Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Sure-loc Edging CEO Roger Blauwkamp says his groundbreaking company is always on the lookout for ideas that were bold and original back when other companies implemented them.

HOLLAND, MI—Explaining how the company remains innovative in a fast-paced industry, executives from Sure-loc Edging told reporters Wednesday that the manufacturing firm consistently positions itself on the leading edge of what its competitors have been doing for the past few years.

“The landscape is always changing, so we’re continually embracing revolutionary ideas that our rivals succeeded with in the past,” said Sure-loc sales manager Karl Nieboer, who credited this approach with keeping the groundbreaking company at the forefront of where the field was five or six years ago. “In this business, you have to constantly push the boundaries in terms of adopting strategies from other people that are by now well-established industry practice.”

“You just can’t wait for inspiration to come to you,” he continued. “You’ve got to see it come to somebody else first and then pounce on it once it’s been thoroughly proven in the marketplace.”

According to Sure-loc CEO Roger Blauwkamp, employees at his pioneering company monitor what everyone else in the industry is doing, hastily restructure their business to do the exact same thing, and then watch to see what advancements the industry makes next. Blauwkamp said it’s this commitment to innovation that allows his company to always provide its clients with the next ingenious product that has already been in use for quite some time.

“Part of what makes us such trailblazers is our willingness to completely scrap what we’re doing right now in favor of a strategy that’s been fairly ubiquitous since 2013,” said Blauwkamp, noting that he hopes a recent rollout of an 8″ edging and full page ads will place Sure-loc firmly atop the list of leading edging suppliers from the beginning of the decade. “Our creative focus on methods developed by other companies is what’s going to drive our business right to where the vanguard of this industry used to be.”

“Yeah, sometimes we have to push the envelope on what could be done in 2010, but we don’t know any other way around here,” he added.

Blauwkamp hinted that Sure-loc is preparing to disrupt the edging world once more, this time by proactively embracing original concepts that its competitors put in place just 12 to 18 months ago. But he said such a gambit should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the company’s history of taking substantial risks to adopt the very same business plans that other, more successful suppliers were using just a short while back.

“Whether it’s sliding connections or retail kits, if you can’t deliver what previously paid off elsewhere, you’re finished,” Blauwkamp said. “But as long as there’s that spirit of innovation in others, we’re going to be around quite a while.”

At press time, sources confirmed Sure-loc had adopted another years-old strategy of its competitors, laying off approximately 20 percent of its workforce.

Article by Farah Afza Jurekh – In this article, we take a look at some gems in the would of YouTube that are perfect Youtube channels for landscape architecture students. For landscape architecture students, everything cannot be taught in the studio, rather it is also self-learning process. While professors can help you learn how to generate a concept before the execution of the plans or how to work on improving your presentation skills, they may not be able to help you improve your drawing skills. All they can do is guide you, judge you, and hopefully make you a better designer. Following, we take a closer look at 10 of the best YouTube channels for landscape architecture students. Starting from generating a concept, architectural drawings, hand renderings, computer renderings and post-production, tips and tricks of model making, the portfolio and presentation styles, and even the inspirational projects of the world-famous firms are all included to help students and save their valuable time while searching for the right tutorials. So, here comes the list of those useful armors to save yourselves on the battlefield.

YouTube Channels for Landscape Architecture Students

10. 30×40 Design Workshop

30×40 Design Workshop covers a wide range of architectural topics including tutorials on software and architectural short courses on products and materials, focusing on different architectural topics. Generating a concept relating to your site is one of the most important tasks of any project. For newbies, it can be quite difficult to figure this out. In this channel, there are architectural courses to help you understand exactly how to do this. Other than that, there are tutorials on different software, and tips and tricks on model making to ease your problems.

9. Show It Better

It is a platform where one can get to know about architectural presentation styles and by following the tutorials one can excel in presentation skills. Having good presentation skills is very advantageous to architecture students. Through this skill, one can easily impress their studio teachers and later, in professional life, their clients. One of the famous architectural firms, BIG’s presentation skills are very impressive and it is worth learning and following. In this channel, you will also find tutorials on how BIG styles can be executed to make your works more presentable and interactive to clients.

8. Alex Hogrefe

The tutorials of Alex Hogrefe are always very helpful. His presentation skills and graphics sense are simply mindblowing. How he turns a simple line drawing or a simple 3D model into a masterpiece can teach students a lot. Since we always run short of time before submissions, his quick and easy steps in Photoshop and SketchUp tutorials can help save you from facing an overly critical jury.

7. Digital ArchLand

This channel provides tutorials to shape topography, terrains, and 3D modeling in SketchUp. It is important when the site has varying topography to actually show it and these tutorials will show you how to do the modeling in either SketchUp or Rhino.

6. Autodesk

Autodesk, the makers of AutoCAD, offers a wide array of tutorials on all of their programs, including AutoCAD, 3d Max, Revit and Maya. One can easily master these skills by going through their tutorials.

5. Itoo Software Itoo Software provides two important plugins – Forest Pack and Railclone and the tutorials to teach you how to use them. Both plugins are very useful in 3Ds Max to create realistic, natural environments while rendering. Although background environments can easily be edited in Photoshop, the hassle of adding trees, adjusting hues, and balancing colors can be avoided using this plugin. For those who want their renderings to be super-realistic, Forest Pack will be a blessing to them.

4. Nick Senske

In his tutorials, Nick Senske provides a series of lectures on Rhino, Rhino sun studies, Grasshopper, portfolio layout using InDesign, Maxwell texture mapping and Photoshop renderings which are all very useful to improve our skills. In 3D modelling and rendering, texture mapping and controlling light are determining parts for a realistic render visualization. Nick Senske provides detailed instructions on texture mapping in Maxwell, and light-controlling techniques for better renderings.

3. Themodmin No matter how skilled you are at digital renderings, hand renderings hold a special place in architectural fields. Hand renderings are always appreciated, but are often overlooked and underused. For beginners who are not confident enough to start, this channel will help you to become a pro in architectural sketching and hand renderings.

2. Lumion

We all know that Lumion is very easy and useful software. Nowadays, the more interactive the presentation is, the better grade you will receive and animations are great ways to communicate with your clients through your presentation. For animations, Lumion is the fastest and the easiest way. It is fun to learn, and is more like a video game but serves its purpose perfectly. Undoubtedly, the tutorials on Lumion are worth learning.

1. American Society Of Landscape Architects

This tutorial is for students to get inspired, to be willing to explore more creative ideas and to produce more successful projects. Here you will find many videos on sustainable landscape architectural projects, ASLA award-winning projects, interviews of architects, and students who will share their knowledge and ideas with you to inspire you.

No matter how talented you are, in architecture, ultimately, your presentation skill will speak for you. So it is very important to learn these tools and software by heart in order to beat your fellow students and survive in the long run. Please leave your comments below. Have any of these channels helped you to improve your skills? Or are there any other YouTube channels you would recommend?

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Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Irene Crowo Nielsen – Watermark Seaport, by Copley Wolff Design Group, in Boston, MA, USA. The Watermark Seaport is located in Boston’s newest coveted neighborhood for the live-work-play lifestyle. It is definitely not your average transformation area. The developer brands it with three words; Unrivaled, Unobstructed & Unconventional. “This is the nucleus of the neighborhood: a marriage between Fort Point Channel and the innovation of the Seaport District,” says Charley Leatherbee, executive vice president at Skanska, who developed the building. Meet the Watermark Seaport, a 17-story luxury residential tower and a 6-story loft consisting of 346 apartments, 25,000 square feet of retail space, and two levels of below-grade parking.

A future-oriented project featuring rainwater filtration and green roofs, with a special focus on providing the building’s tenants with high-end, useful and flexible outdoor amenity spaces. Did I mention that it also achieved LEED Gold certification in February of this year?

Copley Wolff Design Group is responsible for the design of the streetscape, an alley entry corridor, and two roof deck amenity spaces that eventually lead to a LEED Gold certification. How did they approach the landscape design to help achieve this, you might wonder?

Watermark Seaport

A Rainwater Infiltration-based Streetscape

In these days, words like “stormwater runoff”, “urban ecology”, “rainwater infiltration” and “permeable surfaces”, just to mention a few, are popping up everywhere and are becoming more and more important to include for a successful landscape design and for achieving LEED certifications, or similar certifications depending on what country you live in.

Copley Wolff Design Group have an extra focus on this in their landscape design to be able to achieve LEED certification for the Watermark landscape project. Starting with the streetscape around the building, it can be divided into three zones; a furniture zone, pedestrian zone and a frontage zone.

The frontage zone is adjacent to the roadway curb and contains a permeable precast unit paver strip. There are large tree pits with structural soil, aeration, and concrete paving. The frontage zone also contains bike racks, signage, parking meters, native plantings, and traffic utilities. The furnishing zone has pervious pavers to infiltrate rainwater back into the earth, taking strain off the overworked stormwater system. The street trees utilize captured roof runoff, stored in a large underground cistern, and therefore embraces all the current urban planting technology in an effort to ensure longevity of urban ecological systems.

The pedestrian zone is a dedicated walkway, and it is paved in light-colored concrete. The alley leading from the street, from Autumn Lane to the street, and Seaport Boulevard make up a car-free environment and have green walls and green vegetation buffers to maintain a certain privacy. When walking down the alley towards Seaport Boulevard, there are horizontal rafters and a retail terrace with retaining walls, stagger planting, seating areas, and large shade trees adorned with lanterns.

Two Green Roof Deck Amenity Spaces

Moving up into the building, you will find that the green roof decks are located on the 18th floor and on the 2nd floor between the Tower and the Loft buildings, providing the residents with incredible protected views of the Boston Waterfront and downtown Boston skyline.

On the 18th floor, Copley Wolff Design Group have designed outdoor dining and gathering areas for the buildings occupants and planted a series of 8-inch-deep, pre-vegetated green roof trays containing a mix of native and adapted ornamental grasses, perennials, and sedums (which also contributes to the building’s aim to achieve LEED Gold Certification).

The 2nd floor amenity terrace is designed as an extension of the indoor lounge and entertainment rooms used by the buildings residents. One can also find a planted zone with hardy sedums and a platform space designed with shaded trees. By using green roofs with sedum, Copley Wolff Design Group managed to achieve the many benefits of green roofs which include managing and migrating of storm water run-off, reducing the heat island effect, reducing heating and cooling needs, and at the same time create potential for urban agriculture and providing wildlife habitats.

In addition to being green roofs, both decks are also furnished with lounge chairs, grilling stations, dining tables, contemporary outdoor couches, high-top tables and stools, and built-in wood seating throughout. There are also active zones for exercising. The residents have everything they need and more!

A Mark of Distinction

LEED Gold certification was targeted from the early beginning of the Watermark Seaport. Landscape design and maintenance are factored into the scoring system. Copley Wolff Design Group helped achieve the LEED certification by designing green roofs, planning drainage channels to diffuse rainwater, figuring out grading plans, and using local plants that require less water, just to mention a few of the specific ways to earn points on LEED projects. One building at a time, the Watermark landscape project is helping to change the landscape of Boston by providing environmental and ecological benefits to the building while also creating appealing urban green spaces for everyone to enjoy. Have you ever worked with earning LEED points?

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Full Project Credits For Watermark Seaport:

Project Name: Watermark Landscape Project Design: Copley Wolff Design Group Location: Boston, MA, USA Size: 25-acre Date of Construction: ongoing Awards: LEED Gold certification Developer: A joint venture between Skanska and Twining Properties Architect: Stantec Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Alexandra-Elena Ciocan – We take a look at the competition project of Eden Soestdijk and look how new ideas gave back life and expression to old values.  Interested in winning first prize in a landscape design competition and a place in people’s hearts? As challenging as it sounds, it is a ride to enjoy. Take, for example, the submitted work of Mecanoo architecten and its partners in Baarn, The Netherlands on the Soestdijk Estate. The outcome? An Eden-like project that proves one super power of design: unification of the modern landscape and the historic existing framework. The very motto for the proposal is “from palace to paradise”, and in our opinion, it reads success!

Competition Project

While the results of the competition had yet to be announced by April 2017, we believe the Eden Soestdijk competition project has what it takes to overcome the other two contenders and become one of the greatest assets of The Netherlands. Why do we foresee this project as a lock and which of its strengths will help to ensure it? Read on to find out! The first thing that catches the eye and distinguishes the project is the sculptural modern greenhouse. While maintaining the historic focus of the site, the team has succeeded in creating another proportionate focal point — definitely a daring move.

The main inspiration for this representative piece and its organic design is none other than the famous Eden Project in Cornwall, Great Britain. While a quick glimpse shows the resemblance, the Dutch project’s originality and contrast warrants a second look. The team states that “the ETFE skin of the dome is based on a mathematical structure called Voronoi. This structure is common in nature, as it can be seen in leaves, water bubbles, or in the wings of an insect. This structure not only makes the shape flexible and organic, but also fits within the theme of nature, culture, and science. ” The visitor involvement in this park foretells an intimate experience within a modern urban jungle, without the negative connotations of the latter term. All the sequential and thematic gardens are connected to the subject of sustainability, each having its own personality. The paradisical scenery painted by lush plants and glowing water appeals to anyone and everyone, offering chances for different types of exploration. On the one hand, the design is composed of areas in which the visitor is conducted through curved alleys and dim lights to specific attractions, while on the other, lush zones allow freedom to explore nature on his own terms. A fact you need to remember about this competition project is that its reality and applicability depends on the artistry of nature and the world’s most visible environmental and sustainable issues. We love to fantasize and design amazing imaginary worlds; unfortunately, these are sometimes are not viable to be born into reality. But the Eden Soestdijk competition project and its developers promise a paradisical experience of both historic and modern ambience. The competition project is focused around a social journey: Visiting The Netherlands’ Eden will prompt you to dive into the local history and take a pilgrimage through the lush greenery. The designers have aimed to build a great relationship with the local community. As communication is the key to any success, the team has decided to design a park that would actively incorporate the needs and desires of citizens, local entrepreneurs, and organizations. These needs are not to be guessed at or studied from afar, but based on flowing discussion and consultation, making Eden Soestdijk truly a team project. One innovative way in which the project contributes to society and offers it the chance to get back to its roots, both natural and historical, is by providing a workplace and study material for the unemployed, residents, and interns. Moreover, the project mitigates the all-time generational conflict between the social layers, as it incorporates the different perspectives of what brings value to society: the historic values or the modern attitude. It is relatable and reliable. The designers state that the park project is specifically “developed and exploited in a non-profit manner,” promising that “all continued proceeds will be reinvested in the further development of the estate.” This proposes an interesting life cycle that promotes the project as an active and reliable organism of the society, which will further contribute to its constant growth. Besides, the feelings that the royal family has cultivated toward nature and landscape are shared by millions of people. This makes this landscape relatable to almost anyone, and sensitizes people to the world’s issues. Because the project also includes plans for the restoration of the palace, we can well admit that it is responsive to the site’s historical background and modern needs. The space will maintain its cherished historical ambiance, while nurturing the birth of cultural, ecological, and entrepreneurial ideas. Competition is often not about us, nor solely about the project or about meeting criteria. The judges to all the changes we bring to the natural and built environment are none other than the beneficiaries of our projects. Keeping in mind that in a world in which historical gems are consistently destroyed to make room for “state-of-the-art” contemporary pieces, communion and design unity seem to be an anomaly. And the eternal question emerges: Can the modern and the historical bind together to attract even more tourists? We invite you to pause for a second, sip some coffee, and give it a fresh look: Do YOU think this so-called “experimental project” will succeed? Ready to bet on it?

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Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Maria Giovanna Drago – A review of Stranden by LINK Landskap, 2014 Oslo, Norway. The city of Oslo is located in the innermost point of the homonymous fjord. One of the districts which overlooks the water is Aker Brygge, the most in-style area with its numerous pubs, restaurants, apartments, and shopping centres. Way back in 1854, the shipyard Akers Mekaniske Verksted was located here and the engineering industry expanded until 1982, when it went out of business. From there, the district began a major change with the opening of the first stores and a phase of urban development following that which has made it an important meeting place, teeming with people both day and night, especially during the summer months.

Stranden by LINK Landskap

Telje-Torp-Aasen Architects had won the architecture competition for the redevelopment of the neighborhood in 1985, with the intention to transform it from industrial area into liveable neighborhood. In particular, the redesign of the external urban areas was entrusted to the study 13.3 Landskapsarkitekter, today LINK Landskap. They themselves had the wonderful opportunity to modernize the area 30 years later, especially the waterfront, and to be part of a multi-stage project led by Space Group Company and Ghilardi + Hellsten.

The waterfront promenade, known as Stranden, and the new marina were inaugurated in 2014, while the main square, Bryggetorget, and the roads that connect the waterfront to inland areas were completed in a second phase which ended a year later. The seafront was lengthened to 12km and is a long and public promenade that runs from northeast to southwest, connecting the ferry dock to the Aker Brygge marina. The area is both pedestrian and vehicular, but accessible to only a few vehicles, for example, those that provide services to the restaurants. It looks like a long band characterized by two types of flooring: light wood and grey granite.

LINK Landskap architectural firm aimed to design a social place with a simple idea; making it look like a big and long square, substituting the tarmac road in front of the restaurants with the same paving as the new adjacent sidewalk. The pavement study thus assumed a key role, along with the furniture design.

The Paving Design

The paving granite characterizes the walk. There are three types; rectangular large modules, medium modules, and circular compositions of small cubes. The first identifies the sitting and relaxing zone immediately facing the sea where orange seats are located, the second upholsters the shared area between the buildings overlooking the promenade and the sitting zone, and lastly, the third type is exclusively for vehicular roads within the district.

After the sitting area and the orange seats, there is a sloping wooden space with a path for strolling, around 3m wide, and 6 steps leading down to the sea. The paving granite design on the ground is inspired by ancient Roman techniques, but it has been revised to adapt to current needs of production and installation, as well as to the terrible winter temperatures that can drop to 25°C below zero.

The Furniture

The architectural team collaborated with Vestre, a leading Norwegian company in street supplies, and Tveit & Tornøe, also a Norwegian design firm, to design the street furniture. All of them together have developed various types of seating, mainly made of pale wood and orange lateral details, which enhance ease of use and social interaction. For example: there are single and double benches where you can stretch your legs as in a deck chair; also long front-and-back benches facing the fjord or the city facades; seats can be integrated with tables for reading or eating or can be supplied with armrests … all of them are close together, so that tourists and residents can sunbathe or have a drink, listen to music or chat together, all with the freedom of not being required to be customers of the restaurants by the seafront.

When offices and shops close in the evening, the lights of the small gazebos of the restaurants turn on together with the lights of the entire promenade, which were specifically designed to avoid light pollution that would prevent enjoyment of the sea. The streetlights along the promenade are high and have a narrow light beam that focuses at certain points in particular, leaving most of the rest in shadow, while other hidden headlights only illuminate the riser of steps descending to the water. This evening scenery is quite evocative.

A Popular District

The area has become a popular destination that people love to visit, where they can eat seafood along the walk, go shopping, get on a boat directed to the islands and even meet some important businessperson or a VIP. Aker Brygge is visited by not less than 12 million people each year; festivals and unique activities attract people, also the chance to wander at the Aker Brygge mall which is located on a 100m dock. Or you can dock your boat/yacht at the new marina whose pier is 160m long.

The Awards

The new Aker Brygge won both the City Award 2016 and the WAN Waterfront Award 2016. The World Architecture News Awards is an international award that – each year since 2005 – appoints the world’s best landscape projects. It is divided into 22 categories, including one specifically dedicated to the Waterfront. The judges rewarded it for the simplicity of the idea which managed to re-create a local identity, to connect people, and to reinvigorate the relationship with the sea. Do you trust in “simplicity” as a key to make a project outstanding? If yes, to what extent?

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Full Project Credits For Stranden:

Project Title: Stranden Landscape Architecture: LINK Landskap Location: Aker Brygge, Oslo, Norway Client: Norwegian Property (NPRO) Landscape area: 10.000 m² Scope: urban regeneration Completion: 2014 Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Review by Frank Bourque – A three-week postgraduate architecture and urban design course that teaches architecture based on its cornerstones in Edinburgh, Scotland. A lot of people would agree that there is something special about modern architecture that honors its roots in the past. This is exactly what the science of urban design is based upon – a rich history of shaping the physical settings for life in cities, towns, and villages through a collaborative and multidisciplinary process. The art of making places and designing them in an urban context has been mastered nowadays, and we can thank many past engineers and architects for setting the historical cornerstones of urban design and planning. One great example of a city that prides itself on the variety and context of its urban design – today and in the past — is Edinburgh, Scotland.

Architecture and Urban Design Course

Historical Urban Development as a Motif for a New Three-Week Program

Aside from its rich cultural heritage and tradition in terms of urban design, Edinburgh is also known as the home of the University of Edinburgh, one of the most prestigious universities in Scotland. The university has connected the dots between architecture in theory and architecture in practice — and is officially introducing a three-week design program that gives everyone a chance to explore and experiment with all of the contemporary architectural and urban design motifs deriving from Scotland. The program focuses on all aspects of design, including planning and landscape architecture that specializes in urban regeneration streetscape improvements and landscape design.

The main philosophy emphasizes the need for imaginative and exciting design solutions that are developed from a thorough understanding of the city’s infrastructure and multidisciplinary planning. The program will also help participants develop an understanding of the different levels of infrastructure and urban planning, differentiating among people, buildings, cities, and the metropolitan landscape. Moreover, the program will focus on combining creative field work with interpretive historical field work, as well as theory-based material using specific artifacts and sites of study based on urban design principles.

A Combined Approach of Theoretical and Methodological Studies

The design of this architecture and urban design course program is rather different from most urban planning courses. The difference lies in the studio-based experience that combines both theoretical and methodological studies. All postgraduates who enroll in this course will have a chance to learn through lectures, seminars, and field work in Edinburgh’s urban environment. The program will also combine individual and group work, running each day for up to nine hours throughout its three-week duration. The structure of the course involves lectures (10 hours), seminar/tutorials (20 hours), supervised and unsupervised field work (20 hours), and practical work (100 hours).

The Learning Outcome of This Urban Design Course

It is safe to say that this course is being offered by an institution that guarantees results and is renowned throughout the world. The course will help postgraduates understand both contemporary debates and scholarly traditions within the history, but also teach them the practical side of urban design and its core functions. Thanks to the advanced methodological training, every postgraduate will participate in design-led research and research-led design, as well as demonstrate rigorous design and research skills and practices. The in-depth knowledge gained from this course will obviously be put into action, but will also link to the theories of Patrick Geddes and other urban paradigms concerning this field of architecture and design.

Location, Duration, and Pricing

The main goal of this program is to let postgraduate students develop their knowledge even further. The course starts on July 3 and ends on July 21. There are number of fee packages for the three-week program. All include tuition costs, the total program, and a preferred accommodation type. Generally speaking, the costs are provided on a weekly basis. and the average (Silver) package would cost $2,913 — or $971 per week. Students are asked to make a deposit of $160, which can be further reclaimed toward the fee packages. All of the students who enroll possess a first degree in architecture, landscape architecture, and/or urban design. A portfolio must be submitted as part of the course application.

A Final Word

The main value of this course in urban design and planning is not simply the understanding of architecture that postgraduates will gain. It is actually a mix of all the principles, theories, and projects that are situated within the city of Edinburgh. In such a city full of history, tradition, and depth of architecture, learning about urban design principles is certainly easier. And that is where the university has focused its efforts in designing this course. So if you are a student with a background in architecture, urban design, or planning and are considering a postgraduate study that will provide a solid knowledge base for your future career, The University of Edinburgh’s three-week program is certainly one of the best choices that can be found.

Click the link to learn more about this course: Architecture and Urban Design

Article by Amrita Slatch – Vanke Cloud City Phase 2, by Lab D+H, in Guangzhou, China. It is very rare for mixed-use developments to cater to a specific group of people. But the Cloud City development by Vanke (China’s largest real estate developer) has taken the bold step of focusing on the younger generation, who come to live in extravagant first-tier cities such as Guangzhou, but wish to enjoy an affordable lifestyle. This project of 5,000 small apartments, combined with high-end retail areas, required a cohesive street infrastructure that would be interactive and add value to the space, but still be cost effective. It became essential for the developers to come up with an innovative solution. Considering the challenges involved, Lab D+H lab brought into the set-up to develop a strong landscape strategy.

Vanke Cloud City

A Modular Floorscape that Generates a Framework for the Overall Landscape Environment

When we are striving to be cost efficient, we tend to work within the geometrical or Euclidean limit, as it is easier to construct, assemble, and replicate that model. To augment this or tweak it with various permutations and combinations can be tricky. To base the entire floorscape on this thought was an amazing idea, as it not only guided the two-dimensionality of the space, but also amplified the three-dimensionality of it. How was it done?

Within this floorscape, various zones or precincts are identified with different hues of gray, with a splash of orange in between, all meant to bring vitality to the space. To further bring more life to the space, the floorscape emerges into a softscape area in one precinct, street furniture in another, and an interesting landscape installation in yet a third. All of this only adds more variety and character to the overall landscaped space. In one move to cut construction costs, the designers used Vanke’s own precast concrete modules to create this dynamic floorscape, which also avoided over-exploitation of stone (a conservation issue in China).

Softscape Spaces that Warm the Streetscape

Softscape areas that hold celebratory yet mellow landscape touches, such as a Christmas tree along with grasses and sedges, have been implanted within the floorscape, keeping the module in mind. The entire landscape looks to be part of one singular language despite the textural erraticism. In some places, they give a comfortable ambiance tucked behind seating areas; in others, they are bold gestures in and of themselves.

Dynamic Street Furniture for the Young and Restless

The street furniture follows similar modular principles. It is created using two basic precast modules that can be assembled with various permutations and combinations, forming 20 options. These options work differently as well, forming group seating, single seating, lounge seating, and so on and so forth. In this way, the furniture is dynamic and resonates with the younger market much better than what a stand-alone furniture set would do.

Interactive Landscape Installation for the Young and Energetic

To further enhance the streetscape, it was essential to add fun and interactive installations that make the space more active and invite residents to spend some time in recreation and physical activity. A cloud line made up of tubular steel runs and bends continuously throughout the space, forming monkey bars, benches, and other fitness facilities.

Another interesting installation, the Cloud Seat, literally emerges from the floorscape in an eclectic orange color, massing itself up vertically and horizontally and creating a fun space for kids and young adults alike. Made up of pre-perforated steel plate — a recycled item — it acts as a major attraction at night because of its stunning light effects.

Living in an Urban Delight

All in all, Vanke Cloud City supports an amazingly livable environment for the young, thanks to Lab D+H, which has so cohesively crafted the environment, keeping all of the linkages intact despite the challenges involved. The design very boldly works on a modular framework strategy for the floorscape, from which the landscape literally emerges.

Further adding to the interesting mix of street furniture and installations is the fact that Cloud City achieves all this without breaking the bank. Designing amazing street infrastructure doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. Kudos to the Lab D+H team for being able to elevate the experience of the younger generation at Cloud City, providing a fulfilling landscape experience at an affordable price. How important is the role of street furniture in vitalizing a space? Do more cities require interactive and dynamic street furniture to enliven a space? Or do such streetscapes only work for the younger crowd? Can they work in cities with mixed-age populations? Let us know in the comments below.

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Full Project Credits For Vanke Cloud City:

Project Name: Vanke Cloud City Phase 2 Project Location: Guangzhou, China Client: Guangzhou Vanke Landscape Architect: Lab D+H Design Team: Huicheng Zhong, YoungJoon Choi, Zhongwei Li, Jin Huang, Miao Lin, Liujun Deng, Nan Lin, Feimin Song, Hao Lan, Qin Zan Design/Construction: February-May 2016 Site Area: 4,000 square meters Photo Credits: James Cheng Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Claudia Corapi – A walk inside Ubatuba House II by Spbr Architects, Ubatuba, Brazil. Urban planning has to ensure the right use of the land, but sometimes its rules interfere with creating a project that can also be viewed as a piece of art. The task taken up by SPBR Architects with the “Ubatuba House II” project wasn’t easy because of the necessity to preserve the surrounding site, made up of a forest of trees. Nevertheless, referring to the “Ubatuba House I” project experience, designed almost ten years before, they were soon able to turn two limitations – the urban rules and the sloping area – into key factors. “The hill on which is placed the house and the lush vegetation growing, are protected by environmental laws”, Angelo Bucci commented about Ubatuba.

Ubatuba House II

A Refined Landmark

It’s really possible for a private house to become an element of public utility and “Ubatuba house II” shows how that can be. SPBR’s main purpose was to show the way in which concrete and nature can coexist while also creating a house that is a showpiece for the community and a possible tourist destination. Ubatuba House II also has an amazing landmark role because it looks like an iconic architecture which admires and, above all, is admired.

What makes this house a work of art, and more than a simple home? In the common outlook, a home is a set of rooms in which people live their private moments. “Ubatuba House II” is an example of understanding and domination of nature through the respectful involvement of architecture.

A Professional Challenge

Who among designers, at least once in a lifetime, has felt frustrated, facing boring rules? In this case, finding a balance between the natural environment and the built environment could have proved frustrating for the design team.

However, SPBR merged these two elements and made them work in a perfect combination, whilst also finding a harmony between forest and construction. “Two main goals have led the design process: not touch the ground, to create an outside platform where topography, with 50% of slope, has provide any flat piece of land.” said Angelo Bucci

A Delicate “Family Nest”

It’s located in Ubatuba, on the São Paulo Brazilian coast, where fascinating legends of pirates makes its history a past to celebrate and preserve. The 350,40 m² house occupies 50% of the sloping land but its pillars are the only elements to rest on the original site.

“Ubatuba House II” is comprised of three cubes which not only help preserve the underground land but also allow for more views of the neighboring sea. The main cube, a prism of 10x6x6 m3 divided into two floors plus a third open space, has two little “satellite” volumes placed on its eastern and western sides.

Upside-down Composition

From the top, a bridge connects the entrance to the street and it also creates the starting point of an ideal path through the house. Residents are able to enjoy both the indoors and outdoors since the bridge eventually leads them through the trees that surround the house to an elegant balcony overlooking the sea. Well-furnished as an open-air lounge bar, you can stop and sit, relax, and enjoy the landscape, or you can simply pass through and enter the house via the access stairs.

From the terrace, you can go downstairs to the most private area. Here the first floor is characterized by three bedrooms, each with its own private bathroom and glass wall that faces the sea providing a spectacular, private view as well; the second floor has all services and a huge living room with ocean views. Downstairs, the veranda, which is home to an open-air kitchen, dining and living room, provides residents a place to entertain while also enjoying the nearby beach.

Two “Satellite” Volumes

The residence of the keeper is the west “satellite” volume, located immediately below the main entrance; it has its own services and a separate entrance with rooftop parking, allowing for privacy and discretion. The east cube is a space conceived as an “extension” of the house with a pool. The designers didn’t want to interfere with the beauty of their surroundings, so they discreetly hid the pool equipment in an area under the pool. The light helps to underline these three cubes: by penetrating through the slits it emphasizes the relationship between full and empty spaces.

Clever Engineering and Materials Elegance

The structure of reinforced concrete columns was completed by wood elements and frameless tempered glass. The warmth of the wood adds depth to details like doors, furnishings and the pool. The inside floor is coated by 2.5×2.5 cm ceramic tile, while metal was chosen for railings and secondary external stairs. Colors contribute to give a sense of imitation of the surrounding nature: the parallel between the grey sand and the walls, the harmony between the forest and the brown frames, the dialogue among the water pool and the blue sea, as if it were an artificial representation of the natural environment.

Harmonious Relationship Between Nature and Artifice

Urban rules, such as connections between the users’ needs and the designer’s artistic sensibility, must always be considered. This project shows though, that neither has to win if there is way to make them work in harmony with each other. What elements could have been added or left out to make this design fit into the environment even more?

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Full Project Credits for Ubatuba House II:

Project title: Ubatuba House II Location: Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil Design years: 2011-2012 Construction years: 2013-2014 Architectural firm: Spbr Architects Principal in charge: Angelo Bucci Project team: Tatiana Ozzetti, Nilton Suenaga, Ciro Miguel, Juliana Braga, Fernanda Cavallaro, Victor Próspero Scope: Design a private house Client: Wanda Antunes, Celso Antunes Structural engineer: Marcelo José Bianco, Ricardo Bozza (Inner Engenharia) Photo: Nelson Kon Plumbing / electrical: JPD Landscape architect: Raul Pereira General Contractor: José Bernardino E. de Sousa Structural system: Reinforced concrete Major materials: Concrete, glass, wood, steel Site area: 887,50 m² Total floor area: 350,40 m² Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Giacomo Guzzon – The Case of St. James Square in Melbourne and Pancras Square in London looking at how they created new urban squares. Almost all historic public squares have some common characteristics. They are typically generous in size, they are often surrounded by important buildings, feature fountains, statues, and seating of some kind, and most importantly, they have lots of light because they are surrounded by rather low buildings, hosting shops and restaurants and conveying a liveable and active atmosphere. Today urban squares are designed in a completely different socioeconomic environment. Space in cities is limited and there is great economic pressure to create tall buildings to maximize their capacity and use.

Many of these new squares such as St. James Square and Pancras Square are located in very challenging sites. Landscape architects are asked to design spaces in the inhospitable conditions caused by shadows cast by tall buildings, wind corridors, and complicated circulation.

New Urban Squares

St. James Square in Melbourne

St. James Square, by Aspect Studios, covers a small site completely surrounded by tall and modern buildings. Here the design had the goal to activate and rejuvenate the public realm that was left after renovating a 1960s building. The open space design has a strong connection with the architecture’s forms and diagonal lines; these are reflected onto the square and used to shape and orient retaining walls, planting beds, and to align trees.

The hard materials palette is simple: grey stone is used on the upper terrace, echoing the building façade’s colour, and timber decking on the lower one, creating an appealing contrast with the other materials and conveying a warmer feeling. The use of timber for flooring and benches is fundamental here because it helps to soften the space, making it inviting and less rigid. Moreover, it creates the perfect spill-out space for restaurants and cafes facing the square. The evergreen magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora) with their large, glossy evergreen leaves and white blossoms, are used to mitigate the wind-channelling effect and to anchor the design into the cityscape by providing strong visual nodes throughout the site that are visible from the adjacent streets. The low planting design features Cycas revoluta, Phormium spp. and evergreen groundcover plants.

Pancras Square, London

Pancras square, by Townshend Landscape Architects, is located within a larger masterplan for the redevelopment of an area next to King’s Cross Station in London. The site has many similarities with the one in Melbourne: it is rather small, surrounded by new and tall buildings, and it has a modern atmosphere. The 4000m2 square is composed of different terraces sloping down from north to south and following the natural relief.

The main design element is a cascading water feature that emphasizes the level change and orchestrates the spatial arrangement of the landscape elements: areas of lawn, planting, and seating are juxtaposed with reflecting pools and dynamic cascades of water. The design unfolds in different ways, depending on whether you enter the square from the south or north end. The view from the south emphasizes the water cascading while the one from the north conveys a much calmer and more peaceful feeling, since only the pools of still water are visible. The planting throughout the site is composed of clipped hedges intermingled with lush perennial plantings and broadleaved deciduous trees like Liquidambar styraciflua, Prunus spp. Platanus spp., and Cercydiphyllum japonicum. Here also, trees are used to create visual nodes to anchor the design in the wider cityscape. At the southern end a large Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, attracts people into the square and then throughout the site. The analysis of these two schemes makes it is clear how important is to attract people into these new, often dark, spaces by using appealing design as well as programming. Shops, restaurants, and destinations are necessary to animate the public realm and create an active, bustling atmosphere. Jan Gehl, noted Danish architect and urban designer, researched and wrote consistently about how communities use public spaces and, in particular, his major focus is ‘life between buildings’, which is also the name of one of his books. He explained that communal spaces in cities become meaningful and attractive when different activities (he calls them necessary, optional and social) occur in combination and feed off each other. In both squares we can see how this is happening: they offer opportunities for people to just sit or walk through, they provide amenities where people can eat and meet, and lastly they provide places for social activities where kids can play, and people can meet and see or hear other people. In order to activate the leftover spaces between buildings it is fundamental to understand what is needed–not only in design terms–to achieve a high quality of public life. For example, designing places that feel good using the appropriate forms, materials, features and furniture, providing amenities, creating visual nodes that connect the squares with the cityscape around it, providing opportunities for people to interact in as many ways as possible; these are all ways to create successful public spaces. St. James and Pancras squares both exemplify these concepts, and they both show us how important these are in providing a stage for people to interact with each other. Such successful public spaces are an important part of a democratic and full life in cities.

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Full Project Credits:

Project Name: St. James Square Client: Juilliard Group Team: ASPECT Studios (Landscape Architects and Lead Consultants) METIER3 (Architects) Bonacci (Structural and Civil Engineering) Vision Design (Lighting Design) Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Year: 2013 Budget: AUS $1.2 million Area Size: 2,500 m2 Photography: Andrew Lloyd – Project Name: Pancras Square Team: Townshend Landscape Architects, Robert Townshend, Martha Alker, Andrea Dates Fountain Designer: The Fountain Workshop Year: 2015 Location: Pancras Square, King’s Cross, London, UK Client: King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership Area size: 0.4 ha Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network

Article by Alexandra-Elena Ciocan – Angles of Incidence, by  Warren Langley and Julia Davis, in Victoria Cross, North Sydney, Australia. The 6-meter high, imposing and curious sculptural landmark created by famous artist-couple Warren Langley and Julia Davis in the Victoria Cross intersection, North Sydney, required tremendous thought and sentiment, as well as thorough artistic and engineering study. The Angles of Incidence project is part of the North Sydney Public Art Trail, consisting of this and 17 other pieces scattered in different locations all over Sydney, with the major purpose of providing visitors with a high-quality public art experience.

Angles of Incidence shows that artists need to utilize much more than just materials or colours in order to conceive of something eye-catching and modern. They must also work with light, texture, and the surrounding landscape, in order to create a true landscape masterpiece.

Angles of Incidence

This project shows that artists need to utilize much more than just materials or colours in order to conceive of something eye-catching and modern. They must also work with light, texture, and the surrounding landscape, in order to create a true landscape masterpiece.

Pulsating with the Rhythm of the City

The glass artwork is definitely a statement piece that has a dynamic influence on the environment, but from our point of view, it is also well-integrated into its surroundings. By these means, it becomes a component and a living structure of the busy city. This glass-and-light canvas is ideal for painting all the images and capturing seconds and memories of the rapid flow of life.

Being reactive to the urban environment, all the physical changes in the light level, time, scenery, and even human position engrave the surface without leaving any marks. The sculpture’s metamorphosis during the evening and night creates whimsical scenery, supported technically by a glowing blue LED light. Langley comments on the contrasting feel the sculpture has day-to-night: “Whether the viewer experience is pedestrian or vehicular, the artwork displays a completely different day time and night time persona.”

Narrating the Specificity of the Site

As much as this blue beacon has a silent personality it also makes a strong impression. The shape it resembles is truly site-specific, as the inspiration for the final form was no other than a small quartz grain from the underlying city layers. The anatomy of the artistic piece echoes the site’s past and its reflective surface provides insight into the present. According to what Davis says, “The dialogue between the sculpture and its surroundings is a metaphor for the ‘interactions’ that have happened on this site from its pre-colonial past to the commercial and entertainment precinct it is now.”

Its style and location portray the historic architectural progress and constant development of the urban setting. The location was not randomly chosen but was actually thought to add to the visibility and bold effect of the project. The artists operated with the space in a way to bring popularity to their creation: the physical intersection of roads would double for a social gathering point, a high-traffic transitional area and even a tourist pin. While the urban space image underwent a striking transformation, the project was to benefit from its positioning.

Entertaining Despite its Static Nature

The very piece was born at the crossing of interactive safety glass planes, falling and rising at different angles, and while the notion of an interactive land sculpture might not be new in the field of environmental art, I assure you that this one is different. While other sculptures are interactive as a consequence of their movement mechanisms that are engaged by wind or water, this glass piece is distinct.

The way in which this piece manages to actively communicate with its surroundings and admirers is by visual deviations, providing the unique chance to enjoy multiple perspectives from the same standing point. Even more, both the selected colour and the reflective quality of the materials used open and extend the space and act in various ways to support the concept the piece beholds. To explain, as the structure first impresses you with its architecture and height, viewing the blue color will also have a subtle impact on your train of thoughts. This rare, naturally-occurring pigment has a poetic significance that raises the social conscience: it is also evocative of landscape and nature. If you did not know yet, this shade is generally created by the structure of the object. In this very case, the colour which seems to be a trademark for the artist-couple’s works was obtained by using a modern digital glass technology. This provided the techniques to create the perfect shade and saturation, the result leading to Warren Langley being bestowed with the contemporary studio glass award – an Ausglass honorary life membership. It has been proven that blue acts well in creative problem solving, so we dare say that this interactive sculpture might mark in fact the perfect spot to make big decisions. Why? It has all it needs; indirect introspective feel? – check, attractive shape and colour to lose your thoughts into? – check, great angles on everything around you? – check. But leaving aside studies, we warmly recommend a visit to Sydney to see Angles of Incidence, to add to your personal experience portfolio. Do you think it is worth it?

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Full Project Credits For Angles of Incidence:

Project Name: Angles of Incidence Artists: Warren Langley and Julia Davis Project manager: Trent Baker Armature Structural Engineers: Harry Partridge and Niki Akbari Commissioned: North Sydney Council Location: Victoria Cross, North Sydney, Australia Dimensions: 6m H x 2.4 x 2.2 Completed: 2016 Type: Light and Glass sculpture Title: Angles of Incidence Materials: Digitally coloured safety glass, stainless steel and LED lights Photo Credit: Richard Glover Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Baye
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farrs
• eBooks by Landscape Architects Network