Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Bogotá Centro Administrativo Nacional (CAN), a new civic center in Colombia by OMA. Bogota, Colombia has retained a time-honored commitment to city planning and urban design. After Le Corbusier completed a master plan framework for the city from 1949-1953, a team was recently selected to redesign a master plan for a new downtown core. The program includes 680 acres of buildable area of which 72 acres is public open space. With a footprint as large as the National Mall in Washington, D.C., it is a large undertaking for designers to reimagine and redefine the city center of Bogota. They also have an opportunity to design on a national stage setting the precedent for other cities, as this is the largest institutional master plan in Latin American since the 1960’s.

The Context of the Masterplan

  The context surrounding these 680 acres of new downtown area was vitally important in determining land use within the new city center. Planners, architects, and landscape architects considered the bounds, adjacent land use, and identified what was missing in the existing conditions. The new civic center for Bogota, Colombia is near the midpoint of a very important arterial street, Calle 26 Avenue, which operates as a strong axis in the city.

The Program Designers were charged with creating a new civic center, Bogota Centro Administrativo Nacional. This area will be the central headquarters for the city’s government. In addition to meeting the needs of the city government, the city center needed additional mixed use program space including residential, education, retail, and cultural developments. It was important for the city center to meet the needs of all citizens including those who work, live, and play in downtown Bogota. The Idea The concept behind the plan for the Bogota Centro Administrativo Nacional city center plan was to divide the buildable space into three districts or zones. Each zone would fulfill the needs of specific individuals who may be working, living or visiting downtown. First, is the office zone. This area would house the business district and corporate headquarters within downtown Bogota. Second, is the institutional/governmental zone. Since the big idea for this development is to serve as the headquarters of city government, this is a key district in the overall plan. The final district is the education area. Each of these serves a distinct function yet the individual pieces needed to be unified with an overall theme. Pulling the Pieces Together After studying the existing context, identifying the programmatic needs, and separating those program areas into groups based on land use, designers worked to find a unifying theme for the Bogota Centro Administrativo Nacional civic center. As designers developed concepts to situate each zone on site, linkages to the outside context began to reveal themselves. Related Articles:

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The office district will be located so that it creates a strong connection to the existing financial district in downtown. The second district, the institutional/governmental programmatic area links the new downtown area to existing cultural areas and recreational parks in the city. Finally, the educational space is adjacent to an existing university in downtown Bogota. Each of these districts strengthens the existing core of downtown while adding square footage of buildable area. The Green Spine With the buildable footprints on the map, designers used a simple concept of an arc to link all of these different programmed zones together. The arc creates a central core and a vital spine through the downtown of public green space. This arc connects the new spaces with the old and links park spaces into a cohesive corridor of public land. The green spine includes pocket parks, cultural attractions, and a bike path that expands the existing CicloVia network. A City Center to Serve the People OMA and the rest of the design team set a precedent with Bogota, a downtown designed to serve the needs of the people. Instead of designing a place for people to work during the day leaving it abandoned during the nighttime, this active downtown core is a destination for those who are learning, working, recreating, and living in Bogota. Recommended Reading:

• Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design by Michael Bayer
• Contemporary Urban Planning (10th Edition) by John M. Levy

Article written by Rachel Kruse. Return to Homepage

Perk Park by Thomas Balsley Associates, Cleveland, USA A vibrant, thriving downtown is key to the success of any major city, and evidence suggests that quality public spaces play a very important role in achieving a thriving downtown. Unfortunately, in many American cities, downtown cores are in decline. As a result, downtown public spaces are suffering, and many have become underused, neglected eyesores. However, there is good news. With the increasing recognition of the importance of healthy downtown communities, more cities than ever before are investing in rejuvenating their urban cores. Today, most major American cities are working to implement downtown revitalization or improvement schemes, which focus on the realization of community-based projects in their downtown areas.

One such project is Cleveland’s Perk Park. This 50,000 sq foot green urban park is located in downtown Cleveland, at the corner of East 12th Street and Chester Avenue, right in the center of a central business district. This particular parcel of land was cleared in the 1970s, along with several other downtown lots to be redeveloped into urban parks and public spaces as part of the Cleveland’s urban renewal scheme developed by the architect I.M. Pei. From Brutalism to Playful Urban Park  In 1972 the site was transformed into a public space: a sunken plaza with heavy concrete planters, relics of the new brutalism that was popular at the time. Unfortunately, this plaza never gained much public popularity. It felt closed off and separated from the street, contributing to a sense of insecurity that not only deterred desired users, but also acted as a magnet for unwanted and even illegal uses. Quickly and quietly, Perk Park fell into disuse. Thomas Balsley Associates, an American firm recognized globally for their contribution to the improvement of public space, along with local Landscape Architect, Jim McKnight, were tasked with bringing this urban park into the 21st Century. The new design needed to be playful and modern, while also reconnecting the park to the city around it and improving the user’s sense of safety onsite. The urban park’s new design, implemented in 2012, is in stark contrast with the old. The dated brutalism is no more, and the heavy concrete that previously dominated the site has been replaced with much-needed green space and playful use of color.

A Forest Meadow in an Urban Park

The design was inspired by what Thomas Balsley Associates describes as a “forest and meadow” concept. On the south side, a large, formal lawn area occupies the space where the sunken concrete plaza once sat, complete with planted mounds that reference the planter locations in the original design. The lawns gentle, playful slopes and mounds invite play, as well as providing great spaces to simply relax and enjoy the sun.

Related articles:

• Top 10 Reused Industrial Landscapes
• Community Turn Abandoned Industrial Site into Public Park
• Industrial Site Transforms into Beautiful Landscape

The North side of the site is shaded by a grove of honey locust trees (Gleditsia triacanthos), which provide dappled shade along with a more intimate and enclosed space. The grassy oval mounds in this area provide a sense of playfulness and visual interest. Brightly colored covered walkways on the East side of the site also provide further shade and seating, as well as blurring the boundaries between streetscape and park space. Considering the security issues with the park’s previous design, lighting was an especially important consideration to which Thomas Balsley Associates has paid tremendous attention to detail. The contemporary light fixtures implemented onsite greatly improve visibility and security in the park, making the space safe and comfortable for users day and night.

Thomas Balsley Associates hoped that by creating the atmosphere of an “outdoor living room”, Perk Park would serve as an extension of local residents’ living space. A huge variety of custom furnishings, including benches, tables and chairs, all designed by Thomas Balsley Associates, help to create this atmosphere, inviting visitors to sit, stay and relax in the park. Food vendors, cafes and terrace programs have also been developed for the park, creating additional attractions for users, and contributing to this “outdoor living room” atmosphere. Balsley and Associates have managed to achieve an amazing balance in their design of Perk Park. Rather than closed off, and separated from the street, the new design is open and inviting, yet still manages to feel personal and intimate. The design feels both contemporary and modern, while still demonstrating an intimate understanding of historical and physical context. $3 Million Investment Pays Off Ultimately, Perk Park is now much better equipped to serve the local people. It is safe, secure, open and lively. The site is no longer an eyesore with no connection to the city, but a vibrant community space that positively contributes to the neighborhood character. For a meager 3 million USD, Thomas Balsley Associates have managed to transform what was once a derelict, under-appreciated space into a vibrant community urban park. With so much interest in downtown revitalization, this project is a great example of what can be achieved with a limited area and budget, and of the potential of these types of small urban spaces. Recommended Reading:

• The Contemporary Garden by Editors of Phaidon Press
• Gardens in Detail: 100 Contemporary Designs by Emma Reuss

Article written by Michelle Biggs Return to Homepage

Roller Coaster by Interval Architects, Beijing, China. Take an empty little courtyard in front of a school, a place where nothing interesting happens, and dream of a curved, elegant structure that can create a place to play, sit, walk, and talk … maybe you are sitting on a little roller coaster! Situated in Beijing, China, the roller coaster project was designed by Interval Architects, an international design practice founded in 2010. What the Client Wanted and What The Client Got The client’s first idea was to put a monumental sculpture in the middle of the square to represent the school. But that idea was not functional or useful. So Interval Architects decided to transform this empty square by putting in a contemporary open structure — a wooden ribbon representing the image of an urban roller coaster. The project solves the problem of creating a communal gathering space, but is also sculptural, like the school initially intended.

Share, Joke, Relax… In general, after children have been studying in school all day, their first thought is to go outside to play and relax. To speak, share, joke, and relax are fundamental parts of children’s development, and the landscape architect can help by creating spaces that encourage this. The roller coaster project, finished in 2011, snakes up and down on a total project area of about 1,200 square meters. It is designed as long structure folded into three dimensions with soft edges that, passing between sky and earth, become pavements, then benches, then covers.

A Flexible Design

  There are four different areas, allowing students to sit one in front of the other and socialize between classes. At the same time, the urban space of the square remains flexible so that the seating area for students can also be used as an outdoor exhibition area.

This unique, functional, environmentally friendly design consists of a snake steel structure with a top of eco-wood finishing. The timber walls have a louver system in between edges, filtering the sun and creating elegant shaded areas. Where there are no walls, a system of stainless steel tube support covers areas and contributes to the image of a “roller coaster”. Related Articles:

• 30 Landscape Architecture Firms To Keep Your Eye On!
• Top 10 World Class Landscape Architecture Projects of 2013
• 10 Great Reasons to be a Landscape Architect

On the horizontal parts on the ground, some grass strips are planted. Inside and outside, little trees find the right sun exposure. The simple grass strips are designed in the center of the roller coaster to leave the lateral space for walking and sitting, providing a touch of minimalism.

The long benches are covered with eco-wood, and lights are installed inside the borders. The upper part of the structure and the ground level are totally balanced, giving a sensation of harmony. This project is fresh, contemporary, and, at the same time, not too big or bulky for the area; it doesn’t dominate the area, but leaves a lot of free space in the center for students, activities, lunch breaks, and free uses. It might be the perfect example of how to make landscape design for school open spaces, where architecture is a part of the project and helps to give an elegant touch, thanks to a few well-chosen materials. Interval Architects re-interprets architectural culture in Chinese cities and offers a new style for Chinese landscape architecture with this international and contemporary urban project. Recommended Reading:

• Landscape Architecture Now! by Philip Jodidio
• Detail in Contemporary Landscape Architecture by Virginia McLeod

Article written by  Maura Caturano Return to Homepage

Rio Madrid by West 8. There is something special about urban revitalization projects: they not only restore the physical environment but also confidence and hope on urban dwellers. Madrid Rio, with its generous green spaces, is a great example of a refreshing project that we, city inhabitants, are so in need of in a time of uncontrolled urbanization. What once was an intrusive motorway is today an amazing six-miles-long urban park that connects people and districts, showing us that it is possible to empower people through design.

The Design Located in the heart of Madrid, in Spain, Madrid Rio comprises a total area of 80.000 m² and demanded an investment cost of 280 million Euros. The master plan was designed by West 8 in collaboration with MRIO Arquitectos, led by Ginés Garrido Colomero. The complex embraces a total of 47 projects, being the first ones completed in spring 2007 and reaching its final completion in 2011. The interventions include several bridges, boulevards and parks that contribute to provide better link between the districts located along the Manzanares river. The project elegantly incorporates the waterfront into the landscape to create a vibrant recreational area that attracts not only the local residents but also residents of distant districts and tourists. To see how the park is highly regarded by the users – and especially by the kids, who contribute greatly to its vivacity and warmth – check out the following video:

The Main Features of the Urban Revitalisation Project

  Among the several individual projects, the most important are: Salón de Pinos (2010) Making reference to the pine trees, as the name suggests, this green corridor connects the old and the new urban areas along the river, creating an inviting vegetated area.

Puentes Cascara (2010) Cascara Bridges are designed as massive concrete domes, but the large scale is counterbalanced by the delicate mosaic work (by Spanish artist Daniel Canogar) that decorates the ceiling. Huerta de la Partida (first stage: 2007; second stage: 2009) A wide variety of fruit trees (including pomegranates and figs) are grouped and arranged in alternate lines to create this beautiful urban orchard. Avenida de Portugal (2007) One of the most important roads in Madrid, Portugal Avenue was relocated to a tunnel providing an underground parking and converting the area, that once was the highway, into a stunning garden to be enjoyed by the visitors. The blooming cherry trees planted in the flower-shaped cutouts on the floor create a romantic and delicate composition. The paving here is particularly stunning, where the traditional Portuguese paving technique (known as “pedra portuguesa” or “petit pavet”) was applied. Related Articles:

• Turenscape Design Outstanding River Park
• Extraordinary Development Re-connects City With The River Bank
• Green Revival Brings Life Back to River Park

Arganzuela Park (2011) In this park, the main attraction is definitely the Manzanares river: the context enables the water to complement both the built and the green infrastructure. One of the footbridges found on Arganzuela Park was featured in our “Top 10 Pedestrian Bridges”. Awards Madrid Rio received many awards, including: Asprima-Sima Award for best urban development plan or urban renewal 2012 (Spain), COAM Awards to the Work of Architects 2012 (Spain), FAD Award in City and Landscape 2012 (Spain), Biennial Prize for Urban Project – XIII International Biennale of Architecture in Buenos Aires 2011 (Argentina), Finalist Dutch Design Awards 2011 (Netherlands), Golden Swing Award 2010 (Spain). Its most recent award was the Honorable Mention received during the 11th METROPOLIS World Congress, that took place in Hyderabad (India) not long ago – from 6 to 10 October, 2014. WATCH: An Overview of the award winning Madrid Rio Empowering The People Through Design As cities grow larger, public spaces lose their significance in the urban dweller’s life. However, they are an essential aspect of sustainable urbanism providing socially-inclusive environments that promote a sense of belonging to the inhabitants – hence human-friendly design is the opportunity to redesign the built environment to support higher quality of life. This is beautifully demonstrated in the example of Madrid Rio, a project full of character that managed to turn the same motorway that used to cut off districts into the best meeting point of Madrid. Recommended Reading:

• Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery
• Urban Street Design Guide by National Association of City Transportation Officials

Article written by Julia Lucchese Return to Homepage

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. Welcome to this week’s edition of Sketchy Saturday; this week’s sketches are breathtaking, with some Sketchy Saturday regulars dipping into their portfolio and wowing us with their talent as well as some first timers throwing their hat into the ring, bidding to be featured on our international and ever growing world stage. Sketchy Saturday is a melting pot of talent made up from contributions from around the globe, including professionals, students, and sketching enthusiasts; making the top 10 very tricky to judge. 10. by Nayeli Pérez Contreras from México, architecture student

“This is a perspective of two vanishing points based on Mexican landscape architecture. It is a water purifying factory from the 19th century, remodeled by one of the most renowned Mexican architects, Ricardo Legorreta and the group Serrano Monjaráz Arquitectos. It represent both sides, colonial and contemporary architecture. The sketch is done in pencil and then painted in watercolor.” 9. by Ketaki Godbole-Randiwe, Principal Landscape Architect, Baghorama (name of my firm), Pune, India “This sketch is a part of the design development process for a small landscape in India. We use sketching as a medium for connecting with the space, as it gives us a much better sense of scale. All preliminary designs are worked out via sketches. The medium used is black ink on plain A5 paper.”  – Location: Basavkalyan, Andhra Pradesh, India. 8. by Daniel Dillenburg, Landscape Architect from Bladihaus Architects “The sketch is a study for the backyard of a residence in Porto Alegre (South of Brazil) and it shows the pool area with a gazebo. The client wanted to see all the potential of the garden such as the view from inside the house. It was made basically with Unipin and Promarker pens.” 7. by Beatriz de Pina Castiglione. Landscape Architect from the University of Porto, Portugal “This drawing is my own interpretation of the gardens of S.Martinho de Tibães Monastery, one of my favourite places in the North of Portugal. The Monastery was found at the end of the 10th c., although it was in the 17th c. an 18th c. that it reached a particular importance. The garden is composed with sophisticated elements such as an incredible stairway and a beautiful vegetation composition. Its colours and lights are impressive. Along the spaces all your senses are stimulated in a delightful experience that inspires drawing all the time. It is a place full of beauty, mystery and fantasy. An irresistible treasure for the lovers of art.” 6. by Archit Singh, Landscape Artist, Graduate Student of National Institute of Technology (Department of Architecture),Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India

“I made this sketch because I wanted to show how landscape architecture can solve the problem of a modern gateway to a park and also show how my proposition will look like on a paper and not only in my imagination. I wanted to see how my idea fitted in the space of the park and whether it would be practical.” – The drawing was made on B2 paper, I used only pencil – 2b and 8b. 2. by Fred M Tabajonda, Landscape / irrigation designer in Bahrain since 1988, Philppines.

“This fountain (ruined facade) was conceptualized to hide the pump room for irrigation system and the dogs house of a villa in Bahrain; the design of the villa was old colonial with touches of Roman ornaments and sculptures. The sketch was of a dilapidated wall with arcs and columns with brick wall plaster corroded.” 1. by Wiktor Kłyk, landscaper ”The Sketch was made during plein-air art held at the Łasztownia in Szczecin, Poland. It shows the building of the Old slaughterhouse located at the port area in the new arrangement. I see this place as the new heart of my city.” – Style: aquarelle paper, pen & Ink – Location: Lasztownia In Szczecin, Poland – Material used: concrete and wood, Teres Carpinus betulus „Fastigiata’. – That’s this week’s Sketchy Saturday Top 10, congratulations to all of you who featured, you have came 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 into 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 written by Scott D. Renwick Return to Homepage

Swiss skate park, by Zuk Club.  Zuk Club is a Moscow-based collective of artists working in mixed media who explore different artistic styles. Their interests have expanded and flowed into design, monumental, and contemporary art. They experiment through graffiti art and canvassing hard surfaces, such as walls, abandoned houses, old warehouses, and other urban structures. One of their remarkable projects is the intervention of a Swiss skate park. A city that incorporates artwork into its street view is a city that establishes a dialogue between artists who have a passion for city life and the viewers who live there. Graffiti draws upon the urban landscape as a canvas to communicate with both citizens and the material structure of a city. Sadly, urban art is sometimes perceived as vandalism, a subculture synonymous with the destruction of private property. Vandalism is public art that lacks identity and purpose.

For artists, the essence of urban art is to deliver creativity, freshness, and engagement to the public realm and transform the cityscape. Contemporary art projects are complex criticisms that exist in the context of cities, art worlds, and urban visual culture.

Skate Park: Topography of Desire

  Skateboarding is a popular activity among young people who drift through the city, appropriating urban features to accomplish their risky maneuvers. Street skateboarding could be perceived as a subcultural resistance, because it usurps the urban environment. However, skate parks and skate plazas are a great example of the integration among sports, spatial creativity, and the politics of urban design. The Design The concrete ramps of a skate park located in Lugano, Switzerland, combines two activities: graffiti and skateboarding. The bowl is a 1,000-square-meter renovated skate park; its topographic configuration has been intervened by the Zuk Club collective, transforming it with hand-painted modern murals. The murals explore vibrating colors — from red to blue, orange to green — with chaotic transitions of hue spectrums and complex patterns that cover the surface bowl.

In the composition, two sections are visible. On the first section, a rainbow of colors intersects with black and white diamond patterns. A checked complex of red and white overlaid by gray designs creates an optical illusion. On the second section, organic drawings in red and turquoise contrast with black and white fractal and floral designs fitted into one of the pool’s gaps. In the middle of the pool, a conical extruded element is covered by a black and white diamond pattern. Novice and expert skaters are attracted by its singular features and dynamic composition. From Skate Park of Lugano to Skate Park Sundial The skate spot is not only used for skate gliding, it also works as a sundial. The artwork plays directly with light, which casts shadows and marks the time of day. The intention of the collective Zuk Club was to allow skaters enjoy their favorite activity without thinking about time or spending valuable minutes checking their mobile devices. In order to deduce the time, they need only look at the colored stripes painted on the surface. It is a great way of making a leisure activity even more amusing. Related Articles: 

• Reverse Graffiti – Activism, Art or Vandalism?
• Famous Graffiti Location “5 Pointz” Set to be Demolished
• Lace Art Used to Transform and Beautify Neglected Urban Spaces

Urban Space as Galleries For skateboarders, the commercialization of their sport brings positive outcomes to their local scene. More investments in skate parks help them to promote their favorite sport, organize competitions, and spread the spirit of skateboarding to younger generations. Lugano Skate Park is not only visited by skateboarders, but bikers, skaters, and scooters. Viewers also visit the skate park to admire the expertise of the skaters and to enjoy the art. Initiatives as Lugano’s skate park are an example of how art can transcend the confinement of galleries — and city walls — to allow urban art to develop in appropriate places and objects in and around the city, turning forgotten or rejected spaces into ephemeral pieces of art available to all citizens. Recommended Reading:

• Dream Builders: The World’s Best Skatepark Creators by Justin Hocking
• Urban Street Design Guide by National Association of City Transportation Officials

Article written by Claudia Canales Return to Homepage

Piazza Nember by Valeri Zoia and Stradevarie Architects, Jesolo, Italy. Look at the path. It leads the user to a social nodal space. The Piazza Nember in Jesolo, Italy, by Valeri Zoia and Stradivarie Architects, is a well-designed space for social activities with its pathways of contrasting colors, and play areas that allow children and adults alike to experience the joy of play and meeting new friends. Location The town lies north of Venice, between Eraclea and Cavallino-Treporti. Jesolo gives its name to a lagoon of 22 square kilometers (8.5 square miles) on the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers Sile and Piave. The urbanized area lies on an island of sorts, bordered by the Piave on the east, the Sile on the west, and an artificial canal called Cavetta.

The city’s economy is mostly based on tourism. Jesolo is a famous seaside resort, thanks to its abundant holiday facilities and its 15-kilometer (9-mile) beach called Lido di Jesolo. At the height of its tourist life, Jesolo was hosting 6 million tourists a year. Currently, this has dropped to about 4.5 million tourists a year due to increased competition from newer resort towns. The Project The piazza design’s defining features come from the arrangement of the spaces dedicated to the infrastructure. Traffic at the Verdi Street-Dei Mille Street cross and the orthogonal way (Vespucci Street) are resolved with a traffic circle with a central green space of 646.29 square meters. There are some trees (Quercus ilex and Acer pseudoplatanus) next to a 2.5-meter-wide sidewalk. The goal of the piazza design is to provide a requalification of of the space, giving roominess and a functional organization more in accordance with a square and providing people with places to have a rest, meet people, walk around, and organize public events. At the same time, the project deals with the connection, both in a visual and functional way, of the two streets (Dei Mille and Verdi), which had looked perceptively “far” from each other. They are now linked by paths for walking and cycling. The project, implemented with limited funds, maintains and extends the green space and reduces carriageway space by creating a traffic circle while keeping the existential state of the roads.

The Lighting of the Piazza Design

  The lighting system is arranged into four main elements:

• Roadways – Existing luminaries have been preserved.
• Walking and cycling track – Five double-height elements have been placed to light the two tracks simultaneously.
• Green areas – The lighting system focuses only on the single-seater places, to assure an intimate lighting ambiance.
• The stage lighting system – This is defined by a white rood-lighting device.

Setting the Social Scene The piazza acts as an emphasis for the junction of the roads and gives locals a place to gather and socialize. The piazza design provides people with a natural, inviting place to make social connections. Related Articles:

• Car Park Turns into Public Park!
• Community Turn Abandoned Industrial Site into Public Park
• Top Ten Public Squares of the World

The seating system is organized in clusters with different contexts and densities. All the white chairs are single seats and are equally divided into backrests and chair benches made of zinc-plated steel. The idea is to offer users choices of the most comfortable chairs and the most suitable position according to their demand: in a group or more isolated, in the shadows or in a sunny place. A parking area for bicycles has also been added.

The green area also has clusters of seating, creating some micro settings. According to the ready-made principle, the wooden board has been replaced, leaning it against a zinc-coated iron structure, removable for any eventual purposes. Safety was also a consideration. The roadway has been reduced to the minimal dimension provided for by highway code and asphalted surfaced with white limestone. This solution aims to stress differences from the asphalt in Dei Mille and Verdi streets, setting the square apart from the surrounding roadways. All of the horizontal and vertical street signals have been changed, too, to reflect the piazza’s new use. A Dead Space Turned into a Social Nodal Space The piazza provides a welcoming space that allows visitors to create their own social interactions, whether it’s meeting up with friends, taking a walk, having a rest, or interacting with new people. Recommended Reading:

• Designing Small Parks: A Manual for Addressing Social and Ecological Concerns by Ann Forsyth
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article written by Sha Sulaiman Return to Homepage

10 reasons why you Are not getting hired as a landscape architect. Before you decide not to read this article because its title sounds too pessimistic, consider going ahead anyway — it is here to help you improve your chances of finding your way in the attractive but competitive field of landscape architecture. If you recognize that you are making any of the following mistakes, there is still time to change your ways and land your dream job.

10 Reasons Why You Are Not Getting Hired:

  1. Lack of Balance Between Academic and Practical Production

The marketplace has plenty of dedicated students who have failed to get good positions. The main reason is that they stayed so focused on their academics that they forgot to connect with “real world” production. Although you need to concentrate your efforts on learning the concepts of design and keeping your grades high, you also need to start getting professional experience as soon as possible. The best way to avoid conflicts between academics and experience is to form volunteer groups with your colleagues to deliver products or services that address small but immediate needs. For example, your team could meet after classes to come up with solutions to improve community centers or school outdoor areas. Another way of gaining experience is to look for opportunities at not-for-profit organizations, which often rely on student labor. Taking part in a team whose design results in an implementation will take your curriculum to the next level in addition to forming a reliable network for your future. 2. Going Unnoticed in the Classroom Even if you have been spending most of your time designing in the studio or at the computer center, if you don’t participate in classroom discussions, you might go unnoticed by colleagues and teachers. An energetic presence with mindful contributions to classes and presentations will confirm your studio production and help teachers remember you when you need a reference letter or when you are being considered for a researcher assistant position. Besides, having great oral communication skills is essential to landing a great job, and the classroom is a safe place to start practicing. 3. Not Getting Summer Jobs We have already talked about volunteering with your colleagues throughout the term, and you shouldn’t stop during summer break. It’s even more important to go further by getting work experience in an established business. And if you find it difficult to secure a summer job, imagine how hard it will be to get hired in your specific field if you don’t have an efficient strategy. To be prepared for this task, include in your volunteer work some projects coordinated by post-graduate students, since most of them have already worked for small practices such as gardening firms and can give you advice on finding those types of summer jobs. The experience will help you develop transferable skills and improve those you are learning in your studies, all of which are fundamental for your future career. 4. Not Attending Networking Events When it comes to getting hired by larger landscape architecture firms, your network from the university is important, but may be not sufficient. That’s because your colleagues are now your competitors. Your teachers can help you with recommendation letters, but, most of the time, they are not the ones hiring you. The best way to become visible to potential employers is to attend networking events where you can meet representatives of the firms and conclude which ones you are most interested in working with so that you can prepare your portfolio according to their profiles. See also 10 Easy Ways for Landscape Architecture Students to Network with Professionals 5. Not Following Up to Confirm Your Interest Although the events you took part in may seem enough to keep your name in employers’ files, if you don’t follow up, they will probably forget about you. That first interaction was the starting point of your professional relationship, after which you must keep in touch with the businesses and show your interest in working with them. A simple follow-up email will put you ahead of the crowd when it comes time for interviews, because firms prefer to start the hiring process with people they already know. 6. Misusing Social Media Transforming your education, part-time jobs, volunteer work, and skills into public information on the World Wide Web will increase the chances that you will be noticed by employers. Even though a search of a job candidate’s social profile is not enough to fully understand his skills due to the combination of design and practical experience required, it’s becoming common for employers to peruse social media to confirm the information provided in your curriculum. To avoid blurring the lines between your private and professional life, you had better use the specialized social networks for landscape architecture instead of more general ones so that you can link the starting point of your career to the procedures adopted by the employers. We recommend LinkedIN as the basis for your professional social networking profile. 7. Not Adapting the Portfolio You can turn your portfolio into a more efficient tool by keeping it flexible and adapting it according the firm and position you are applying for. In the same way that the trained people who are checking your documents can determine whether you used a general cover letter for different applications, they can also perceive whether you tailored your portfolio especially for that opportunity. Contrary to what some people believe, it does not show that you are forcing an opportunity; instead, it shows that you cared about presenting your work in a special way to better communicate your intentions. It does not mean you are going to produce a different portfolio every time you apply for a job, but that you are highlighting your skills to match different companies’ missions. 8. Skipping Portfolio Reviews You knew that portfolio would be in this list, right? Indeed, it is your main tool to enter the market because it synthesizes all of your skills. From communicating your ideas through sketching and using drawing software to being up-to-date on modern design approaches, from being able to produce technical documents to showing planting knowledge, everything must be displayed clearly and pleasantly. WATCH: Landscape Architecture Portfolio A good way to check if you are on the right track in producing your portfolio is to attend review sessions offered by your school or by supportive organizations. And, of course, ask for feedback after making changes to see if your portfolio has really improved. Don’t miss our hit article 5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Designing Your Portfolio 9. Not Having a Mentor Most of us tend to think that we are self-sufficient in our job search, but, as in other activities of life, we can achieve the best results if someone more experienced is guiding us. Some gaps in curriculum and personal weaknesses can be better perceived by another person than by ourselves. Many of the landscape architecture programs include lists of leading professionals who are available for mentorship. So take advantage of those and find one who can help you avoid mistakes that could turn into obstacles to your career. Your mentor will be able to act as a conductor to bring together all the parts that you are building. 10. Not Attending a Mock Interview The years you have spent studying, volunteering, taking summer jobs, building your portfolio, and forming a network may be ruined by a bad interview. You may be tired of reading tips, attending lectures, and watching videos about this subject, but how often are you taking mock interviews offered by your college or university? We can compare your student years to an athlete’s training — and the interview to the athlete’s moment in real competition. Although an athlete may be well prepared thanks to the training sessions, the pressure during competition can make him more vulnerable to making mistakes. That’s why athletes first compete in the minor leagues — to prepare themselves for the more important ones. So, use them as examples and practice for your job interviews so that you can recover quickly in case you fail in some of the questions. This will help you to achieve a more resilient attitude that will probably be seen as an asset. By following the tips you’ve just read, you will be able to achieve the necessary work experience without compromising your academic production and build a supportive network for your career. They are steps that will help you to transform the anticipated — but also feared — hiring process into a smoother transition from your student routine to a successful professional life. Article written by Tania Gianone Return to Homepage

Landscape and urban design for bats and biodiversity by Kelly Gunnell with contributions from Gary Grant and Dr Carol Williams. While designing landscapes, we often focus only on making the space beautiful, and when it comes to making it also practical, we only think about human users of the designed space. We often forget that our work has immense influence over the environment and the organisms that live in it. Some of the animals are more dependent on the specific conditions than others; bats certainly belong to the first group. The comprehensive handbook on Landscape and urban design for bats and biodiversity by Kelly Gunnell, published by the Bat Conservation Trust, helps all the people responsible for designing our landscapes to make sure they are arranged according to the needs of those rare, magnificent creatures.

Overview The books explains the importance of correct landscape planning for bats. It goes into detailed description of the behaviour of different species of those mammals and how they are affected by their environment. It is divided into three main chapters, according to the way the bats tend to use their habitat: foraging, roosting and commuting. Each of those activities require a very specific landscape to enable the bats to fully prosper. Lack of thereof will inevitably lead to the decreasing of the population and even to the extinction of certain species. Each chapter ends with a summary of its key points, which makes the book easy to refer to at any time. Why should you get it? Kelly Gunell describes exact conditions that need to be met in order to provide the bats with foraging opportunities. She stresses the importance of the right planting, both the species and the pattern, deadwood, urban wetlands and open habitats. The author mentions also rivers and even rain gardens, as well as green walls and roofs, as possible foraging habitats. Get it HERE!

Landscape and Urban Design For Bats

  In the chapter devoted to roosting, the author describes both natural and man-made roosting sites. She specifies the conditions required by all bat species native to the UK for successful roosting. She also gives a detailed account of management of such habitats. Last, but not least, the two final chapters are devoted to commuting and landscape connectivity – corridors and linkages. The author provides an in-depth knowledge of linear features in the environment such as hedges and trees, urban biodiversity, pocket parks, gardens and squares, and eco – passages. She also stresses the importance of limiting the outdoor lighting.

The book is easy to read and very comprehensive. The writing is clear, there is an abundance of the informative tables, graphics and photographs. The layout of the chapters and the range of topics make it a great handbook for both students and professionals. Other book reviews you may be interested in:

• How to Grow a School Garden
• Meadows by Design by John Greenlee
• Botany for Designers

The Landscape and urban design for bats and biodiversity handbook should be an obligatory read for everyone involved with designing landscapes.

Get it HERE! About the author: Kelly Gunnell – Urban Ecologist & Biodiversity Specialist, author of several papers and books on urban biodiversity. She holds a BSc in zoology and journalism and an MSc in conservation genetics of a native trout in the USA. She volunteered for WaterAid and RESET and worked as Built Environment Specialist at the Bat Conservation Trust. Currently she is managing the Ecology Service for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Contributing authors: Gary Grant – an ecologist with a special interest in the urban environment. He has worked in Europe, China and the Middle East on the ecological aspects of city greening for 30 years and has been interested in green roofs since 1992, when he worked on the Horniman Museum Extension. Dr Carol Williams – a chartered biologist , interested especially in bats. She carried out a PhD on the winter ecology of lesser horseshoe bats. She works as a Director of Conservation at the Bat Conservation Trust. Publisher: Bat Conservation Trust Type: paperback Page length: 35 pages Book review and image scans by Marta Ratajszczak Return to Homepage

St. Jacques Ecological Park by Atelier des Paysages- Bruel Delmar. The prize winning project St. Jacques ecological park, located at the bottom of a valley in Saint Jacques de La Lande, Ille et Villaine northwestern France, provides the residents of its surrounding neighborhoods with a vibrant journey amid its natural and agricultural past and present.

The Team That Designed the Ecological Park

  The park is an outcome of the collaborated efforts of the landscape architecture office Atelier des Paysages- Bruel Delmar, LM Communiquer for design and communication, and Michel Danais for environmental and ecological advice.

The Parisian landscape architects and urbanists Anne Sylvie Bruel and Christophe Delmar who had created Atelier des Paysages back in 1989, aim through their designs to answer to the problematics of a territory with an ecological agenda in mind; Something that is made tangible in the fact that several of their designed exterior spaces had been labeled as Ecoquartiers or ecological quarters. Themes and Main Concept The project’s main aim was to bring back the connection of the city of Rennes to the forested landscape of La Villaine. But the park adheres to not only one but many visions. For while the sought out physical continuity to the community played a vital role in the creation of the park, reconciling economic development with the preservation of the natural environment was an important goal as well. The participation of local residents in the design of the park is in addition a factor that provided the inhabitants of the neighborhood with a sense of ownership to the space, thus strengthening the ties of the people to the park. The Implementation The design was implemented in three phases between 2007 and 2013. The first one being in 2008, the second phase in 2010, and the completion of the project took place in 2013. The park has an open form and is located on the dividing line between neighborhoods. Water, water everywhere… Water is a focal feature of the design and helps in forming the shape of the park and asserts its presence on all scales. The latter is applied by the designing of a lake aligned by oak trees and the creation of a reed bed providing phyto-purification of runoff water. A wide range of small constructions such as decks and bridges all help in defining and revealing this topographic and ecological creation. Related Articles:

• Ecological Landscape Design, Embraces Massive Body of Water
• Giant Sized Pergola Creates Ecological Haven
• Kiryat Sefer Park, Tel Aviv, Israel by Ram Eisenberg

Thoughts and Insights St. Jacques ecological park offers a dynamic of renaturalization giving the impression of being a wild place. It engages the inhabitants of the area in the discovery of nature, something which is sadly often lacking among urban dwellers. The smooth lines and simple hardscape features not only set the stage for vegetation to take over and speak for itself, but also remind of the importance of not harming nature with harsh built structures.

The wide open decks and fields also give room for users’ imagination. For while architects and landscape architects always create spaces to be inhabited or used, they sometimes fail to make them flexible and adaptable to the needs of people that evidently do not come in one shape and color. “St Jacques does not conform to the fixed image of a typical park, but aims to be a permanent laboratory for the protection and development of its ecosystems. This dimension, built on geography, history, the use of the land and the passing of time, gives this contemporary park its identity.” Atelier Des Paysages Bruel-Delmar. Recommended Reading:

• Design with Nature by Ian L. McHarg
• Sustainable Urbanism: Urban Design With Nature by Douglas Farr

Article written by Dalia Zein Return to Homepage

Central Plaza in Chiang Rai by shma. The Central Plaza in Chiang Rai designed by shma is a landscape of contrasts. Since this is the first upscale shopping mall in Chiang Rai, Thailand, the landscape architects had an opportunity to set a precedent for future developments in Asia and beyond. The Central Plaza parkscape provides ample public space and gathering area for shoppers and visitors while integrating history, culture, and local identity.

The Central Plaza a Place of Opposites

Mountains vs. Plains The overall design concept for the landscape was inspired by the local mountainous landscape. The rolling mountains and contours of the land are replicated in the paving patterns of the plaza landscape. Undulating topography defines spaces and frames views of the mall entrance and surrounding landscape. This mountainous landscape leads visitors and shoppers to the doors of the flat ‘plains’ inside the shopping mall. Inside vs. Outside Designers distinguished interior and exterior space by allowing the outside to immerse visitors in nature. Each element of the exterior space is influenced by the local mountainous landscape. The curving planter beds and undulating topography of the designed exterior landscape contrasts the boxy and commercialized interior shop space. Visitors can find respite and fresh air while outside in the central plaza space. Hardscape vs. Softscape Careful material selection enhances the naturalistic design of the central plaza. Designers used local materials such as sandwash and terrazzo for hardscape elements including benches and paving. The flexible nature of these materials made creating graceful curves and undulating pavement possible. The varied plant palette and water cascade juxtaposes the hardscape materials of the benches and pavement. Planting pockets filled with lush vegetation and flowing water soften the large event plaza encompassing 1,500 sqm of hardscape. Lower vs. Upper There are multiple levels of defined plaza and promenade space in the exterior mall landscape. The varied elevations of the promenades allows for separation of usage areas as well as gathering places for different size groups with different levels of activity. Upper and lower plazas allow visitors to access storefronts all along the mall. The massive hardscape space of the upper promenade is in contrast to the smaller more intimate lower plazas. Life vs. Death The Red Silk Tree, known locally as the Ngiew tree, is highlighted in living and sculptural form throughout the landscape. The Ngiew tree is popular in Thailand for its dramatic canopy and form as well as the flower, which is a traditional delicacy. The tree is planted throughout the site and is represented in sculpture form as well. Local earth artist, Master Somluk Pantiboon created a five-piece sculpture sitting in the cascading water that depicts the life cycle of the Ngiew flower from bud to death. The sculpture is not only a reference to an important cultural element but a reminder of the changing seasons and the circle of life. Related Articles:

• A Greener Housing Solution Reducing The Impacts in The Neighbourhood
• Residents Get Luxurious Garden and Pool Project in Thailand
• The Garden of Hilton Pattaya by TROP : terrains + open space

Day vs. Night Designers intended the landscape to be accessible during both day and evening hours. Linear lights are mounted under the benches to accentuate the dramatic curved edges that define the spaces of the plaza. The plaza sees the greatest amount of use during the daylight hours, which activates the space while leaving a quiet, relaxing, and restful atmosphere during the evening time. Programmed vs. Unprogrammed The central plaza accommodates all levels of usage and a wide variety of activity levels. Larger spaces such as the upper promenade allow for active use by larger groups socializing and visiting, while smaller spaces are for passive use by those perhaps reading, resting, relaxing, or sharing a quiet conversation with a friend. The fountain provides white noise for areas near by resulting in a relaxing atmosphere for those experiencing the landscape and viewing the sculpture. Public vs. Private The central plaza provides an important destination for those looking to escape consumerism inside the upscale mall. While the mall is on private property, designers worked to define exterior space as an extension of public land much like a city park. The central plaza in Chiang Rai, while full of contrasts, invites all residents to participate the in space whether shopping or relaxing. The park strikes a balance between consumerism and recreation while reflecting the local and natural landscape in the built environment. The Central Plaza sets a precedent for the way designers can marry local culture and natural context with public landscapes. Recommended Reading:

• 1000x Landscape Architecture by Braun Publishing AG (COR)
• Street Design: The Secret to Great Cities and Towns by John Massengale

Article written by Rachel Kruse Return to Homepage

The Canadian Museum of Civilization Plaza, by Claude Cormier Associates, Catinuae, Quebec, Canada.  The Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Quebec, takes its form from the expansive topography of the nation itself, with one end referring to the Canadian shield, the other evoking glaciers, and, in between, an esplanade mimicking the vast expanses of the prairies. The museum, known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization when it opened in 1989, was designed by architect Douglas Cardinal. His drawings for the project sought to emphasize the Canadian landscape, with a pavilion representing glaciers on one end and, on the other, the earth’s crust exposed at the surface in the region called the Canadian Shield.

Although this museum is a major tourist attraction in Canada, with 1.3 million visitors annually, the museum’s plaza —the space between the two pavilions – went largely unused. To remedy this situation, landscape architect Claude Cormier and his team redeveloped the site to give it a more attractive and appealing appearance.

Inspired by the Forms of the Canadian Landscape

  The team was inspired by the architecture of the building and by the meaning of its curves in the landscape. They decided to reinterpret the plaza as a vast meadow with soft, delicate curves – a landscape style also present in Canada.

From Conceptual Inspiration to Site To create these wavy grasslands in urban Quebec, the designers brought in mounds of earth. These they crossed with meandering paths that refer back to the curves of the museum, whose granite pavers marry arabesques drawn by the mounds. The hillocks are mainly planted with grass and dotted with a few trees. Cormier and his team chose different kinds of grasses to vary colors, reflecting the warm hues of Canadian autumn. As in the expanses of the prairie, we imagine these wild grasses dancing in the wind. Related articles:

• Top 10 Public Squares of the World
• Sculptor Creates Major Public Square!
• Revitalizing London’s Finsbury Avenue Square

The choice of grass reflects a very contemporary character and also reflects the need for low-level vegetation so as not to affect the landscape opening on the other side. An additional advantage to this arrangement is that it creates a microclimate in the city, increasing biodiversity and improving air quality while offering passers-by a quality public space in all seasons.

A Contemporary yet Harmonious Project The museum plaza is a contemporary and harmonious project. It is also a brightly colored landscape that demonstrates a perfect integration with the singular decor of the building and takes into account the different components of the site. This space is an attractive and comfortable place, an arrangement in which architecture and garden are complementary, with references to the national Canadian landscape in a place where the history of the country is already mapped out. It is not surprising that this project received the Award of Excellence from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in the landscape management category in 2011. Recommended reading: Becoming an Urban Planner: A Guide to Careers in Planning and Urban Design  by Michael Bayer Article written by Alexandra Wilmet Return to Homepage