Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Märkisches Zentrum, by MAN MADE LAND, Berlin, Germany. Urban designer and architect Gordon Cullen once said that in addition to the art of architecture, a city makes another art possible: the art of relationship. It’s a relationship among buildings, open spaces, and people. This relationship can be seen in Märkisches Viertel, a quarter in Berlin that has experienced an image transformation during the last few decades. The key word in this metamorphosis is “relationship”, which made the change possible and fostered it. Let’s take a look at the master plan for the public space in Märkisches Zentrum made by MAN MADE LAND.

Märkisches Viertel – The Context

“Walking cities”, “plug-in cities” by Archigram, radical urban design, and dormitory suburbs are just some of the aged urbanistic visions of the 1960s. Built from 1964 to 1974, Berlin’s Märkisches Viertel quarter is one of those ‘60s visions that became reality. It includes a large housing estate with 17,000 apartments in a commuter town (“Trabantenstadt”) where about 37,000 residents live.

Starting With a Bad Reputation

The residents of a commuter town normally work elsewhere, although they live and sleep in these neighborhoods. As in similar developments, this implemented modern vision in Berlin soon became a neighborhood with deficient infrastructure: insufficient stores, restaurants, schools, parks, and public spaces. All of this led to a bad reputation and a bad image for the quarter. So how has this quarter managed to change its image? See More Terrific Projects From Europe:

• Public Square Gets Modern Design
• Plaza Design Turns Dead Space Into a Vibrant Livingroom at Stadtlounge, Switzerland
• Scharnhauser Park Gets Multi-Million Dollar Rainwater Management

The Art of Relationship

In this context of absent social and technical infrastructure, a multitude of individual decisions was made. These multiple changes happened in the quarter without coordination and planning. At first sight, the developments’ inherent logic was seen as negative and not even remotely comprehensible. Due to closer observation and a holistic view, MAN MADE LAND saw opportunities for the quarter generally and for Märkisches Zentrum specifically. The designers saw in the diversity of the buildings an autonomic quality.

THE NEXT STEP MAN MADE LAND did was to bring the different kinds of built-in components, surface materials, and ideas from previous decades into relation with the open space. With the new master plan, they made a coherent experience in the public space possible. In this way, the art of relationship in Märkisches Viertel was partially unveiled. The emphasis was set on the relatedness of the built landscape and the open space.

An Experienced Symbiosis

The revealed relationship between buildings and open spaces — but also residents and visitors — can be seen as a symbiosis where the long interaction is the key element. Due to the fact that in a public space the built, the unbuilt, and people can interact, the best way to experience this symbiosis and relationship is exactly this space.

THE NEW PUBLIC SPACE DESIGN of Märkisches Zentrum has its origin in the former black, quadratic, natural stones on the platform in front of the main entrance of the Fontane-House, the cultural center of the Märkisches Viertel quarter. This format and color are now reflected in the whole neighborhood, bringing the new relationship flair to the diverse built structures.

Design Elements and How They Worked 

Public space design elements such as linear concrete benches, mini-squares, and a large X-bench are related to the color scheme of the Fontane-House-façade. The planted yellow Gingko (Ginkgo biloba) trees are reminiscent of the historical look and elegance of the 1960s buildings. In this way, the designers managed to bring plants into relation with the built environment.

MADE MAN LAND also focused on functionality by creating a new net of hierarchic axes and paths that develop a new relation. Special attention was paid to the points of intersection and entrance areas of the Fontane-House. The U-shaped bike racks are made of Corten steel that is corrosion and vandalism resistant. Furthermore, this rack-form does not take too much space away from pedestrians.

The Problem of Unrevealed Qualities and Relationships

Negative developments aren’t the problem in city quarters. The problem lies in the revelation of the existing qualities (diversity, aged visions, multiculturality, and architectural and urban styles) and in bringing into relationship the buildings with the open spaces. As we mentioned in the beginning, it is only when buildings and open spaces relate to people that these qualities can be totally revealed.

Connecting The Past to the Present

By connecting the old-fashioned, 1960s urban style with plants and new design elements, both young and old can feel included in the new public space plan. In the case of Märkisches Zentrum, MAN MADE LAND chose to manage the existing negative image by connecting buildings to public space and people to the new design, creating a relationship using the tool of a public space master plan. By improving the relationship between buildings and public spaces, the bad image can be transformed into a good one. In other cases, there is the possibility of dealing with the buildings or even with the people. Do you know other ways to improve the image of a quarter?

Full Project Credits For Märkisches Zentrum

Project: Märkisches Zentrum Typology: City square and Masterplan Location: Märkisches Viertel, Berlin Reinickendorf Landscape Architecture: MAN MADE LAND Completion: 2012-2014 Area: 5,100 m2 Client: Land Berlin Cost: 0.7 Mio. € Architecture: Nemesis Aesthetics, Kassel Competition: Competition & Assignment (BA 1-2) Photos: © Hanns Joosten Website: manmadeland.de/wordpress/

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Recommended Reading:

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

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Orquideorama, by Plan B Architects + JPRCR Arquitectos , in Medellin, Colombia. One of the most important aspects of good design is the understanding of context. Context involves an understanding of the surrounding scale, aesthetics, and climate, but can extend beyond to include the essential character of a place or the processes that are inherent to that specific environment. Without this understanding, designers cannot create good design solutions. An understanding of context also allows designers to look at the relationship between the artificial and the natural environment, providing an essential link between man and nature. Orquideorama by Plan B Architects has taken the understanding of context and has re-interpreted it in a manner that transcends design boundaries in an organic yet geometric way.

Orquideorama

A Garden Canopy

Orquideorama is essentially a large timber and steel canopy located in the Botanical Gardens of Medellin, in Colombia. The gardens are home to more than 1,000 species of animals and more than 4,500 species of plants, showcasing the natural environment found only in Colombia and South America. The design of Orquideorama was intended to take the botanical gardens into the 21st century, while at the same time paying homage to Jose Jeronimo Triana, a Colombian botanist, naturalist, physicist, chemist, and researcher. Orquideorama was opened in 2006 and has successfully managed to draw the public into the gardens.

The Concept of Flower-trees

The concept behind the canopy was to blend architecture with the natural world by uniting cellular and architectural forms. The design concept looked to the inspiration of the honeycomb, and translated it into a modular system of 14 interconnected, hexagonal “flower-trees”. These organic yet geometric units (or “flor-arbols”) are composed of a steel-reinforced trunk and six hexagonal petals clad in reclaimed pine to form a latticed canopy. Architects Felipe Mesa and Alexander Bernal envisioned these structures to grow in the same way that a garden and seeds develop, responding to the needs of the botanical garden context as necessary.

Beauty in the Details

The true beauty of this project lies in the translation of the concept into a highly technical and well-detailed design. By using steel as the support structure, the “petals” could span a large area, creating ample areas of usable space beneath. The steel supports then received translucent roofing structure, which provided protection from the elements while allowing rain water to funnel into the trunks.

This water is stored and dispersed to the vegetation as necessary, allowing for specific habitats to be created for the gardens. Habitat beneath the canopy is further controlled by the varying transparency of timber slats woven beneath and around the steel structure. In this way, the canopy creates an environmental filter, blurring the line between building and landscape. As a result, the space beneath the canopy provides an ideal habitat for sensitive vegetation and, at the same time, accommodates functions such as events and even a butterfly sanctuary. The design of the structures also allows for some trunks to form functional spaces, including a café, bathrooms, and administrative areas.

An Extension of the Forest

Orquideorama is breathtaking. The 50-foot-high canopy creates an extension of the surrounding forest, drawing from the natural aesthetics and translating this into a highly geometric pattern. This pattern and its contrasting materials of timber and steel juxtapose to the existing natural context, highlighting the beauty of the surroundings while creating its own beauty within. At night, the tree-like structures are lit from below, generating an atmospheric image of the highly contemporary structure sitting within the darkened natural forest. See More Articles: 

• Giant Sized Pergola Creates Ecological Haven
• 5 Great Projects Changing the Way We Look at Landscape Architecture
• What Lies Behind the High Concrete Wall and Gate of T. Residence in Bangkok?

Design to Mimic Nature

In some ways, this project could be said to be a form of biomimicry. The architects considered the context by looking to the natural environment for inspiration and formal guidance. They took this concept further by looking at the process of planting a botanical garden and translated this into a formal structure that can grow and interconnect as time passes.

The structures themselves also respond directly to the environment, by softly placing the minimal number of footprints into the environment, creating an inside-outside space that merges both natural and artificial. The combination of the natural aesthetics that mimic the surrounding forest and the use of delicate timber provides an atmosphere that is natural, yet artificial and completely contemporary. Orquideorama speaks of the experience of landscape. It allows visitors to become aware of the natural environment as they step beneath the large canopy. They enter the space in the same way as a tiny insect would travel beneath the flowers, protected from the elements by the petals above and part of the environment. Surely this is contextual enough?

WATCH: Orquideorama, Jardin Botanico Medellin

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Full Project Credits for Orquideorama

Name: Orquideorama  Designers: Plan:b Arquitectos (Felipe Mesa + Alejandro Bernal) + JPRCR Arquitectos (Camilo Restrepo + JPaul Restrepo). Location: Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia Client: Medellin Botanical Garden Builder: Ménsula S.A. Area: 4200m2 Project Year: 2005 Use: Orchid and garden exhibitions; other exhibits. Varied events (concerts, weddings, parties, fairs). Price per square meter: US$: 500 Ecosystem: Humid Pre-Montane Forest Elevation (above sea level): 1460m Temperature: 16-29ºC; Humidity (Rel): 68% Facing: All directions Direction of wind: North- South Structure: Steel columns and beams. Trusses. Materials: Harvested wood linings; concrete pavement, steel and polycarbonate roof tiling. Work team: Design team: Viviana Peña, Catalina Patiño, Carolina Gutiérrez, Lina Gil, Jorge Buitrago Structural engineer: Germán Serrate Recommended Reading

• Landscape Architecture: An Introduction by Robert Holden
• Landscape Architecture, Fifth Edition: A Manual of Environmental Planning and Design by Barry Starke

Article by Rose Buchanan

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New Road by Landscape Projects and Gehl Architects, Brighton, England. For all you landscape architects out there who don’t think site analysis and local context are a crucial first step in designing, this project is about to prove you wrong. New Road is a perfect example of how a landscape architect should assess a site and its surroundings. When Landscape Projects and Gehl Architects were commissioned by the Brighton and Hove City Council, pedestrian and user experience areas within the city were suffering from contained access. As a result, they were relatively inaccessible and ignored, with other areas drowning in traffic congestion. What they called the Public Space/Public Life Survey analyzed the urban structure, movement patterns, and open-air activities, both in the winter and the summer, to provide advice on improvement projects in the public realm.

New Road, Brighton, design by Gehl Architects

Gehl Architects said this about the study: “How people use spaces helps us design places. Our first step is always to understand the local context as a basis for finding solutions. In Brighton, we gained a detailed understanding of the street: its physical features, but also who used it and how they moved. We also spent a lot of time talking to people so we could respond to their needs to help them improve the environment they live in. Facilitating this dialogue through workshops and meetings was also key to our work on New Road: Talking to people about their hopes and fears helped us meet our goal of creating a more walkable, relaxed, attractive, and accessible city.”

A New Type of Street Space

The most significant project to emerge from the study is New Road. Lying in the heart of Brighton’s Cultural Mile, New Road had become a rundown back alley dominated by the needs of vehicles rather than people. Despite its heritage and numerous cultural institutions, it was failing to attract small businesses and visitors and not meeting the needs of locals. However, the street was ideally located, and Brighton and Hove City Council knew something had to be done, originally coming up with the idea to close the street to all vehicular traffic. More Related Articles: 

• Top 10 Pedestrian Bridges
• The ChonGae Canal Turns an Auto-Centric Zone into a Pedestrian Haven
• Pedestrianized Landscapes Embracing The People

BUT AFTER TALKING with the owners of small businesses on the street, they discovered that the owners were concerned about losing business if vehicles were banned. Therefore, the landscape architects came up with an idea for a new type of street. New Road is now England’s first shared-space street — where cars are welcome, but on people’s terms. The design of the street encourages cycling, sitting, standing, and walking activities based on people-focused space programming. To do this, the street was re-imagined as a natural stone surface without curbs and crossings, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to move through the entire space freely and to have priority over other users. Everything about how this site was designed was done to guide users to act a certain way. THE VISUAL QUALITIES guide all users to become more aware of their environment, encouraging eye contact between users and lower speeds from drivers and cyclists. To do this, the team consulted Guide Dogs for the Blind, not just to make the street more user-friendly for the visually impaired, but to use the same techniques to move people through the space in a certain way. Tactile guidance strips line both sides of the street, with textured paving areas to mark thresholds, potential hazards, and movement onto the shared surface. A TEXTURED RUMBLE STRIP marks the beginning of the street, so drivers know to slow down and to allow pedestrians to hear vehicles enter. The surface stones were carefully arranged, changing in tone, module, and finish to hint to people how to arrange themselves. The study found that with numerous theaters, the street was much more active at night. Therefore, lighting was a key component of the site. Designers involved a lighting artist, who carefully designed the lighting through the space to make people feel welcome and safe. However, the centerpiece of New Road is the wooden bench that spans the length of the site, creating a border that looks onto the space where people can linger.

Movement Survey Shows Obvious Success

Through the use of bespoke paving, seating, and lighting, New Road now invites people into the space, makes interaction possible, and has completely changed the dynamic of the street. Locals have embraced the space, while it also attracts visitors and has quickly become one of the most popular streets in the city.

Traffic levels through the area have dropped by 93 percent, the number of pedestrians has increased by 62 percent, and there was an incredible 600 percent increase in lingering activities, which has resulted in an increased contribution to the city’s economy. “86 percent of the citizens of Brighton would like to see more areas like this within the city”. Once the success of the project was recognized by the City Council, Gehl Architects and Landscape Projects trained city staff on how to use the Public Life/Public Space survey method to assess the impact of the design and analyze the rest of the city to improve other public spaces. With the success of New Road, 86 percent of the citizens of Brighton would like to see more areas like this within the city. In fact, cities all over the world are now employing the same method of surveying to create more accessible streets. “New Road has provided the basis for our ongoing consultancy on a broader urban design strategy for Brighton and Hove, and the thinking and methods behind the design of the street have created a solid platform for urban development throughout the city,” the Gehl Architects designers said.

Full Project Credits For New Road

Project Name: New Road, Brighton, UK Location: Brighton, England Landscape Architect: Landscape Projects Architects: Gehl Architects Engineer: Martin Stockley Associates Client: Brighton and Hove City Council Commenced: Autumn 2005 Completed: Summer 2007 Budget: £1.75 million Awards: Landscape Institute Award, Civic Trust’s Special Award, National Transport Award for Urban Design, and Exemplary Best Practice for English Partnership’s 2013 Urban Design Compendium Website: www.gehlarchitects.com Website: www.landscapeprojects.co.uk Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Taylor Stapleton Return to Homepage

Place de la République, by Trévelo & Viger-Kohler
, in Paris, France. Most people know that Paris is often called “The City of Love”. Fewer have heard that Paris is also known as “The City of Light”. The first alias needs no explanation; the second one certainly does. Paris has been called “The City of Light” because of its leading role in the Age of Enlightenment, but also because France’s capital was one of the first European cities to adopt gas street lighting. Another interesting fact about the city is that — unlike the majority of other world capitals — Paris has never been destroyed by war or catastrophe. And despite modernizing the urban scape, architecture, and infrastructure, the city zealously guards its earliest historical tracks on its street map. IN THIS ARTICLE, we will discuss the redevelopment of one of the most key and special places in the city – the 3.8-hectare grand Place de la République square. If you are curious to find out how The City of Light has once again manifested its classy attitude toward architecture, join us now; you will be fascinated at the end.

Place de la République: Before and After

Before the design intervention of the French architecture and urbanism agency TVK, Place de la République had a different organization. The square was comprised of two gardens and a busy roundabout in between, with the statue of the Republic soaring above the traffic flow. Because the square holds a very significant location in the city due to the intersection of three Parisian districts and seven major arteries, the road traffic had often been heavy and blocked. The team of TVK came up with a design solution aiming to transfigure Place de la République into the largest pedestrian area to represent one of the most appreciable 21st century monuments in Paris.

Green Light to Pedestrians

To create a vast concourse ready to accommodate a great stream of people, the designers had no other choice but to abandon the circle model of traffic. Thus, an undisturbed and bracingly calming two-hectare space was defined – free of vehicles and full of trees and people.

According to the architects: “We are proposing to create a vast public space reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, and to create a connection to the square at the northeast border. In order to create this link, it is necessary to cut the circulation of traffic on the street Faubourg du Temple at its intersection with the street Yves Toudic, and to extend the public space up to this point. In this way, the future Place de la République would be a large free space of two hectares, opening onto the main boulevards.” Did the city of Paris need such a large public plaza? What does the renovated square offer?

One Axis, Multiple Uses

Besides shaping a more contemporary appearance, the reconstructed landscape provides a spirited urban place that welcomes versatile uses. The main axis outlining the composition is formed by four elements — the statue of Marianne, the reflective pool, the pavilion, and the tree rows. These four components together and separately add a sense of representativeness, accompanied by an ambiance of vivacity and aspiration.

CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE BUILDINGS’ facades on one of its sides, the plaza seizes people right from the moment they step onto the paving slabs. A visitor can go to the pavilion and grab a cup of coffee, then sit for a while to contemplate the children playing in the reflective pool, or walk around the statue and draw a breath of its grandeur. The two terraces are another opportunity for recreation or a friendly conversation shared in the pleasant atmosphere of the naturally raised platforms.

Why Asymmetrical Design?

Place de la République’s transformation continues with the induction of two-fold dissymmetry along the long axis, adding a functional and environmental value to the project. The asymmetrical composition not only incorporates the large pedestrian square into the surrounding environment, but also considers the climate characteristics of the place. This type of tree arrangement reinforces the vital presence of greenery while letting sunbeams reach the alleys and warm winds penetrate and refresh the air. Respectively, in winter, the trees block the cold winds.

In addition, the new motor traffic organization passes along the southern edge and onto only two smaller sides of the square, instead of marking the center of the plaza. Unified in Sweet Harmony Our before-and-after comparison moves on to reach the issue of how the design elements correspond to one another. It is important to mention that Place de la République is situated above telecom tunnels, sewers, and five metro lines, which means the esplanade also serves as a roof. There is an almost imperceptible 1 percent inclination of the terrain, which elegantly slopes toward the two buildings to the north and continues to the shared traffic area of pedestrians, buses, cycles, and taxis. Thus, excellent accessibility and continuity are ensured.

Materials Choices in the Design

The impression of unification appears on the surface of the esplanade, as well. The mixture of light and dark paving slabs covers both the open and shady areas. Varying in size and hues, the prefabricated, durable concrete slabs “play” with the surrounding pavement while complementing and enriching it. The only edifice popping out from the surface is the pavilion, which houses a “World & Media”-themed café, eager to cooperate with social and cultural initiatives.

Resonant Architecture and Landscaping

The pavilion has a subtle and minimalistic design, in accordance with the holistic, representative appearance of the square. Facing the statue of the Republic and the reflective pool, the café’s walls are transparent so that they do not obscure the vista. See More Great Projects From Paris, France:

• Is The André Citroën Park Really One of The Worst Parks in Paris?
• Incredible Double Footbridge in Paris
• Is France Leading the Game in Sustainable Urban Planning?

The Use of Water in The Design

Now that we have mentioned the reflective pool, it’s necessary to highlight the water features and their meaning for the plaza. Besides the reflective pool, water takes form in a circular basin surrounding the monument. Water in the square functions aesthetically, socially, culturally, and ecologically – a plethora of virtues needed for an up-to-date urban design.

The Careful Selection of Vegetation

Last but not least, we focus on the vegetation — more than 150 plane and honey locust trees. The strict tree rows once again underline the dignified appearance and character of Place de la République.

Place de la République in Numbers

• Square size — 280m x 120m • Pedestrian area – 2 ha • Pedestrian-traffic proportion before – 1:2 • Pedestrian-traffic proportion now – 2:1 • Pavilion area — 162m² • Reflecting pool — 276m² • Statue basin – 3m wide • Lighting features – 34 • Historic candelabra – 19 • Wooden benches – 24 • Concrete slabs – 3 sizes, 12 and 14cm thick • Plane trees – 134 • Honey locust trees – 18 • Wild cherry – 1 • Trees before the redevelopment – 225 • Trees after the renovation – 251

Was TVK’s Redevelopment the Best Possible Design Solution?

Having gone through the profound analysis of Place de la République’s new design, a few questions come up. People’s opinions are controversial, and some of them don’t approve of the removal of the green lawns and the fountains. It is not certain if the traffic has been optimized since the roundabout was removed, either. However, the benefits from the reconstruction have an incalculable value. The fact that people can now reach the Statue of the République freely and literally touch the history of France is sufficient on its own. People need to be connected to their history, to their city, and to each other. And that’s exactly what the new Place de la République offers. What is your opinion? Was TVK’s design solution appropriate? If not, what are your arguments?

Full Project Credits For Place de la République

Project Name: Place de la République Location: Paris, France Architects: TVK / Trévelo & Viger-Kohler Landscaping: Martha Schwartz and AREAL Client: City of Paris, Highways Department (Direction de la Voierie et Déplacements) Area: 3.8 hectares + 162 square meters Technical Consultants: ATEC Traffic and Movement Consultants: CITEC Fountain Consultants: JML Consultants Lighting Design: AIK – Yann Kersale Environmental Consultants: Transsolar Dialogue and Consulting: Ville Ouverte Team Square: TVK, Areal, Martha Schwartz, Atec, JML, Citec, Transsolar, Ville Ouverte, AIK, Segic Team Pavilion: TVK, ARC, Atec, Transsolar, NP2F Project Year: 2011 Construction Date: 2013 Website: www.tvk.fr 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

Pause Court and The Lawn Hill Garden for Sales Gallery, by TROP Terrains + Open Spaces, Pattaya, Thailand. Pause Court and Lawn Hill were designed by TROP as part of the sales gallery for a new residential development in Thailand’s beach resort city of Pattaya. Pattaya is a popular tourist destination, especially for those looking for a low-budget, tropical getaway. However, the city has lost some of its prestige in recent years. A victim of unbridled and unregulated development and expansion, as well as its growing reputation as a hotbed for the sex and drug trades, has led to declining popularity among upper- and middle-class vacationers. But today, many developers are trying to turn this image around — rebuilding Pattaya into the vibrant, high-class destination it once was.

Pause Court and The Lawn Hill Garden for Sales Gallery

Developers Aim to Bring Class Back to Pattaya

The high-end residential development Baan Plai Haad is located just steps from Pattaya’s waterfront. These luxury residences are some of the most expensive in the area, so the developer, Sansiri, hoped to impress clients with the incredible ocean views paired with high-end, contemporary design.

TROP, which was also responsible for the extremely successful landscape design at the Hilton Pattaya Hotel, was selected to do the landscape design at Baan Plai Haad’s sales gallery. Sansiri wanted TROP’s landscape design to reflect the luxury and monumental atmosphere of the residence, but everything had to be done in limited time and budget.

Small Budget, Smaller Time Frame

In creating their design solution, TROP faced a number of serious challenges. In less than a month’s time, TROP was required to go from conceptual design to final construction documents. Then, another two months later, the project’s construction was completed. TROP’s design solution is elegant in its simplicity. Working with an extremely limited time frame and budget, a complex design was out of the question. The development is intended to act as a sort of seaside refuge, with a sense of peace and serenity within the residential area that contrasts that of the main city. See More Incredible Projects From TROP Terrains + Open Spaces:

• Where Zen Garden Design Meets Enchanted Woodland: TROP’s Forest and Pool at Pyne
• The Garden of Hilton Pattaya by TROP: terrains + open space
• “Walk of the Town”, the Walk Everyones Talking About

Pause Court: From City to Serenity

TROP’s landscape design for the sales gallery can be divided into two main planes: the lawn hill and the pause court. The pause court area serves as both a physical and visual buffer between the residences and the loud, urban seafront. With a seafront populated with shops, bars, and nightclubs that operate into the early hours of the morning, separation was important to maintaining the image of a private beach escape. Rows of hedges are used as visual screen and to create a sense of separation and privacy from the busy beachfront strip. These green hedge layers also work to provide a sense of entrance and transition into the space.

Lawn Hill: A Link to the Waterfront

The housing development is closely linked to the waterfront both visually and physically. The beach is public property and has remained mostly unchanged, although TROP was responsible for some rehabilitation efforts along the shoreline, which simply restored and enhanced the waterfront’s natural beauty.

Stunning Views Are Always a Major Selling Point

Lawn Hill acts as a transitional area between the beachfront and the development’s sales gallery, sloping down to and providing access to the sandy shore. Visually, the area is relatively simple and doesn’t distract the viewer from the stunning ocean views, which are ultimately the focal point — and selling point — of this particular project. By preserving and working with the existing slope rather than against it, TROP minimized costs while highlighting the natural beauty of the landscape. RESIDENTS PASS THROUGH THE LAWN HILL area in order to get to the beachfront. TROP saw this function as an opportunity to create an additional space for residents to enjoy. Small pockets with simple furnishings offer areas for users to stop, rest, and fully enjoy the space in its own right. Looking down from the residences, the focal point becomes the beachfront. However, when looking up from the beach, the lawn lays itself out along the slope for the viewer like a lush carpet of green. The feeling of the space is simple, but luxurious.

THE PRIMARY DESIGN MATERIALS ARE TURF AND HARDSCAPING. The design is simple, but well executed, with high contrast between the light hardscaping and the dark, lush turf. Lighting in the landscape is simple and subtle, but highly effective, and creates a calm and harmonious atmosphere in the evening hours.

Is Less Really More?

Ultimately, TROP’s design solution is simple but beautiful, and considering the limits on time and budget, it an effective solution that met the wants and needs of the clients, while staying true to the luxurious feel of the residential development. Certainly, if given more time, TROP could have implemented a more complex but nonetheless stunning design. However, it is important to also remember the focus here: Pattaya’s amazing waterfront and beaches. Time and budget constraints exist in virtually every design project, but do these limitations help or hinder designers? In your opinion, what is the single biggest constraint for landscape architects and designers — time, budget, or something else entirely? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.

Full Project Credits For Pause Court and The Lawn Hill: Garden For Sales Gallery

Project Name: Pause Court and Lawn Hill: Garden for Sales Gallery @ Baan Plai Haad Location: Pattaya, Thailand Designers: TROP Terrains + Open Space Lead Designer: Pok Kobkongsanti Size: 2,400 Square Meters Date of Construction: 2012 Client: Sansiri PLC Photography Credit: Pirak Anurakyawachon Project Designer: Paisit Viratigul Project Team: Kampol Prakobsajjakul, Chatchawan Banjongsiri Architect: The Steven Leach Group Website: www.troplandscape.com Show on Google Maps Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Michelle Biggs Return to Homepage

An overview of details and ideas to take into consideration when designing your own private garden. Adding a private garden to any home always brings a feeling of warmth and comfort to any home. There are a number of reasons why someone would want to transform their yard into a private garden. The two main reasons for most people are aesthetics and privacy. Homes with an untouched and open yard can leave an empty and cold feeling to the home. A beautiful garden goes a long way towards improving your mood. A garden adds another dimension to your house giving it not only character but another living area in your own abode. A garden can also be used to entertain guests as well as provide a personal sanctuary to recharge after a stressful day. In terms of privacy, a private garden can provide you some solitude from the outside world. A garden can be an extension of the homeowner’s personality. Adding a gazebo can add a certain flare to the garden and provides a nice accent to the home. A well-designed garden can not only be beautiful to look at but also provide some privacy from the prying of eyes of neighbours and the public. There are many things to consider before designing and building your own private garden. Here’s a related post – Steps to designing the perfect garden to give you some ideas.

Fencing

The easiest and quickest way of creating privacy for your garden is to install a fence. A fence helps to keep your neighbours from looking into your garden and yard. A fence will also provide a feeling of enclosure and safety which is good if you have children. A fence helps to keep kids in and strangers as well as animals such as cats and dogs out.

If you decide on building a fence to add privacy to your yard, choose a style and type of material that compliments your home. An alternative to using a fence to create privacy is to use existing structures instead of a fence enclosure to create privacy. For example, you can use a patio deck or a garage face to screen off an area. Related Articles:

• Award Winning Small Garden Design
• Stylish Terraced Garden Makes The Most Out of Small Space
• Luxurious Small Urban Garden Getaway

If adding a fence is too blunt or stark, you can grow a hedge to give your garden a softer feel. There are numerous shrub varieties that can be used as hedges. For example, Boxwood and Privet are popular shrub types used for hedges. For a more natural appearance, you can combine a variety of shrubs. To give the hedges some character and texture, feel free to mix and match different heights, shapes, sizes and colours. Bear in mind to regularly prune your shrubs for keep the shrubs looking presentable and beautiful. For longevity, shear your shrubs so that the bottom of the shrub is always wider than the top.

Structural accents

Adding a structure like a lattice panel is an inexpensive way to create some extra privacy within the garden or hide an unwanted view. Add some vines to the lattice to give the garden a down to earth feel. Additionally, accent the lattice with a small garden bed for yet another option to beautify your garden. Consider adding a pergola or arbour, which is a shaded path or walkway to give your garden a more protected and intimate feel. The pergola can be used to protect and shade a deck or terrace help to connect two or more sections of your garden. A well-placed pergola will add some shade and class to any private garden.

Landscaping

Varying the landscape of your garden can dramatically add to the beauty and freshness of the garden. Adding a winding path or a stone walkway can gently add character to the garden without being too intrusive. You can also add various types of flowers to give the garden more colour and a more lively and robust atmosphere. Designing the garden plots in varying geometric shapes changes the nuance of the garden yet again.

Paying special attention to the presentation of the entrance can create a more inviting feel to the garden. Building an arch or adding vines and flowers can hint and prepare you for what’s to come. Carefully placed berms add texture and continuity to a garden by separating garden areas with varying hill and mound placements. Many factors come into play to making a private garden work successfully. Know what you want from your garden. Get inspired and start planning your private garden today. Recommended Reading:

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

Article published by SDR Return to Homepage Featured Image Credit: “Private garden 2 – Paris Opera Cadet Hotel” by Opera Cadet from PARIS, FRANCE – Private Garden (2). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. Sketchy Saturday is back after a long break, way too long, and we have a big back log of sketches to get out. As we sort through them, however, the top ones are rising to the top for your viewing pleasure. This week’s selection offers a range of styles and abilities making it another difficult week for judging as it is, of course, challenging to compare vastly different styles and so we have to look at each sketch from an overall point of view and rate them based on how they stand alone and not necessarily when compared to one another. We hope you are inspired by our selection of top sketches by top people.

Enjoy this week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10!

10. by Kristýna Haisová from the Czech Republic. Landscape Architecture student at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague. Works as a planner (designer of gardens, parks) for a small local studio.

“This sketch was created for a demonstration of our performance of projects we made for our customers. I prefer a simple composition of plants and I would like to show people that even a simple garden is beautiful. Therefore, I drew this sketch. I made this sketch with a pen drawing in perspective”. 9. by Gerard Butterss from Melbourne, Australia “This sketch is an exercise in parallel and point perspective resulting in a surreal effect. Two different shapes and three shades of paving units suggest a series of planes and shadow lines which are in fact on one level. The sheet of water is rebated into the paving to become a reflective device over the paved surface with a deeper pond at one end. I envisage fish venturing into this sheet to some extent. The illusion would be greatly enhanced by viewing it from any sort of height”. 8. by Klára Zuskinová, self-employed landscape architect at Laruu Landscapes, Slovakia “This sketch was made for a garden proposal. It is a long narrow garden situated in the village under the mountains.  The place is very nice and picturesque, so I decided to make a hand drawing instead of a 3D model. I used a black pen for the lines and then I added colour with colouring pencils”. 7. by Agnieszka Śliwka, graduate student of Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (the engineer of Landscape Architecture and Master of Spatial Planning), Wroclaw, Poland “This sketch was made as a project at the university- we had to draw a castle, so I’ve picked an old one in Poland. I used an ink and a nib. The drawing is a combination of black lines, which create light and shadows.The final result is a black&white sketch. The original size is A3”. 6. by Amaury Neto, a landscape architect/artist from São Paulo, Brazil “As my client is a portrait artist, I decided to go back to traditional media to represent how the garden will look when it’s done”. 5. by Egle Garramone, Designer, Artist in Italy Drawing Related Articles:

• Top 10 YouTube Tutorials for Technical Drawing
• Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture, second edition | Book Review
• Freehand Drawing & Discovery by James Richards | Book Review

“This sketch was made during my study of landscape architecture. It’s a part of a courty yard in Kaunas(Lithuania). It was not renovated so you could see many details that show its history. I made it in 2 hours and I used only graphic pen on paper. Motivation: Free time. Style: Graphic sketch. Location: Country yard in Kaunas (Lithuania) Material used: Graphic pen on paper”.  4. by Nguyen Thi Ha, architect and living in Hanoi, Vietnam “This sketch is a student’ exercise about apartments. The materials in the building are reinforced concrete, brick, glass windows and steel truss”.

3. by  Chan Kok Cen, an architect and art director of Green Oceania Architect Group, Indonesia “I had this idea when I saw an empty cocoon and the ants used it as a circulation path for their activities. So I drew this for my project at Medan city in Indonesia. The building (we call it “pondoh”) is made from bamboo as the structure and “Alang-alang” as the roof. Its function is for shelter around the small island.” 2. by Jarmo Suominen, URBANIST, PROFESSOR, Service Architecture, School of Art, Design and Architecture, Department of Architecture, Aalto University, Finland – VISITING SCIENTIST, MIT Medialab, SA+P, School of, Architecture and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, USA – VISITING PROFESSOR, School of Design and Innovation, Tongji University, Shanghai, China, Executive Vice Director, Sino-Finnish Centre,Tongji ATDF, Shanghai, China. “I draw every single day, about short moments passing by, in this time it was closing time at Meatpack District NYC, shops were closing and people were packing to restaurants, warm night, friendly voices. It is a black and white pen drawing, I was using the Livescribe digital pen”. 1. by Meet.Madhu.Chavda, Currently a final year student of Architecture (Graduation), from India, Mumbai “In addition in pursuing my graduation in architecture, I have a hobby of painting. Painting in a few minutes, that has always been my challenge. That is the reason, artists in India are skillful with their hands rather than using technology. This painting was sketched in random and finished in 20 minutes. I would like to promote sketching especially to architects who are becoming techno oriented. I feel sketching would lead them to many innovative ideas. Poster watercolours, 2b pencil and black pilot pen were used”. – 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 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

A book review of the Walls: Elements of Garden and Landscape Architecture by Günter Mader and Elke Zimmerman. Everyone knows Pink Floyd’s hit song “Another Brick in the Wall”, and perhaps every person finds something true in the lyrics. Who wants to be just another brick in the wall? Don’t we all try to seek the different, the undiscovered, the unheard of and the untold? We chase singularity, individuality, and differentiation in our everyday lives. Artists and architects strive to make names for themselves, to develop their recognizable signatures, and, yes, to stand out among the other “bricks”.

If you are a designer in pursuit of distinction, we offer you one intriguing matter that hasn’t been discussed profoundly yet, but is full of design potential. The book “Walls: Elements of Garden and Landscape Architecture” by Günter Mader and Elke Zimmerman can showcase, as the authors say, “a systematic set of guidelines and an inspiring store of models for designers, builders, horticulturists, and landscape architects,” which can be a useful asset for you while climbing the wall of a successful career.

Walls: Elements of Garden and Landscape Architecture

The Engrossing World of Walls

“Stones always tell us long stories. They are natural formations that reflect the growth and decay that occurs over the course of time. Man senses something unique in stone that helps him express his thoughts. In this way, we find our connection to the tried and true and our unison with nature.” With this quote from world-famous architect Werner Blaser, the book immerses you in the fascination of walls right from the very first sentence.

THE FOLLOWING PAGES take you to the foreword, where the two experienced authors introduce you to the vast theme. The foreword discusses the major role walls play in gardens and landscape design. Starting from the fact that walls are as old as time and have been utilized since the beginning of civilization, the text continues with walls’ functions to define borders, shape spaces, and shield places. And because walls are one of the most expensive and long-lasting construction elements of landscaping, great attention must be paid when planning, building, and maintaining them. “We aim to help raise a new awareness of the design potential of walls in garden and landscape architecture, to inspire and provide you with models and criteria for quality,” the authors explain. How they fulfill that promise, you can discover only if you keep reading.

The Cultural and Building History of Walls

The first section of the book goes into the cultural history of wall construction. While illustrating examples of cultural heritage such as fortified national borders — including The Great Wall of China, the walls of the Roman Empire, and The Berlin Wall — the book studies how cultural and building history go hand in hand.

A Trip Back to 5,000 B.C.

The reader is taken back in time to 5,000 B.C. to investigate how town walls defined spaces with their own regulations and helped society live in peace. The history of walls traces out the development of waterside, garden, and terraced walls until it reaches the curious, bowl-like plant areas called arenados, which were used for earth cultivating in the first part of 20th century.

Design Fundamentals of Walls

The next section of the book is devoted to the most considerable part of designing walls – the structural fundamentals. What are the differences between freestanding and retaining walls? What technical details should be taken into account for the foundation, the base, the masonry, and the coping of a wall? The easily comprehensible text, professional sketches, and images reveal the answers to all those questions. Furthermore, a special feature is dedicated to planning basics, from which a designer can learn the best way to design a wall – considering the proper dimensions, materials, and, of course, legal concerns.

Wall Variety

Coming closer to the most tempting part of the book for designers – the one looking at the diverse types of walls – readers are gradually faced with the unbounded but steady design potential held by walls. Beginning with the favorite of garden and landscape designers — stone masonry walls — the authors disclose stone’s strengths and weaknesses while displaying mind-blowing, world-class projects of the highest craftsmanship. If you are eager to sneak a peek into the Edwardian epoch (1901-1910) and see how walls were designed at that time, this section of the book is for you. You can pick up the book here!

THE NEXT THREE SECTIONS EXPLORE CONCRETE WALLS — today’s most affordable and effective solution for walls – as well as the distinctive clinker-brick walls and plastered walls. While displaying relevant construction sketches and various bond patterns, backed up by successful case studies, the authors take you to a more contemporary division of wall design – walls with facings of steel, glass, wood, mosaic works, or plants. FINALLY, THE LAST THREE SECTIONS are devoted to the more naturally looking materials, which fascinate with their incomparable expressiveness. Did you guess what they are? The inimitable gabions, followed by the archaic rammed earth walls and the authentic, ecologically conscious walls from recycled and similar materials complete the reader’s examination of the remarkable world of walls. To support its credibility once more, the book ends with a detailed list of wall standards and further readings.

Why Should You Read This Book?

As the authors say: “This book presents numerous design possibilities for walls and open spaces. It is organized by type of construction, material, and method of execution. You will find examples from traditional dry walls typical in some regions and cultures to actual works of land art …” With its absorbing content, this book is suitable for inquisitive designers, students, and people seeking perfection and the vital connection between the time-honored and the new, into and beyond the world of walls.

If you love this book, check out these other book reviews:

• Landscape and Urban Design for Health and Well-Being
• Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture
• 10 Books to Read in Your Fourth Year of Landscape Architecture

Pick up your copy of Walls: Elements of Garden and Landscape Architecture today!

Review by Velislava Valcheva Return to Homepage

An AutoCAD tutorial on How to Create the Perfect Flow in Your Drawings from our resident AutoCAD expert UrbanLISP. Whether you are designing a path for a small garden or developing a master plan, chances are strong that you will draw a few lines that are curved. Creating these curves can be fairly easy, but there is more behind it than you might initially think. It’s good to know what to pay attention to, because it also easily can go wrong. And then things can get really awkward — if not disastrous. To prevent these situations, we are going to have a look at the science behind the curve. Before we talk about flows, we are going to have a quick look at two straight lines. When one straight line approaches another, both lines make an angle with each other. When this angle is exactly 90 degrees, it’s perpendicular. When they make an angle of 180 degrees, they actually don’t make an angle. In that case, they are parallel.

Architects and constructors love a perpendicular corner; it’s straightforward, easy to make, and doesn’t need a lot of attention. This, of course, is very useful when making a building. But a perfectly flowing curve should be as relevant to a landscape architect as a perpendicular corner is to a constructor.

How to Create the Perfect Flow in Your Drawings

(No time to read the full article, scroll down to the video)

Fillet

Now we understand perpendicular and parallel lines. Most CAD programs have a function to connect lines with a curve. In AutoCAD, this command is called fillet. When you use this command, you’ll create a perfect flow from one line to the other with an arc — a curve. The fillet command helps a bit by shortening or extending the lines we used for this flow. The arc it created is based on the geometry of these lines. The arc has a start, an end, and a center point. Let’s have a look at the position of those points. The fillet command extended or shortened the lines we selected based on the radius we defined. When we take the end point of each line that connects with the arc and draw a line perpendicular from it, those lines will cross each other at some point. And guess what — this is the center point of the arc that was created with fillet.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE START and end point of the arc. Imagine drawing a line perfectly parallel from those points. You would essentially draw the lines used creating that arc. If you look at it the other way around, the line approaches the arc at that point of the arc where they are exactly parallel. A little bit before or after that point wouldn’t make it parallel. With curves, this point isn’t called parallel; it’s called tangent. And that is what we are looking for — tangency!

What is Tangent?

If you have a hard time understanding tangency, try to imagine that you have a basketball and a plank. The basketball is on the ground, with the plank on top of it. You don’t have to balance the plank; one side can touch the ground. In essence, you’ve created a tangent flow. Imagine the plank is cut exactly on the point where it touches the basketball. It doesn’t matter how far the plank sticks out, the point where they connect will always be tangent.

The Circle Method

With fillet, AutoCAD takes a few actions out of our hands. You can essentially do the same thing with the circle command. When starting this command, there are a few options in the command line. One of them is TTR. It stands for Tan Tan Radius, which is short for Tangent Tangent Radius. When we use this option, the command will ask you to click a point on two different linear entities. It will use a special snapping mode called “deferred tangent” that will consider the point you’ve selected more like a search area than an exact point. After picking the points, you have to define a radius. The command will draw a full circle with a specified radius. The circle will be tangent to both linear entities you’ve clicked with the “deferred tangent” snapping mode. After that, it’s just a matter of trimming the circle and line, and you’ll have the same effect as fillet. There might be cases, however, when you don’t want the lines to be trimmed. In that case, this method is very helpful.

Offset

When you work in a CAD program that doesn’t have a fillet command, the offset command could help you out. If you want to make an arc with a radius of 25 units, you can make an offset of the linear entities of 25 units and find the intersection point of those entities. Use that intersection point as center point for the circle you want to draw, and you’ll see the circle will be tangent to both original linear entities.

The Other Way Around

Previous examples were with straight lines. Fortunately, fillet also works with arcs. It will extend or shorten them to fit a tangent arc. With three consecutive tangent arcs, there’s a real nice flow appearing.

See these AutoCAD tutorials:

• 4 AutoCAD Commands to Draw Paving Patterns on Curving Paths
• How to Show Topography in your Plan Drawing in AutoCAD
• How to Place Large Quantities of Trees in a Master Plan Instantly with AutoCAD

IN THESE EXAMPLES, we basically used fillet to create rounded corners between the entities we already had. But what if we already have those rounded corners and want to make the connections between them? If you want to create straight connections, you can use the line command. When picking the points, you can override the snap options to tangent snapping by typing “tan”.

Recommended Reading:

• Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture by Bradley Cantrell
• Detail in Contemporary Landscape Architecture by Virginia McLeod

Do this for both points of the line and select a point somewhere on the circle. The line that will be drawn will be tangent to both circles. If you want to draw a rounded connection, you revert to the circle method and use the TTR feature.

Select a Single Entity

So fillet allows you to connect two linear entities with a curve. But what if you only have one entity? You’ll have one entity, so you know you want to be tangent to that one. But where to go? The UrbanLISP “Tangent Arc to Linear” command allows you to place a tangent arc as an extension of a linear entity. Where the arc goes is for you to decide. Start by selecting a linear entity. This can be any entity — a line, arc, or polyline, but even a spline or an ellipse. Select the entity on the side you want to place the arc; the command will take that side as base point. After that, it’s just a matter of aiming the arc and clicking in the drawing. You can do the same thing with the “Tangent Arced Segment”. If you use this command, you can select polylines. The arc you create will be added as a segment to the polyline.

Achieve Perfection

OK, we now know how to create a flow. But how do we make it perfect? If you are a student, you are probably only doing theoretical plans. Once you become a professional, you will develop plans toward realization. The more accurate your drawings are, the more serious engineers, constructors, and architects will be about applying it. If you draw a road with a radius of 24.78 units, it will not be welcomed with a lot of enthusiasm. Why not make the radius 25 units?

Pay attention to these details and make those flowing lines perfect. With fillet and circle this is easy: You have to enter a radius anyway. With the UrbanLISP “Tangent Arc” commands, you can read the radius in the command line. So when you move the mouse, you see the radius updates. This allows you to visually aim the new curve, but also read the radius at the same time. Once you have found the right curve, make sure you enter a nice, rounded-off radius through the commands menu, and the command will draw that curve for you. “Nothing is more annoying than a curve that is not tangent to its context from the design point of view”. As landscape architects, we make graphical designs; our drawings are a communication tool, not only in terms of design, but also for technical reasons. You don’t want constructors rounding off corners for you and making your design lose its tangency. Nothing is more annoying than a curve that is not tangent to its context from the design point of view. You might not even see it in the plan drawing, but once you are on eye level, you’ll read the curves differently. That’s also why it’s highly recommended to make models and of your plan drawings. Or just orbit to eye level even though your drawing is in 2d. These tangency details, and even more the absence of them, will show in these perspectives. If it’s a path through a park, the consequences are not that bad. But when it’s a bicycle path, it will get really awkward to bike around non-tangential corners. You’ll have very uncomfortable steering motions. And when it’s a street or even a highway on which cars travel at high speed, the consequences can be downright disastrous. Whether your plan is design driven or safety driven or both, make sure the sequences of curves are flowing perfectly.

See the full tutorial on How to Create the Perfect Flow in Your Drawings:

–

Recommended Reading:

• Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture by Bradley Cantrell
• Detail in Contemporary Landscape Architecture by Virginia McLeod

Article by Rob Koningen

You can see more of Rob’s work at UrbanLISP

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Cemetery de Laroque des Albères, by Marti Franch (EMF), in Laroque des Albères, France. As a landscape architect, when you are working on a new project, you get the sense that you are molding the respective space with its distinct personality. The challenge is often related to finding the right angle in order come up with a final result that is as meaningful as it is possible. The project presented in this article demonstrates that cemetery architecture has changed tremendously in the past few years, with more and more designers focusing on blending elements of nature with the more abstract ones. The Laroque des Albères Cemetery Project was commissioned by the commune officials, and was completed by Marti Franch (EMF).

Cemetery Architecture and Landscaping: A Vision into Tomorrow

The classic cemetery we tend to picture in our heads is far different from those being designed today. Talented landscape architects work hand in hand with similarly talented designers to create contemporary cemetery structures. As you will have the opportunity to see in this project, these modern-day cemeteries display a style that is rather minimalist. The concept of modernism is exposed through the usage of raw materials, such as concrete stone.

What Makes Laroque des Albères Cemetery Stand Out?

Perhaps the most interesting feature of this project is the borrowing and successful blending of elements from two different styles. On the one hand, there is the symbolism of the traditional northern forest cemetery. On the other hand, there are the influences of traditional Mediterranean cemetery building styles. The carefully lined cherry trees come to complete the beauty and serenity of the cemetery. See More Cemetary Related Articles: 

• The Landscape of Death and Green Burial – How Our Beliefs Design Cemeteries
• Historical Landscape Gets Modern Day Makeover
• 15 Great Examples of Historical Landscape Architecture

It was the intention of the creative minds at EMF to bring the two different styles together, making sure that the chosen shapes added contrast. As in many other cases, the landscape architects have managed to emphasize the identity of the space. When looking at the straight rows of cherry trees and the abstract geometry of the cement sepulchers, it is easy to understand the immense part that landscape designers play in the field of cemetery architecture. They are able to guarantee that this space speaks of both the past and the future.

Architecture Bowing in the Face of Nature

It was decided that the architecture would be compressed into strips that are long and narrow, carefully placed among the cherry trees. The result was great, with architecture bowing in the face of nature. You can see the architecture crouching under the mantle of leaves, respecting the scale of the trees. It is only through the talent of landscape designers, such as the ones at EMF, that cemetery architecture has truly become an art form. Just looking at the final portrait of the cemetery space, we can see that is has managed to retain all of its natural beauty. The visual continuity and the unity of the space are preserved, all thanks to some carefully made choices.

IT IS NOT EASY to design a space that is so full of meaning and is so important to so many people. The challenge is even greater when you think about the fact that you, as a landscape designer, have the opportunity to change a space. Cemetery landscape architecture has a strong abstraction level, and it is not simple to emphasize the connection with nature in such a space. However, when it comes to Laroque des Albères Cemetery, the reinterpretation of the classical concept of cemetery has been more than successful. Distancing themselves from the solemnity concept so often associated with death, the landscape architects have managed to bring nature into the center of attention. This is a simple and essential way to present life and death in antithesis, with the elements of nature and the abstract ones being brought face to face. LAROQUE DES ALBÈRES CEMETERY is a prime example of what modern cemetery architecture is all about. The style chosen for this project is minimalistic, allowing visitors to interact directly with the landscape. For professionals in the field, the cemetery is an ideal place to view the work of top-notch architects and landscape designers. For mourners, it is a place of peace and quiet, with nature bowing respectfully in the face of death and vice-versa. It seems that cemetery architecture has only begun its story, with more and more landscape architects showing their vision through different projects. Can you name other successful examples of modern landscape architecture in regard to cemetery spaces?

Full Project Credits For Cemetery de Laroque des Albères (France)

Project Name: Cemetery de Laroque des Albères (France) Site: Laroque des Albères-Pyrénées-Orientales (France) Authors: Marti Franch (EMF), Atelier d’Architecture Philippe Pous Promoter: Commune de Laroque des Albères Partners: Silvère Lopes (architect), Jean-Philippe Jara (infrastructure engineer), Jean-Paul Soulas (structure engineer) Project Date: June 2004 to June 2005 Construction Date: September 2005 to June 2006 Budget: 1,200,000 Euro HT; 600,000 Euro HT (Phase 1) Cost: 637,000 Euro HT (Phase 1) Surface Area: 7,500 m2; 3,500 m2 (Phase 1) Photographer: Marti Franch Website: www.emf.cat Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Alexandra Antipa Return to Homepage

Toppilansaari Park, by Atelier Dreiseitl, in Oulu, Finland. Do you happen to know what the word Toppilansaari means? Perhaps you can translate it, if you live in Finland, but for the rest of us wondering why a park would have such a name, Toppilansaari is Finnish for “Park of the Young Sailor.” As in most of the northern countries, the history of Finland and its people is closely connected with water – the Baltic Sea, the sailors, and the fishermen. Let yourself feel the ambience of the archipelago of the “land of a thousand lakes” as we take you to one of its most populous and economically hearty cities.

About Oulu

Located 160 kilometers south of the polar circle, the city of Oulu is sheltered away at the outermost parts of the Baltic Sea. Oulu is a hub for new technology business, with world mobile, electronic, and medical technology leaders based there. As a consequence, the economic prosperity of the city has been raised enough to provoke a demand for attractive housing development providing a higher and better standard of living. See More Projects From  Atelier Dreiseitl:

• How Zollhallen Plaza is Ready for a 100-Year Flood
• How Bishan Park Became “The Central Park” of Singapore
• How Tianjin Cultural Park Became a Union of Diversity

“Toppilansaari, a peninsula between the Oulu harbor entrance and the open sea, is the site of the Finnish Housing Expo 2005. The housing is laid out as a sustainable pilot project.” This is how the multicultural and interdisciplinary design team of Atelier Dreiseitl introduces you to the prime cause and general concept of the Toppilansaari Project.

Planning, Designing and Building with Water

The three radical lines defining the sustainable design concept aim to score three goals: economical, ecological, and analytical. Creating affordable housing that spares the natural environment and biodiversity by means of a rainwater management system is the first step in reaching those goals. Drawing information from the project about minimizing the impacts on nature caused by construction is the other key object that the team of experts put on the agenda.

THE TOPPILANSAARI PROJECT suggests a green park passing along the central axis of the housing elements. Atelier Dreiseitl’s team describes the new open space as one offering informal recreational areas that help lessen the impact on the sensitive wetland. “It is also a storm-water system, where rainwater and spring snowmelt are collected, cleaned, and slowly released to the wetlands,” as they say on their website.

The Water Cycle of The Park

Tangentially arranged paths run parallel with the swales, carrying rainwater on its way out to the sea. Additional concrete stepping stones function as a hold-back to rain or melting water. Here comes the role of the crossings’ openings, which convey the storm water to the next swales. Runoff from the roads isn’t forgotten either – it is captured and cleaned to take part in the whole water cycle of the park.

Inspired by Water

Following the understanding of planning in unison with nature, the expression of the park reminds us of the flowing language of water. The soft topography of the green lawns is designed in a slanting, tranquil manner to form natural-looking gullies. Changes in the elevation are marked by the use of varied pavement, which elegantly blends with the landscape and differentiates from it at the crossing zones. To highlight the crossing points further, the designers have concentrated the majority of native trees in several groups.

Wave-shaped steel planting edges appearing as a repeated design element along the whole length of the park are a reference to the adjacent sea.

Memorial Art Installations

The theme of water finds an appearance in one more way. We already mentioned that the name of the park means “Park of the Young Sailor.” That name inspired the creation of two land art installations set at the southern and northern ends of the park. “In the southern garden, a conceptual, sunken boat is a memorial to all the young sailors who never returned to land,” the designers say. If you spend time sitting on the bench stuck on the boat, you will probably hear the low tones sung by the masts.

THE NORTHERN GARDEN is remarkable for the light vortex that spins with the wind, lighting up its surface in variations. The main vortex structural components include recycled steel and a wind-powered rotating light. The sculptures are attractive even in winter, when they are covered by ice and whimsical crystal patterns. Both of the memorial art installations were designed by Herbert Dreiseitl and built on site by native contractors.

Celebrating the Past and the Present

Having learned about this Finnish park that embraces the concept of stormwater management, it is time to draw a conclusion. So what is your opinion? Did the project succeed in creating a balanced, undisturbed environment coexisting with the built housing units? Did the designers deliver the best solution for a resilient city?

I think they went beyond that. Providing a socially and aesthetically high value for the park, they found the best way to celebrate both the past and the present history of the place. Isn’t that where all our cultural, universal, and future-oriented values come from? And aren’t those values crucial to our surrounding environment?

Full Project Credits For Cemetery de Laroque des Albères (France)

Project Name: Toppilansaari Park Location: Oulu, Finland Landscape Architects: Atelier Dreiseitl, member of the Ramboll Group Team: Herbert Dreiseitl, Dieter Grau, Stefan Brückmann, Ulf Glänzer, Jessica Read Area: 75 ha/185 acres Client: City of Oulu Completion: 2005 Website: www.dreiseitl.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

Design for Healing Spaces. Therapeutic Gardens, by Daniel Winterbottom and Amy Wagenfeld.  Modern societies grow further and further away from nature. People tend to interact less and less with each other, instead spending their time locked in safe apartments and houses in front of their computer screens. At the same time, our old problems — sickness, disability, trauma, and loneliness — persist, while others, such as obesity, seem to become more common. We need to try to help the less fortunate among us – the sick, the lonely, the outcasts … the list goes on. Nature — particularly gardens — is a wonderful therapeutic tool for helping a variety of different people with a whole array of problems. Working, playing, or just spending time among plants has been proven to help adults and children alike. “Design for Healing Spaces.

Therapeutic Gardens.” by Daniel Winterbottom and Amy Wagenfeld, helps us to use this amazing tool — in a form available literally at our fingertips — in the most professional and efficient manner.

Design for Healing Spaces. Therapeutic Gardens

Overview

The book is divided into eight informative chapters, each devoted to a separate problem. The first two parts deal with the ideology of healing spaces and the way the design process should be approached. The middle five chapters extensively describe five different types of therapeutic gardens, while the final chapter deals with maintenance issues. Each of the chapters is based on real-life examples, which help the reader to achieve deeper understanding of the problem at hand and relate to it in a more meaningful manner. MULTIPLE DRAWINGS, SKETCHES, AND PICTURES (242 color photos and 34 drawings!) add greatly to the value of the book. Numerous designs on various stages of the process can serve as a source of knowledge and inspiration for the reader. Every chapter is accompanied by several interesting and relevant case studies. Each of the chapters from 2 to 7 also includes essential information on the group of users, design considerations, and a personal statement from a garden’s user.

A Practical Guide to Designing Healing Gardens

After briefly outlining the history and theory behind healing gardens, the authors move on to more practical issues. The second chapter of the book deals with the design process, from the understanding of goals through site assessment to paths, plants, lighting, and other materials. The authors stress the value of participatory design – designing the garden in cooperation with its future users. The consecutive chapters describe a variety of therapeutic spaces for different groups of users and multiple purposes. The authors detail how to design healing spaces for people with restricted mobility; people experiencing loss, trauma, or marginalization; the homeless; the sick; prison inmates; people with dementia, AIDS, and cancer; post traumatic stress disorder sufferers; and many more.

THEY WRITE ABOUT LEARNING and sensory garden,s as well as community green spaces. They mention gardens for health care facilities, schools – both ordinary and special needs — private residences, refugee centers, and prisons. Imaginative and original ideas for each type of garden are suggested, possible problems are mentioned, and solutions are proposed. Every healing space is as different as its users, and an individual approach is necessary. But certain rules and examples can be followed while others may inspire the designers. THE FINAL CHAPTER IS NO LESS IMPORTANT. The authors stress the significance of good maintenance, established right from the very beginning of the project. The community’s help is invaluable; therefore, it’s a priority to ensure community support and involvement at the design stage, through the garden’s construction, and into its existence. The authors outline the areas that the whole team needs to take under consideration, such as available staff, prospective volunteers, possible patient or user involvement, and, last but not least, budget. Keeping those issues in mind will ensure that the garden doesn’t fall into disuse.

Is it for Me?

The book offers a unique blend of views and attitudes, thanks to it being written by a landscape architect, Daniel Winterbottom, and an occupational therapist, Amy Wagenfeld. The book’s layout, variety of illustrations, and case studies make it an interesting and informative handbook, a comprehensive guide for designers, landscape architects, and health-care providers.

IT’S A MUST HAVE for everyone involved in planning therapeutic gardens, as well as for those who have only started to discover this particular type of design or those who want to broaden their existing knowledge. It is also beautifully published, which makes it a real gem in every landscape architect’s library. If you love this book, check out these other book reviews:

• Landscape and Urban Design for Health and Well-Being
• Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture
• 10 Books to Read in Your Fourth Year of Landscape Architecture

Pick up your copy of Design for Healing Spaces. Therapeutic Gardens today!

Review by Marta Ratajszczak Return to Homepage