keys to successful low-maintenance planting. Over the past decade, Roy Diblik has become a prominent name in Midwestern perennials. He runs Northwind Perennial Farm in southern Wisconsin, which supplies some of the largest perennial wholesale companies in the area. He has never received formal education in horticulture. Nevertheless, today Chicago is sprinkled with prominent displays of his work: Lurie Garden, Shedd Aquarium, and the Gary Comer Youth Center, among others. He has become a leading advocate for a paradigm shift in the planting industry, alongside other notable plantsmen including Piet Oudolf and Adam Woodruff.

Recently, I had the chance to have a conversation with Roy Diblik . As we talked over the phone, Diblik was walking through the new renovations of Grant Park, just down Michigan Avenue from Lurie Garden. He was humble but keen-minded, and his passion for his work was obvious. “We need a philosophical change on how to make the Earth green,” Diblik told me. He said he believes society needs to move away from the heritage of inherently unsustainable gardens. The practice of cramming many high-performing exotics together—stemming from traditional French and English gardens—often results in a landscape of clashing needs. These gardens consequently require high maintenance. Diblik criticized the need to pour resources into these highly artificial, unsustainable landscapes through weeding, watering, fertilizing, and mulching. Diblik focuses on creating low-maintenance landscapes by understanding plant culture, a philosophy detailed in his book, “The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden”. We have to interpret how plants live on Earth, he urges and use that knowledge to form communities that work well together. Communities will support each other and often naturally complement each other aesthetically. Once established, they can also sustain themselves by reseeding. Dense communities cover the ground, push out weeds and create their own mulch. This eliminates major efforts in weeding and watering once a planting has established. Spring ephemerals or well-chosen bulbs can also provide competition for weeds early in the growing season, then fade into the background when perennials emerge.

What Makes a Good Man-Made Prairie

To achieve these communities in the Midwest, Diblik frequently turns to the prairie. Discussing what makes a good man-made prairie, Diblik hedges a bit. The quality of a “good” outcome can vary, he says, likening it to cuisine. Some people are satisfied with a big, juicy burger. Others would prefer to dine at a five-star French restaurant. Yes, a prairie with low species diversity is still a prairie, but it will not compare to the biodiversity and ecological benefit of a truly healthy prairie. Early in our conversation, Diblik commented that he was interested to see how the recent work on Grant Park had taken shape. He had some early involvement in the project but had eventually moved on. The concerns he had then were still there; the planting beds were much too small for seeding.

He explained that a seed-based prairie project often looks unsightly as it matures. In the wrong context, a poorly executed project can cause pushback against the concept of naturalized plantings. Near the end of our conversation, though, Diblik noted wryly that despite his concerns, Grant Park was packed in the middle of a weekday.

How to Make Sure Seeding Works

Seeding works best in large areas in which a large diversity can be achieved through the seed mixes. Gradually, the species will eventually establish themselves where they are happiest. In small-scale plantings, the same range of species cannot be achieved. For plantings in residential beds, civic spaces, and parkways—where plugs and containerized plantings are more appropriate—Diblik recommends multi-stage planting, for maintenance and budgetary reasons. Diblik starts with plants that will eliminate work. These are plants that clump together to become the substrate of his planting matrices. In this phase, grasses and sedges predominate. Their density reduces the need for weeding down the line. In a second stage, he adds plants that add color and form to the landscape.

When designing plantings, Diblik systematizes the plants into three general categories: background plants that unify, plants that work best in groups, and high-interest plants that can stand by themselves. Drawing inspiration from the impressionist painter Edward Vuillard, Diblik subtly mixes shades, shapes, and textures to form an overall composition.

Never Expect Instant Results

Once the project has been installed, the work is not yet complete. Developing a healthy prairie takes more than a single burst of planting. Too often, the client, the developer, or even the designer expects instant results, an irony in a field inherently reliant on time. When seeding, it takes years of continual analysis and reseeding to get a prairie that is balanced and can sustain itself. Without continuous seeding, a few species such as Echinacea, Aster, and Solidago—the “thugs” as Diblik calls them—dominate and greatly reduce the biodiversity and aesthetic complexity of the planting. The process is not fast. Diblik says that the tweaking process could last up to 18 years from initial installation, although often it is much shorter. Diblik says he finds a certain elegance in the extended effort, calling it the “beauty of time and patience to get it right.”

In 2004, Diblik worked alongside Piet Oudolf during the creation the Lurie Garden, which has become a poignant example of the aesthetic and ecological value of natural planting. The garden consciously mixes natives with species from around the world, emphasizing the creation of cooperative plant communities over geo-biological boundaries. Diblik said the experience of working with Piet has given him hope. Projects such as Lurie Garden and the Highline are setting a new tone in the planting world. It is a change in ecological and aesthetic values that has been successful only because Oudolf intimately understands how the components work. Diblik cautions, however, that creating intelligent plant communities must come from “knowing how to write.” A writer can use a lot of words without putting a good sentence together. If other designers simply copy this new style and do not understand the balance that plant communities provide, the shift in paradigm that plantsmen such as Roy are spearheading will become a parody of itself. On the other hand, if designers begin to grasp the importance of plant communities, the field of landscape architecture will move toward the creation of landscapes that demand fewer resources and provide greater ecological value to the built environment than those of previous generations. Will Landscape Architects grasp the importance of plant communities? Let us know in the comments Go to comments Recommended Reading: 

• The Well-Tended Perennial Garden, by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
• Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, by Michael Dirr
• The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden, by Roy Diblik

Article by Nicholas Buesking Return to Homepage

ASLA headquarters, by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and Conservation Design Forum, in Washington, D.C. The ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects) green roof project seeks to demonstrate the environmental benefits of green roofs, as well as to showcase what landscape architects contribute to this type of project. Located on the rooftop of the headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects in the heart of Washington D.C., the ASLA Green Roof project transformed an existing 3,000 square foot roof into an expressive display of green roof technology that supports an active social space.

Some Benefits of Green Roofs Worth Mentioning

Green roofs help to cool cities, clean the air, build habitat and manage storm water. The plants and their growing medium filter rainwater and some of its pollutants. The plants produce oxygen that improves air quality. A green roof reduces a building’s heating and cooling costs, acting as a form of insulation. And they lessen the heat island effect, in which buildings warm up so much that they heat their surroundings. See More Articles on Green Roofs:

• How The Chicago City Hall Green Roof is Greening the Concrete Jungle
• Extensive Green Roofs: The Essential Guide
• WARNING: Why You’re Losing Money By Not Using a Green Roof

On the ASLA green roof, Styrofoam forms the base for each 25 foot (7.6 m) long ‘wave’ of plantings, which minimizes the weight of the structure. It features many different soil depths, ranging from 3 inches (75mm) on the flat portion to 21 inches (525mm) on the elevator shaft, to accommodate the roof’s varying strength in different areas while also showing different types of green roof designs.

THE WAVEFORMS BLOCK THE NOISE and views of the building’s HVAC units (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), providing a more peaceful environment. In addition to sight and sound aesthetics, the HVAC runs more efficiently in the summer as they stay cooler in the shade of the waves. The roof creates the most energy benefits during the winter, as the insulation provided by the roof helps decrease heating costs by 10 percent.

“…reduced building energy costs by hundreds of dollars a month…”

ASLA set up an extensive monitoring system to measure air temperature, water runoff, and building energy use. A comprehensive report found that the green roof retained thousands of gallons of storm water, reduced building energy costs by hundreds of dollars a month, and significantly lowered outdoor air temperature.

Creating New Views

With the barrel-shaped mounds at the north and south ends of the roof, the designers have created new horizons for visitors, clearing the immediate urban foreground and focusing views on the more distant Washington skyline. The plants on the north wave include native perennials such as purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis), butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta).

Right Plant, Right Place

The overall plantings include many “experimental” plants which are not typical green roof plants. This is done in an attempt to find plants that can withstand the harsh environment on a green roof.

ON THE SOUTH wave of the green roof grows prickly pear cactus (Opuntia sp.), along with other desert-adapted succulents, including varieties of Sedum that help to cool the air by as much as 43 degrees F (6.1º C) in the summer. In addition, these plants reduce the urban heat island effect. The plants also provide a habitat for many birds and insects. Covering the elevator shaft and rooftop access is trumpet vine (Campsis radicans), joined by a sumac tree (Rhus). This part of the roof is the strongest, allowing for more soil (up to 21 inches). Sumac trees, which can grow to nearly 30 feet tall (9m) require a greater depth of growing medium.

A Balance of Nature and Function

Balancing social use and ecological benefit, a unique element to the design is the aluminum grate that has Sedum growing below it. By using the aluminum grate, significantly more roof space is made accessible for visitors while providing a greater growing area.

The success of each plant species is being monitored in order to identify a more diverse palette of plants that could survive on an urban rooftop without active maintenance after the first several years of establishment. This is a great project for landscape architects in the city and is a new way to look at the profession. This project provides proof that by using the correct amount of plants, we can provide a good living space within a semblance of nature, even within the built environment. What do you think about the roof being a new frontier for landscape architecture? Leave a Comment

Full Project Credits For The ASLA Headquarters

Project: ASLA headquarters Location: Washington, D.C. Build: 2006 Size: 3000 sq. ft. Prime Consultant/Landscape Architect: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. Website: www.mvvainc.com Green Roof Consultant: Conservation Design Forum Website: www.cdfinc.com Client: American Society of Landscape Architects Project Team: Conservation Design Forum, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, DMJM, Robert Sillman Associates, Forrester Construction Completion: 2006 Publications: Landscape Architecture Magazine, 2006, Metropolis Magazine, 2006 Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Agmarie Calderon Alonso Return to Homepage Feature image courtesy of ASLA

One Island East, by Hargreaves Associates, in Taikoo Place, Hong Kong, China. According to the common business terminology, a corporate design or a corporate identity is the specific combination of designs, colors, and words that a firm uses to present a visual statement about itself and its business philosophy. The corporate identity is the integral image a company shows to investors, customers, and the public. It is very often vital for the future development of the business. Corporate landscape is another notion, referring to the use of landscape architecture as a creative tool to underline and maintain a certain corporate identity. How can a landscape project reflect and correspond to the design and corporate identity of a specific office campus located in Hong Kong? How has it managed to complement the exquisite appearance of a 298.1-meter-high (978-foot) office tower, which is a landmark on its own? Find out the answers to these questions — and see how more of them pop up — while exploring one of the most exciting directions of landscape architecture, the corporate landscape design.

One Island East

As the latest office development at Taikoo Place, One Island East marks the center of the campus with a signature tower and open space that will serve the entire district. Comprised of 59 office floors occupied by 30,000 employees, the large-scale, commercial office tower poses a problem for landscape architects: how to incorporate the building with the surrounding environment without undervaluing its distinctiveness. How can designers connect the adjacent residential structures and another 50,000 residents to the corporate nature of the business hub?

A Landscape Echoing the Architecture

The team of landscape architects from Hargreaves Associates has come up with a deliberate, yet polished design solution. “The four-hectare plaza exemplifies the design objective of elegant simplicity held by Swire Properties Limited for the 30,000 office users and adjacent residents,” they explain on their website. The concept design for the plaza takes queues from the One Island East building and uses the topography of the site to create different zones of paving, landscape and water. THE RHOMBOID SHAPE of the tower in plan and elevation creates a floating effect that is further reinforced by the lighting, and is the inspiration for the plaza design and pattern, which translates the modern shapes of the building to the landscape.

Elegantly Graded

Providing a forecourt to the building, the plaza creates a graceful transition from the massive presence of the surrounding high-rises by means of three flat, green platforms that step down from the tower podium via water stairs, vegetated terraces with native tropical plants, and shimmering water basins and thus the landscape provides human scale and softness to the predominately hard and massive surroundings. More Related Articles: 

• How Cumberland Park Became a Riverfront Adventure Park
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While unifying the spatial perception of the place, the rhomboids accommodate water cascades, adding a lively, dynamic experience of water flowing from the top of the plaza to reach the illuminated granite edges in the basins at the lowest levels. To assure an opportunity for more intimate contact with the space, the stepped terraces offer integrated seating as inviting as the curving, hardwood benches.

Connecting People or Tying Together the Urban Scape?

The alternation of linear and staggered tree arrangement, together with the rhythm of colors in the plantings, makes for a unique and pleasing asymmetrical composition. Two fountains are complementary enriching elements. The first one is located at the entrance to the tower and is an artesian interactive fountain using a combination of water and light effects to present a picturesque performance. The second fountain emerges from the podium in the shape of an egg, with black granite slabs and whitewater streams forming a striped shell.

The entry area is designed to accommodate social and cultural events or exhibitions. As a result, the plaza serves as a multifunctional urban landscape that flawlessly reflects the corporate character of One East Island and, at the same time, gives local workers and residents a recreational place for relaxation.

The Potential of One Island East

Finally, emphasis should be placed upon the possibility for programs and choreographies that the elements of the podium offer. “The result is an expressive mix of performance art that signifies the sophistication and forward look of One Island East,” the design team says.

From its initial design composition to the last detail of the lighting arrangement, the landscape design of One Island East speaks to connection. Whether it is about connecting the built environment with the green environment, the corporate structures with the residential ones, or the workers with the residents, One Island East’s landscape architecture connects. And after all, isn’t that the pure essence of future-oriented design?

Full Project Credits For One Island East

Project Name: One Island East Project Type: Urban Plaza Scope: Design Concept through Construction Observation Location: Taikoo Place, Hong Kong, China Landscape Architects: Hargreaves Associates Size: 5 acres Design: 2007 Construction Date: 2008 Client: Swire Properties Ltd, Hong Kong, China Total Value: $2 billion (total project cost, public realm cost not separated) Website: www.hargreaves.com Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Velislava Valcheva Return to Homepage

A’beckett Urban Square, by Peter Elliott Pty Ltd Architecture + Urban Design and Taylor Cullity Lethlean Landscape Architecture, in RMIT at Melbourne, Victoria in Australia.  Conceived as a piece of urban theater carved out of the surrounding of the city, A’Beckett Urban Square is framed by new residential towers, multi-level car parks, and RMIT academic buildings. This urban landscaping pop-up has transformed a vacant site into a vibrant sports and recreational hub for RMIT. Transforming a vacant space into a useful one by using artwork, platforms for sports, and vegetation, and by creating space between spaces, the park adapts its surroundings into a collaboration of ideas, developing creative concepts.

A’beckett Urban Square

A’beckett urban square is a temporary zone which converges different activities into one location. It is accessible not just to RMIT students and staff, but also to the greater Melbourne community, turning this underutilized and derelict space into a publically-accessible 2,800 square meter ‘pop-up’ park. “It’s really meant for active ball games, because there’s really almost nowhere in the city you can do that, apart from what RMIT already has in its campus on Bowen Street.” -Peter Elliott-

By utilizing this plain canvas, Peter Elliott conceived a continuous flow of space generating spatial zones within the boundaries of the area. It is uniquely interesting how this ‘pop-up’ park could be so interactive and community-conscious. It’s not only a park, it is a space where people can be free of time and just be one with the location. By taking a simple approach to the design, Elliot activated the square with demountable pieces including artwork from contemporary artist Ash Keating who created a large-scale piece called Natural System Response, wherein the verdant green represents the urban forest and the searing red, the desert landscape. See what Other Things Are Happening in Australia: 

• 10 Great Projects Showing why Australia are Leaders in Landscape Architecture
• Australia to Lead the World in Green Infrastructure for a Healthier Nation
• The Australian Garden That Everyone’s Talking About!

Making a Vacant Space Into a Dynamic and Functional One

Design and creativity meet with simple and clear ideas, making a vacant space into a dynamic and functional one. Putting perspective onto a blank slate allows RMIT University to have an outdoor section that is also pragmatic. Though impermanent, the project managed an outgoing use of the space; people visited and interacted with the setting, making clear that it served its purpose. Turning derelict wasteland into an urban playground, these projects are transforming the way Melburnians engage with their city – however temporarily.

The Impact of a Pop-up Park

This ‘pop-up’ park brought light and contrast to the area, incorporating colors and textures onto the plane; it played well with the buildings giving a burst of fun and playfulness to its surroundings. This piece of living art, at least for me, was simply amazing – bringing people together into one cohesive square, giving them many options to choose from and allowing for contemplation of each zone without overshadowing the others. This park lets the scenery speak for itself, providing a place for having fun while the commotion of the city continued on.

The Result of a Great Collaboration

Making a piece (space) like this was well thought out. Putting the concept together, a gathering of minds connected many ideas into a single one. In the end, they created a continuous surrounding that the people (community) could actually enjoy. That is what I consider a great collaboration between the architect, Peter Elliott, and the RMIT project manager, Liz Davies.

Understanding The Needs of The Users 

Taking time to really understand the needs of the city and the people that live there is very important when working on a project, whether it is long term or just temporary. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have an open mind about what works in the area in which the project is going to be built; every detail counts.

How can one single space have multiple purposes and serve an innovative location? It was done and it worked! Incorporating a demountable area that could be used by RMIT and the rest of the city; that’s how one can bring the city and the people together, connecting every inch of space so it can be put to use by everyone. Though the project was both useful and functional, it was only there for a little while. It serves as a great example of “what can be” for future vacant places in different areas. Let’s take this chance to learn more about the revitalization of spaces, of what can be created. Do not let the fear of, “What if doesn’t work?” stop our minds from trying possibilities in the design of a single place or space in the city. I do believe this was a great way to let people know what can be done, not just here but in other areas just like this: vacant places are all over. I think this a good example for architecture and landscape architecture students to learn about space, its value, the form, and the city. What would you have done differently, if you had the chance to interact with this vacant space?

Full Project Credits For A’beckett Urban Square

Project: A’beckett Urban Square in RMIT Location: RMIT at Melbourne, Victoria in Australia Architect: Peter Elliott Architecture + Urban Design RMIT Project Manager: Liz Davies Services Engineer: Arup Build: June of 2014 Size: 2,800sqm Client: RMIT University Principal Architect: Peter Elliott Project Architect: Catherine Duggan Project Team: Sean van der Velden, Daniel Bennetts, Juliet Maxsted Structural & Civil Engineer: Arup Building Surveyor: BSGM Landscape Architect: Taylor Cullity Lethlean Quantity Surveyor: DCWC Town Planning Consultant: Nicholson Planning + Development Project Manager: Savills Artist: Ash Keating Graphic Designer: Univers Graphics Photographers: John Gollings, Tony Owczarek, Ash Keating Project Value: $1.2million Designed: September 2013 Completion Date: May 2014 Head Contractor: ADCO Website: www.peterelliott.com.au Recommended Reading:

• Sun-Drenched Gardens: The Mediterranean Style by Jan Smithen
• Designing and Creating a Mediterranean Garden by Freda Cox

Article by Agmarie Calderón Alonso Return to Homepage

Los Trompos, by Héctor Esrawe & Ignacio Cadena, High Museum Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. “Should we take the ‘ground’ out of ‘playground?’” That is the question posed by scientist and landscape historian Paige Johnson, so that the idea of play can be extended throughout the city and we can have play opportunities throughout the space we move through. The desire to broaden the playground to include more locations and ages can be seen in the increased focus of museums and public spaces on play. One such space is in Carroll Slater Piazza inside the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, where Los Trompos has been housed since April 2015. Designed by Esrawe and Cadena — two of the leading designers in Mexico today — the “Spinning Tops” are the second-stage project after Mi Casa Su Casa – the red hammock houses. This work is part of a multi-year initiative to activate the outdoor space by engaging visitors. And as you will see in this article, this happened within the idea of play design.

General Context and Inspiration Source

Besides the fact that Los Trompos is a response to the desire to extend the playground to different ages and locations, we ask ourselves about a deeper meaning of the idea of play design. In a globalized world where speedy travel, mass communication, and information influx among countries are taken for granted, traditions and cultural inheritances are becoming anchor points and key elements in maintaining the whole globalization-machine.

Even if globalization means a process of interaction and integration among people, companies, and governments of different nations, people still live locally in distinct spaces with different traditions. This idea of dynamics and simultaneity between global and local can be seen as Esrawe’s and Cadena’s inspiration in designing more than 30 three-dimensional, colorful tops. Other Articles on LAN:

• 10 Top Examples of Land Art From Around the World
• Can Art Revive a Dead Urban Space?
• Mind Blowing Snow Art – A New Way to Think of Snow

1. Tradition – “We love our country, our people, and our roots”

The design concept of Los Trompos rests upon a popular toy for children around the globe and on Mexican cultural inheritances. Spinning tops have existed since antiquity, and they are toys designed to be spun rapidly on the ground. The “larger-than-life” spinning tops designed by Esrawe and Cadena are also reminiscent of Mexican tradition and the skills of local craftsmen: the weavers. Within their colorful expression and way of construction, they remind the visitors of the Mexican potpourri in clothing and flavor.

By extending the idea of play, trace elements of Mexican traditions were brought before a global public. The designers chose to express these colorful surfaces wrapped up in childhood emotions through the nylon as chief material, making Los Trompos ideal for frequent use. Nylon has a high strength and is a good shock absorber. Furthermore, it doesn’t deteriorate with age, it’s twice as strong as natural fiber, and it has a good resistance to ultraviolet light, making it more useful for outdoor activities and adventures. The flat nylon ropes are woven in a traditional Mexican style on a steel structure.

2. Openness – “What we aim for the most is to translate this inheritance into new languages”

The cultural inheritance represented as an anchor point on a global level has nevertheless to be opened. It has to be understandable for others who aren’t local. In order to understand a cultural inheritance, locals have to translate meanings, shapes, and values. That means having the openness to share with other people.

In this project, the old weaving techniques were translated by the designers into new symbols characterized by the simultaneity of tradition and global meaning as play. In this way, the idea of globalization means access to products of different countries and cultural intermingling. Due to these experiences, we have become socially more open and tolerant toward one another.

3. Interaction – “Share with different cultures and different individuals”

The translated Mexican cultural inheritances through Los Trompos are fostering an interaction among people from around the world who are visiting the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, as well as between the people and the designed structures. It’s not only about enjoying recreation, but also about social interaction. The tops will only spin when at least two people cooperate, fostering an engaging connection. In these carousels, visitors can work together to spin. By interacting with the spinning tops, visitors can understand the Mexican culture better and also become part of it.

The three major benefits – showing and seeing tradition, openness toward other people, and social interaction – can best be experienced on site, spinning the tops, admiring the fascinating color mixtures, and sharing your experience with others. So, what do you think about taking the “ground” out of the “playground” and experiencing the benefits of play design throughout the city? Further information about the spinning tops: * April 24 – November 29, 2015: High Museum of Art (Carroll Slater Piazza) Atlanta, Georgia * November 14, 2015 – March 22, 2016: Sarofim Picnic Lawn, Discovery Green Conservancy * 7 new locations for the tops are being planned! Don’t forget to share your experience using the hashtag #LosTromposHTX

Full Project Credits For Los Trompos

Project: Los Trompos Location: Atlanta, Georgia Completion: 2015 Concept & Creative Direction: Héctor Esrawe & Ignacio Cadena Design Team: Esrawe + Cadena ® Project Management: Javier García-rivera, Ricardo Bideau Operational Coordination: Alberto López Monzón Production Steel Structure: Mario Alberto Gómez – Magsa Woven: Israel Castañeda Becerril – Cbi, Rogelio Castañeda Becerril. Prototype: Gerardo Domínguez. Esrawe + Cadena ® Team. Alberto López Monzón, Alejandro Flores, Arturo Bonilla, David Flores,Javier García-rivera De La Plaza, Jorge Castruita, Moises Gonzálezl, Ricardo Bideau, Sofía Centeno Photography: Abel Klainbaum, Esrawe + Cadena, Jaime Navarro, Jonathan Hillyer Website: www.esrawe.com High Museum Of Art Team Curators: Sarah Schleuning, Curator Of Decorative Arts And Design. Virginia Shearer, Eleanor Mcdonald Storza Director Of Education Project Manager: Elizabeth Riccardi, Coordinator Of Collections And Exhibitions Installation Team: Brian Kelly, Chief Preparator. Gene Clifton, Senior Preparator. Ed Hill, Preparator. Caroline Prinzivalli, Preparator. Tommy Sapp, Preparator. Jim Waters, Senior Exhibition Designer Assistants: America Salomon, Education Department Assistant. Melissa Maichele, Research Assistant, Decorative Arts And Design Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Ruth Coman Return to Homepage

McBurney Lane, by Hapa Collaborative, in Downtown Langley, British Columbia, Canada. Have you ever noticed that while walking through the streets of a town — even your own — you can pass from a beautiful district full of shops and people into a deserted and dirty section without even noticing how that happened? Our cities are filled with such jolting transitions. One moment you are peacefully strolling and the next you find yourself stuck in a dangerous area. You start looking around, just hoping not to run into any unsavory characters. You quickly learn that this part of your city is off limits if you want to feel safe. The sense of safety in our towns’ public spaces is a delicate and at the same time an important topic, as was also reported by our writer Dalia Zein in her interesting article, “How to Design Out Crime with Landscape Architecture”. Every year, several urban regeneration projects are designed, but only a few are successful in the long term. But that is not the case with the revitalization of McBurney Lane in downtown Langley, British Columbia, designed by Joseph Fry of Hapa Collaborative.

McBurney Lane

A Public Place in Decay

The project for this public site of almost 20,500 square feet won an international competition for the renovation of McBurney Lane, located in the very heart of Langley. Its main problem, as most of the local shop owners reported, was its gradual decay due to underuse and increasing anti-social behavior in the area. In fact, the “Welcome to Downtown Langley” sign was set on fire some years ago. People started to avoid the area, and McBurney Lane became a more and more lonely place to go. If You Love Urban Design and Planning See These Other Articles:

• City Square Urban Park: Showing 2 Major Benefits of an Urban Park
• Is France Leading the Game in Sustainable Urban Planning?
• Why Lonsdale Street is a Role Model for Urban Projects Around the World

A lack of parking stalls also made the lane less attractive for citizens. Like a dog chasing its tail, the problem fed upon itself: People were afraid of going in McBurney Lane because they couldn’t park close to their favorite shops, and in turn the lack of visitors further encouraged the area’s decay. It was clear that something needed to be done.

The Project Idea

Hapa Collaborative managed to turn the situation around by introducing a different design for the lane, which links the historic downtown Fraser Highway to the new Douglas Park Amphitheatre and Cenotaph, Langley’s biggest park. By strengthening pedestrian connections, the designers brought back the citizens and gave more value to the local shops. These shops include a coffee shop, a hair salon, a restaurant, offices, social services, and residential and retail areas, with several entrances facing the lane. Showcasing these amenities led to the transformation of the site into a pedestrian area.

A Sustainable Project

Rows of Katsura trees, draught-tolerant grasses and perennials, permeable surfaces, and rainwater infiltration contribute to the project’s sustainability — a topic that seems to have gained the interest of many landscape architects throughout the world, as reported in our article “How Landscape Architects Are Leading the way in Sustainable Cities”.

BY REDUCING ASPHALT, the designers managed to expand pedestrian zones and to create a square called McBurney Lane Plaza — a social space characterized by a wooden area. Even in the southern part of the lane, where some parking stalls have been maintained, Hapa Collaborative managed to create a pedestrian-priority design that closes its doors to car traffic during festivals.

How Do We Encourage Positive Social Activities?

The concept of the design was to encourage positive uses of the lane and to eradicate the problems that had turned people away. The designers introduced new social spaces with a series of arching benches, stairs, pavers, and bollards to separate cars from pedestrians in the southern part of the lane. They also added vegetation, a wooden deck, a lawn, and a water feature in an area meant to host a variety of events. CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DETAIL and design are indeed typical of Hapa Collaborative and are easily seen in this project. However, this project’s real strength is that it has increased a sense of ownership for people who frequent the area on a regular basis. The magical atmosphere has brought back activities such as the McBurney Plaza Summer Series (arts, circus, theater, and animals), the Arts Alive Festival, and the Langley Good Times Cruise-In, one of the most popular mixed-car shows in North America. Even if the design has changed a little since the competition — especially in the southern part of the lane where angled parking stalls have been inserted — this urban restoration has not failed at all and people seem to really appreciate it.

Designing Out Antisocial Behaviors

McBurney Lane is a perfect example of how a people-oriented design process can transform a critical area into an incredible and attractive new public space. People feel safe again and are attracted to the lane’s new face. Of course, it’s not only a matter of changing a space’s aesthetic; a renovated area also revitalizes citizens’ perceptions. There are many and different ways in which psychology influences a space, as our writer Elisa García tells us in her article “The Best Ways to Apply Environmental Psychology”. For example, by transforming urban spaces, people can recover a sense of ownership of a place and start using it in the most appropriate way. And that is exactly what has been happening in McBurney Lane since its reopening.

Today, this place has again become one of the main streets of Langley, and it is having great success. People go there to meet each other or to just sit on the benches and pass some time. And the plaza is packed with people during special events.

Why Social Policing is so Important

We hope that the government of Langley won’t forget McBurney Lane in the future and that it will provide for its maintenance. The same goes for local citizens, who must keep living in the place and using it with respect for one another. By doing so, antisocial behaviors and criminal activities won’t threaten this part of town again. But here’s the trick for landscape architects: You can design the most appealing project, but if the people you design it for don’t buy in, it won’t succeed.

Full Project Credits For McBurney Lane

Project Name: McBurney Lane Location: Langley, British Columbia, Canada Date of Construction: 2013 Team: Hapa Collaborative (Prime Consultant Landscape Architect), Lynne Werker Architect, DMD & Associates Ltd., Binnie & Associates Ltd, Equilibrium Consulting Inc. Awards: Regional Citation, Design Category, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects’ (CSLA) Annual Awards of Excellence, Ottawa (2015) Photo credits: Joshua Dool Client: Francis Cheung, City of Langley Website: www.hapacobo.com Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Elisa A.M. Varetti Return to Homepage