Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Capitol Singapore redevelopment, by Grant Associates, in Singapore. What would you do if you had $1.1 billion? I guess every one of us could come up with thousands of ideas and wishes to answer that question. When the government of Singapore faced this question, they decided to do something for the people of their capital city. They invested the money in the redevelopment of the Capitol, a very important and interesting heritage site in the city’s downtown civic district. According to Keith French, director at Grant Associates, the new design will have respect for the existing elements of the Capitol: “The Capitol landscape and public realm strategy have been developed with a respectful approach to the civic and heritage setting (with) consideration of the vistas and views through to the Capitol Theatre, as well as the views out to the adjacent St Andrew’s Cathedral.”

Capitol Singapore

The site comprises three existing buildings: the Capitol building, the Stamford House and the Capitol Theatre. These will be supplemented by a new build integrated into the theater. This new blend will feature four elements: luxurious residences (Eden Residences), an ultra-luxury hotel (The Patina), a retail mall with flagship stores (Capitol Piazza), and the existing Capitol Theatre.

Beneficial to the Public or Not? You may ask yourself: How can such an expensive and high-end project benefit the broad population of Singapore? Isn’t this redevelopment going to be yet another expensive project catering to Singapore’s wealthy few? The answer to that question is definitely no. See Other Articles with Grant Associates:

• The Sensational Hive Project by World Renowned Grant Associates
• Gardens by the Bay Has Changed the way we Look at Landscape Architecture Forever
• 5 Great Ecological Powerhouses of Landscape Architecture

This high-end project isn’t going to be just a luxury site; it will be complemented by a restored public realm, including a new civic plaza with a focus on city events and activities, alongside residential roof gardens and terraces. In this way, the redevelopment will provide a new attraction for the broad population. Or, as French puts it: “A new city plaza is at the heart of the scheme and the central focus of the development. It is conceived as an original and crafted civic space that will be a new destination for Singapore — a space for events and theater, red-carpet galas, a place to gather. a place to rest and seek shade.”

Contribution to Singapore’s Public Realm The centerpiece of this public part of the Capitol redevelopment is going to be an extraordinary place, by both day and night. The central plaza will include water walls for an audio-visual spectacle and carefully positioned furniture to encourage people to meet and gather. Bound by a Paving Arrangement It isn’t easy to create a consistent design for a place with a variety of styles. To assure the unity of the new design, the paving arrangement is a key factor. Inspired by natural patterns and arranged as a double radial grid moving across the site, the flowing lines of the pavement encourage movement and connection, linking the various developments into one overall place. Paving arrangement in the Capitol Singapore, photo credit by Grant Associates Heritage in a Gallery Alongside the plaza, the site houses yet another destination for dining and events: the Galleria. The Galleria is a sheltered street protected from weather by an ultra-light cable-truss roof fitted with glass panels. The design symbolizes the historic and iconic open-air markets of Singapore. This will be accomplished by suspended shade sails and planted spheres. An additional advantage is that the spheres and shade sails will manage the solar heat. Private Development Alongside the plaza and the Galleria, both designed for the public, the third level of the Eden residences houses a series of themed gardens, including a reflexology garden with a sensory barefoot trail, a scented walk, and a ginger garden. The crescent-shaped swimming pools are bordered by red Erythrina with specimen trees on the roof garden. Mixing the Public and Private Realms By combining a luxury project with a public, more accessible component, Grant Associates manage to make the people of Singapore the beneficiaries of the new downtown luxury development. Mixing the public and private realms guarantees an interesting exchange and interaction. This site shows us that by using design, one can bring people of different backgrounds and walks of life together in harmony. And, as an extra, the future Singapore’s shows, events, and so much more will be held in a glamorous and wonderful new environment. Full Project Credit:  Project: Capitol Singapore Location: Singapore’s downtown civic district Budget: $1.1 billion Size: 1.43 Ha Client: Capitol investment holdings

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Tom De Bleser

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Good hand drawing skills are an excellent tool for any landscape architect to have. But here’s a little secret, you don’t have to be born with it, you can learn. On our way to becoming skilled artists, we have to learn lots of lessons and often fight inner voices that tell us to give up because we are “just not good enough”. However, we don’t have to master this challenging process on our own! On the one hand, there are countless beginners who struggle the same as we do; but on the other hand, there is this huge YouTube artist community trying to motivate and support us as we improve our drawing skills. These great Samaritans post thousands of free videos to help us continue practicing our drawings and give useful advice. In this article, I found and summed up the best seven videos for novice artists. 1.  How to Get Started — A Motivation Boost To tackle the improvement of your drawing skills, you just need to do one simple thing: Keep on drawing, no matter how much you hate your drawings in the beginning! I know for myself that this sounds easier than it turns out to be. However, drawing is in fact just a skill that can be learned and improved over time. The author of this video clears up with some myths about drawing and no longer accepts excuses of people claiming they can’t draw. Everyone can learn how to draw, so please sit down and watch this motivational boost. WATCH: The Best Ways to Learn Drawing

2. How to Draw Basic Figures The most basic thing every artist has to learn is how to draw figures. This important lesson is explained in an easily understandable way and slowly enough to allow you to draw simultaneously on your own with the video. Additionally, you will get an insight into the anatomical relations of the human body. Grab a pencil and a piece of paper and start practicing your figures. WATCH: How to Draw the Figure from the Imagination

3.  Details are Nothing Without Gesture This video lesson teaches us about an important element that makes drawings look dynamic –gesture. The best way to familiarize oneself with gesture is through quick sketch drawing. To express emotion in drawings, it is important to focus on quick and elongated “action lines” as seen in this video. WATCH: How to Draw Gesture

4. Shadows and Shading Cross hatching, parallel lines, smudging — there are different ways to shade your objects or figures in a drawing. This short video presents those types in an easy-to-understand manner, using simple forms that will allow you to practice them right away. WATCH: Shading Lessons: Learn How to Draw Shades

5. Expensive Drawing Materials are Overrated Even if professional artists own a wide range of drawing supplies, you don’t need to amass a plethora of expensive drawing equipment. In my opinion, a soft pencil (2B), paper, and maybe an eraser are sufficient to begin with. In your ongoing drawing process, you will find yourself getting more confident in trying out new drawing styles that require other tools. If you have already reached this stage, or if you want to be prepared for everything from the beginning on, this video will help you make the correct choice of drawing materials. Other Articles You May be Interested in: 

• Freehand Drawing & Discovery, by James Richards | Book Review
• Hand Drawing versus Computer Rendering. Which is Best for Landscape Architecture?
• Drawing for Landscape Architecture, by Edward Hutchison l Book Review 

WATCH: Drawing Class: Beg Drawing I: Drawing Materials

6. How to Draw Perspective Perspective drawings are the key to an authentic and real look. Perspectives vary in their number of disappearing points; the most common ones are 1-point perspective, 2-point perspective, and 3-point perspective, which are all used in this video. If you are already familiar with the very basics of perspective drawings, skip the first six-and-a-half minutes and watch the author draw a simple, but beautiful landscape in the second half. WATCH: How to Draw Perspective

7. Keep on Practicing In the end, I wanted to give you some advice as shown in this video: To become a confident artist, you must practice drawing over and over again. For example, if you want to draw portraits, the best way is to fractionize the face and learn to draw various eyes, noses, mouths, ears, and so on. Of course, the same applies to trees in landscapes and items in every other drawing, too. WATCH: How to Practice Drawing

– As we all know, the world of YouTube is endless. That’s why choosing only seven videos that should be representative for teaching us how to draw was a really difficult task. The recommended videos aim to explain only the most important steps in getting started with drawing. Although I hope those were very helpful for you, please keep watching other videos to practice the topics that you are truly interested in and seek for your own drawing style.

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Sophie Thiel

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Solar City, by Atelier Dreiseitl, in Linz-Pichling, Austria. Debates on the subject of sustainability arose in the 1970s and reached their peak in the 1990s. Nevertheless, this debate remained on a theoretical level. Thus, a question emerged: How can sustainability be applied in practice? The Solar City project in Linz-Pichling, Austria, is an attempt to unite different perspectives – social, environmental, and economic — and has the goal of becoming a European example of sustainable urban development. Atelier Dreiseitl, the landscape designers, has the ambition to promote sustainable projects with a high aesthetic and social value. As one of the leading landscape architects of Germany, they are a specialist in ecological landscape design and water concepts.

Solar City

As in other cities around the world, Linz had an accelerated population growth in the 1990s, with an enormous demand for housing. Due to the fact that the city owned large, connected pieces of real estate in Linz-Pichling, that urgent need for expansion resulted in the Solar City project. It is located in a rural ecologically and legally protected wetland, in the narrow area between the Traun and Danube rivers. The designers had to deal with these issues in order to realize high architectural and ecological quality. The landscape design had to ensure that the natural value of the protected areas would not be harmed by the building development.

Sustainable Methods for Dealing with Water As a part of a “wastewater-free housing estate” pilot project, a urine separation system was installed. The recovered urine is used as fertilizer for agricultural purposes while the solid waste is composted. This innovative wastewater concept purifies the gray water from showers, dishwashers, etc., in a constructed wetland on the site. Afterward, the water is discharged into the nearest stream. Through this water concept, the nutrients return to the natural cycle for use in agriculture. See More Projects Featuring Atelier Dreiseitl:

• How The Chicago City Hall Green Roof is Greening the Concrete Jungle
• Potsdamer Platz in Berlin Becomes a Sustainable Ecofriendly Urban Square
• How Bishan Park Became “The Central Park” of Singapore

An Accessible System People Can Understand Furthermore, the sustainable rainwater management system follows some important principles. The drainage, collection, and disposal of the rainwater on site is achieved mainly by means of gutters, retention hollows, and vegetated swales. These are integrated into the open spaces so that the natural rainwater cycle is visible and comprehensible for the inhabitants. Accommodating 4,000 People Built to accommodate 4,000 people, Solar City had to respond to a variety of needs of neighbors while also catering to the new residents. Being in the immediate proximity of a sensitive natural landscape, the project required careful planning. On one hand, the main objective was to limit and control the anticipated high user pressure that could be exerted on the sensitive alluvial forests, and on the other hand, there was a need to provide attractive open spaces with high recreational value in and around the project site Fulfilling Recreational Demands The main elements of the landscape design are the Klein Weikerlsee, the “Hilly Park”, and the center in Solar City. For integrating the needs and requirements of both the residents and the natural environment, the Klein Weikerlsee lake in the northern section of the site was extended by an additional 70 percent. In the southwestern part, the existing landscape was preserved and allowed to develop naturally. The southeastern shore of the lake was transformed into a large swimming area that fulfills a recreational demand. The “Hilly Park” Constructed from the material excavated in extending the lake, the newly created “Hilly Park” serves as a pleasant environment for walks, recreation, or bike tours. Furthermore, the park is equipped with playgrounds. This landscape park serves as a transitional filter between the residential area and the natural landscape. Additionally, in the legally protected Traun-Danube Alluvial Meadows, trails were created for taking walks and having the chance to discover numerous rare species of fauna and flora. Similar species that can be found in the alluvial forests were included, such as gray alder (Alnus incana). At the center of Solar City, a shimmering green surface covers the streets. This also acts as a sign for vehicular traffic to adjust their speed. Atelier Dreiseitl chose slabs of concrete and granite for the paving surface, developed especially for the location. The color of the surface harmonizes with the light gray-green facades of the buildings. In the north of the square, rows of native trees create a definitive edge and separate public from private. Practicing Sustainable Development on Protected Natural Sites As an example of sustainable urban development, Solar City unites the recreational needs of the residents with the sensitive natural landscape and economic factors of energy and environmental performance. Since March 2007, the post-occupancy evaluation developed by the city of Linz provides a documentation of the project’s quality on climate protection, user satisfaction, and energy management. Solar City shows that it is possible to practice sustainable development even on protected natural sites. Full Project Credit:  Project: Solar City Location: Linz-Pichling, Austria Designers: Atelier Dreiseitl Completion: 2004-2006 Size: 36 ha Client: Municipality of Linz Awards: Best Practice Award from the United Nations 1998 Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Ruth Coman

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Sherbourne Common Park, by PFS Studio in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Creating a space that will be functional, innovative, beautiful, and artistic is not easy. Nor is merging the work of professionals from a variety of disciplines, such as architecture, landscape design, civil engineering, and public art. One project where all of this comes together is Sherbourne Common Park in Toronto. This waterfront park in Ontario represents a kind of living room or courtyard for its neighbors. It is a place that is both private and public, with a variety of amenities and something for everyone. It is the first park in Canada to incorporate a neighborhood storm-water management system, and also the first with LEED Gold certification.

Sherbourne Common Park

The main sections of the park are the open plaza, the children’s play area, the water channel with sculptures, the splash pad/skating rink, the pavilion and the southern open lawn. A promenade and boardwalk are adjacent to the park, making the whole place a destination for recreation and relaxation in an urban environment.

Creating a Unique Sense of Place The designers from PFS Studio preserved the “genius loci” of the place in order to create an iconic Canadian lake and follow the imaginary lines of the grove by planting a forest of Maple trees. From there, the park continues across Queens Quay Boulevard. Don’t Forget About the Kids The southern section of the park is an open lawn, which serves as a space for informal gathering and relaxation. The park also offers children’s playgrounds, with climbers, balance beams, seesaws, swings, slides, and equipment for spinning. Younger children can play in a sandbox adjacent to a pond with water jets. The central plaza features a splash pad that converts to an ice skating rink in the winter. The park is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Planting The park is enriched with trees and ornamental grasses. The total number of planted trees is 182 — 108 Pacific Sunset Maple, 45 Red Oak, and 29 American Beech. Water Elements Water is definitely the most important element in the park. It appears in different forms, both visual and audible, and that’s what makes this area authentic. The main element is the water channel that runs the length of the park and under Queens Quay Boulevard. The Water Channel Everyone’s Talking About The channel’s length is 238.5 meters — 140 meters on the south and 98.5 meters on the north. There are also the “Light Showers” — three lighted art sculptures that are a landmark of the park. These sculptures, created by Jill Anholt, are 8.9 meters tall and made from large fiberglass molds filled with concrete, stainless steel, and glass. Other water elements include fountains and a large number of sprinklers. The Park’s Significance Sherbourne Common Park in not just beautiful; it also serves an important civic purpose. In this park, rainwater is collected and disinfected, thanks to a special pumping station and UV facility. Five meters under the arches of the sculptural pavilion that provides access from the city to the waterfront, stainless steel pipes direct rainwater through a purifier. The water then flows through the Light Showers into the channel and on into Lake Ontario. Isn’t that great? Related Articles:

• Understanding the Basic Principles of Organic Design
• Sculptor Creates Major Public Square!
• Stunning Plant Pavilion Created in China

Promoting Health and a Higher Quality of Life What was once a devastated area of the city is now a beautiful, multifunctional park that promotes a healthy environment. Only a small number of spaces inspire us, not only as landscape architects or artists, but as users of those spaces. Sherbourne Common Park has achieved the unity of all its elements while striving to conserve and purify water. The designers’ emphasis was on the creation of a healthy environment and serving the varying needs of each individual. This park has a purpose, from concept to all of its urban facilities. As long as we create such spaces, we will be on the right track to achieve the basic need for a quality life for all people. Full Project Credit:  Project: Sherbourne Common park Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Design Lead/Landscape Architecture: PFS Studio Design Team: The Planning Partnership – Local Landscape Architect Budget: $28.7 million plus $1.9 million for the public art features Date of construction: Construction began: July 2009 Completion: September 2010 (south side) and July 2011 (north side) Size: Total: 1.5 hectares (3.75 acres) Sherbourne Common south of Queens Quay: 1 hectare (2.5 acres) Sherbourne Common north of Queens Quay: 0.5 hectare (1.25 acres) Awards: ASLA Honor award, 2013 Award of Merit at Toronto Urban Design Awards, 2013 Client: Waterfront Toronto Public Art: Jill Anholt Studio Pavilion Architect: Teeple Architects Photography: Waterfront Toronto, Tom Arban, Frederick Moesker Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Amela Djurakovac

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Walk of the Town, by T.R.O.P: terrains+open space in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand, and it is inhabited by 6.5 million people. The population density of Bangkok is 6,450 people per square kilometer. Around 10 percent of the country’s population lives in Bangkok. According to a study, Bangkok has one of the highest motorization rates in Asia, with 388 cars and 220 motorcycles per 1,000 people. Emissions from cars and motorcycles affect the air quality in the city and increase the average temperature, which among other things makes the risk of flood higher. The Walk of the Town project was designed to address these issues. It is located in the Pathum Wan district of Bangkok, an important business district in the city. The project site is between two main stations of rapid transit, where a huge number of people walk daily. But the district has low walkability compared to most of the other areas in Bangkok.

Walk of the Town

In 2012, Central Pattana Public Company Ltd. asked T.R.O.P to design the landscape of the inner courtyard for their new retail center, Groove, following an idea titled “talk of the town”. Based on the lack of walkable and safe space for pedestrians, a concept called “walk of the town” was proposed instead, to focus more on the space outside the shopping center and improve the landscape quality for pedestrians.

The Main Building of Groove The main building of Groove was built on an existing indoor parking lot, the ground floor of which is five meters below the footpath. An extensive empty space between the parking lot and the footpath enabled natural lighting and ventilation for the parking lot, but guardrails were also needed to prevent pedestrians from falling. Another side of the footpath is a skyway for rapid transit, which shades the footpath. A Perfect Place for Crime Huge royal palm trees there also increased the area’s oppressive feel. Another potentially unsafe factor was that the motorcycle parking area next to the footpath allowed people to drive a motorcycle through this area. All these conditions created a perfect place for crime. See These Other Projects by T.R.O.P: terrains+open space:

• The Garden of Hilton Pattaya by T.R.O.P : terrains + open space
• Where Zen Garden Design Meets Enchanted Woodland: T.R.O.P’s Forest and Pool at Pyne
• Sky Pool Takes World Class Design to the Next Level

T.R.O.P Proposes Several Solutions In order to decrease these negative factors, T.R.O.P proposed several solutions to improve the landscape quality. A two-meter-tall sloped green plinth was built with a light structure between the footpath and the lot. Behind the green plinth, trees (Citharexylum spinosum L.) and bushes were also planted to improve the air quality. At the same time, these plants still let in sunlight through to the ground. Even though the green plinth is not connected to the building, from the view of pedestrians, the green plinth looks like a base of the building. Clear and Safe Views The royal palm trees and motorcycle parking space were removed and replaced with an open space with hard pavements, providing a clear and safe view for pedestrians. The existing trees (Ficus benjamina) at the edge of footpath have been kept in order to provide shade for pedestrians in the heat of summer and separate the footpath from the carriageway. Sustainable Solutions The green plinth is covered with a series of local shrubs and flowers that bloom throughout the year. In addition, a sub-drainage system was built under the green plinth and the ventilation space to reduce the surface running water, which can cause flooding. The Use of Natural Lighting Natural lighting was adopted in the interior courtyard of the Groove retail center to allow plants to grow well. This also saves energy. A special curved and gentle terrain design makes trees, flower beds, seating, and sculptures link all sections of the courtyard, providing people with a friendly environment to rest and communicate. Everybody Wins The new footpath with the green plinth provides an attractive space to slow citizens’ steps and allow them to enjoy the view and relax in nature on their trips through the city, while bringing potential business to the retail center. The project shows that a design that focuses on people’s needs can provide happy moments for them and even change their behavior. Full Project Credit:  Project Title: Walk of the Town, The Landscape Architecture of Groove @ Central World Landscape Architect of Record: T.R.O.P: terrains+open space Lead Designer: Pok Kobkongsanti Project Team: Maytinee Nakprasert, Pattanee Ukam Client/Owner: Central Pattana Public Company Limited Photography credit: Spaceshift Studio / Pirak Anurakyawachon, Aranyarat Prathomrat Lead Architect: Synthesis Design + Architecture Company (SDA) Architect: Architects 49 Co., Ltd. (A49) Foundry of Space Co., Ltd. (FOS) Engineer: K.C.S. Associates Co., Ltd. M&E Engineer: Sum Utilities Management Co., Ltd. Transportation Engineer: S2R Consulting Co., Ltd. Project Management: Qbic Engineering and Architect Co., Ltd. Contractor: Construction Pros Co.,Ltd. Landscape Contractor: Allgreen Co., Ltd. Lighting Designer: Seam Design Company Signage Designer: Farmgroup Co., Ltd. Water Features: Dong Co., Ltd. Planter Pots: TM Progressive Co., Ltd. (Tom’s Stone) Suppliers: Slope Protection: Vigor Merger Co., Ltd. Color Flakes: Vannarat International Co., Ltd. Marble and Granite: Marble Nanovation Center Co., Ltd. Tiles: Kenzai Ceramics by Fareast Ceramics Co., Ltd. / Cotto Italia by Thai Ceramic Co., Ltd. Wood Deck: Siam Plastwood Co., Ltd. Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Jun Yang

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Tanner Springs Park by Atelier Dreiseitl, by  Portland, Oregon, USA.  Located in the heart of the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon, Tanner Springs park is an oasis in the city providing an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. This 1-acre park, completed in 2010 by a team of landscape architects and consultants is a model of embracing local ecology and demonstrating sustainable practices. Three of the sides of the sunken park are lined with steps allowing a terraced, permeable edge for visitors to enter, exit, and sit. The east side of the park is lined with an art installation and a boardwalk spanning two blocks which connect Tanner Springs to Jamison Square.

Tanner Springs Park

The programming of the park is a mix of active and passive spaces layered on top of the functional rainwater infiltration and detention wetlands. A portion of the parks paths is raised boardwalks jutting through a pond leading to cobble paths into the planted wetland grasses and a lawn space for activities.

Stormwater Management Perhaps a highlight of the innovative nature of Tanner Springs is in the rainwater pavilion at street level. This pavilion offers protection from the famous Portland rain and teaches a lesson in rainwater capturing. As rain falls on the leaf-shaped roof of the pavilion it is channeled into various runnels and spouts, eventually trickling down the steps and into Tanner Springs Park. Public Art One of the project’s goals was to incorporate the work of a local artist in Tanner Springs without compromising the natural beauty of the site. Since Tanner Springs is sunken below street level approximately 5 feet, the east wall became an opportunity to make a bold design and artistic statement. See More Projects Featuring Atelier Dreiseitl:

• How The Chicago City Hall Green Roof is Greening the Concrete Jungle
• Potsdamer Platz in Berlin Becomes a Sustainable Ecofriendly Urban Square
• How Bishan Park Became “The Central Park” of Singapore

Comprised of Railroad Tracks The undulating wall is comprised of railroad tracks at different lengths and leaning at slightly different angles to create a wave-like effect. Panels of glass from a local glass company were installed at various levels between the railroad tracks and painted by a local artist. The installation successfully engages those passing by at street level as well as providing a backdrop for visitors in the park. It also separates activity on the street from the calm oasis of a park. Engaging with the Local Community The Pearl District community was heavily involved in the design process of Tanner Springs Park. The design team made a point to reach out to residents through surveys and charrettes as to glean exactly what the community wants in a park. What the Residents Wanted Residents expressed an interest in a quiet, contemplative space, as opposed to the adjacent and more active Jamison Square two blocks away. Residents wanted a place that felt natural, quiet, and restorative. Tanner Springs effectively meets the wants and needs of the community which is why it is well loved and has been embraced by locals and visitors. Referencing the Past Tanner Springs Park aims at modeling the local ecology and habitats prior to the 1850’s. In the late 1800’s, the modern day Pearl District was wetland with a natural tributary of the Willamette River flowing through. Around 1890, the wetlands were drained and natural ecology was erased to make way for the surge in industry and rail development. Young, Mixed, Urban and Dynamic Present day development of the Pearl District provides a destination in Portland that is young, mixed, urban and dynamic, with no shortage of food trucks. Tanner Springs acts as an escape from the city life and is a green gem in the Pearl District connecting visitors and residents to the former ecology and explaining the local history of the area. Historical References There are many design details that are historical relics and references in Tanner Springs Park. The art installation is comprised of 19th-century railroad tracks found in the area. Pathways in the park are reclaimed cobble blocks that were used originally as the ballast on ships and once paved the streets of Portland. Enhancing the Visitors Experience The Myrtle trees in Tanner Springs park are like those whose bark was used in the former local tannery factory. All of these design details enhance the visitor experience as they gain a deeper knowledge and appreciation of the historical value of the site. As a product of collaborative design and community engagement, landscape architects Atelier Dreiseitl is an award-winning landscape demonstration sustainable practices and modeling historic local ecology. Full Project Credit:  Project name: Tanner Springs Park Designers: Atelier Dreiseitl Partner in Charge: Herbert Dreiseitl Project Landscape Architect: Gerhard Hauber Project Engineer: Stefan Brückmann Project Team: Hendrik Porst, Jessica Read, Andreas Bockemühl Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Client: City of Portland Partner: GreenWorks PC Area: 0.4 ha / 1 acre Completion: 2010 Awards: ULI Open Space Award finalist 2012, ASLA Oregon Honor Award 2007 Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Rachel Kruse

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A book review of Gardening For The Birds by George Adams. “How do you turn your yard into an inviting sanctuary, where birds will come to nest, raise their families, and seek shelter for the winter?”- George asks in the first pages of his book “Gardening For The Birds”. From the introduction of this book is a noticeable George Adams’ pedagogical approach. Written with clarity, style, and passion, this book gives us the necessary tools to design and build our own garden that will be able to attract fascinating birds. The book’s content is divided in four parts. In the first two parts, Adams explains the first steps to create or transform your garden into a paradise for birds. Be aware that most of the plants and especially the birds’ species are found in North America. Thus, if you design a garden in North America, all the content of the book is suitable for you, otherwise, if your yard’s site is not in North America, you might still use some information from this book, especially from Part One and Part Two. However, you should consider consulting other books about plants and birds’ species that are appropriate to your region.

Gardening For The Birds

In the first half of Part One, you will find detailed information about some of the birds’ habits regarding food, shelter and nesting sites. Additionally, you will find, all over the book, images and self-explanatory tables and charts that are extremely helpful as a reference guide. For instance, one of these charts illustrates seven types of bills of birds together with their corresponding food preferences. All bird-feeding examples given by Adams are examples in which birds are able to get their food from the plants, and there is no example in which the author references any supplemental bird-feeding method. Hummingbirds in Your Garden In the second half of Part One, you will have access to information about hummingbirds, one of the most beautiful birds in nature, and about butterflies, one of the insects, oftentimes desired in a garden. Adams offers us, in this part, a very helpful chart about some of hummingbirds’ and butterfly’s habits. This chart is organized by plants listed alphabetically by botanic name; for each plant, you will find information related to flower color, light needed for cultivation, estimated flowering months, hardiness zones, approximate mature height and how it could attract birds and butterflies.

These plants are only some suggestions made by the author and, therefore, over time, you might create your own calendar and use it as supplementary material for your future project’s presentations. Pick up Your Copy Here! In Part Two, Adams makes clear the importance of using native plants and gives some directions to understand our own yard taking into consideration basic knowledge about site orientation, existing vegetation, climate, soil pH and fertility, and drainage. Moreover, you will find a concise explanation with fundamental information about developing, creating and maintaining such gardens. Two huge lists, organized by plants and another by birds, form the last two parts of the book. The former is the “Plant Directory” (Part Three) and the latter is the “Birds Directory” (Part Four). The “Plant Directory” includes plant’s characteristics such as nesting and roosting capabilities for birds, having nectar and hosting place for butterflies, having nectar for hummingbirds, and the plant’s fall color and showy flowers. The list would have benefited if it had an icon showing whether the plant can also provide food for the birds and provides a better connection with the birds’ bills information given in Part One. Pick up Your Copy Here! In the “Birds Directory”, you will find a big list of birds, that can be found throughout North America, with information such as birds habitats, migration and winter range, breeding range, breeding behavior, nesting and feeding habits. Together with each species presented in this part, you will find a short list in a green box with some plants species for bird food and shelter. In these green boxes, you will find the bird food information missed in the previous part, and that could complement the “Plant Directory”. “The secret is not to run after the butterflies… take care of your garden and they will come to you.” Definitely, if your garden is located in North America, after reading this book, you will have the basic knowledge required to make your yard more attractive for birds, hummingbirds, butterflies, plants and for the people who attend it. “The secret is not to run after the butterflies… take care of your garden and they will come to you.” said Mario Quintana, who was one of the greatest Brazilian poets of the twentieth century. He was definitely right, and George Adams shares with us how we can accomplish this objective.

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Article by Sarah Suassuna Return to Homepage

Hornsbergs Strandpark, by Nyréns Architects, in Kungsholmen, Stockholm, Sweden. People from all over the world still speak about the wonders of the ancient world, appreciating the talent and skills of those who made them possible. However, as we return to the present, it is impossible not to notice how landscape architecture, through its amazing creativity and vision, leads to the appearance of modern wonders. One such project is Hornsbergs Strandpark, a project that was commissioned by Stockholms stad Exploateringskontoret. Completed between 2008 and 2012, this one-of-a-kind park had an approximate cost of construction of 107 million SEK (approx 127 million USD) and covers an area of over 700m long, being organized into four different parts. However, it was worth it in the end and the talent of the team that created it was recognized officially, as the project received Sienapriest, a prestigious Swedish landscape award in 2012.

Hornsbergs Strandpark

Hornsbergs Strandpark is located on an island in Lake Mäleren, known as Kungsholmen, which is part of Stockholm. In deciding on the way, the park will turn out, the landscape architects working on the project have made avail of its perfect location. Thus, the park faces to the west Ulvsundasjön (fishing bay) and the beautiful evening sun. To the east, there is Kajparterren, an area that appears in a perfect contrast with the organic park. Water and Land Brought Together in an Amazing Project An aerial view is the best way to discover Hornsbergs Strandpark and all of the elements that it contains. Even at a first glance, one can easily notice how water and land were brought together for this amazing project, with the curvy shoreline representing a definite point of attraction.

The Three Floating Piers The waterfront has been designed with the idea of being functional and aesthetically appealing – thus, three floating piers have been added to further extend the connection between land and water. Anyone coming to the park feels like he/she practically floats on the water, enjoying the way the sun makes the water shine. Related Articles:

• Understanding the Basic Principles of Organic Design
• Sculptor Creates Major Public Square!
• Stunning Plant Pavilion Created in China

Space for Sunbathing and Swimming The talented landscape architects who have worked on the project have definitely thought about every element and the way it integrates into the landscape. This is the reason why the waterfront has been designed with the purpose of sunbathing and swimming, thus increasing the overall appeal of the park for the visitors. The water edge has received particular attention, being built out of sheet pile and connected to the surface with concrete crowns. The final result was more than amazing, the edge spanning into the solid rock. Sunbathers can enjoy the west side of the park, with its wooden docks that go into the lake. The fact that the wooden docks have different lengths only adds to the variety of shapes that is already present in many other parts of the park. Well-chosen elements of design bring visitors pleasure and functionality at the same time. An Oasis of Relaxation The contemporary design of the park is defined by the varied shapes that were chosen by the talented landscape architects, often found in antithesis with the clean lines. The elements of design were chosen in accordance with the needs of the park visitors; thus, it should come as no surprise that there are designated areas for swimming, sunbathing or grilling. As a general idea, the park is perfect for the summer days when an oasis of relaxation is very much sought-after. Blending Pleasure and Functionality The blend of pleasure and functionality is unbelievable and it is all due to the unique vision of landscape architects. Informal seating areas are found throughout the entire park and one can also find a shower area – this is perhaps one of the most interesting elements to discover, as joggers can make usage of the shower area that functions with water heated by the sun (collected in the high seated tank). Exotic Vegetation Completes the Park Hornsbergs Strandpark has been designed with the idea of uniqueness in mind and this is why you should not be surprised that it has exotic vegetation. All of the vegetation elements have been carefully considered, with trees belonging to various species being placed in dense groups. The interesting thing is that, between the various populations of trees, there are beautiful open spaces in which different events are organized on a regular basis. Moa Martinson Square, the focal point of attraction While you may discover that Hornsbergs Strandpark has many interesting things to offer, it is 100% certain that you will love Moa Martinson Square, the focal point of attraction. The square was designed taking into account the available space, occupying only a small spot at the edge of Ulvsundasjön. However, it was its association with the famous artist Moa Martinson that made it as interesting as it is. Design Elements  In designing the square, the talented landscape architects raised its level, so as to provide access to the different buildings. The raised level allowed for the creation of a small staircase and a wall, which are perfect for sitting and relaxing. As you walk up the stairs, you will find yourself in the Moa Martinson Square, enjoying the warm evening sun and the artistic decorations, with large granite slabs that have engraved quotations on them (from the books of Moa Martinson). The lilac arbor comes to complete the square, its rustic appearance contrasting with the modern elements of design. In conclusion, it is incredible how a project that starts out on the paper is transformed into such an amazing park. Landscape architects are makers of modern wonders and the team that has worked on this project is definitely a prime example of that fact. Hornsbergs Strandpark has everything: functionality, purpose, and beautiful design! Full Project Credit:  Project name: Hornsbergs Strandpark Client: Stockholms stad Exploateringskontoret, Ewa Reuterbrand, Britt Mattsson, Frederik Bergman, Torbjörn Engman, Monika Almqvist Artist: Moa Martinson Square: Lina Nordenström Landscape Architects: Nyréns Architects through Bengt Isling (Project architect), Jacob Almberg, Ronny Brox, Magdalena Franciskovic, Cecilia Jarlöv, Ulrika Lilliehöök, Staffan Malm Architect: Peter Kinnmark Architect MAA Constructor park: Omniplan Cornelis Oskamp Lighting: EnergoRetea/Bjerkings by Lena Hildeman and Caroline Boman Designer wall facing Strandgatan: WSP Contractor; fill, beach and quay: Skanska Entrepreneur street, wall and based scheduling: JM Photographer: Ăke E: son Lindman, Lennart Johansson Year: 2008-2012 Approximate construction cost: 107 million SEK Show on Google Maps

Recommended Reading:

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

Article written by Alexandra Antipa

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Porsche Pavilion, HENN Architects in Wolfsburg, Germany. “In the beginning I looked around but couldn’t find the car I dreamt of, so I decided to build it myself,” this is how Ferry Porsche’s well-known quotation welcomes and engages visitors to the spectacular world of Porsche – right at the entrance of Porsche Pavilion. Perhaps in this particular sentence Ferry has injected the whole-hearted philosophy of the brand Porsche. “It realizes dreams. Builds legacies. Shakes up established norms and sublimely violates conventions,” as the world’s most successful brand in sports car racing reveals on their official website, “To this day, nothing can replicate the feeling of driving a Porsche. No other combination of sound, feel, sight and soul connects in quite the same way. Nothing else is simultaneously as recognizable yet breathtakingly novel“.

History and innovation, high performance and exceptional practicality, hair-raising dynamics with comfort and safety – these synergic qualities build Porsche. The matchless automobile with no substitute. Which of those qualities characterize Porsche Pavilion? Is the pavilion an outstanding architecture and why should you visit it? Find the answers yourself below in the article.

Porsche Pavilion

On 12 June, 2012 Autostadt in Wolfsburg celebrated the opening of a new fabulous construction – Porsche Pavilion. Its distinctive silhouette provides a one of a kind, striking, exquisite presence, which can’t be missed within the lagoon landscape of Autostadt. The organically shaped structure, designed by HENN Architects, can be defined as a dynamic, yet static sculpture with elegantly curved and softly glimmering roof platform, covering an exhibition and presentation area of 400 m2.

Inspired by Porsche The curving lines and bends featuring the design of the pavilion are inspired by the design of Porsche. Just like the lines of the car, the curves of the building pick up speed and then slow down to end in a seamless shell, representing the dynamism and comfort characteristic of the brand. A Constantly Changing Appearance The pavilion’s cladding is formed by matte-finished stainless steel. On one hand, the material envelops the whole structure, giving a sense of unifying homogeneity. On the other hand, the matte-finished surface of the stainless steel reflects water gleams and thus creates a constantly changing appearance according to light and weather conditions. Lightweight Construction Following the tradition of lightweight construction at Porsche, the roof structure is a self-supporting shell with a monocoque construction (a structural approach where loads are supported through an object’s external skin). To build the platform, 620 stainless steel sheets have been welded together with reinforcing ribs. They were pre-fabricated in a ship-yard in Stralsund and installed on the site. Related Articles:

• Understanding the Basic Principles of Organic Design
• Sculptor Creates Major Public Square!
• Stunning Plant Pavilion Created in China

Exterior & Landscape The architecture, exterior and interior, and the landscape are designed to form a uniform, graceful continuum. The asymmetrically shaped roof provides a sheltered space, offering seats for several hundred guests. This space is visually connected to the surrounding landscape but forms its own acoustic enclosure. The play with water reflections on the roof shell also adds a new intimate feeling to the unique experience. The Landscape Architecture The landscape surrounding the pavilion blends lightly with the design concept of the theme park. Designed by WES Landscape Architecture, the park elements highlight the architecture. Soft grassy hills, a new piazzetta with fountain and ash trees connect Porsche Pavilion with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles Pavilion. A perfect detail to the white concrete steps appears in the form of tiny boxwood spheres, the jewel in the crown of the scenery. Inside the Pavilion As it could be expected, the interior is no way inferior to the external architecture. The interior elliptically curved ramp immediately brings visitors into the world of Porsche, while leading them to the exhibition and presentation area. The exhibition is comprised of 28 1:3 scale vehicle models which take guests on a journey exploring the Sports Car brand development, beginning with the first original Porsche 356 from 1948. If you are amidst the most enthusiastic fans, you can even try sitting in some of the present vehicles in the pavilion. Presentations include media installations, thematic films, audio stories, which reveal insights from the history and philosophy of the remarkable Sports Car brand. WATCH: Porsche Pavilion from the inside

Embracing the Fascination of Porsche The design concept of the exhibition and presentation zone, created by MERZ architekten and Jangled Nerves, embraces the evolution, the engineering and the fascination of Porsche and represents them in a memorable, but forward-looking way.

There Is No Substitute Tradition and innovation, design and functionality, exclusiveness and social acceptance. All those word combinations sound like oxymora because for many designers it’s hard to find the balance and combine them, but Porsche has made the exception. The other exception is the design of Porsche Pavilion. Having implemented all of the characteristics which make the brand irreplaceable, designers may confidently say that as there is no substitute for Porsche, there is no substitute for Porsche Pavilion, either. And if you ever get the chance to visit it, this will inevitably be a once in a lifetime experience.

Full Project Credits:

Project name: Porsche Pavilion Client: Dr. Ing. H.c. F. Porsche Ag / Autostadt Gmbh Architects And Lead Consultant: Henn Principal: Prof. Dr. Gunter Henn Programming: Andreas Fuchs, Martin Rath Design: Martin Henn, Klaus Ransmayr, Paul Langley Planning: Georg Pichler, Hans Funk Florian Goscheff, Katrin Lind, Birgit Schönbrodt, Yves Six, Wolfram Schneider, Sebastian Schuttwolf, Maximilian Thumfart Quantity Surveying: Paul Lawrence, Lars Becker, Wolfgang Malisius Construction Management: Wolfgang Wrba, Siegfried Kruse, Hendrik Noack, Karl Rosebrock Structural Engineers: Schlaich Bergermann Und Partner Prof. Dr. Mike Schlaich, Achim Bleicher, Thomas Schoknecht, Sebastian Linden Technical Building Services: Zwp Ingenieur-ag Lighting: Kardorff Ingenieure Lichtplanung Gmbh Infrastructure Design: Niermann Consult Landscape Design: Wes Landschaftsarchitekten, Prof. Hinnerk Wehberg Michael Kaschke , Maxie Strauch Coordination/costing: Claus Rödding Project Team: Thomas Bohr, Frank Fischer, Rainer König, Axel Koch, Yushu Liu, Walter Maas, Barbara Tieke Tendering, Construction Management: Klaus Werner Rose Frank Bolle, Werner Hüsing, Thorsten Heitmann, Robert Holldorf Exhibition Design, Scenography And Media Design: Hg Merz Architekten Museumsgestalter And Jangled Nerves Principals: Prof. Hg Merz, Ingo Zirngibl Project Management: Markus Betz, Jochen Zink Team: Johannes Brommer, Alexander Franzem, Heiko Geiger, Stefanie Heinecke, Bjørn Kantereit, Fabiola Maldonado, Marcel Michalski, Marc Schleiss, Jörg Stierle, Christian Stindl, Sylvia Stoll, Patrick Wais Acoustic Space Design: Klangerfinder Design Period: March 2011 To February 2012 Construction Period: August 2011 To May 2012 Gross Floor Area: 1,400 M Net Floor Area: 1,045 M Roofed, Paved Outdoor Area: 290 M Exhibition Area: 400 M Monocoque: 2,550 M Weight: 425 T Material: Stainless Steel Plate 10-30 Mm Envelope Contractor: Centraalstaal B.v., Groningen Copyright Photogapher: HG Esch Awards: Automotive Brand Award 2012 in the category “Best of Best – Architecture” by the German Design Co.

Recommended Reading:

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

Article written by Velislava Valcheva

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The storry of Jadav Payeng, the Forest Man who dedicates his life to growing and nurturing an entire forest by himself.  Majuli or Majoli is a large river island in the Brahmaputra River, in the Indian state of Assam. It is the largest river island in India. Majuli had a total area of 1,250 square kilometers (483sq mi), but having lost significantly to erosion it has an area of only 421.65 square kilometers (163 sq. mi) in 2001. Here is where our story starts, in 1979 a young man called Jadav Payeng, decided to work with the Social Forestry Division of Golachat District that launched a scheme of tree plantations on 200 hectares at Aruna sapori. After 5 years, this project was completed, but Jadav decided to stay and keep up the maintenance of the place, adding more trees and making this place into a forest.

The Forest Man

This man has created a land for different species of plants and also a secure habitat for animals. For example, there have been Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceros, elephants and several varieties of birds. Also there are several thousand trees including Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna), Pride-of-India (Lagerstroemia speciosa), Royal poinciana (Delonix regia), Red siris (Albizia procera), Kachlora (Archidendron bigeminum), and Indian bombax (Bombax ceiba). WATCH: Forest Man Trailer

300 hectares of an Area Covered by Bamboo His efforts have come a long way, protecting animals that could be killed by poachers. By creating this forest he has rebuilt an area that would be only sand and dirt, no animals could survive in it. The Awards Keep on Coming for Jadav By accomplishing this sanctuary of pure nature, Jadav has received several honors. First he was honored at a public function arranged by the School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharla Nehru University on April 22, 2012, with the title “Forest Man of Assam”. In October of 2013, he was honored at Indian Institute of Forest Management and this year he was honored with the Padma Shri, the 4th highest civilian award in India.

With this said, now I’m going too elaborated a little more on 3 of the different species that have been planted on the forest. 1. Lagerstroemia speciosa: Commonly known as Pride of India or Queen’s Crape Myrtle, it can reach 40 to 60 feet in height and a spread of 30 to 40 feet. The attractive bark is smooth, mottled and peeling. In India, the wood is used for railroad ties and construction. It will grow in full sun on a wide range of well-drained soils but it is not salt-tolerant.

2. Delonix regia:

Commonly known as Royal Poinciana, it is broader than tall, growing about 40 feet high and 60 feet wide. It will provide fullest flowering and best when planted in full sun locations. Tolerant of a wide variety of soils and conditions, and needs to be well-drained until established, then only during the severest drought. 3. Terminalia arjuna: Commonly known as Arjuna, this tree is about 20-25m tall, usually has a buttressed trunk and forms a wide canopy at the crown from which its branches drop downwards. It is found growing on river banks or near dry river beds in West Bengal and South and Central India. It ss one of the species whose leaves are fed on by the Antheraea paphia moth, which produces the tussah silk. You May Also Like These Other Articles: 

• Out of This World Bamboo at Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
• Is Detroit turning into an Urban Forest?
• Bridal Veil Creates a Curtain of Water Through the Forest

The Man and Now the Movie By dedicating most of his life to this forest, Jadav has cultivated interest in the world, and in 2013 William McMaster debuted his film called “Forest Man”, which won best documentary at The American Pavillion: Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at Cannes. In this film, we can see what Jadav has accomplished throughout the years, this massive forest with his own momentum, willingly and deliberately.

This man knows the importance of the land and what it can give us, the certainty of hard labor can pay off. Payeng’s motto was – sleep less, eat healthy, drink Apong (the favored drink of the Misings, prepared from 101 leaves that are found in the forest), but work hard. It is not too late to take a note from this culture, this village, this island, this human and apply a little of the knowledge that he is spreading into our world. A Mission Spanning 36 Years and Beyond Giving protection to the animals and saving the island from erosion, that has been the mission for over 36 years for this man. This is the future, it is a simple and well-grounded idea, but still we fail to stop deforestation and the taking away of the habitats for wild animals. It is not hard, it is so simple that society cannot comprehend. I hope they will after knowing Jadav Payeng the “Forest Man” of Majuli. Get informed, watch the video that led me to writing this article, by viewing clicking on this link. People will understand more about what it is to love the land.

Article by Agmarie Calderón Alonso

10 top tips from our resident AutoCAD expert UrbanLISP to make your work in AutoCAD more efficient.  When drawing by hand, we use a box of pencils, crayons, a ruler, and maybe a compass. Whatever we use, it’s all on our desk, in sight and ready to grab. AutoCAD is stuffed with functionalities hidden in menus, on palettes, and behind shortkeys. In order to get the most out of AutoCAD, we list the 10 must do’s to become a professional AutoCAD user: 1. Layers, layers, layers Without a doubt, one of the most important aspects in a drawing is the use of layers. An empty drawing by default only has one layer, named “0” in AutoCAD. Don’t use this layer unless you know what you are doing; it behaves in a particular way. It’s hard to create too many layers, but to prevent getting lost, it’s wise to think of a layer structure first. Add numbers for main categories as a prefix of the layer names so they are grouped together in the layer menu by default. As suffix, it’s good to add a code related to the type of object it’s used for; -b for layers that are boundaries, -h for layers with hatches, -t for layers with only text. You’ll get layers like 012-grass-b and 012-grass-h.

2. Blocks Use blocks whenever you can. In essence, they are little drawings on their own and usually represent something iconic, like a tree or a car. They can help to make quick changes to your drawing or quantify your drawing. Remember layer “0” in the previous pointer? When used inside a block, the entities on that layer will adopt the layer, color, etc. of the layer on which the block is placed. So blocks are more flexible than you might think, especially when you make them dynamic. But that would be an article of its own. When you create a block, there are a few things to keep in mind: Pick the insertion point carefully, mind the rotation, set the units, and think of a proper name. 3. Customize Although AutoCAD is already packed with functionalities, customizations are essential to optimize your workflow. You’ll be surprised by what you can customize. The two images above show good examples; layers can be imported through a pull-down menu and blocks can be inserted through a tool palette. One of the easiest of customizations is the addition of hatch patterns. Google “AutoCAD hatch patterns” and look for hatch patterns you like. Download the .pat files and place them in a folder. Add the path of that folder to the “Support File Search Path” in AutoCAD’s option menu at the “Files” tab. When you open the hatch dialog box and select the Custom tab of the hatch pattern overview, you will see all the hatch patterns you collected in that folder, ready to be used. If that inspired you, you can take it even a step further: Take one of those .pat files and open it in Notepad. If you’re able to wrap your head around it, you’ll become a hatch master. 4. Build a library OK, so we covered layers, blocks, and hatch patterns. Time to organize them. Before layers can be added to a drop-down menu and blocks to a tool palette, you need to create and collect them. Every time you create a CAD drawing and you’re happy with the graphics, use those layers for the next drawing. A few projects further down the road will help you to fine tune those layers. When you reach that point, you can consider adding them to a drop-down menu. There are plenty of websites with free AutoCAD blocks for trees, cars, etc. Every time you find nice blocks, save them somewhere in a separate file. Over time, that file will fill up and become a valuable resource. To make them easily addable to your drawing, you can put them on the tool palette as shown in pointer 2. 5. Design center In an office with several AutoCAD users, it’s good to lay down an office standard and invest some time in drop-down menus and tool palettes. It definitely pays off. If you are a student or self employed, all these fancy tricks may be a step too far. There’s an easy work around – Design Center. With a design center, you can navigate to any drawing and add blocks and layers from it without having to open the drawing. So collect all the layers you’ve set up and blocks you’ve collected, put them in one source drawing, and you will have created yourself a library. Don’t forget to back up that file, though! 6. Keep your drawing clean When doing everything mentioned above, your drawings should become well structured and organized. To keep them structured and organized, it’s good to remove unused elements from your drawing. Your drawing is basically a graphical representation of a database. If you removed a block from your model space, it doesn’t mean it’s out of the database. With purge, you can remove blocks, layers, text styles, etc. that are not used in the drawing from the database. You’ll see when you run it a few times that you can keep on purging. Overkill is a useful command to remove duplicate entities. You can try it by opening a drawing, drawing a rectangle, copying it, and placing it exactly on top of the other rectangle. After running overkill, there’s only one left. 7. Close the ribbon, use your keyboard After AutoCAD became a commercial product in 1982, it was further developed and changed drastically. These changes not only defined particular generations of AutoCAD, but also particular generations of users. Early users relate lineweights to colors. In the first decade of this millennium, 3d became a focal point of Autodesk, and in AutoCAD 2009 the ribbon was introduced following the changes Microsoft made to the interface of their “Office” suite. Why Autodesk introduced this interface is subject to debate, because every professional user of AutoCAD can confirm — use your keyboard! Think about it: A ribbon in “Word” or “Excel” makes sense. With these programs, you enter text and data with your keyboard. It would conflict with keyboard commands. AutoCAD is the opposite; you click positions in your drawing and select entities with your mouse. Going back and forth with your mouse to click icons is just a waste of time. Besides that, ribbons and toolbars take up space. Unlike with a Word document, you want as big a surface as possible on your screen for your drawing in order to have the best overview. You’ll need to learn a lot of key combinations, but you will get used to it quickly. There’s a good way to learn it; every time you use a particular command several times in a short amount of time, look up the shortkey combination. For instance, M for Move, F for Fillet, H for Hatch. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Or dimensioning commands: DLI for Dimension Linear, DAL for Dimension Aligned, DRA for Dimension Radius. Do you see the pattern? Of course, this is also customizable. Find the file called acad.pgp (usually at C:Program FilesAutodeskAutoCAD 20XXUserDataCacheen-usSupport) and open it in Notepad. Here you can define some basic shortcuts for basic AutoCAD commands. And don’t forget about key combinations with ctrl and alt. We all know ctrl+C and ctrl+V; with alt you can navigate through the drop-down menus. And this is also customizable! 8. Add apps Just about any action in AutoCAD can be automated. Using the keyboard rather than the ribbon will speed up your workflow. But it’s nothing compared to using apps. In case you missed them, you can find some demonstrations of apps for AutoCAD here on landarchs that can be downloaded at urbanlisp.com. UrbanLISP apps, or commands, follow a similar strategy for shortcut key combinations as the dimensioning layers in the previous pointer, so they are easy to remember. See these AutoCAD tutorials:

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

9. Snap and select like a pro There are two main purposes for the mouse in AutoCAD: defining positions and selecting objects. If you want to draw accurately, snapping to the right point is extremely important. It sounds obvious, but it deserves some attention. The more objects in your drawing, the more snapping points you’ll have. If there are a few snapping points close to each other, the chance of snapping to the wrong point increases:

If you want to have some more certainty that you snapped to the right point, you can type the snap point you need. Before clicking, type the first three letters of the snap you need. In the example of the images, it’s PER for perpendicular, INT for intersection and END for endpoint. It will temporarily disable any other snapping option. When you need to select multiple entities, there are also several ways to create a selection. Two basic methods are the crossing and window selection. When you click and move your mouse to the left, you’ll get a green field with a dashed white edge. This means you select everything touching the green field. Moving your mouse to the right will create a blue field with a white outline. This will select everything completely within the white outline. Most regular users know this. There are several other methods, however. When you are about to create a selection, you can enter, for instance, CP (crossing polygon). This will allow you to create a polygonal shape with a green field. Anything touching the green field will be selected. WP (window polygon) will do the same, but will only select everything within the blue outline. In the most recent versions of AutoCAD, you can even apply these methods just by dragging your mouse! By typing an F (fence) you can create a line and everything touching it will be selected. Click here for a full overview of selection methods. 10. Be consistent Consistency is crucial. If you created a system for naming layers, stick to that system. Don’t introduce another for that project. Create blocks in similar ways so they are easy to exchange. Stick to a system that makes sense when you customize shortkey combinations for commands. Create a system in naming your files and organizing your folder and stick to it! Of course, systems can change and be developed. Introduce changes in a new project. – These pointers are focused on AutoCAD. However, most apply to virtually any CAD program. Sometimes the terms are different: In SketchUp, blocks are called components; in Illustrator,they’re called symbols. For AutoCAD, you can use .fas files as apps. For SketchUp, they’re called rubies (.rb) and for Illustrator, they end with the extension .aip. So optimize your workflow and become a pro!

Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Rob Koningen

You can see more of Rob’s work at UrbanLISP

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 The New St. Petersburg Zoo by TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé Architects in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Located in the heart of Alexander Park in St. Petersburg, Russia, the Leningrad Zoo was founded on Aug. 1, 1865. According to the Saint Petersburg Commune, the Leningrad Zoo is the oldest zoo in Russia and the second-largest zoo, after the Moscow Zoo. Currently, the zoo holds approximately 600 species of mammals, birds, fish, and invertebrates from various parts of the world, according to the Leningrad Zoo, and, like most others zoos around the globe, suffers from lack of space. In 2010, the city decided to relocate the zoo and organized an international competition for the new Primorskiy Zoological Park. The winning project was designed by a team formed by Bruno Tanant and Jean Christophe Nani of the landscape design firm TN PLUS, with Aldric Beckmann and Françoise N’Thépé of the architecture firm Beckmann N’Thépé. These architects created a fascinating project concept based on the primitive continent of Pangea.

St. Petersburg Zoo

Pangea was the supercontinent that existed more than a million years ago. The concept embraced by TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé consists of reuniting the Pangea. Using water on the site, the team created six circular islands: South East Asia, Africa, Australia, South America, North America, and Eurasia, representing the pieces of the Pangea. The idea was to introduce, on each of these islands, ecological samples and native animals of each continent.

Connecting Islands Through Bridges Following the main idea of the project of the Pangea reunion, the architects connected all six islands by bridges, forming one huge park. Additionally, the North America and Eurasia islands were linked using a pack of “ice” from the Artic Pole. Moreover, since the area of the new zoo is very large and composed of islands that needed to be interconnected, the project relied on different means of transportation, such as pedestrian walkways and boats. Boat Transportation Boat transportation also connects the zoo to the center of St. Petersburg. All of these different transportation alternatives not only connect every island and the city with the zoo, but also integrate the entire project, making the environment more genuine for both humans and animals.

Related Articles:

• How Beirut’s Zeytouneh Square is Reuniting a Divided Urban Community
• Bill and Melinda Gates at the Forefront of Sustainable Design
• Diana Memorial Fountain: “Reaching Out, Letting In.”

Sanctum for Biodiversity The dimension of the site allows the zoological park to be a substantial sanctum for biodiversity. Unlike most zoos, the Primorskiy Park will support large animal species in adequate conditions considering the space and the wildlife environment. All of these concepts were designed by the architects to be as natural as possible. It is worth noting in the design drawings the existing well-balanced relationship between man and nature. Indeed, it is very apparent that TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé designed the Primorskiy Zoological Park with a green consciousness, respecting the environment. Providing Shelter for Tropical Animals and Plants Concerned about the adaptability of species that may not be suited to the region’s winter weather, the architects designed several greenhouses that follow the circular shape of the islands. These greenhouses will be made out of a pattern of intersecting circles of steel and covered with an ultralight material called Ethylene Tetra Fluoro Ethylene, or ETFE, providing shelter for tropical animals and plants species by maintaining the appropriate climate needed for survival. Future Considerations There is not much information related to the greenhouse functions and use of renewable energy or other sustainable solution; however, taking into consideration the designers’ respect for the environment, it is not a surprise to anticipate that such solutions will be considered at some point in the design or implementation phases of the project. Avoiding the Cruel Stereotype of a Zoo In fact, TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé, with this project, avoided the cruel stereotype of a zoo, promising a change in the zoo design style. Initially, Primorskiy Park was planned to be completed by 2014, but, unfortunately, the project was suspended due to the opposition of a part of the Russia Municipality regarding the project implementation site. Despite the possible site change, it is a project that we must follow closely, as its new concepts and ideas might revolutionize how zoos are designed and influence a new generation of zoo designers. Certainly, projects like these help to construct a better, environmentally friendly world by respecting and preserving nature and by creating an educational facility for us to learn more about our wildlife and biodiversity.

Full Project Credits:

Project: New Zoo of St. Petersburg Designers: TN Plus & Beckmann N’Thépé Architects Zoologist: Eric Plouzeau, Biozones Consulting Zoo Expert: Monika Fiby Botanical: Albert A. Tourette Location: St. Petersburg, Russia Total Area: According to TN Plus: 140ha According to Beckmann N’Thépé Architects: Site Large: 300ha Emprise Zoo: 96ha Client: Ville de St. Petersburg/Intarsia Budget: 287 M € HT Area in Context: The site is in the northern suburbs of the city not far from the Bay of Finland, in the frontier between a new residential district in plain development with high rise buildings and a natural reserve.

Recommended Reading:

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

Article written by Sarah Suassuna

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