Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10 brings with it a rich diversity of styles as well as artists as we reveal works from everything from professionals with a wealth of experience to students just starting out on their journey in design. And of course at LAN we’re so happy that we can join you on your journey no matter where you are. One thing that struck us about this week’s selection is that each style has its own strength and influence, from the minimalist approach to the highly illustrated approach, each has the ability to convey different aspects of the subject, and there is certainly not one style that suits all situations. Working to your strengths will always beat working on your weaknesses. Enjoy this week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10! 10. by Münire SAĞAT, landscape architect at Studio BEMS Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, in Turkey, Ankara

“I made this sketch for the “Llosev Natural Living Center Competition”. The area is a natural life village in Cankiri Cerkes. I drew it with promarker on a white sheet and produced an axonometric perspective”.  9. by Mayra Alves Zanin, studying Architecture and Urbanism in Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) in Curitiba, Brazil “This sketch is a perspective from a landscape project for my college. The design was a revitalization of a very important central plaza located in Curitiba, Brazil. Our motivation concept was to rescue the sensibility in people’s daily life, so they could live the urban space. The drawing was made on tracing paper and freehand with markers, black ink pen and colored pencil. If you’re interested, this is the link to the design in my portfolio”. 8. by Mohammed Zaki Hosni, a pre-junior student in the faculty of engineering – Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt., studying in the Landscape Architecture Department “This is a small freehand sketch exercise done for a presentation course in college, drawn in pencil, inked and then colored using Alpha markers”. 7. by  Blake Andera Iowa State Student of Landscape Architecture, USA “This is a class project for a school trip designed with minimal impact to the site. Illustrating the bridge connecting the two high points on the site. I used ink.The site is based in Maquoketa, IA”. 6. by Benjamin Loh, Senior Landscape Architect, New Zealand “The first inspiration came directly from my current employer who produces a lot of quick sketches for clients within 30min for each sketch. My second motivation comes from Linescape on Facebook who uses a pen (ink) for quick sketches.The ability to quickly record impressions and expression through sketching is what I am trying to achieve in 2015. The site is in Wakatipu Lake, Queenstown, New Zealand. Drawn using a 0.5 Pilot VBall”. 5. by Manoj Joshi Architect, Interior Designer( Practicing ), Traveller, Sketcher. Also teacher at Local Architecture & Interior Design Colleges “I am an Architect, fond of travelling and also sketching, I capture memories through a sketch. It helps me to walk around the places and in giving me the real experiences of the streets and cities I visit. The sketching helps me to understand the local architecture, elements, culture, flora, fauna around, street v/s building relations etc. It’s basically a watercolour sketch, but I tried to sketch it like the sketches drawn with dry pastels. Also, a tinge of black ink pen adds to the fusion of different mediums and indirectly hinting at the cultural and other changes that particular cities or streets go through. A small detail like GA on a car’s number plate indicates the state of India not completely showing the whole number of the car. The small plants and the rich colour palette of Goa were the focal agendas to be depicted in the sketch. The site is located at a h The site is located at a house converted in Art Boutique in a street in Campal Area ( A colony established around late 1800s during Portuguese Influence ) in the city of Panjim, Goa State, India. I used Pencil, Water Colour, Ink pen and Love to Sketch 😉 “. 4. by Dinu Marian Alexandru , student University of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu Bucharest “I was always fascinated, by the way, each staircase, either made of pale wood or classic metal, can change the atmosphere of a space. From smooth concrete curves and twisting corkscrews to structures built from reclaimed wood and rusty steel. Stairways have endless functions to a building, some of which are that they act as a a means of escape in cases of fire,they attach rooms to each other, and,what I think is more important,they provide space for movement.As an architectural element of the house, this modern concrete staircase is suitable for many applications.More and more manufacturers build a metal staircase due to its applicability in everyday use. This staircase, which rises in a straight line to the height of the sky, certainly requires careful planning. Important requirements for the stability and resilience of the scale are external substrate and infrastructure perfectly executed. The wild beauty of cement is often interspersed with steel balustrades and stainless steel, perfectly fitting the surroundings“. 3. by Raluca-Mihaela Serdaru, Romania, Professional Landscape Designer & Urban Planner “The sketch is made for a contest of landscape design for a private garden from USA, California in 2014. The big slope from the garden was the one that motivated me to sketch a view to the existing house which was located on top of the slope. Through this sketch, I wanted to show better how the retaining walls are modeling the terrain and how the vegetation and alleys with stairs will look like. The methods used for the sketch is watercolor markers, watercolor with brush and pencil”. 2. by Delia Bittner, Student studying Landscape Architecture at the Writtle College, Nationality German “When I was visiting the city of Reims in France I entered the famous Cathedral to have a look. I was overwhelmed by the tranquillity inside. I started sketching a part of the beautiful architecture and finished my drawing later from memory. I choose a fine pencil for my sketch because I not only wanted to catch the beauty but the peacefulness and the wonderful atmosphere as well”. 1. by Rawan Waleed Al-Qabbani Free lancing Architect,Damascus,Syria “The main reason behind sketching the view was helping a friend of mine in presenting his graduation project. And though classical architecture was not my favorite pattern of a sketching object, I found myself enjoying every detail of the many elements composing the scene. Considering a style in which the sketch was made, there won’t actually be much to be said: tools used are a pencil and lots of sketching multi-markers since the origin sketch on canvas was slightly colored”. – That’s this week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10, congratulations to all of you who featured, you have come out on top of a very talented bunch of people. Check out the Sketchy Saturday official Facebook album and see literally 1,000′s of incredible sketches! Follow all the winning entries on our dedicated Sketchy Saturday Pinterest page. If you want to take part send your entries to us at office@landarchs.com Recommended reading:

• Sketching from the Imagination: An Insight into Creative Drawing by 3DTotal
• Architectural Drawing Course by Mo Zell

Article by Scott D. Renwick Return to Homepage

With sustainable cities being one of the key terms in the 21st century, we take a closer look at the role that the landscape architect has to play in it all.  When we think of sustainability we think of living in a remote natural area with solar panels, on-site sewage treatment, a large vegetable garden and maybe even some livestock. Pretty sustainable hey? Maybe not. In fact, one of the leading causes of climate change is due to people seeking escaping the city in search of nature. By living on the outskirts of the city, we increase our carbon footprint through commuting and encroach further and further into the natural environment. Thus, in order to think sustainably we need to realise that our dense inner cities are not the problem, but, in fact, the solution! With this in mind, one would think then that the sustainable cities equal “green buildings”. While architects and engineers have great progress in these fields recently, their efforts only address a very small portion of the problem. The same goes for re-using, reducing and recycling: everyone should be doing this, but it won’t necessarily save the world.

Sustainable Cities

Landscape Architects to Save the World This is where the landscape architect comes in. We have the ability to not only begin to make cities more liveable, but also have the ability to understand the complex relationship between the city and the natural environment. Our holistic approach allows us to see the city as an organism where urban density and natural processes can come together to create a sustainable solution. Green Infrastructure One of the ways in which landscape architects address this problem is by bringing nature into the city, satisfying the human need to connect with the natural environment. This is, however, not about creating green parks where people in the city and escape into nature, but involves creating green networks and habitats. This concept has been implemented in a dramatic scale by the landscape architectural firm, Field Operations, in the High Line project in New York where the disused elevated railway was turned into a green public park. This shifted the concept of a traditional urban park, allowing nature to become part of the urban fabric.

Landscape Urbanism Landscape architects have, in fact, become such important role players in the future of sustainable city-making that we have had to introduce a new concept of “landscape urbanism”. This concept allows landscape (and not architecture) to become the building block of contemporary urban form while incorporating aspects such as ecology and process. Michael van Valkenburch and Associates have embraced this concept and have not only shown how landscape architecture can create ecologically functioning sites, but how landscape and processes can be experienced. Related Articles:

• Are Animal Bridges Life-saving for Wildlife?
• WARNING: Why You’re Losing Money By Not Using a Green Roof
• The Urban Matrix: How Far Should We Go?

WATCH: Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy | A Micro-Documentary

Their recent project, Brooklyn Bridge Park, focussed on the emotional power of social connection with the Hudson River while providing sustainable design solutions, creating habitat and increasing economic value. Sustainable Urban Drainage Water is a critical aspect of sustainability as our planet’s water quality and quantity is slowly diminishing. This is of even more importance in the context of the city due to an increase in hardened surfaces and pollutants.

Concepts such as SUDS (sustainable urban drainage) have addressed this issue, but its implementation often fails to fully address the larger context. Landscape architects, however, have taken this approach and have begun to extend it into the complex realm of public space combined with ecological preservation. Qunli Wetland Park by Turenscape has demonstrated this by not only implementing SUDS principles and cleaning stormwater, but have managed to rehabilitate a wetland while creating an active and beautiful green public space. Sustainable Urban Rivers Most great cities have been built around rivers and water bodies with the result that many urban rivers have been suffocated by urban development through canalisation or piped systems. Landscape architects have begun to lead the way in the rehabilitation of these rivers as important environment, recreational and economic assets. A dramatic example of this is in Seoul where landscape architects from SeoAhn Total Landscape day-lighted the Cheonggyecheon Stream from beneath a major highway. The result is an increase in biodiversity by 639%, a reduction of pollution by 35%, flood protection for up to a 200-year flood and the creation of a beautiful public space. WATCH: Cheonggyecheon River history and restoration

Planting a City Landscape architects have also begun to find unique ways to introduce nature into the built environments. Vegetation in the city not only improves streetscapes but also creates a natural habitat, reduces of the heat island effect of built infrastructure, improves air quality and can even increase food security through growing edibles. One of the greatest examples of this is the Millennium Park in Chicago by landscape architect Terry Guen. The park is, in fact, a 24.5-acre roof garden and sits above a parking lot and railway, making it the largest roof garden in the world.

So instead of feeling guilty about living in the city we should embrace the potential of the sustainable city. We should learn to live in close proximity to one another and should allow the landscape architect to guide city making in a way that will potentially save the world. Recommended Reading:

• Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery
• The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs

Article by Rose Buchanan Return to Homepage Featured image: Printscreen via Youtube source

A book review of Representing Landscapes: Digital by Nadia Amoroso. Landscape architecture has benefitted a lot from advancements in technology, with digital media techniques allowing specialists from the field to show both their talent and imagination. ‘Representing Landscapes: Digital’ is the kind of book that you instantly fall in love with, presenting the digital media techniques used in the field of landscape architecture, from the point of view from different experts in the field. Edited by Nadia Amoroso (link to interview), a renowned name in the field of landscape architecture and with a foreword from James Corner, professor of Landscape Architecture, this book is useful for both students and specialists alike.

In the foreword, Professor James Corner talks about the way this amazing book brings the fields of landscape architecture and digital media together. He highlights the diversity of digital techniques included within the book, leading to endless possibilities of design. In the opinion of James Corner, it is because of digital media that we are able today to visualize landscape architecture projects in a way that is both creative and functional at the same time. James Corner describes this book as ‘exciting’ and ‘provocative’, stating that it offers ‘endless possibilities’ for innovation and design.

Representing Landscapes: Digital

The introduction bears the trademark signature of Nadia Amoroso, landscape architect, teacher and book author. In her opinion, this book provides the most amazing visual representations that were made by students from different parts of the world, all of them being realized with the help of digital media. Mrs. Amoroso describes this book as ‘instructional’ and ‘inspirational’, recommending it to those who are working or studying in the field of landscape architecture.

A Breakdown of the Book In this book, the theoretical knowledge blends perfectly with the case projects, matching to perfection the modern needs of landscape designers. The chapters of the book are organized in accordance to the drawing type, providing information about concepts such as presentation plans, diagrams, mapping, sections, and perspectives. Each of the specialists who have contributed to the book has focused on a particular type of drawing, adding a series of captivating digital landscape representations made by students. After taking you into the wonderful world of digital media techniques – with concepts such as datascaping, axonometric’s, sections and elevations, perspective drawings and photoshopping brought into the center of attention – the books ends with an amazing series of drawings (case projects). Looking at the way the book is organized and analyzing the kind of information it offers, it is safe to assume that this is one useful resource for those who are interested in representing landscapes through digital media. Get it Here! Benefit From a Host of Experienced Experts The ‘Diagrams and Mapping Drawing’ is the first large chapter of the book, including four sub-sections written by people with experience in the field. Andrea Hansen talks about datascapes (maps and diagrams as landscape agents) while Eva Castro and Federico Ruberto discuss photographing the hyper- index, 3D representations, and spatiotemporal interfaces. James Melsom discusses mapping and refining designing with the help of digital media. Kofi Boone talks about digital diagramming and its important role for the field of landscape architecture. In the ‘Presentation Plans’ chapter, you can find three sub-sections. In the first sub-section, Joshua Zeunert discusses digital presentation plans. Karl Kullmann speaks about illustrative plans and bird’s eye views while Roberto Rovira brings to the discussion the role of the side plan in the modern field of landscape architecture. Axonometric Dedicated Chapter The ‘Axonometric Drawings’ chapter includes two sub-sections – the first one discusses chunking landscapes, bearing the signature of Christopher Marcinkoski. The second sub-section reveals about the subject of landscapes that fit together, with Maria Debije Counts signing as an author. You can continue reading, discovering the ‘Section-Elevations’ chapter, with three interesting sub-sections. For the first one, Daniel H. Ortega and Jonathon R. Anderson talk about the different vertical plane typologies and the way sections and elevations can be examined. The chapter continues with Dietmar Straub and the decryption of landschaftslinien, followed by Andrew Hartness and origins of the subjective sections. Get it Here! The Role of Perspectives in Digital Media In the ‘Perspectives’ chapter, you can find information about the role of perspective in analyzing a landscape (Maria Debije Counts), about the role of metrics and emotions in the visualization of different projects (Andrew Hartness) and also about hover craft (David Fletcher). The ‘Digital Modeling and Fabrication’ chapter provides information about: land formation and tectonic ground (José Alfredo Ramirez, Clara Olóriz Sanjuán), terra automata (Bradley Cantrell), the role of digital media in practice (David Mah). Last, but not least, comes the ‘All Drawing Types: Case Studies’ chapter – here you have the opportunity to discover case projects such as: ‘Jakarta – Plastic River’ (Christophe Girot, James Melsom), ‘Greyfield sites’ (Kofi Boone) and ‘Creek – Arroyo, Puerto Rico’ Roberto Rovira). After reading this book, you will remain with a pleasant sense, as you will understand how important digital media has become for the field of landscape architecture.

Pick up your copy of Representing Landscapes: Digital today!

Review by Alexandra Antipa Return to Homepage

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.

Pick up your copy of Gardening For The Birds today!

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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