Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Al Fayah Park turns heads as Heatherwick Studios plan to create a state of the art lush park in the desert! Landscape design is getting stronger as the days are passing by. Each architect and urban planner is now aware that there is a need for landscape design when we are talking about any land use and the improvement of the city. But, what is stronger is the misconception of sustainability and landscape design. If we analyze the actual status of our cities and the green areas that are within them, we will discover that the reason why landscape design, architecture and urbanism are falling in their purpose is because they follow “old models” of design. In most of the cases, the parks are designed with a goal of creating an English garden. In other situations, client, gardener and architect decide to use big platforms of grass, based on the idea that using grass is more sustainable than proposing other options. These are only two examples of common mistakes architects and clients made in the name of sustainability.

But, this situation is changing and the Al Fayah Park, designed by Heatherwick Studio, is a perfect example of how a landscape project can be successful without using the established canons. In the words of Thomas Heatherwick, the Al Fayah Park is“not a conventional building and it’s not a conventional park. It’s part architecture, part landscape, part cultural destination. It even includes a library.” The main scope of the park’s design is to create an evergreen 125,000 square meter park inside the Abu Dhabi’s desert. Maybe, when we relate Abu Dhabi’s desert with the idea of a park, we think about a project that will affect the natural context of the site instead of improving it. But the architectural and landscape design creates a park that shows its respect to the natural landscape of Abu Dhabi, demonstrates use of modern sustainability concepts and considers a real program of activities to develop in the park. Al Fayah Park Design First of all, the design of the park was only possible by abstracting the irregular patterns presented in the desert’s surface. The design of the canopies, that brings shadow and shelter for the visitors, features a cracked, sabkha, or salt flat landscape. The irregular forms are located 20 meters above ground level, thanks to the use of special columns; their upper parts perform as forums for people to meet. From the inside of the park the canopies make up an organic cathedral ceiling that allows for dappled sunlight to filter through to the park below. The design of the canopies was the main challenge and the key factor in the park functioning successfully. Inside the park, Heatherwick’s design focuses its efforts on the use of lush planting and pools, together with the goal of avoiding, as much as possible, water evaporation. These intentions also have the purpose of creating a strong contrast between the desert’s aspect and the park’s aspect of a natural oasis. The planting palette is based on specific endemic species of Abu Dhabi. These species are palms, bushes, grasses and aquatic species. Together, the different species of plants recreate natural spaces in which the visitor can be in touch with the desert. The natural design of the park is also shown with the distribution of pedestrian paths and activity zones. As a visitor, you can expect to walk the entire park without the concern of being exposed to the extreme heat of the desert. Also, the visitor can be sure that travel through the park is going to be as easy as possible, marked by the presence of tall palms, ponds, cafés, play zones, a library, streams, as well as communal vegetable gardens. The park really functions as an oasis at the middle of Abu Dhabi’s desert and, at the same time, serves as an iconic place which challenges the the concepts of parks, desert and how we interact within our immediate context. As utopic as it sounds, architectural and landscape design doesn’t have any limits. By challenging the old school and established paradigms, new projects such as Al Fayah Park, are destined to change the pre-conceptions that some architects are attached to. At the beginning of the design process, when the Heatherwick design team members were asking each other how to put a park in the middle of the desert, the answer may have begun with one of Buckminster Fuller’s phrases: “dare to be naive”. You may also be interested in reading:  What Landscape Architects Need to Know About Water Shortages An Underground Park – The Lowline Park Article written by Luis Eduardo Guísar Benítez

Week in week out we bring you 10 incredible displays of sketchy talents, showing you that this ancient skill is alive and thriving in a digital age of computers and fancy software packages. The sketches this week are raw and electric with some terrific use of colors and techniques, each one with it’s own unique character, acting as a visual extension of the artists signature. Thank you for making Sketchy Saturday what it is! Here are this week’s Top 10: 10. Sketch by Andrey Chernykh landscape designer from Toronto

“The sketch was done as part of my documentation of my journey to Almaty, Kazakhstan in summer 2013. I was hiking through the mountains and while approaching a turn in the road I witnessed that incredible view, and sketched it in pencil on the spot, then coloured it later on. The medium is watercolour on paper, done in a realistic style”.

9. Alan Ramiro Manning, 4th year Architecture student at Woodbury University, Burbank, Ca.

“The projects intent is to manipulate the existing topography by exploring the tilted plain, and how one can inhabit the constant flux of changing platforms.  The goal is to encourage more movement and activity between programs and spaces by providing pathways that connect to one another by either overlapping, splitting, or intersecting with others.  This sketch is done as a two-point perspective section axon in order to understand what are the possibilities between the interchanging floor plains”. 8. Kristen Kuzdub, Canada ‘This is one of a series of five sketches (drawn with pencil on vellum) that show spatial qualities throughout an Urban Design Proposal for Downtown Winnipeg. This sketch views through the proposed main public square which is surrounded by proposed shops and existing streets, a proposed co-operative building is in the background. It provides a sense of scale and understanding to the design elements for this public square”. 7. Karolina Lopusinska, landscape architect, Birmingham, UK ‘This drawing was made for practice and pleasure purpose to show this beautiful place. It’s Botanical Garden and Glasshouses in Birmingham, UK. The style is my own, with particular attention to study trees and plants form. I used pencils on textured paper.’ 6.María Fernanda Moscoso Calle, Architecture student, Ecuador “I made this sketch when I was studying my first year of architecture. There isn’t a particular location because it was drawn based on a book of painting techniques. The sketch was done in watercolor and paper. The first sketch shows the predominance of cold colors such as blue and green while the second one shows the use of warm colors such as red, yellow and orange. The trees are the product of mix several colors including a touch of black for enhance the shade and make it more realistic”. 5.  Albert C. Del Rosario, Reg, License Architect – (UAP),  Philippines Ok, so this is completely interior, but it was included in our Sketchy Saturday top 10, due to the level of intricate detail that went into it. “The sketch was pen and ink on tracing paper, done (2002) a Dining Room interior design proposal for one of the Saudi Prince, for his house in Morocco. Client requested that the dining room must have the style and feeling of a classic Moroccan, for this royal house is located in “Rabat Morocco”. The interior used Gypsum moldings, cornices and and friezes plus bright colored finish wood beams and corbels on the ceiling. Colorful Handmade Moroccan Mosaic tiles Dado Panels on wall and floor combination with Marble pattern at the center”. 4. Huy Nguyen, M.Arch student at Ball State University, Muncie, IN, USA Peter is becoming a regular contributor to our increasingly popular Sketchy Saturday, you can see his previous work here! Peter expresses an unmistakable style that he uses to create almost dreamlike settings of his landscapes. In this piece of art  feelings of relaxation and calm are created, making this a very inviting and desirable space. 1. Mirsa Gishti There’s something eerie and beautiful about this picture that I just loved, with obvious focus on the building itself, the artist somehow met the challenge of creating intrigue around the edges, to such an extent that you want the artist to sketch more, so we can find out what secrets lie beyond the scene of what is presented. – We hope you enjoy Sketchy Saturday as much as we do, it really is one of the highlights of our daily publications on LAN. What makes this feature so unique is that we create it together, long may it continue! Check out the Sketchy Saturday official Facebook album and see literally hundreds of incredible sketches! 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 Article written by Scott D. Renwick

The recent protests in Taksim Square, Istanbul, and those in Tahrir Square, Cairo, have once again highlighted the power of public space as a tool of protest. The use of public space has always been employed as a way to reflect the economic and socio-political mood. Yet, public space is a fragile thing. The London Occupy Movement highlighted that our public space may not be as public as we think, when protesters were prevented from entering Paternoster Square by a high court injunction taken out by the owners. Public space is important because it is supposed to be just that. Public. For you and me, and the person sitting next to you. It represents our rights, and in all the above cases the right to political protest. The architectural emblem of a society in all its guises — economics, politics, protest, food, fun, and enjoyment and at the same time, the arena for all these constructs is, the public square. In what will culminate as Landscape Architects Network’s Top 100 public squares, we kick off with a general Top 10 Public Squares of the World… 10.  Tahrir Square, Cairo, Egypt

The square unites four main streets and is surrounded by various Egyptian political and cultural institutions (the burnt out NDP headquarters included). Huge underground viaducts provide pedestrian accesses. Overall, a traffic dominated square perhaps, but the recent images illustrate it filled to the brim with the people of Cairo, suggests its power as a site of solidarity and tool for protest. 9. Times Square, New York, USA Times Square is the world’s most buzzing square in the city that never sleeps. The constant stimuli make it an absolute “eyegasm” and complete sensory overload, but it’s an incredible experience! 8.  Plaza de Armas, Cuzco, Peru As the center of the ancient Inca capital, the plaza is richly layered with history.  From its foundation to the Spanish arcades that surround the square and the more modern formal layout, the square, with its hard and soft landscape, acts as a healthy, beating heart to the city. 7.  Rynek Główny, Kraków, Poland Voted the world’s best square by Project for Public Spaces in 2005, the Main Square in Krakow certainly has its virtues. It is accessible to pedestrians from 13 different points and one of the best car-free squares in Europe, as it is generally only accessible via foot. 6. Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia This modern square was opened in 2002 to much controversy. Often voted one of the ugliest places due to the deconstructivist style of the buildings, the square has come to be very successful. Why so? Well, with a constant stream of entertainment, dining and free Wi-Fi, it’s always busy with people. 5. St Peter’s Square, (Piazza San Pietro), Vatican City Is there a square anywhere else in the world as impressive as Bernini’s masterpiece? Baroque grandeur at its best. St. Peter’s Square is a plaza of huge proportions located directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City, the papal enclave surrounded by Rome, directly west of the neighbourhood or rione of Borgo. An old Egyptian obelisk sits at the centre of the square dating back four thousand years, which was erected at the current site in 1568. Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed the square almost 100 years later, as well as including the massive Tuscan colonnades, four columns deep, which embrace visitors in “the maternal arms of Mother Church.” 4. Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom The square in London. Since its inception by the great British architect John Nash, the square has been a source of pride for all Brits. Moreover, it is a constant stage of art, culture, and other events. Related Articles:

• Sugar Beach: The Design That Makes Your Teeth Hurt
• Stunning Residential Development Brings The Beach to The Residents
• The Garden of Hilton Pattaya by TROP: terrains + open space

3. Red Square (Krasnaya ploshchad), Moscow, Russia

Surrounded by significant buildings – St Basils, the Kremlin, Lenin’s mausoleum, Red Square is a wonder to behold. It is often considered not just the central square of Moscow, but all of Russia as the city’s major streets, which connect to Russia’s major highways, originate from Red Square. 2. Piazza del Campo, Siena, Italy A Tuscan red, shell-shaped piazza that hosts a horse raise – the Palio di Siena – twice a year. What’s not to love? The ingenuity of the medieval square, the cultural buildings around its perimeter, warm colors, and rich textures make the square, always filled with people, one of the best experiences of public space in the world! 1. Naghsh-e Jahaan Square, Isfahan, Iran One of the world’s most beautiful squares, with a wonderful area of luscious green in the middle. Lined with shops, filled with cafes, with the great Shah Mosque to the north this square will leave you breathless. Its other name Naqah-e Jahan Square means ‘Image of the World Square’. The public square is a place for enjoyment, but recent global events have highlighted the very important symbolic nature of our public places. Public space is the realm where the theory of politics, economics, and society collide with the reality of politics, economics, and society. As landscape architects, we — alongside our collaborators — must remember this. “We are in the business of placemaking” is a popular phrase. We are, we can be, so much more than that — places are for people. We serve society. Recommended Reading: 

• The New Structuralism: Design, Engineering and Architectural Technologies by Rivka Oxman
• The Art of Construction: Projects and Principles for Beginning Engineers & Architects (Ziggurat Book)  by Mario Salvadori

Article by Sonia Jackett Return to Homepage Featured image: “Creative Commons  Times square at night 2013 New York City , Manhattan” by Chensiyuan is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Designer Amir Schlezinger creates a luxurious floating roof garden. This 2500-square-foot northwest facing private roof terrace is situated on the 7th floor of Bridge House – the first of 5 towers at St George Wharf – the flagship development of St George PLC. The client, a recruitment consultant, asked me to rework what was a barren landscape of concrete slabs and withered plants to create a low maintenance Mediterranean entertainment space – the highlight of what is otherwise a rather small apartment. This was to be arguably the largest landscaped terrace on the Thames. The Site 

The client had acquired the apartment off-plan having had a great eye for its potential. Yet the task at hand was a daunting one: the exposure to vicious winds from the west, the baking heat and ferocious pollution due to Vauxhall Bridge’s relentless traffic and river vehicles meant careful design considerations. Additionally, there was a privacy issue with the other buildings in the development towering above the terrace. Yet the client stirred the project with determination and vision: he had already hired out both apartment and terrace for television and film shoots so he knew this could be a great adventure. The crowning glory was the river views: The cinematic James Bond feel with the MI6 building to the right framed by the London Eye and Houses of Parliament in the distance and Battersea Power Station to the left, basked in the setting sun. The access and logistics seemed impossible at first – how were we to remove 10 tonnes of concrete and import 20 tonnes of fresh materials 25 meters in the air via an enclose courtyard down below? The client found a furniture lift company whose smart little trucks could lift 300kg in 20 seconds in the smallest of spaces – this was the lifeline we needed. So myself and 6 guys put our aprons on for the whole summer; we had everything we needed including a great client who understood construction and had just managed to finish the London Marathon, despite his asthma… The Design My first reaction was to work with the unusual boat shape of the building – this meant repeating its contours for a congruous outline even though it was to be slightly formal and symmetrical – an attitude I rarely get to employ in my otherwise more abstract designs. That said, this formed a strong, solid layout that would sit comfortably in its surroundings yet be minimalist – fitting within my design vocabulary and intent. Ironically, the building managed to win a derogatory accolade having been voted in the top 20 ugliest structures in London… It also had every other terrace in the site peering into the space. The living room was set as a cinema room with darkened glass, curtains and a giant projector. All these architectural, visual and amenity factors meant the surfaces needed simplicity and the planting a certain formality to create screening. Curved raised beds situated at the centre would anchor the design, framing the steps to the upper area. I selected Blanc de Bierges slabs to form the main area, contrasting with an iroko deck detailed in varying board widths. An artificial grass covers the top section which was a cost effective solution, provided 3 holes for mini-golf and added much-needed verdancy when not much in the way of green is in the background. The only items remaining from the original scheme were the solid wood furniture – a great asset for this windy site when heftiness is an asset against levitation. The nautical theme is extended with the use of the light fittings, some of which take the shape of port holes. The curved iroko coping for the raised beds were produced using a template, which was then manufactured using a steaming technique to bend the wood. The Build The first mission was to install a tap – a dismal oversight by the developer and one where no decent terrace could be realised even with the toughest plants. The kitchen floor had to be rebuilt to accommodate this. The furniture lift company had inducted us for a self-operating machine that luckily could be parked in the contractor car park as the site was still in development. Every morning glass panels were removed from the handrail, the ground courtyard garden secluded and the foreman would use a harness and lanyard to anchor himself when deliveries were sent up and down. Health and Safety First! The heavy wind meant a lot of levitation for light weight materials so health and safety regulations slowed down the process. The Director of St George even asked us to bracket down the deck to a concrete slab sub-layer to eliminate any possibility of wind lift. Such a lengthy build period allowed me some great tweaks as the central London location was handy. At least half of the theoretical detailing needed altering on site, but with a forward thinking foreman there is nothing that cannot be achieved. A fine example would be the strict requirement for the access to no less than 13 abseiling points from which the entire outside of the building is cleaned. These were fabricated meticulously so they integrate seamlessly without hindering the flow of the design. The planting During the build I was lucky to travel to specimen plant nurseries in Tuscany where I was able to select quality plants for the project. I decided not to use any plants that would be much higher than the glass handrail panels as they will simply be torn to shreds by the wind. This however would fit brilliantly with the Mediterranean concept – a region I grew up in and familiar with. Six Agave americana specimens provide solid anchoring focal points for the curved central raised beds. The Agaves are echoed with variegated Yuccas dotted around the edges of the upper area. I love the stillness of those architectural plants with their foliage in sharp relief against the skyline. Grasses and Mediterranean herbs, perennials and succulents soften the more sculptural plants and provide movement, tactility and scent. A tall clipped Box hedge gives privacy and wind protection, echoed on a smaller scale by planting a pygmy variety by the curved windows of the living room. Cinematic effect In addition to the client’s agent hiring out the terrace for television programs, films and video shoots I have had quite a few interesting proposals such as yoga videos, photo shoots and social events. With the client enjoying the benefits of house exchanges and his love for New York, many tourists had the chance to stay in this apartment and enjoy the terrace while he enjoys theirs… The occasional duck family takes over once in a while and make the newspapers with their offspring floating in a paddling pool offered by the client; not unusual for river terraces in London! The client is now living on a boat in Chelsea… But the new owner got in touch and discussion is ongoing to improve the terrace after 10 years of good use… See other designs by Amir: Contemporary Japanese Garden in The English Countryside Stunning Contemporary Garden Design! Completion: October 2003 Length of build: 3 months Cost: $200,000 Location: St George Wharf, England, UK Follow Amir on his Facebook page or check out his website mylandscapes Design by Amir Schlezinger.

Australian Garden at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, by TCL Landscape Architecture Urban Design. The Australian Garden at The Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne has been awarded the prestigious title of World Architecture Festival Best Landscape Project 2013. It also features as No. 2 in Landscape Architects Network’s Top 10 World Class Landscape Architecture Projects of 2013, by Paul McAtomney. In this review, we take a closer look at one of Australia’s most remarkable landscape architecture projects in recent history. Royal Botanic Gardens The Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne are a division of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne. The Cranbourne gardens are situated approximately 45 kilometers from the center of Melbourne and are dedicated to showcasing the astounding diversity of Australian native flora. In fact, they are the world’s first botanical gardens dedicated exclusively to Australian native flora.

History The site on which the Australian Garden is situated was originally used for sand quarrying, but was set aside for the botanical gardens in the 1970s. Planning started in the mid-1990s, with the first phase being completed in 2006. The second phase officially opened in October 2012. Design The Australian Garden was designed by Taylor Cullity Lethlean with specialist botanical consultation and collaboration from renowned landscape architect Paul Thompson of Plant Design Pty Ltd.  Paul also featured in our Top 10 Names in Planting Design. Two things that really set the Australian Garden apart are the sheer diversity of flora used in the design and the way in which these plants are employed to tell the story of Australia’s diverse range of habitats. The design of the Australian Gardens at Cranbourne covers more than 25 hectares and contains 170,000 plants, showcased within 15 individually themed landscape areas. Landscape Typologies Individual areas within the garden are designed to take the visitor on a conceptual journey through a range of Australian landscape typologies, from the arid interior of the continent through riverbeds, to river deltas and coastal landscape character types. The Australian Garden truly is a microcosm of the Australian landscape. River Walk The River Walk uses gravel to form a meandering dry riverbed with mature trees to provide shade. Open water with waterside planting showcases Australian marginal flora. This space also contains a large timber amphitheater for teaching. Howson Hill Howson Hill rises from the north bank of River Walk and provides picturesque views across the Australian Garden. The hill conceptually represents Australia’s forested higher ground and contains many rare and endangered Mallee Eucalyptus trees. Red Sand Garden The Red Sand Garden lies at the heart of the Australian Garden, and is the conceptual reference to Australia’s vast interior landscape. The predominance of red sand offers the perfect foil to planted circles of saltbush (Atriplex sp.) and crescent shapes of earth mounding that mimic the forms of the Australian desert. The ‘Take Home’ Experience The Australian Garden at Cranbourne aims to be truly didactic. The garden goes beyond displaying native flora, and seeks to show the diverse range of landscape typologies found in Australia and showcase its natural flora in as close to their natural habitat as possible. Exhibition Gardens The Exhibition Gardens are domestic-scale gardens that offer visitors examples of how they can use Australian native flora in their own gardens. In this way, the Australian Garden not only raises awareness of native flora, but demonstrates how it can be used by members of the public, thus increasing the impact of the Australian Garden beyond its physical boundaries. Below: Put on your dancing shoes for this techno overview of the Australian Gardens! A Garden Greater than the Sum of its Parts At the individual scale, each garden area within the Australian Garden at Cranbourne is beautifully designed and constructed. Careful consideration has gone into how areas such as the Red Sand garden can be manifestations of cultural landscape interpretations, while areas such as the River Walk offer visitors the opportunity to go on a conceptual voyage of hundreds, if not thousands, of miles within a single garden. As a whole, the Australian Garden goes beyond merely showcasing Australian native flora, achieving a didactic experience of value that visitors can “take home” with them and implement in their own gardens. Recommended reading: Landscaping With Australian Plants (ebook) Article written by Ashley Penn Featured image: Credit Peter Hyatt

Claudia Schwarzer from Bio Piscinas gives us a detailed account of her own experience of designing and creating natural swimming pools. In the 20 years I have worked as a landscape architect in Portugal, my firm has designed more than 170 swimming ponds, 40 for tourist use. So I know the challenges of placing water features into the Mediterranean landscape. For me and for our clients, it is important to design the swimming ponds to be as natural as possible, so that they look like they have always been there. I am used to working with living things, like gardens and parks. But for me, a swimming pond goes far beyond the sum of its parts. It is biologically alive, offering more than just a place to swim. Swimming in a pond allows us to get close to nature in an extraordinary way — diving with frogs, smelling the sweet perfume of the water lily. It’s enchanting and inviting for everyone, even those who are not yet nature lovers.

Designing swimming ponds is my favorite work as a landscape architect. What I especially like about designing a swimming pond is that it is a classic case of interdisciplinary work; we have to bring together ecology, botanics, geology, hydrology, biology, limnology, climatology, water chemistry, design, landscape aesthetic, and so on. And our intuition and experience with landscape is important, as well. I find it very helpful to work with my husband, Udo Schwarzer. As a biologist, he has a very different approach to our work, and together we can answer a wide range of questions asked of a swimming pond project. Swimming ponds are also very exciting constructions. They provide for natural bathing with no ill effects on human health or the environment. They allow swimmers to experience natural bathing water, free of chlorine or any other chemical additives, and to become one with their natural surroundings. At the same time, an ecosystem is establishing itself into our designed water feature. Yes, we created this habitat, but it is nature that brings life to the swimming pond. No matter how many times I experience it, it is always a surprise for me: the encounter with the enormous power and creativity of life. The artificial ecosystem, planted by man, is very quickly colonized by wildlife. Frogs seem to come from nowhere — sometimes only questioning a matter of hours. Swallows drop in for a dip of water while flying, and dragonflies soon hunt over the new water mirror. It’s always astonishing to see how quickly life takes over what we have designed. When configured well, the growth of aquatic micro-cosmos automatically offers recreational water quality. It is fascinating to watch this with every new pond, not only for me, but for our clients and fans. Swimming ponds look very simple, but they are not. Creating something that looks like a simple pond takes a lot of knowledge. It is a demanding job to create a stable, dynamic equilibrium of the ecosystem, to be sure that it will work as it should the whole year round and into the future. I would like to call it applied biotechnology or biomimicry. We have created a wide range of swimming pond types. In addition to the very natural-looking swimming pond of our own brand, piscinas biológicas®, we have also transformed swimming pools and water basins into ponds. When we have very limited space available, or if we want to create very architectonical water features for swimming — for example, an infinity edge — we have to come up with other solutions, like working with external filtering systems. In these situations, we apply biological substrate filters in which the water pours through special gravel layers coated with a biofilm that is a kind of living filter matrix, cleaning the water of particles and nutrients. Those types of filters are often used in our swimming ponds built for tourist houses, where the frequency of bathers is higher than in installations for private use. Water, of course, is one of the essential and main components for a swimming pond.Together with a colleague from Austria, we have developed software for interpretation of water analysis, called POND ANALYST, to avoid traps and mistakes related to water chemistry in swimming ponds. Every project starts with an analysis of the filling water. Even with our long experience, we use the program for every one of our projects, simply for quality reasons. POND ANALYST gives us valuable hints about certain mineral amounts of the filling water and how they will interact with the right plants. We use a wide variety of water plants, produced exclusively for our projects in a nursery. This nursery was installed by our initiative, because our plant choices and plant functions are crucial for every swimming pond project. Underwater plants are of special importance, not only for oxygen for the ecosystem, but also for filtering zooplankton for the biological filtering system. In doing so, we can make sure that the water is of recreational quality, transparent, and free of harmful bacteria. We feel that chlorine’s time is running out; people are beginning to realize that chlorinated water is harmful for human health and the environment. Our clients in Portugal love the soft and smooth chlorine-free water, which means no dry skin and no red eyes anymore after having a swim. They and many other people in the world, and as well an increasing number of authorities, are switching their allegiance to natural swimming pools. Swimming ponds are eco-friendly and sustainable. This is the future! For more information and projects from Bio Piscinas, Lda. check out www.biopiscinas.pt Recommended reading:  Natural Swimming Pools: (Schiffer Design Books)  by Michael Littlewood Garden Pools and Swimming Ponds Design, Construction, and Landscape by Richard Weixler Article written by guest writer Claudia Schwarzer

Habima Square: Tel Aviv’s Cultural Plaza as a Work of Art

Tel Aviv’s Habima Square, which connects Chen and Rothschild boulevards, hosts a number of cultural venues, including Habima Theatre, Mann Auditorium, and Helena Rubinstein Pavillion for Contemporary Art. Also known as Orchestra Plaza, the square’s importance to the city is undeniable. However, its design generated a few controversies when a sculptor, rather than a landscape architect, was put in charge of the project. The situation raises questions such as: Should the space be considered a work of art rather than a public space? Will it function as such? Are landscape architects the only professionals capable of designing outdoor spaces? These are not easy questions to answer.

The Plaza

In the late 1920s, while designing Tel Aviv’s master plan, Patrick Geddes proposed the idea of establishing a cultural center. The area he chose was instead used as a plant nursery from the 1930s to the 1950s. It then was used as an agricultural farm, a soccer field, and a parking lot before it finally was turned into a modern “Acropolis” in 2010 — as envisioned by Geddes many decades before.

Habima Square, sponsored by Tel Aviv’s municipality to comemorate the city’s 100th anniversary, echoes the rigid architecture of the surrounding buildings, with their bold and incisive geometric patterns. The main features include a sunken garden with colorful flower beds, a beautiful reflective pool right in the center of the plaza, and a series of arches and a line of trees that lead to Rothschild Boulevard. The Designer Internationally renowned painter and sculptor Dani Karavan was in charge of the plaza’s design. Karavan’s father, Avraham, was the city’s official landscape designer (he also maintained the municipal nursery where the plaza is now located), but father and son’s approaches are quite different when it comes to designing a square. Karavan’s proposition aimed at creating a minimalist and refined plaza to match the architectural language of the White City. He sought to create a bright and optimistic square to be used and enjoyed by the public. The artist opted for light-colored tiling and kept the sunken garden reminiscent of the old nursery. Despite all the dedication, planning, and hard work, the designer remains dissatisfied with the results, as things have not happened quite as planned. Renovation and Controversy Lack of shade is an issue at Habima Square, as the trees planted will only be big enough to provide proper shade in another few years. The choice of a light color for the surface, which seemed so appropriate, is said to cause glare and consequent visual discomfort. Maintenance is a predominant issue, as well: The fragile sculptures designed by Karavan need constant supervision, which is quite difficult in such a busy public space. Looking at the bright side, the plaza’s worn-out parts could be considered a sign of intense use — a good indicator of public approval. Collaborative Work Habima Square is definitely not an ordinary public space. It is an elegant, open area inserted in an exciting, culturally rich setting. An artistic approach was indeed necessary here to reflect the cultural atmosphere of the surrounding venues. Below: A  really cute overview of Habima Square We would not dare to criticize such a talented artist’s work, but we do encourage a more interdisciplinary approach during the planning process. Landscape architecture is such a complex activity; achieving the perfect public open space means embracing the knowledge of artists, gardeners, climatologists, psychologists, social workers, agronomists, engineers, and so on. Such a difficult task calls for a holistic approach to design, something that should be considered by all contemporary professionals. Article written by Julia Lucchese

Short Youtube videos have to be one of modern day life’s little perks, information at your fingertips, instant gratification and if you’re lucky you may just discover something! However if we’re being totally honest, how often are we watching these short flashes of entertainment out of procrastination as opposed to learning something? We’ve complied a list of Youtube’s finest videos that will keep the landscape architect inside you entertained without the guilt of procrastination! 1. Tiger Stone Road Paving Machine  You can’t help but look at this video and be in awe of the sheer awesomeness of it’s engineering prowess, how many countless hours would it save, how much back breaking labor could be avoided and how much faster would they get quality roads built? One thing everybody points out about this video is the machines inability to go around tight bends and corners, but I don’t think we can really hold that against it, given how much work it could do. This video was viewed over 2,000,000 times 2. I Want to be a Landscape Architect The ultimate reference video for anybody who wants to learn more about landscape architecture. This epic video effectively takes the broadness of landscape architecture and somehow ties it up into a perfect and exciting video. The producers Room60 certainly did the profession proud! This video was viewed over 130,000 times 3. Tree Transplanting with ArborCo Melbourne Never before has moving a tree been so EPIC! With the carefully selected music and pop up windows in the video this is a must watch. The only thing this video is missing is an action hero and some explosions. You can check out this professional Australian based  Arborists at  www.arborco.com.au This video was viewed over 640,000 times

4. The Dubai Fountain – Time to Say Goodbye

We all love a water feature, and we all love landscape lighting as it always manages to enhance the landscape and create a whole new experience. Watch what happens when you take an incredible water feature and cross it with one of world’s most loved and powerful songs, the results are sensational. The only thing better than this video would be to go to Dubai and see it for real! This video was viewed over 720,000 times. 5. 100 Year Old Compton Oak Move Successful in League City It’s certainly no secret that trees do not want to be moved. When you decide to move any tree, you always have to account for risk and the older the tree the bigger the risk; which makes moving a 100 year old Oak tree all the more impressive. This video was viewed over 220,000 times. 6. The History of Man – The Ugly Version It’s hard to tell if this video is incredibly sad or incredibly entertaining. Easily one of the best environmental animations I ever seen. With its friendly, non-abrasive way of telling the truth, this is the video everybody needs to see! Animation created in Flash and After Effects looking at mans relationship with the natural world. Music: In the Hall of the Mountain King by Edvard Grieg. This video has been viewed over 8,700,000 times 7. Beautiful Minds: Stephen Wiltshire Hand drawing skills are an integral part of landscape architecture, always have been, always will be, but what this artist did would put even the most talented landscape architect to shame,  the extent of his ability will leave your mind blown. This video was viewed over 3,460,000 times. 8. Thomas Heatherwick’s ‘Spun’ installation in Southbank Centre Square Finally somebody decided that the landscape could be fun for adults, yes that’s right apparently we don’t have to give up playing once we enter into adult hood, there is hope and landscape architects are bringing it. This video was viewed over 34,000 times. 9. Hypnotizing Wind Machine WARNING! This may be the last video you ever watch. The powerful hypnotic effects and mesmerizing music will take you to your happy place. This is the most shared video we have ever had on our Facebook page! What I love about this piece of art is the organic feel of it, it’s not just a sculpture, it’s alive, it’s moving so organically it’s like looking at some exotic jellyfish on the national geographic. Check out the artist’s website: Anthony Howe Thanks for checking out our 9 Unmissable Youtube Videos for Landscape Architects, proving that you can learn something relevant and procrastinate at the same time. We know there’s more, if you know of a Youtube video that landscape architects would benefit from and which is also entertaining, please leave a comment or email us your suggestion to office@landarchs.com See also: Top 10 Documentaries for Landscape Architects 9 Unmissable Youtube Videos for Landscape Architects (Part 2) Article written by Scott D. Renwick Feature image: Youtube printscreen

Aspire Public Art Lighting Project by Warren Langley Public art is an essential ingredient in creating a city’s built environment. It can often be inspirational and joyous — or sometimes just downright annoying and painful to look at. Regardless, public art should make us stop, or at least slow down, and take in our surroundings. But most importantly, the pieces should make us think. Public art can provide a design narrative and promote a range of educational, environmental, and social messages that would otherwise go unnoticed by the visually inept. Best of all, it’s free to view! No tickets, no queuing, and no screaming kids (not as many, anyway). Sydney’s public art scene is a bit of a mixed bag, with its sometimes-dire installations attracting all kinds of criticism. One permanent artwork that has managed to dodge most of the aforementioned criticism is a glowing, golden forest of trees dubbed “Aspire”. What’s it about?

The project is the result of a collaborative community art project 10 years in the making, with Australian artist Warren Langley commissioned to conceive the final design. Langley has more than 30 years’ experience in public artworks and is renowned worldwide for his light and landscape installations. With light as the principle material, Langley’s glowing forest is constructed from high-density polyethylene, with economic and ecological sustainability being considered in the selection of materials. Sensitivity to the nuance of site is increasingly valued in today’s world, and Aspire adheres to that appropriateness of place. The design references the community uprising of a nearby street, which resulted in the preservation of local housing that was to have been demolished for a highway. So, despite being visually enticing, what purpose do these trees serve? It’s common knowledge that highway underpasses aren’t the most vibrant sites to behold, so this lambent display attempts to strengthen the pedestrian link underneath the highway overpass that connects two suburbs, thus transforming a dark and unattractive area into a glowing public gallery. At a glance, the trees appear to actually be holding up the dominating piece of infrastructure. They can be appreciated at close quarters by pedestrians and from afar by passing traffic. My take on the matter I strongly advocate the use of lighting to reduce the risk of being out at night; after all, bright lights make us feel safer. But around the world, there is an enormous amount of unnecessary overuse of light at night. It’s a basic evolutionary fact that we humans are diurnal creatures – meaning our eyes have adapted to living in the sun’s light. Light pollution and its damaging effects have only recently been fully realized by scientists. Largely the result of poorly designed lighting, light pollution allows artificial light to shine outward and upward into the sky, where it’s not wanted, instead of focusing it downward, where it is. Various cities in Europe and America have introduced programs that turn off street lights for at least part of the night – with Berlin and Copenhagen already having much lower levels of light than many of their counterparts. With your city potentially calling “lights out” at night in the near future, permanent artworks like Aspire are figuratively — and literally — a shining light. While personal safety has been the usual justification for copious lighting at night, research indicates that there are mixed opinions. Admittedly, I don’t believe that one can manufacture safe urban amenity on a site by simply installing public art, but as stated earlier, I think what really matters here is the feeling of safety induced by well-designed lighting. Experienced and perceived safety is crucial if we hope to have people embrace city space. Artworks that engage with the community provide a great sense of place and encourage ownership from residents and visitors alike. Public art is all around; sometimes it’s just a matter of knowing where to look. It’s not exactly a great look to be loitering beneath highway overpasses, but with sustainable lighting installations such as Aspire, it’s accepted – and you won’t be labeled a creep. Hopefully. For more outstanding art projects by Warren Langley check out his website Article written by Paul McAtomney

We always have a blast with our weekly edition of Sketchy Saturday, we love getting to know you all on another level and offering a platform to the world for you to express your talent and help get your work the recognition it deserves. Well done to all of those who made it into the top 10 this week, with so many entries and so much incredible drawing skills out there, this is no easy feat. Thank you so much for making Sketchy Saturday what it is, here’s this week’s top 10! 10. by Kevin O’Neil, independent artist

“I am an independent artist in the U.S.A. This drawing is graphite pencil and represents a style that I have been developing over the last several years. It is inspired by an attempt to fuse traditional styles such as “Beaux-Arts ” and “Art Nouveau”, with post-modern construction methods and materials to create an aesthetic that pays homage to the old, while incorporating elements of contemporary innovation”.

Landscape architecture is a multidisciplinary field of study where if you are not provided with some basic guidelines, you might find yourself confused and frustrated. Working long hours on a computer can be fruitful, but you can sometimes get bogged down. Here are some tips to make life as a landscape architecture student a little bit easier! 1. Don’t forget this button combination: Ctrl + S Make it a ritual to save your work when finishing an element from a drawing, or hit Ctrl + S at set intervals, such as every 10 minutes. This habit will pay off many times over. A great life hack is to put a sticky note on the side of your computer with the reminder “Don’t forget Ctrl + S”. 2. Don’t depend only on the Internet for inspiration and references. 

There are great landscape architecture books that will open your eyes to things you didn’t even know exist. For example, designing a meadow – enough with the predictable, luscious green carpet in each garden; try something new. Books also offer another level of credibility for what you are learning, allowing you to cross-reference among different resources. Besides, it is great fun to go to the nearest library and choose from the dozens of books related to the field. See all our recommend book reviews! 3. Don’t forget to print your designs as a draft It is very convenient to work on a computer that has dozens of programs, but when it comes to corrections the best way is the old fashioned drawing on the paper. Print out your computer aided work on A4 or A3 sheets in black and white to check them. It can give you a better view of the entire project. 4. Don’t forget to get your hands dirty! Stay closer to nature: Observe it, explore it. Create your first designs in your own garden. Be a hands-on designer, not a designer who can only relate to computer programs. 5. Don’t draw on a black screen in AutoCAD. First, because doing so is very outdated and second, because you can see right away the effect of the colors you have chosen and if they work well or not, helping you to avoid editing later after the full drawing is finished. See also our 10 AtuoCAD hacks for beginners! 6. Don’t ignore opportunities to take part in student competitions. You can find a high concentration of innovative and exciting ideas in student competitions, and it is a great way to make new friends who have the same interests as you. You can compare yourself with others and learn what you need to work harder on and what you are really good at. 7. Don’t think for a second you’re on or ahead of schedule! If somethings important and you can do it now, DO IT NOW! You may think you’re on schedule, you may even think your ahead of schedule and you can afford to slow it down and watch re-runs of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. However if there is one thing that will bite you in the ass time and time again it’s a false sense of security. Especially where time is concerned. The unpredictable can and will happen, you’ve experienced it, you know it so why not account for it! See also 5 Common Habits of Successful Landscape Architecture Students Knowing what NOT to do may be just as important as knowing what to do. Often progress isn’t hindered because of a lack of ambition or motivation, but by not being aware of simple common mistakes that we not only make but we’re in the habit of making on a repetitive basis. Our biggest obstacle to success is that we don’t allow ourselves to be successful; stop getting in your own way! Hopefully these steps have triggered a change in your habits and allow you to progress and excel with your education. Article written by Slavyana Popcheva

Designer Amir Schlezinger creates a stunning urban contemporary garden design. This 39-square-meter private garden is situated at the back of a terrace modern house near the Arsenal football stadium and Highbury Fields in north London, an incredibly dense urban area in the central part of the city. The owners, an Italian family, had recently moved in and wanted to modernize the outdoor space so that it was on par with the architecture of the house and their rich interior style of modern furniture and contemporary art. There was a great mutual understanding between the clients and myself right from the outset – I love walking into a space for the first time and leaving after a couple of hours encouraged by not only a clear vision of what needs to be done, but also the full support of an inspirational client. The husband – an investment banker; the wife – an attorney; and their two young children, a boy and a girl, gave me pretty much an open brief; there were no must haves or don’ts, and this was not to be a children’s play area, either — except for a bike storage cupboard we were able to situate beyond the garden perimeter, luckily. The garden faces north, but is open on the east and west. The Site

The house is part of 11 townhouses developed seven years previously to a high standard, yet the gardens were laid to railway sleepers, stepping stones, and gravel, which were completely out of keeping with the buildings. However, my immediate reaction was to retain the semi-mature tree specimens, as they provided instant scale – I have immense respect for any mature planting and, unless it is dangerous or totally out of context, will do my best to retain it and work around it. Offset to the left there was a magnificent, six-meter-tall Cordyline australis. Behind the palm was a valuable clump of Phyllostachys nigra and opposite two Butia capitata Jelly palms and a Yucca gloriosa “Variegata”. I was in my element – these are some of my favorite plants, and having those meant more of the budget could be spent on hard landscaping, which I had envisioned some rich detailing for. The fact that the house has four stories and that the garden can be viewed easily from each level meant that a strong ground pattern was very important in order to enhance the visual aerial experience. The Design The space appeared square and had a decent “hit-and-miss” fence on both sides, which meant I could paint it a dark color and tint the large back wall with a lighter shade. This technique makes the space appear longer and reduces the dominance of the back wall. I decided to triangulate lines between the existing specimen plants – luckily, this resulted in pure cross symmetry, in which the surfaces avoid damage to the roots and in turn demarcates the areas in which they are planted, thus appearing as if this was the original intention. Here I could introduce a couple of techniques I usually use on roof terraces – inserting LED light strips between the surfaces to create an additional layer of drama at night and powder-coated planters to add focal points. As the linearity of the design emerged, I felt that I needed a curve to contrast it; with the trunk of the Cordyline situated perfectly to the left, I could wrap around it a sinuous steel bench. This bench will appear lightweight, with only a six-millimeter plate as the seat with see-through leg supports so the surfaces would continue underneath to maximize the appearance of the space. The same powder-coating would then provide the finish to match the planters. A pair of curved, tall vases were specially designed for this project to amplify the curve of the bench and add a touch of height to the righthand side by the house – seen through a window. The first surface immediately outside the large glass doors is a gray flamed granite – this finish sparkles and the color blends in with the gray of the frames of the windows. The granite contrasts dramatically with the limestone, which is veined and slightly textured – this provides a tone that helps to mute harsh sunlight radiating in the morning and afternoon. The central bay features artificial grass – this gives real pull into the garden with its verdancy. From there on, the granite and limestone alternate again. The right fence, facing west, is clothed with evergreen Jasmine, while the left fence is extended further up for security – being end of terrace in a relatively high-crime area, a three-meter boundary was necessary. To contrast the dark fence, I designed a western red cedar cladding section in which three size battens alternate to create a dynamic pattern. To complete the last focal point on the righthand side at the back, a Prunus serrula tibetica multi-stemmed tree was planted in the limestone – it adds to the collection of interesting bark plants. Detailing Detailing in such a small urban space is extremely important, as it has potential to narrate the space, infuse contrast, and enrich the tactile experience. And so, matching stone samples, tweaking the surfaces, adding various aggregates to mulch any open planting beds, choosing paint colors, and even experimenting with the grouting shade for the paving are all paramount. It is an inherent element of the scheme to create rich yet subtle layers in which one can experience the craft of the design throughout all the scales and volumes of the garden. I used three types of granite in decreasing scales to compliment the paving from boulders to cobbles and chippings. White pebbles were used to add to the tone of the limestone, while the sable color of the planters and bench compliment the tone of the back wall. The distinction between the layers creates a sharp contrast – this contrast is one of the most important aspects of articulating a small urban space. The result is a low-maintenance, private, personal, yet liveable outdoor space that can be enjoyed on any day of the year. Legacy This was a great challenge for the whole team involved, and having free rein from the client enabled trying new blends of materials and lighting. Working in the summer of 2012 in London was an intensely exciting period: the Olympics, the Shard opening and for my practice, a bit of luck with a series of high-profile projects. Interestingly, this project hardly satisfied any immediately apparent reasons for celebration, but the minute the last slab of limestone received its final coat of sealant and all the tools were cleared, something felt pretty special. The space proved photogenic, and there was this constant and lasting elation from the client throughout the whole process, which sort of blessed the space. I return every other season to photograph, and since completion we have continued to make some subtle additions, such as interior planting, lighting improvements, and additional planting in the garden. See also Amir’s Contemporary Japanese Garden in The English Countryside Completion: June 2012. Length of build: 3 weeks. Cost: $35,000. Location: Highbury, north London, England, UK. Design and photographs by Amir Schlezinger Check out his website mylandscapes See more designs and updates from Amir on the mylandscapes Facebook page Recommended reading: The Contemporary Garden Editors of Phaidon Press, reviewed on LAN Color by Design: Planting the Contemporary Garden by Nori Pope