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10 Niches You Can Carve Out of Landscape Architecture to Make a Name for Yourself

If you don’t specialize in something, you play the risk of being highly replaceable and achieving standard results. Carving out a niche for yourself is one way to avoid this happening. Have you ever had any doubts that landscape architecture may not be your calling? Perhaps everyone’s had such uncertainties at some point of their studies. After all, to become a landscape architect, one must sacrifice a great deal of time, resources and efforts. It is perfectly normal to speculate on the question, “Did I choose the right career for myself?” And what if five years at the university have passed unnoticeably, and you find yourself at the crossroads because you don’t have a clue which way to go. If you have come to the conclusion that being a landscape architect isn’t your dream job, what actions would you take? Would you chuck away everything and direct yourself to something entirely new and different? Naturally, you have every right to do so. But you have one more right as well. To take a view from another angle with us.

Background image credit: shutterstock.com

Background image credit: shutterstock.com

Remember, whatever you do, make sure you make the most of it. Landscape architecture is a multi-disciplined subject. Once you’ve gone through this field, you are faced with a sea of opportunities. Just imagine diving into that infinity. Imagine that landscape architecture is the sea, and there are numerous secret treasures hiding in the sands. These are the niches. They are small, narrow, and often hard to spot. But that’s only because precious things are hidden inside them. Niches in landscape architecture can be either a way to stand out from the rest or they can be a rescue beach for those who want to lead out of the mainstream. Regardless of which one of the two cases refers to you, dive with us to uncover what lies at the bottom of the sea. You will surely be surprised.

1. Hardscape

As it is hard to cover each niche individually, we will start with one of the most extensive – the hardscape. It is assumed that planting design is landscape architects’ speciality, but not unless opportunities lure on the built environment’s components. Think of pavement and lighting design, pool and water features, or for example fire pits, barbecues, and planters. Each one of these hardscape elements can become your niche and your trademark. But this will only happen if you make every endeavor become the virtuoso of it.

From the Asia series. Credit: Fire Pit Art

From the Asia series. Credit: Fire Pit Art

One such example we would like to present to you is a landscape architect who has found her vocation for natural pools. Draw on Claudia Schwarzer’s experience in designing natural swimming pools in the article below and snatch a grain of inspiration.
Natural-Swimming-Pools

Natural swimming pool full of life. Photo credit: Bio Piscinas

2. Outdoor furniture

The second niche a landscape architect can flourish in is the field of park or garden furniture. An additional interior design qualification may be required, but in some cases it may not be compulsory. And even if you have to invest some resources, regardless of money or time, or both, this is how our world functions – you have to give to get. Do you wish to become an outdoor furniture master? Are you willing to know how to design or combine furnishing? What styles, what materials, what colors to use? If you feel curious about the answers of these questions, you may have just found your niche. And if right now you’re wondering where to start from, check out the article on Vanessa Gardner Nagel’s book The Professional Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings.

Inside the book; The Professional Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings. Click Here to see the review. Photo credit Marta Ratajszczak

Inside the book; The Professional Designer’s Guide to Garden Furnishings. Click Here to see the review. Photo credit Marta Ratajszczak

One more source of exquisite furniture design can be found in the innovative work of Escofet, a Barcelona-based industry designing and manufacturing high-quality products in architectural concrete and cast stone.

3. Art Installations

Diving deeper into the matter of landscape architecture niches, we keep carving out to reach the favorite of all – art installations. Perhaps that’s the part of landscape architecture where art prevails over everything else. And when accompanied by mechanism and interaction, the final result is unthinkable, irresistible and most of all – a magnet to people. Are you seeking for a more creative aspect of landscaping? A field which takes you beyond the limits of the traditional profession? A niche where the impossible happens in a most enchanting way?

Castle hill water sculpture topiary. Photo credit: Clive Nichols

Castle hill water sculpture topiary. Photo credit: Clive Nichols

The matchless work of names like Anthony Howe, Giles Rayner and Cao & Xavier Perrot from Cao Perrot Studio, are world-class examples of staggering art installations and sculptures. See for yourself:

WATCH: Contemporary Art Installations by Cao | Perrot Studio with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS

4. Children Playgrounds

Our opportunity exploration continues with another adventurous part of landscape architecture – the playgrounds. The greatest concern here is not to forget that besides being fun and exciting, designing for children is first of all a huge responsibility, requiring extensive knowledge of regulations and safety standards. Do you think you possess both, immense imagination and, on the other hand, a strong sense of conscience? If you believe that you can coordinate them, then you should direct your efforts to become a professional in children playgrounds.

Zorlu Center

Zorlu Center. Photo credit: Oguz Meric

Carve is a design and engineering bureau well-known mostly for the planning of spaces for children and young people. Engaging and interactive design, accessibility and integration are keywords for Carve’s designing team. Their projects speak for themselves.

5. Planting Design

Now that we have come to the “living” matter of landscaping – the vegetation – we should examine what chances sneak in that niche. Just like the hardscape, the soft scape offers a variety of trends. A landscape architect can become for example a florist, or why not study the principles of ikebana or bonsai? Even if you’re not interested in something particular, why don’t you try to create your own new niche? Study those top ten names in planting design in the article below and pay your attention onto what makes each one of those designers unique? Don’t miss the chance to see how Adam Woodruff, a successful plant designer, uses tropical plants and seasonal annuals to frame his recognizable individual signature.

Photo courtesy of Adam Woodruff

Photo courtesy of Adam Woodruff

6. Aquascaping

Getting to the heart of our topic, we have reached one of the hottest and most eccentric niches – the aquascaping or as some call it, the water gardening. Aquascaping is the art of arranging aquatic plants, rocks, pebbles, and driftwood in a visually aesthetic manner within an aquarium. Most often, the aquascape houses fish, or other aquatic animals, but it can be filled with plants or cliffs only. All that underwater fairytale, however, needs to be designed with great consideration. Numerous factors like filtration, carbon dioxide levels sufficient to support photosynthesis underwater maintenance, algae control and lighting should be confirmed in order to get functional and artful aquascape. If you find the underwater world luring, magical and captivating, think about directing to that incredible craft. Take a look at those grand prize works from the world’s largest nature aquarium and aquatic plants layout contest – the International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest (IAPLC)

7. Vertical Gardens

Living walls are another attractive subdivision of landscape design. Brand-new and antique at the same time, their fascination is overwhelming and continues to spread all over the world. Is it because we are so used to perceive landscape architecture only in its conventional horizontal appearance? We can’t know that for sure but one thing is indisputable – when we speak of vertical gardens, one name occurs to our minds – Patrick Blanc. Patrick Blanc is a French botanist, who is known as the first to design the ‘modern’ pattern of green walls, supplied with a full hydroponic system, an inert medium and multiple exotic plant schemes. His spectacular projects include Quai Branly Museum in Paris and the Parliament in Brussels. He has become an inspirer to many designers like Flora Grubb for instance, who designs living walls for private clients accentuating on succulents. Before jumping to any conclusions, we offer to you some helpful information on the history of green walls and a few amazing facts about them in the two following articles: Would you dare to become the next Patrick Blanc? It’s all up to you.

An incredible green wall display; credit: Patrick Blanc

An incredible green wall display. Photo credit: Patrick Blanc

8. Ecology and Sustainability

We are switching over to our next tendency in landscaping – the ecological and sustainable design. It is yet another popular movement nowadays, which gathers speed not without reason. If you are a broad-minded and forward-looking person who cares about causes such as nature preservation, biodiversity stimulation, recycling techniques, rainwater management or anything related to our environment’s welfare, you might consider specializing in that stream.

Rain Gardens (Nigel Dunnett, Andy Clayden)

Rain Gardens (Nigel Dunnett, Andy Clayden)

There is a plethora of credible sources which you can use as a starting point, if you’re still hesitating on whether that is your calling or not. Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden may help you on that task through their insights shared with us in their book Rain Gardens. See the book review here. One more book review reveals the basics of Designing the Sustainable Site, as the name suggests. Sustainable practices and strategies are gathered to provide a useful tool in the hands of future-oriented designers. Take a look at it here.
Designing the Sustainable Site

Click HERE and pick up your copy of Designing the Sustainable Site. Photo credit: Elisa García Nieto

9. Tourism and Theme Parks

Our niche exploration is setting on one more obscure part of landscape architecture – the correlation between tourism, theme parks, adventure trails and landscaping. Are you keen on planning thematic tourist routs, studying various places’ folklore and history and reinterpreting those traditions in design? If tying nature, authenticity and people together in a beneficial social and economic manner sounds thrilling to you, you may have just found your walk of life. One thriving example of tropical tourist resort design displays excellently how strong the power of interaction can be. How to design a sensory experience and make it unforgettable to visitors? See how Enviro Tec did it.

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort. Credit: Enviro Tec

Sheraton Bali Kuta Resort. Credit: Enviro Tec

The second project deserving your attention is Quilotoa Crater Overlook, which stands out with minimal yet sheer human intervention in design, community support approach and mostly, natural wealth preservation. How did Quilotoa Crater Overlook capture nature without destroying it? Find out here:
Quilotoa Crater Overlook

Quilotoa Crater Overlook, Zumbahua, Ecuador, by Jorge Javier Andrade Benítez, Javier Mera Luna, and Daniel Moreno

10. 3D visualizations and graphic design

Our last number is set for a niche suitable for technology lovers. As landscape architects, we have to be able to work with numerous computer programs to visualize our ideas. Some designers suck at renderings, but others seem like they have a bent for it. If you are from the second kind, why don’t you master that skill? If spending long hours in the company of a computer doesn’t frighten you and if 3-d modelling is your way to express yourself, go for it. Check out our useful articles on computer renderings and see if the artist in you is awakened.

The power of 3D modeling software, credit: shuttersock.com

The power of 3D modeling software. Photo credit: shuttersock.com

Are there more niches to carve out?

Having gone through those ten different niches within landscape architecture, we can generalize that each one of them has something special, significant and stirring. That only proves once again how mercurial and versatile the art of landscaping is. We managed to carve out ten amazing niches for you, but don’t you think there are more numbers to be added to the list? The sea of opportunities is infinite, so even if you can’t find your niche now, why don’t you create it yourself? Which niche would you add to our list of opportunities? Recommended Reading

Article by Velislava Valcheva

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The Best Way to Say Happy Birthday to a Landscape Architect

We were contacted by LAN fan Ignacio J. Raffa, who wanted to get the landscape architect and fiancée in his life a thoughtful gift for her birthday. His fiancée, Evelyn is a 22 years old 2nd year Landscape Architecture student at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina and she is currently  doing a language course in Germany. Ignacio, a software engineer from Argentina jumped to the occasion and decided to purchase a LAN VIP Subscription in her name. So from fiancé Ignacio and all of us at LAN, we’d like to wish Evelyn a very special happy birthday and we hope she gets all the inspiration she needs from all the wonderful projects and ideas that we share here on LAN. Below you can see some of Evelyn’s student work: 

Evelyn's student landscape architecture work.

Evelyn’s student landscape architecture work.

If you wish to purchase a gift subscription for someone you care about, you can enter the recipient’s email and create a password for them then finish the process as normal using your payment information. Just click here. Remember we also have LAN merchandise, which you can pick up here. Return to Homepage

Medieval Fortress Finds Future as Modern Rooftop Park

Comturey-Keller green roof, by ZinCo and Thomas Steinmann, in Mainau Island, Germany. Even though green roofs have existed in architecture for centuries, their proliferation is a rather new trend in today’s world. More and more innovative solutions in green roof systems are being found, from succulent rooftops to full-scale gardens placed on top of buildings. Looking at all of these fantastic designs, we may think it is almost impossible to come up with a project that will surprise thousands of potential users. But let’s have a look at the Comturey-Keller green roof in Germany. Located on one of Germany’s biggest islands — Mainau Island — Comturey-Keller has had something unusual to offer its users since 2014. Originally a medieval fortress, the Comturey Tower has been redesigned and rebuilt to meet the needs of modern-day users. The tower has been turned into a one-story restaurant with a façade of 80 square meters overlooking Lake Constance. The former fortress is surrounded by countless baroque castle gardens, which amaze visitors with their floral splendor.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Photo credit: Peter Allgaier

But the biggest attraction is the park located directly on its roof. With an area of approximately 1,500 square meters, the park is definitely a surprise among the historical gardens of the Mainau Island. The rooftop garden is accessible directly from the ground on three sides. The park becomes a metaphorical junction between the historical gardens surrounding the building and the tower’s new, contemporary design. This also gives the impression that the restaurant is fully made up of greenery, which only adds to the delight of the view before us. Recommended Reading: 

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Above: Comturey-Keller green roof. Photo credits: Peter Allgaier

Thousands of Plants, Thousands of Possibilities

With plenty of places to sit and even lie down, the park has been designed in such a way as to meet the needs of its modern-day users to the fullest. With more than 12,000 plants and upward of 200 species, the roof of the Comturey-Keller blends in seamlessly with its floral surroundings.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Parasol-like trees give an all-day supply of shade, which can be a life-saver on hot summer days in Germany. Perennials marking the pathways flow freely from one side of the roof to another, continuing the “hydrangea-path” on the ground below.
Comturey-Keller green roof. Photo credit: Insel Mainua

Comturey-Keller green roof. Photo credit: Insel Mainua

Connecting to the Historical Context

Even though the park has a contemporary design, the carefully thought-out use of plants in the project connects the restaurant with its historical surroundings. Despite its strictly geometrical features in the forms of platforms and sitting areas, we do not get a sense of detachment from the whole of Mainau Island. Also, several wooden podia have been constructed on the front edge of the roof, which can be used for admiring the view of Lake Constance or for sitting.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Materials used in this project are mainly metal and wood, which can be associated with a modern design. But when we have a closer look at the park, its surroundings, and its use of planting, all of these elements fall together to make a beautiful and harmonic whole.

How Was It All Made Possible?

Being the world’s most famous green-roof constructor, ZinCo has yet again proven its genius in green-roof construction. In cooperation with Thomas Steinmann, ZinCo has made a green bridge connecting the historical past of the design surroundings with the modern trend of rooftop gardens.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Careful Calculations Allow for a World-class Design

The innovative construction of the rooftop has given the landscape architects a lot of freedom in their design process. With its maximum and minimum weight carefully calculated and with its construction and drainage system, the roof could be treated the same way as any other on-ground area. The special hillside location of the restaurant brought some unusual aspects into the design process; the green roof could not be too heavy or too light, so that it could withstand the slope pressure acting on the whole of Comturey-Keller. The newly built tower at the sandstone cliff has resulted in a narrow but very long roof with an approximately one-meter-high parapet going along the whole front side of the rooftop. This feature and the adjoining canopy are wood panelled, and both of these features have been designed without an incline, allowing the water-retention irrigation system to work properly.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Photo credit: Wettbewerbe aktuell

But how do you build a full-scale park on top of a tower without its roof collapsing?

The most appropriate solution in this case was the use of one of ZinCo’s build-ups –“Roof Garden” — which was combined with a multi-layer construction of bituminous and waterproof roof membrane, protection mats, drainage, and water-retention elements. The last of these is filled with a crushed, mineral brick substrate that provides excellent water storage while allowing excess water to drain through the underlying channel system. On top of the construction lie filter sheets and substrate — partially humus and mineral.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

The substrate depth has been increased to two meters in parts lying closer to the hillside, allowing better modeling of the landscape. All of these elements make up an extremely bearable and long-lasting system that allows users not only to walk on the roof, but also allows for small maintenance vehicles such as road sweepers.

Railings for Security and Good Looks

Being a part of a bigger whole, the Comturey-Keller roof needed to be equipped with an integrated system of railings, not only protecting users, but also in some places acting as trellises for some of the plants in the park. The railings were especially required in the most accessible area at the front edge of the roof, where users stop to admire the view of Lake Constance spreading before them.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Construction Details

The railing system has been directly integrated into the green roof build-up and is kept in place by the superimposed load of the roof construction. The load of the railings is evenly distributed by the use of plastic plates and underlying metal reinforcements.

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

So if you are ever in doubt about whether contemporary planning and historical surroundings go together, here is the answer: They definitely do. The Comturey-Keller is the best example to show us that landscape design today is much more than just trying to get all of the elements of a project and its surroundings in the same style. Landscape architecture now has no limits, and we can easily mix modern and historical in one design. And if you don’t believe me, come with me to Germany’s Lake Constance and let’s see the Comturey-Keller together. It is definitely a sight to see!
Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Comturey-Keller green roof. Image courtesy of ZinCo

Full Project Credits for the Comturey-Keller green roof

Project: Comturey-Keller green roof, Mainau Island, Germany Construction Year: 2013-2014 Roof Area: approximately 1,500 m² Architect: Hein Architekten Landscape Architect: Thomas Steinmann Recommended Reading

Article by Joanna Łaska

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The Beauty and the Beast of Bioluminescent Algae

The Blue Island, by Island Chen, in Matsu, Taiwan. Every year, thousands of people are drawn to the beaches of Taiwan to witness the glowing and sparkling water at night. What many don’t realize is that this beautiful spectacle is causing some serious damage to the environment. Island Chen, a recent graduate of the MA in Industrial Design from Central Saint Martins College, is trying to solve this problem by creating an installation that will not only act as an educational tool, but also maintain the tourist attraction. The county of Matsu is the smallest in Taiwan and also one of the most underdeveloped. This, coupled with its isolated location, has restricted its potential for economic development. However, since 2012, bioluminescent algae — called Dinoflagellates — has been blooming in the waters along the beaches, causing the surface of the ocean to sparkle with an ethereal blue at night. This phenomenon attracts many tourists to Matsu each year, and has become a main source of the county’s economy and an ingrained part of its cultural identity.

The sketch. Credit: Island Chen

The sketch. Credit: Island Chen

Bet You Didn’t Know It Was Caused by Red Tide

Many people know this type of algae as Red Tide, the common term used for harmful algae blooms that occur in waters such as those of Taiwan, China, Australia, and the United States. The particular species of Red Tide that occurs in Matsu is known as Noctilluca scintillans; it has a red pigment that turns the water dark and dirty-looking in the day, but is attractive at night.

Adapting bioluminescent algae in the laboratory. Photo credit: Island Chen

Adapting bioluminescent algae in the laboratory. Photo credit: Island Chen

Ammonia produced by the algae is deadly to many forms of marine life and causes severe allergic reactions in humans. While the blooms are a natural phenomenon that feed on organisms on the water’s surface, their frequency, duration, and intensity are increased by nutrient pollution.
Through the installation, people can clearly know the blooming of bioluminescent algae comes from pollution. Photo credit: Island Chen

Through the installation, people can clearly know the blooming of bioluminescent algae comes from pollution. Photo credit: Island Chen

Environment or Beauty?

Dinoflagellates are common organisms in all types of aquatic ecosystems; about 90 percent of them are plankton. They are an integral part of the first link in the aquatic food chain: photosynthesis. Almost all other organisms are dependent upon this energy transfer for their subsequent existence. There are two types of Dinoflagellates — heterotrichous and heterotrophic. Heterotrichous algae play an important role in many ecosystems, including providing the foundation for the aquatic food chain, supporting all fisheries in the oceans and inland, as well as producing about 70 percent of all the air we breathe.

The hydrodynamics makes Micro-algae generates bioluminescence. Photo credit: Island Chen

The hydrodynamics makes Micro-algae generates bioluminescence. Photo credit: Island Chen

However, the species Noctiluca scintillans found in Matsu is heterotrophic, and it can be devastating to marine life and local fisheries. While it does not produce neurotoxins the way other similar organisms do, its role as both prey and predator eventually magnifies the accumulation of toxins in the food chain.
The visible ecology educate people the knowledge of algae production. Photo credit: Island Chen

The visible ecology educate people the knowledge of algae production. Photo credit: Island Chen

The algae multiplies quickly in waterways with an overabundance of nitrogen and phosphorus, particularly in tropical areas where the water is warm and the weather is calm. These spectacles have become a nearly nightly occurrence because of the pollution from China and local agricultural waste. The people of Matsu can’t stop the pollution coming from China, and the bioluminescent algae is now a part of the local culture that largely supports the tourism industry. Therefore, Island Chen came up with the idea of having nature adapt to the local waste.

Why Not Both?

The Blue Island is a bio-digital installation that utilizes agricultural waste as food for heterotrichous Dinoflagellates, building a visible ecosystem. Within the contained environment of the glass box is a re-creation of the Dinoflagellates’ natural habitat. Through the use of a Fresnal Lens and a mirror on the roof of the box, the algae is able to absorb twice as much energy during the day from the sunlight, allowing photosynthesis to occur much faster than it normally would. The more the Dinoflagellates produce, the more efficient the installation is. With the use of hydrodynamics, water flows across the clear plastic shapes inside the box, creating smooth bio-light along their edges that can be seen at night.

The artificial waterfall creates the hydrodynamics . Photo credit: Island Chen

The artificial waterfall creates the hydrodynamics . Photo credit: Island Chen

The Fresnel Len on the roof for magnify the sunlight comes to the installation, that making the bioluminescence be stronger on the night. Photo credit: Island Chen

The Fresnel Len on the roof for magnify the sunlight comes to the installation, that making the bioluminescence be stronger on the night. Photo credit: Island Chen

The Quantity of fresh oxygen can be visualize from the monitor. Photo credit: Island Chen

The Quantity of fresh oxygen can be visualize from the monitor. Photo credit: Island Chen

The main focus of the project is to act as an educational tool, helping people to realize that the algae has detrimental effects, even though it is aesthetically pleasing at night. However, as a way to retain the boost to the economy, the installation functions as a much safer and viable option for eco-tourism. With the mass production of such installations, tourists will still be able to see the mesmerizing, sparkling water without the algae doing damage to the environment. This project makes you rethink the value of beauty in our landscapes. In a human-dominated world, there are times when our pleasure takes precedence over a healthy ecosystem. Would you trade our environment for a picture-perfect, moonlit beach walk?

WATCH: The BLUE ISLAND- Bioluminescent installation

Recommended Reading

Article by Taylor Stapleton

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Is France Leading the Game in Sustainable Urban Planning?

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole by Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte in Marne-la-Vallée, France. Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole came about in the spirit of creating a more sustainable urban civilization. The minds behind this project sought to achieve a unique blend of innovation and sustainable practice that would best benefit the local region while still maintaining an extraordinary aesthetic standard. The project is located in Cité Descartes within Marne-la-Vallée, which is just a 20-minute ride away from Paris and a central building block for the future development and re-imagining of eastern Paris. Marne-la-Vallée has a current population of about 280,000 residents, with the potential to hold up to 500,000. With the selling point being the maximum utilization of resources in its central location, the Scientific and Technical Pole with serve as a place for education, research, and engineering.

Plans of Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole by Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte

Plans of Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole by Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole

As a result of the project’s association with the Université Paris-Est, the French Ministry for sustainable development, and other organizations, 1,500 workers — including engineers, researchers, and doctoral students — will make the establishment a front runner in the realm of urban planning and design.

How to Approach a Vision for Sustainable Cities

The French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea describes the objectives of the Scientific and Technical Pole as satisfying and meeting the needs of various challenges. Some of these challenges are social, economic, and ecological — common components of design when planning for a sustainable project. The Scientific and Technical Pole managed to address the various levels of each of these challenges, not only on a project-based scale, but toward future urban design and planning applications.

Under construction. Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Images courtesy of Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte.

Under construction. Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Images courtesy of Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte.

Built to Sustain Jobs, Education, Training, Culture, Services

Socially, the project works to sustain jobs, education, training, culture, services, and other benefits to its surrounding society. In addition to that, it has the potential to serve as a center for innovation at an international scale, where education, engineering, and research are all collaborative with other research sites, communities, and places of higher education. This potential connectivity at an international level makes the Scientific and Technical Pole a place that not only practices sustainable methods and planning, but serves as a working example for those wishing to apply some or all of its principles to their own projects.

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Designing the Pole

The design of the Scientific and Technical Pole campus in Cité Descartes has been executed in a way that leaves it completely upgradeable, expandable, and able to blend with the adjoining urban environment. This new urban campus block blends existing facilities with new construction such as the Bienvenüe building, a space that brings a decent amount of greenspace to the campus.

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

The Rolling Hills

The long concrete structures of Bienvenüe undulate with the landscape and make for a beautiful break in the otherwise linear qualities found in the sleek urban architecture. Rolling areas of grass cover the Bienvenue, making up a large park for recreation. If you take a look inside the design of Bienvenüe, it becomes clear that the architects made it just as flexible inside as it appears outside.

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Architect Jean-Philippe Pargade perfectly balanced the many uses of this building, including the varied scales that may be needed within the space, as well as fostering collaboration among engineers, students, and researchers all alike. The main space in the building sits just below bends in the waves of landscape. Within its expansive glass walls are areas for eating, recreation, instruction, lecture, laboratories, and general meeting spaces.

Harnessing Bioclimatic Strategies

Buildings on the site were designed in a way that would harness as much bioclimatic strategy as possible. The expanse of glass and windows allows for solar heating and natural ventilation, while the land acts as a natural insulator. Strategic positioning of the building’s facades in northern or southern exposure was key to the design, so that when paired with rock facades for insulation purposes, bioclimatic considerations would be at their greatest potential. Recommended Reading

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Future Applications

Applications of sustainable planning through the use of strategies such as bioclimatic design, integration into existing cities and communities, and fostering innovation and collaboration on an international scale are components of high priority. What makes the Scientific and Technical Pole a success is how the designers chose to approach such a challenge.

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Sergio Grazia

The Power of Focuses Objectives

Becoming overwhelmed by this sort of task would be easy, but breaking the issue down into core objectives makes the assignment more approachable. If you know you are keeping with a vision for sustainable cities, then bioclimatic design and resource-smart applications will likely be a main objective. Then you can decide what makes the project unique, what draws people in, and what will ultimately contribute to the city and the people who surround it. If there were a sudden burst in the creation of innovative campuses such as the Scientific and Technical Pole, imagine how quickly they could all be connected through research and innovation. Do innovative and sustainable campuses provide a solution to healthier urban development?

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Luc Boegly

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole. Photo credit: Luc Boegly

Full Project Credits for Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole

Project Name: Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole Design Budget: €95 million (2014 value) Client: Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Architects: Jean-Philippe Pargade Location: 77420 Marne-la-Vallée, France Architect in Charge: Caroline Rigaldiès Partner: Jean-Pierre Lamache Studies Leader : Christophe Aubergeon, Malika Benzemra, Marco Carvalho, Joana César, Paolo Correia, Jean-Patrick Degrave, Emmanuèle Fiquet, Emilie Guyot, Antoine Hermanowicz, Joon-Ho Lee, Aline Marthon, Natacha Nass, Lucy Niney, Audrey Oster, Maxime Parin, Anne-Sophie Richard, Samuel Rimbault, Vincent Sengel, Ji Yeon Song, Marie Suvéran, Arthur Tanner, Van Hai Vu Area: 35300.0 sqm Project Year: 2014 Photographs: Sergio Grazia, Luc Boegly Recommended Reading

Article by Megan Criss

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Is Copenhagen The Ultimate Bike Friendly City?

This infographic was originally posted on www.icebike.org Having published numerous articles on LAN in regards to the significant development of sustainable infrastructure in Copenhagen including bicycle tracks, it was only a matter of time before we were contacted to share an infographic on the topic. Below is an outline of the facts and figures that are contributing to Copenhagen becoming the ultimate bicycle friendly city. – Cykelslangen is part of Copenhagen’s vision to become the best cycling city in the world by the end of 2015. According to the VisitCopenhagen website, “Copenhagen’s ambitious goal for 2015 is that 50 percent of all who work in Copenhagen will commute by bike, according to the City of Copenhagen’s environmental plan, ECO-METROPOLE OUR VISION 2015, which together with other green initiatives, works towards making Copenhagen the world’s best biking city.” Read more here.

Bike City Copenhagen: This Is The Ultimate Bicycle Friendly City (Infographic)

bike-city-copenhagen For a more detailed account that goes beyond this graphic, click here. Recommended Reading

Infographic contributed by Mads Phikamphon

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ENEL Pavilion: Will Smart Energy Sharing Feed The Planet?

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch, in EXPO 2015, Milan, Italy. Can you imagine a forest composed not only of green trees but also of LED-illuminated vectors? Wouldn’t that be splendid? What if such a forest exists? Who wouldn’t wish to go there and be absorbed in the fascination of that daring design combination? To witness the encounter between natural and artificial? Although this collision may seem to have a dramatic and frightful ring, the truth is quite different. Because behind that innovative design we are going to tell you about stands a great idea — and an even greater cause. It is an influential aesthetic effect, and a feast for all your senses. If you are thirsty for something futuristic, inspiring, and ingenious, you have come to the right place. Light up your day by joining us on our bright and shining stop by Expo Milan 2015.

Visualisation for the Enel Pavilion by Piuarch. Image courtesy of Press release via Nemo Monti

Visualization for the Enel Pavilion by Piuarch. Image courtesy of Press release via Nemo Monti

ENEL Pavilion

Together, we will go into the pioneering design concept of ENEL Pavilion. We will trace the whole story of how the architecture firm Piuarch managed to create a pavilion, an LED forest, a smart energy grid, and a landscape instead of architecture, all in one.

In the Beginning There Was … Energy

То comprehend thoroughly the design of ENEL Pavilion, first we have to pause on the main subject of Expo Milan 2015. Namely, how did the team of Piuarch embody the theme of the exposition, “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”?

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

In the answer to that question lies the pivotal point of the entire design concept: The architectural theme with which the designers impregnated the pavilion was “energy sharing”. The architecture sends a strong message that sharing is the future, and that sharing energy and resources can feed our planet. Following that appeal, the architects created not a closed box, but a void instead – an open space defined by trees and vectors, powered by a smart grid. The same smart grid that is the base that visitors walk on and thus receive the message.
ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit:  Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

Why a Smart Energy Grid?

The innovation of the smart grid bears the idea of rational energy distribution. As architect Francesco Fresa, founder of Piuarch, makes clear:The theme is that sharing is enriching and allows our society issues to be solved. Expo Milano 2015 conveys an important message, which must be approached adequately. Sharing is thus fundamental, since it responds to the needs of our society: If the resources are distributed rationally, the problem of hunger can be overcome. Nowadays, the food produced is more than necessary, but the fact that it is not shared leads to the impoverishment of the earth and prevents the development of countries.Recommended Reading

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

The Breaking New Design

In designing the pavilion, 650 polycarbonate vectors were grafted onto the grid. An open-work volume was created through the composition of these remarkable illuminating verticals. The fundamental conceptual and structural element is the grid, drawing a fancy cellular pattern on the ground. With the educational approach of conveying the idea of energy sharing, the grid uses a network of metallic elements that transfer electricity distribution and data flow. To represent a system’s nerve endings, the vertical vectors are planted onto the net. “The Enel Pavilion is not a containing volume; it is instead a void. It is thus no architecture, it is a landscape; that is why we can speak of a microcosm, as architect Germàn Fuenmayor, also a founder of Piuarch, says. WATCH: Expo 2015: Virtual Tour of the Enel Pavilion

Interactive Environment

Having various heights between 5.3 and 7 meters, the poles draw a vertical forest, inspired by the kinetic work of art “Penetrable” by Jesus Rafael Soto. In this way, visitors’ perception changes incessantly, parallel with the different vistas. The playful atmosphere rises through the elevated sinuous path, drawing into the LED forest adventure. The excitement takes over when people interact with the tubes’ multiple effects of changing lights and sounds. The ephemeral spectrum ends with green areas of Mediterranean vegetation, adding even more brilliance for each season. The dense courtyards allude to the theme of sustainability, which falls once again under the spotlight. The use of greenery also softens the context, while natural colors, scents, and textures poise the balance between living and synthetic. WATCH: Penetrable Art Installation by Soto

What’s Inside the Microcosm?

Getting closer to the heart of the installation, we will now peek into what is hidden in there. As we pass through the experiential walkway, an interactive informative strip leads us to the control room. This is where ENEL’s center of gravity lies. Its educational character uses films and interactive devices to help people understand how the intelligent network proceeds. Shimmering kinetic mirror components form a stage machine, which represents the net’s pattern in the control room.

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch.

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

A second glassed showroom offers entertainment in between the virtual forest and the terrace. An illuminant experience of sheer lightness flares up. The glass surfaces create a feast of light, glamour, and reflection. All that, thanks to the energy obtained from the pavilion’s photovoltaic panels. WATCH: Experiencing ENEL Pavilion

Light the Universe

Having gone through the whole concept and embodiment of ENEL Pavilion, we can only feel enlightened. Because literally and figuratively, the experience one can gain from ENEL is effulgent. And the message is simple – by sharing energy, we can feed the planet. And by feeding the planet, we can light the universe and make it a better place. What could possibly express that message in a more dazzling way?

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch. Image credit: Andrea Martiradonna

Full Project Credits for ENEL Pavilion

Project Name: ENEL Pavilion Location: Expo Gate, Via Luca Beltrami, 20121 Milan, Italy Architects: Piuarch Client: ENEL Area: 900 sqm Project Year: 2015 Concept and Architectural Design: Piuarch (Francesco Fresa, Germàn Fuenmayor, Gino Garbellini, Monica Tricario) Team: Gianni Mollo, Davide Fascione, Alessandro Leanti, Marco Dragoni, Jenny Spagnolatti, Gianluca Iannotta. Visual Experience: To Do – h+ – (H) Films Systems Design (MEP): ESA Engineering Team: Francesco Gori, Laura Cocchini, Laura Razzolini, Claudia Iacopo Structures Design: FV Progetti Team: Filippo Valaperta, Sabina Franco, Orlando Briccola Greenery Design: Cornelius Gavril Quantities measurement, technical specifications and safety: GAD Studio Team: Paolo D’Adda, Luca Cedrelli, Vittorio Grechi Recommended Reading

Article by Velislava Valcheva

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Luxury and Tranquility are Expensive at The Coast, Singapore

The Coast, by Tierra Design, Sentosa, Singapore. In the heart of Singapore, it is often difficult to find a space secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the last few years, landscape architecture in Singapore has concentrated on creating tranquil and luxurious private spaces — and residents of The Coast have paid a high price for just that. Situated in a residential enclave of Sentosa Island Cove, The Coast is a large apartment building — the only residential building with access to panoramic views of the South China Sea. The design is focused on creating a holistic integration of the built environment, combining architecture, landscape, and interior design. While the building itself is much like any other apartment building in Singapore, the outdoor complex makes this site truly unique.

Masterplan. Credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Masterplan. Credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coastline is Reflected Through Design

The design aesthetic of this project by Tierra is simple and elegant, bringing the built environment to life by incorporating the rhythms and hues of the earth, its materials, colors, and sounds. Water plays a large part in the design, not only in the swimming pools, wading pools, and ponds, but also in the form.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Verticle Wall Plantings

Because the site is located on the sea, it was important to the designers to reflect the surrounding water in the architectural landscape elements. This can be seen in the vertical wall plantings that appear to cascade like waterfalls, the stepping stones through the ponds that mimic large lily pads, and the flowing hardscape geometry.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Lighting Creates a Tranquil Mood

The large site is tied together through the use of circular forms within the landscape, such as the floating planters, green mounds, outdoor pavilions, Jacuzzis, and viewing platforms of the waterfront. The landscape lighting is integral to the ambience of the space, sensitively complimenting the tranquil mood of the design. Early evening views of the ocean are enhanced through hidden lighting; as well as giving a more fun vibe to the water features and swimming pools at night, the colorful lighting adds interest to the landscape. Recommended Reading

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Playing With Levels

The landscape architects chose to lower one section of the site below water level to create a private enclosed space, providing quiet relief from the surrounding city. The willows in this space add to the feeling of a secluded storybook pond. The simple and clean lines of the other spaces on the site — utilizing only wood, stone, and water — create a contemporary yet soft and quiet space. The entire site has used an uncomplicated tropical planting plan of to create a lush environment.

Creating the Tanquil Oasis

Every element of the design has been chosen specifically to create a peaceful oasis feeling in the residential development. While this sounds like a simple design, many landscape architects find this difficult, adding too many elements and cluttering the view. Simple is key in keeping a space relaxing, because too many distractions can overwhelm someone interacting with the space. Tierra makes designing a tranquil space seem effortless.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Tranquility Comes at a Price

In all its extravagance, the space presents a soothing living experience away from the busy city lifestyle. However, people have to pay a hefty price for such luxury. The units in the building are consistently sold for anywhere between S $3.6 million to S $8 million (approximately $2.6 million to $5.8 million in U.S dollars). It goes to show that the landscape surrounding a building is extremely important and can dramatically increase the price of residential properties.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

What Could Make This Project Even Better?

The only unfortunate aspect of this project is that the space is not open to the public, as it would be a great way for locals to relax at the waterfront. Tierra has managed to create a beautiful and luxurious oasis within a vibrant, bustling city. The design is a celebration of the ocean on which it is situated, brilliantly mimicking the water throughout the landscape and hardscape. Would you pay this kind of price for peace in a busy city?

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

The Coast. Photo credit: TIERRA DESIGN (S) PTE LTD.

Full Project Credits for the Coast

Project Name: The Coast Location: Sentosa, Singapore Date of Construction: 2010 Landscape Architect: Tierra Design + POD Client: Ho Bee Cove Pte Ltd. Recommended Reading

Article by Taylor Stapleton

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The Meeting Bowls: A New Hub of Social Activity Along Times Square

Meeting Bowls, by mmmm… ,Times Square, New York City, USA. Sometimes we only need to think simple to make the best pop-ups! This was certainly the case for Times Square’s temporary transformation back in August 2011, when Times Square Alliance and the Consulate General of Spain in New York City agreed to manage a space to calm the non-stop hustle and bustle of Times Square. The finished product was a new public art installation of urban furnishing called the Meeting Bowls. The project was designed by Madrid-based mmmm…, a collective of four Spanish designers (Alberto Alarcón, Emilio Alarcón, Ciro Márquez, and Eva Salmeron), with the aim of giving the public another vision of what the most crowded street in New York City could look like with just a simple design that is more than eye candy.

Meeting Bowls. Photo credit: mmmm…

Meeting Bowls. Photo credit: mmmm…

So, what was the BIG idea?

The idea was to install three giant bowls to bring people from every walk of life into an outdoor, intimate space to build connections. Strangers were brought together while sitting inside, next to each other and at the same time facing one another. This is something most designers tend to forget about when creating outdoor furniture – providing an opportunity for the simple act of having a face-to-face conversation. Recommended Reading

As Tim Tompkins, president of Times Square Alliance, explained: “Times Square stands as a testing ground for emerging ideas, and the Meeting Bowls offer a unique approach to foster private, intimate conversations in this enormous and often anonymous public setting”.

Meeting Bowls. Photo credit: mmmm…

Meeting Bowls. Photo credit: mmmm…

The Ingenious Logistics Behind the Project

The first prototype was constructed in Spain out of CNC cut-fiber boards. But instead of shipping the Meetings Bowls from Spain, mmmm… used global computer-aided manufacturing by emailing 250 parts of its digital drawings to Advanced Cutting Services in New Jersey. With the cooperation of R&N, they succeeded in cutting the sheets of waterproof, high-density chipboard, or MDF, with computer-driven routers.

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

The parts were then moved to Times Square, where the whole assembling process took the team just two hours to finish. The only tools they needed onsite were screw guns and rubber hammers — a great demonstration of doing more with less! What Would You Call it? Much has been written about the unusual shape of the bench design once the three bowls were shown to the public. Indeed, some have called them “baskets”; others have describe them as “salad strainers”. Animal NY have called them “tourist cages“. Each of the three bowls were five feet tall and seven feet in diameter, providing enough space for eight people to sit comfortably on a first-come, first-served basis.
Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

A Way to Enjoy Both The Intimate and Public Space at The Same Time

The collaborative of Spanish artists, mmmm…, designed the Meeting Bowls in a way to generate a slight impression of floating, as they gently rock when people step in and out. Plus, with all the enormous video screens and flashing billboards of Times Square, people can both enjoy the intimate spaces as well as the open view of the streetscape. Those who have experienced the project were able to record their dialogue with others inside the Meeting Bowls using their smartphones and sharing them on the project website accessed by a QR code. They also were able share through the mmmm… website, Facebook, and twitter pages with the hashtag #MeetingBowls.

The Big Impact of Having Big Bowels

During the one-month event, the Alliance estimated that about 20 million pedestrians saw Meeting Bowls, while tens of thousands took photos. “Times Square is pleased to be a testing ground for emerging ideas about gathering in our public spaces and thus enriching cities worldwide,” Tompkins said. “The Meeting Bowls are a new type of temporary and playful urban furniture creating a small oasis among the rush of pedestrians.”

Meeting

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

Finding The Potential of a Space

By being part of Times Square Alliance’s continual improvement to find better solutions for the district’s development, the Meeting Bowls project has demonstrated what we could possibly do with that space if we devoted it to something other than pedestrian traffic. This experience helped to raise a human aspect within a large modern city such as New York, where people can be less gathered into a mass and more easily identified as individuals. WATCH: Meeting Bowls

Eva Salmeron of mmmm… mentioned in a press release:Contemporary to the recent Spanish 15-M Movement, and similar in aspiration, we hope the Meeting Bowls will encourage dialogue and interaction in the most important main square in the world, Times Square. The small group discussions will promote a sense of community and humanize the modern city.”

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

Meeting Bowls. Image credit: mmmm…

All in all, the great lesson we can all learn from this project is that when well-designed outdoor furniture is in the right place, it can have a significant influence on pedestrian activity, such as getting to know people, forming group discussions, and starting friendly dialogue between strangers. The Meeting Bowls was definitely a good opportunity to make real connections and build relationships among people within a positive environment. What are some other outdoor design characteristics that can effectively encourage social activity on streets?

Full Project Credits for Meeting Bowls, by mmmm…

Name of Project: Meeting Bowls Client & Developer: Times Square Alliance Designer: mmmm… Period of Design: August 2011 Location: Times Square, New York City Recommended Reading

Article by Naila Salhi

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Why Lonsdale Street is a Role Model for Urban Projects Around the World

Lonsdale Street, by Taylor Cullity Lethlean Landscape and Urban Design and BKK Architects, in Melbourne, Australia. Modern cities with interesting architecture and good infrastructure still have problems with green spaces. We have noticed that public squares are sometimes underdone or misused. It happens everywhere, but what is the first step to change this situation? First and foremost we should study excellent urban projects. Doing this enables us to take a fresh look at the matter or even find inspiration. On the other hand, we are able to find solutions to urban problems, such as heavy vehicular traffic. Development of motorized transport has had a major impact on the shape of cities. Wide pavements are being replaced with parking and roads. However, when public squares focus on pedestrians instead of cars they can become examples of successful design. Lonsdale Street is a fine example of this much needed balance between ecology and human needs.

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Lonsdale Street

Premier Boulevard in Dandenong

This extraordinary project is located in one of the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia – Dandenong. It is a prosperous retail spine with many shops and a dynamic produce market situated here. So it makes this area a unique and significant space in the city. Due to the retail located here, there is also a lot of traffic congestion, which has had a strong impact on the shape of the boulevard.

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

This congestion is what inspired city officials to finally fix the problem. A public consultation confirmed the cultural and physical potential of Lonsdale Street and encouraged officials to make a change and start the revitalization process. After many discussions on the street’s former shape, Australian architects from BKK studio were ready to face the challenge. In 2011 their incredible project was finished. Lonsdale Street had been transformed into a premier boulevard and a gateway to East Victoria.
Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

The First Impression

When we look at Lonsdale Street from a bird’s eye view, we can notice that nothing is random or unnecessary here. Parallel lines found in the flooring and more subtly in the long road, with two lines in each direction and a pedestrian area with parking are what catches the eye. A natural barrier – trees, divides these zones. They not only bring oxygen, but also create a secluded spot where people can rest or simply relax. This is what we notice first, but why is Lonsdale Street unique and very interesting for landscape architects?

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Focus on the Function

First and foremost, Lonsdale Street is a well-organized space. Vehicular traffic is considered and it is not disturbing to pedestrian movement. Therefore, it is no wonder that people from Dandenong simply love this place. They can comfortably park their cars, go shopping and then take a break in this amazing area. Wooden benches invite everyone to sit under pin oaks trees and low bushes help create the right atmosphere. The street is known for being a marvelous place, which certainly no one wants to leave.

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Ecology Meets Urbanization

On the other hand, the ecological aspect is also significant. Lonsdale Street is perceived as an environmentally friendly space. Not only does Dandenong’s public square produce oxygen, but it also saves the city a lot of money, which city authorities in other towns must spend on items such as water bills. How is this possible in a tremendous metropolis such as Melbourne? The answer is surprisingly simple, a linear garden along the length of Lonsdale Street is reusing storm water for irrigation purposes.

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Lonsdale Street by Night

Lonsdale Street is not only a great place to hang during the day, but also at night. If someone thinks that Lonsdale Street shuts down when the last shop closes – they would definitely be wrong. It is a lively place even in the evening. Vertical street lamps, designed by Electrolight in collaboration with Daniel Sequeira, line the street and glow in a rainbow of colors. These lights attract people’s attention and make Dandenong’s public square a special meeting point for townsfolk, at any time of the day. There is no getting around the fact that, in recent years Lonsdale Street has positively changed into a desirable place that everyone is talking about. For the first time in a long while, designers noticed vehicular traffic’s consequences and created a solution. This project is known for being well thought out and responding to the people’s needs, as well as ensuring a balance between the environment and architecture. People of Melbourne should be proud that one of the most captivating urban projects is situated in their city.

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

It doesn’t happen very often that highly urbanized areas are in dialogue with nature, proving that there is always a chance to connect function with aesthetics. Undeniably, this public square design is an inspiring example of revitalization that returns public space, dominated for many years by cars, to the pedestrians. Do you think that some elements used for Lonsdale Street’s revitalization process could be applied to neglected public spaces that urgently need intervention by landscape architects?
Lonsdale Street

Lonsdale Street. Photo credit: John Gollings

Full Project Credits for Meeting Bowls, by mmmm…

Landscape Architects: Taylor Cullity Lethlean Landscape and Urban Design Collaboration: BKK, Electrolight, Design Flow and David Sequeira Location: Dandenong, Victoria, Australia Size: 30,000m2 Completion Date: 2007- 2011 Client: Places Victoria Construction budget: $35,000,000 Project Team: Simon Knott, Perry Lethlean, Scott Adams, Lisa Howard, Noelle Teh, Lin Tan, Michael Roper, Michael White Project Management: Places Victoria Builder: Canteri Brothers Civil / Structural: Arup Civil (Langhorne Plaza): Argo Civil / Structural (Langhorne Plaza): KLM Lighting: Electrolight

Awards for Lonsdale Street:

2013 AIA National Architecture Awards, Winner Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design 2013 AIA Victorian Architecture Awards, Winner Melbourne Prize 2013 AIA Victorian Architecture Awards, Winner Urban Design 2013 PIA Australia Award for Urban Design, Commendation 2012 AILA Awards, Excellence Award for Design in Landscape Architecture Recommended Reading

Article by Paulina Sawczuk

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Malmö’s New Bustling Commuter Hub Moves 37,000 People a Day

St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square, by White Arkitekter, in Malmö, Sweden. The coastal city of Malmö, located just a short train ride from the Danish capital of Copenhagen, is one of the most diverse and fastest growing cities in Sweden. The population includes a huge proportion of immigrants and young people, as well as thousands who commute to and from nearby Copenhagen for work and school each day. Its diversity, combined with its unusual location, makes Malmö one of Scandinavia’s most unique and vibrant cities.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Masterplan of St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square, by White Arkitekter

St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Moving 37,000 People a Day

Located outside of the main downtown district, Triangeln was a relatively quiet area until recently. With the completion of the new City Tunnel train connecting Malmö’s central station to Copenhagen via the Tranglen station, the area has been transformed into a bustling commuter hub. This radical change means that the Triangeln area is now accommodating upward of 37,000 commuters each day. As a result, the city needed to create a space that would both reflect and accommodate this change, while still complementing the existing community.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square . Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

One Project: Two Spaces

White Arkiteker’s design proposal was selected as the winner of an international design competition by the city to re-imagine the space around the Triangeln station. The design transforms this previously overlooked area into a bustling commuter hub and outdoor living area for locals. The project area can be divided into two main squares: Konsthalltorget and Sankt Johannesplan. Konsthalltorget is adjacent to the city’s art gallery (Malmö Konsthall) and the Triangeln shopping center. The gallery is one of the largest in Europe. It exhibits modern art from around the world and attracts 200,000 guests each year.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

Recommended Reading

As a significant stakeholder in the project, the art gallery was extremely involved in the design process, ensuring that the new space would function harmoniously with the gallery. The Konsthalltorget space acts as an extension of the art gallery, and was designed to complement and showcase the gallery’s unique and stunning architecture, as well as to host temporary outdoor exhibitions. The second part of the design, Sankt Johannesplan, is oriented toward St. Johannes Church. Built during the Art Nouveau period and also called the Church of Roses, the church is an important landmark in the city. Sankt Johannesplan is also the location of the new Triangeln station’s north entrance and acts as a hub for commuters.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

A Bustling Public Space in the Triangeln District The paving is made up of simple, rectangular pavers that can be easily changed, moved, and customized to accommodate different types of activities and events. In dark, contrasting pavement, an abstracted nature pattern — inspired by the Art Nouveau architecture of St. Johannes Church — adds dynamism to the space.
Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

This paving spills across the street, linking the two spaces visually, as well as establishing the area as a pedestrian priority zone.

Flexibility Was a major Factor in the Design Scheme

Round planters that double as benches, as well as some scattered perennial beds, add some green to the space. While more trees would be a welcome addition to brighten and break up the space, it was important that the design be flexible and adaptable to various types of events, as well as free of obstruction for busy commuters. A 30-square-meter area of water jets adds a certain playfulness to the space, and becomes a popular area for children during the summer months.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

Robust Responsive Environment

Toward the center, an elevated concrete disk works well as a stage and display area during events and exhibitions, but also functions as seating for day-to-day use. At night, the illuminated platform, along with the rest of the nighttime lighting design, creates a lasting impression for passersby.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

The Glass Dome

The glass dome structure is the northern entrance to the Triangeln train station. Situated in the middle of the space, it acts not only as a station entrance, but as a stunning architectural feature for the square. Aside from the train station, several bus lines service the area, and bicycle parking has been provided onsite. The site’s design is complementary to the city’s shifting transportation policies, which focus on incorporating and facilitating public and active transport, rather than the use of private cars. Already, the square has become a popular place not only for commuters, but also for skateboarders, filmmakers, artists, and musicians — acting as a hub for not only transportation, but for recreation and culture.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

A Hub for Commuters — and for the Community

Malmö was already known globally for its innovative architecture and public realm, and White Arkitekter has elevated an overlooked area to a public living space and bustling commuter hub, accommodating more than 37,000 people a day. The combination of contemporary minimalist and ornate Art Nouveau styles gives the square a distinct and memorable feel that effortlessly complements its surroundings, while efficiently moving commuters. The site’s location supplies the space with a steady flow of people to animate it, from the bustling weekdays to lazy Sundays. While the primary purpose of the site is as a hub for the city’s thousands of daily commuters, and the open design of the square mitigates congestion and facilitates the efficient movement of people, its great location has also helped it to become one of Malmö’s newest local hangouts.

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square. Photo credit: Hanns Joosten

Full Project Credits for St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square

Project Name: Sankt Johannesplan and Konsthalltorget. (St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square) Location: Malmö, Sweden Designers: White Arkitekter AB Team: Niels de Bruin, Anna Eklund, Gustav Jarlöv, Andreas Milsta (lighting design), Ebba Matz (artist) Date of Construction: 2014 Size: 28,000 sqm Client: City of Malmö and The Swedish Church Photographer: Hanns Joosten

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Article by Michelle Biggs

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Top 10 Ex-Industrial Sites Turned Into Stunning Landscapes

We take a look at 10 ex-industrial sites that experienced the powerful transformation of landscape architecture.  Ex-industrial public parks are a shining example of how great design can reuse, repurpose, and reintegrate spaces for the public. Innovations in urban ecology, water treatment, and green urban infrastructure have all been made, thanks to the unique challenges provided by these landscapes. They have challenged us aesthetically, as well, to find value and beauty in the industrial heritage of a site, asking us to widen the scope of what we consider to be beautiful and worthwhile.

Here are 10 ex-industrial sites that resulted in innovative and stunning landscapes:

10. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, England

Home to the 2012 Olympic and Para-Olympic Games, the 560-acre Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is one of the largest on this list. Once an industrial area and dumping ground in London’s east end, the park was quickly and expensively transformed in order to host the games. The cleanup of the site alone cost 200,000,000GBP. Two hundred and fifty acres have been transformed into woodlands and wetlands, providing habitat as well as river flood protection for surrounding areas. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is continuing to grow and change, intending to become a new cultural center and neighborhood as well as greenspace and animal habitat. Many of the Olympic buildings are being replaced by housing and some commercial buildings. WATCH: A walk in London’s new Olympic Park

9. Klyde Warren Park, Houston, Texas, USA

Klyde Warren Park is unique on this list since it isn’t a park that replaced an industrial site, but one that provides a unique solution to a similar problem. The park is on a “deck” covering a working freeway, making the thoroughfare subterranean and creating a continuous physical and visible connection through the city. The design is meant to encourage discovery, while also providing a relationship between Uptown and the Dallas Arts District. WATCH: A Day in the Life of Klyde Warren Park – Flyover

8. Quarry Garden, Shanghai, China

The Quarry Garden is located in the Shanghai Chen Botanical Garden, the largest botanical garden in Shanghai. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the site was a functioning quarry, doing massive damage to the Chen Mountain, leaching and removing soils and vegetation and destroying habitat. The design re-creates an ecologically functioning landscape that doesn’t try to hide the site’s history. The materials palette recalls both the natural and industrial pasts, using rusted steel and concrete as well as stone and vegetation to lead visitors into the quarry basins.

Quarry Garden in Shanghai Botanical Garden

Quarry Garden in Shanghai Botanical Garden. Photography credit: Yao Chen

7. Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park, Queens, New York, USA

The site that now houses Hunter’s Point Park was for a long time an abandoned post-industrial landscape with a breathtaking view of Manhattan. The park is a part of a large, affordable housing project and will provide recreational greenspace for thousands of new residents. It features a large, oval lawn space, a dog park, concession buildings, and ecological wetlands. Hunter’s Point is one of many projects in the works intended to provide public access to New York City waterfronts by creating accessible greenspace, trails, habitat, and gathering spaces.

Planting at Hunter's Point South Park. Photo credit: Wade Zimmerman

Planting at Hunter’s Point South Park. Photo credit: Wade Zimmerman

6. Olympic Sculpture Park, Seattle, Washington, USA

Built in 2007, the Olympic Sculpture Park is an extension of the Seattle Art Museum. The seven-acre site is home to temporary and permanent art installations. The site was owned by the Unocal Corp. from 1910 to 1975, housing a fuel facility, and was in cleanup for another 10 years after operations ceased. Funds to buy the land were raised by the Seattle Art Museum and the Trust for Public Land, eliciting thousands of donations for the Sculpture Park. The design of the park is based off western Washington’s topography and native vegetation. The planting palette starts with a cascade of mountain plants on the highest part of the site, shifting as the topography changes down past the water’s edge into Puget Sound, where habitat reconstruction provides the only salmon habitat on the Seattle waterfront.

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Cader's Eagle at Olympic Sculpture Park. Photo credit: SounderBruce. Licensded under CC 2.0. Flickr

Cader’s Eagle at Olympic Sculpture Park. Photo credit: SounderBruce. Licensed under CC 2.0. Flickr

5. Sugar Beach, Toronto, Canada

Sugar Beach is on the banks of Lake Ontario, in a very urban area surrounded by buildings and industry. The park provides not just a repose from the city, but a sugar-coated confection in the middle of it all. Inspired by a nearby sugar factory, the design evokes old-school candy imagery with bubblegum pink umbrellas, candy-striped boulders, and an illuminated water feature, making the park nearly Wonka-esque.

Sugar Beach; credit: www.claudecormier.com

Sugar Beach; credit: www.claudecormier.com

4. Gasworks Park, Seattle, Washington, USA, by Rich Haag

Gasworks Park was the site of a gas plant from 1906 to 1956, a serious source of pollution and a point of frustration and anger for the surrounding community of Wallingford. When the site was acquired by the city for a park in 1965, landscape architect Rich Haag’s intention to leave some of the plant’s towers as valuable and historical point of interest was controversial. Haag fought to keep the industrial past visible, while also designing more traditional sweeping lawns, a viewpoint hill, and wooded screens. Now, despite Gaswork’s rocky past, it is a beloved public gathering space and one of the most visible green spaces in Seattle. WATCH: KCTS 9 – History Making: Lake Union Stories

3. Shanghai Houtan Park, Shanghai, China, by Turenscape

Shanghai Houtan Park is an exceptional example of designing landscapes to be functional, living landscapes. The site on the Huangpu River is long and narrow, following the river bank. It was once a brownfield, having hosted a steel mill, shipyard, and landfill. The design intent was to create a beautiful, safe place for visitors, to clean the river water, and to prevent flooding. This was accomplished by constructing a mile-long wetland through the park that cleans water from the very polluted river. Related Articles: 

The wetland plants and soils remove nutrients, while a series of terraces adds oxygen to the hypoxic water. According to the American Association of Landscape Architects, the constructed wetlands can treat up to 500,000 gallons of polluted water per day. Visitors to the park can experience a safe and close connection to the water and plants in the wetland. They are encouraged to explore the wetland as a landscape feature and also as a functioning system.

Shanghai Houtan Park. Photo credit: Turenscape

Shanghai Houtan Park. Photo credit: Turenscape

2. C-m!ne, Genk, Belgium

The C-mine plaza in Genk pays homage to its mining-town past while launching the urban plaza into the future. Materials were chosen for their aesthetic similarity to the coal produced by the mine and were made out of a waste product from the mining process. Buildings surrounding the square were mostly all mining buildings that now house elements of the cultural hub of the city. The square is vivacious, with a bright lighting design through the square and up the shaft tower that dominates the flat landscape. Its flatness is intended to make the square multi-functional and able to hold many people during large events.

GENK C-m!ne by Hosper in Genk, Belgium

GENK C-m!ne by Hosper in Genk, Belgium

1. SteelStacks Campus, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA

SteelStacks is a public park, cultural hub, and entertainment venue in what was once a Bethlehem Steel plant. Bethlehem Steel used to be the second-largest producer of steel in the United States, imprinting itself on the lives of the Bethlehem community. When the plant shut down in the 1990s, the people of Bethlehem rallied to have it conserved, saving the iconic structures and incorporating them into the campus. The blast furnaces from the plant still stand behind the Levitt pavilion, which is dramatically uplit at night, while the visitor center in the plant’s stock house was opened in 2012.

Photo credit: Tom Fox

SWA Group design Sands Bethwork at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. Photo credit: Tom Fox

– Ex-industrial sites are here to stay, and more are created all the time. Finding potential in them despite their difficulties is a major challenge that modern and future designers will have to constantly face. Currently, a major trend is waterfront redevelopment. What do you think the next wave of challenging sites is going to be? How do you think these landscapes will change how people think about contaminated natural amenities?

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Article by Caitlin Lockhart

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