Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Article By Aybige Tek – A review of Parametric Glacier Pavilion, by Didzis Jaunzems Architecture, in the Dome Cathedral garden, Riga, Latvia. The Parametric Glacier Pavilion was a hypnotic architectural centerpiece inside a garden courtyard at Riga’s Dome Cathedral atrium this past fall. The 24-hour installation was part of a contemporary art forum called White Night. The pavilion was nestled within a square-shaped, traditional landscape.

Parametric Glacier Pavilion

The Cathedral Garden

The atrium floor is divided into four sections of grass and pathways in the shape of a plus sign. The traditional design of the garden is surrounded by a grass pathway that follows the circumference of the building’s edges. Orange annual and perennial flowers, purple matsumoto flowers, and green leaves brings an element of color to the space. There are only a few trees; however, they are tall and old. This space is only a short walk away from Riga’s waterfront.

The Pavilion as Hypnotic Centerpiece

The pavilion looked like an icy igloo, with the color white and transparency creating a hypnotic feeling. It was easy to play with it through light, color or sound. The structure took on a cylindrical form with load-bearing frames. Each cone was installed individually, with pieces on both sides of the wall. The cones were super thin and transparent. At the top of the cylinder, an X shaped structure held the wall in place. The overall effect was that of an ancient lantern.

The pavilion stood 6.444 meters wide and 6 meters tall. The entrance had two sizes: 2.380 meters from the inside and 2.925 meters from the outside. The entrance was a small, intimate space that held only a few people at a time. Inside the structure, the diameter was 4.760 meters. The wall thickness was 54 centimeters. The parametric, computer-aided design of the exterior ice cones and the structure together are a blend of nature and manmade architecture. The designers found a way to prove that everything can co-exist without destroying each other’s individuality.

Concept and Philosophy

The pavilion functioned as a shelter, enclosure, exhibition area, concert area, and attraction point in the city, with a stunning view at night that served as a light source for the atrium. The geometric ornamental tower delivered fresh breath to the old traditional cathedral building complex and its garden. It produced a statement in its landscape design saying: “Opposite philosophies can live together in harmony.”

The Parametric Glacier Pavilion brought architecture, science, sound, and light together in harmony. Night views were suitable for light games. By using only one tower as a center object in the garden, the designers makes us think about the natural vs. artificial — and how close they are to each other in reality. The Didzis Jaunzems architects said this: “Natural processes are recreated with computer-generated form, organic polymer materiality, interactive sound installation, and artificial light.” The computer-aided façade and structure design served as a bridge for connecting old traditional architecture and nature. The Parametric Glacier Pavilion brought in many visitors and succeeded in its attempt to show naturalness and artificiality in one structure inside a landscape design that was right in the center of a square focal point. People gathered around it and inside of it, enjoying the geometry, transparency, lights, and sound effects. The whole object looked like natural ice, but was totally artificial. Plexiglass material created the ice effect, and the other technologies enhanced the natural feelings of this art installation. At the end of the day, this artwork shows us how different disciplines can blend into each other in our daily life.

What Activities Can a Temporary Pavilion Offer?

Concerts, exhibitions, light games in the winter using transparency and reflection, seminars, and art workshops are some of the activities a temporary pavilion can offer. Community gathering is one of the main priorities of these projects, which designers and architects have started to build lately all around the world. Wallpaper Magazine has this to say about such spaces: “Providing meeting points and shelter, they are socially minded centers for activity, debate, and celebration – challenging people to integrate, interact, and approach their environment in a new way.”

A New Trend

There are a lot of public use pavilion projects being produced, and temporary structures are blooming as a new trend in landscape architecture around the globe. Examples include the Mirrored Sight Pavilion in China, the Gulliver on a rooftop in Prague, Urban Clippings (Mirror in the Sky) in China, and Eye_Beacon Pavilion in Amsterdam. How about you? Do you know of any such public pavilions in your city?

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Full Project Credits For Parametric Glacier Pavilion:

Project Name: Parametric Glacier Pavilion Location: Dome Cathedral garden, Riga, Latvia Landscape Architect: DJA (Didzis Jaunzems Architecture) Light Installation: BANG! Load-Bearing Structure: RJK Builders: Hansa Film Services, FAD Photos: Uldis Lapins Completion: September 2016 Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Aybige Tek

Article by Kamil Rawski – A Review of the Raised Gardens of Sants by COAC, in Barcelona, Spain. In the era of excessive urbanization it is increasingly difficult to find new spaces to make into green areas. At the same time the urban infrastructure absorbs more and more surfaces of the cities. What do you think, is it possible to find a compromise which is able to bring together these two aspects? This question was asked of the residents of Barcelona, and more specifically to those in the district of Sants. As necessity is the mother of invention, they managed to find a solution for the creation of a new park, and at the same time minimize the negative influence of the railways in the surrounding area.

Raised Gardens of Sants

The Raised Gardens of Sants fulfils exactly this function, and can be successfully included into the relatively new trend of creating bigger and bigger urban green areas on flat roofs. But let’s start from the beginning.

The Beginnings

One of the first subway routes, opened in 1926, the L1 red line, together with the train tracks, split the Sants neighbourhood with an 800m-long and 30m-wide wound in urban fabric during the last century. This barrier was also the cause of many urban dysfunctions such as excessive noise, pollution, and the degradation of the surrounding area.

For this reason the city administration decided to begin a renewal project of Sants railway corridors. In 2002, the complex process was started that involved another three public administrations and the civic associations from this district in order to find the best solution of this issue.

Final Proposal

As a result of these works, they initially wanted to bury the infrastructure but due to economic and technical aspects, this concept was changed. After much deliberation, the decision was made to cover the railways with a construction resembling a transparent box, and the whole idea was “simplified” to create the 800-meter garden on the roof of this structure. The thus-formed linear park could be extended in the future into the neighboring municipalities (Hospitalet, Esplugues and Cornella) to become a 5km-long green corridor.

Main Features of Design

The supporting construction of the “box” is made of prefabricated concrete with diagonal beams which are – as the designers said – looking like the Warren beams, that evokes the old railway bridges, allowing the vision of the train passing through the city, minimizing its acoustic impact. But not the whole building is transparent. In places where it is not, three great earth slopes were designed and they support pedestrian ramps, which allow the passage between a large difference in levels from the street to top of the deck. Earth masses also make the longitudinal structure seem to be better-attached to the ground. In addition, climbing plants growing on the walls gives the impression that the vegetation is spreading from the park into the city.

The roof is situated at heights of 4-12m, and the height varies depending on the streets surrounding the building. As the result, the park becomes a panoramic viewpoint. Designed linearly, two main paths define its axis. The one on the north side, for the most part, is shaded by trees. For people who definitely prefer the sun, there is another dedicated path on the south side. The space between them is designed as the backbone of the gardens based on a complex artificial topography. Growing there are rows of trees surrounded by plenty of densely-planted shrubs and upland vegetation. Landform features with properly planned vegetation generates scenery in which people can lose the sensation of being inside the city and feel like they are immersed in a natural environment.

Equipment

Along the main paths there are three places, which were mentioned earlier. They are the main entrances, which also contain five lifts and two adapted ramps, three stairs, and four escalators. It is worth it to note that thanks to these elements this park is more accessible for people with disabilities. In the places of these joints, there are interrupted sequences of plants and instead there were designed big pergolas, which are covered with photovoltaic panels. They are able to generate part of the green roof’s energy demand. The whole is complemented by the numerous places to sit. Urban furniture in the Raised Gardens of Sants was designed by Santa & Cole – a firm with years of experience in what makes the furniture more adapted to meet the needs of users and stylistically matching to the rest of the design.

Plant Selection at the Raised Gardens of Sants

The plantings have been selected by a specific colour palette; the shades of white, yellow and red prevail, which may be related to Barcelona’s flag colours. The most-used species of trees are Koeleuterias, Sophoras, Tipuanas and Malus evereste, characterised by yellow and white flowering. In terms of groundcover and shrubs, the greenery has been divided into lawns and areas of flowering plants, with red salvia and wild roses in the sunny part offering a flowering of bright and warm colours. Meanwhile, on the shady part, mostly Hedera helix (English ivy), gaura, vinca and white lantana are growing. These are located on the north side and create a dark green background for the route, together with the nearest white flowers.

Along the facade of a box-shaped structure, in addition to the usual planting, there was also a system of cables designed along the wall, so that climbing plants could quickly cover its face, skipping the transparent areas. Among these plants there are Hedera helix, Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston ivy), and Jasminoides. Projects like the Raised Gardens of Sants are implemented thanks to a social conscience. Rambla de Sants is a perfect example of how a new trend in the design proposes a new urban space to improve the life quality of citizens and to make city more ecological. It is also a proof that the lack of space does not have to be an obstacle for designing additional green areas into the urban fabric. Certainly this is not the last green corridor to be built in Barcelona.

What other places, in your opinion, could be transformed in this way?

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Full Project Credits For the Raised Gardens of Sants:

Project Name: Raised Gardens of Sants in Barcelona Location: Sants, Barcelona Site Area: 48.400 m2 Year of design: 2014 Architects: Sergi Godia, Ana Molino architects Project Team: Sergi Godia, Ana Molino, architects. Esteyco Engineering. Management: BIMSA Barcelona Infraestructures Municipals, SA Construction manager: Sergi Godia, Ana Molino, Arquitectos. GPO Engineering. Urban construction companies: COMSA , OHL Year of completion: 2016 Client: BIMSA (a Barcelona City Council agency), ADIF (the Ministry of Development agency) and GISA (the Government of Catalonia agency) Photo credits: Adrià Goula Sardà Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Aybige Tek

Article by Frank Bourque – We look at the idea of permeable pavement with industry expert Robert Bowers and investigate why we need it more than ever in the world. Could the pavement industry be on its way to a revolution? We interviewed Robert Bowers, P. Eng., LEED Green Associate and Director of Engineering at the Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute, who holds the opinion that there is little choice but for this to happen if we want to continue to have livable and sustainable communities in the not-so-distant future. Three fundamental reasons necessitate using permeable pavements:

1. Excess stormwater runoff due to an increase in extreme storms
2. The environmental disaster this often causes
3. The increasing cost of managing stormwater

Permeable Pavement

Stormwater Management is a Priority for Environmental Sustainability

Bowers says storm drainage systems currently existing in cities across the world are antiquated. They were built by a generation of designers that didn’t foresee the issue of climate change that would change rainfall patterns in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. In addition, there has been an increase in runoff-generating surfaces, i.e. roofs and impermeable pavements, due to increased urban development. Today, he says, pavements need to be optimized to address this serious environmental risk that communities across the world are facing. Historically, cities have managed stormwater drainage by collecting and redirecting it toward a central location, then ultimately to nearby rivers, streams, and creeks. That worked OK then, Bowers says, but the existing infrastructure cannot handle today’s “100-year storms that arrive back-to-back”.

Disconnect, Distribute, Decentralize

What we need to relieve old storm drainage systems, according to Bowers, is a way to deal with stormwater in the place where it falls. The concept, he says, can be captured in the slogan “disconnect, distribute, decentralize.” The idea is to disconnect runoff from sites entering the central storm drainage system, distribute and infiltrate the drainage at the site’s location, and thereby decentralize the system. That’s exactly what permeable pavement is designed to do.   “Stormwater drainage is the “number one nonpoint source generator of pollution”   What makes this shift in the paving business so vital to the future of community planning? In short, the environmental disasters that come along with that excess of stormwater. Stormwater drainage is the “number one nonpoint source generator of pollution,” Bowers says. That’s because the excess water is bringing chemicals, raw sewage, high-temperature water, and other pollutants into our streams, creeks, and rivers. That, of course, is detrimental to the entire drainage ecosystem. When rivers are too warm and full of toxins, fish, frogs, and other wildlife often perish. Instead of evaporating into the atmosphere or going back into the ground, the water is collecting pollutants, infiltrating into drinking water sources, or collecting as still water bodies.

Permeable Pavement is Changing Urban Hydrology to Create a More Natural Water Cycle

With permeable pavement, the stormwater drainage system mimics the actual water cycle by absorbing and filtering stormwater and gradually distributing it back into the air or into the ground. That keeps the system in line with the Earth’s natural rhythm. Excess stormwater drainage is such a big issue that more than 1,400 American cities, as well as several cities in Canada, are now charging property owners a utility fee for stormwater drainage. That’s never been a requirement in the past. It has even become illegal in many cities for homeowners to direct their downspouts to a storm drain.   “…cities are saying they don’t have the resources to pay for maintenance or expansion of existing storm drainage systems that are choked and overflowing with stormwater”   In the past, cities covered the costs of managing storm drainage delivered from private property. It wasn’t a big deal, and the costs could be absorbed into existing city budgets. Today, however, cities are saying they don’t have the resources to pay for maintenance or expansion of existing storm drainage systems that are choked and overflowing with stormwater. With stormwater utilities, some cities are transferring management costs to private property owners, since they are the ones generating the runoff. Some cities provide a reduction in stormwater utility fees if private property owners use permeable pavement or other means to detain and infiltrate stormwater on their property.   “A recent research project showed seven milimeters of every rainfall event could be absorbed on a property. This reduced the total annual volume of stormwater generated by almost 50 percent”.   So how reasonable is it for contractors to shift toward constructing permeable paving solutions? What are the details on effectiveness, costs, and durability? In terms of doing the job to reduce stormwater drainage, there’s no question permeable pavement designs are effective. Bowers explains: “A recent research project showed seven milimeters of every rainfall event could be absorbed on a property. This reduced the total annual volume of stormwater generated by almost 50 percent.” The seven milimeters may not sound like a lot of rainfall to absorb, but the 50 percent figure packs a big punch. If cities can reduce their total stormwater drainage production by nearly half, the surplus capacity in our existing storm drainage system is enormous.

Costs and Durability Depend on Proper Installation and Maintenance

Bowers says that in terms of cost and durability, comparisons to conventional paving are like comparing apples to oranges. The first cost when using permeable pavements is the extra time spent analyzing sites before starting construction. While all paved sites require an engineer to examine the strength of the soil and its capacity to support traffic, permeable pavement design also requires determining how much stormwater runoff is produced in a given area, how much will infiltrate into the ground, and how much needs to drain from the site. Additional costs come from the extra materials required to install permeable pavement. Because it’s designed to temporarily detain water, in many cases the base supporting it has to be thicker than standard pavement.   “…permeable pavement is not intended to replace all standard pavement”   While Bowers says maintenance costs of the pavement shouldn’t be more than maintenance costs of traditional pavement, he adds a caveat that a city must already have a maintenance system in place for that to be the case. While permeable pavement can require repairs just like standard pavement, such as cleaning leaves, fixing the surface, etc., maintenance is critical to help ensure that it infiltrates rainstorms while safely supporting traffic and pedestrians. Finally, permeable pavement is not intended to replace all standard pavement. It should be used in low-traffic and low-speed areas (posted for 50km per hour or less), due to the vacuum effect created as tires pass and possibly remove the vital jointing material out of the pavement. The pavement essentially acts as a filter, so in order to infiltrate stormwater, debris has to be kept from the surface or cleaned should it accumulate. That can include “changing the filter,” or permeable jointing stone in the pavement surface. Without well-functioning, routine maintenance, this could be costly.   “…permeable pavement is our best solution to addressing one of the biggest causes of water pollution and local flooding.”

Permeable Pavement is the Solution

But the downsides to implementing permeable pavement are small in light of its benefits to the environment and cost savings for cities by managing excess runoff. With environmental sustainability as a vital issue to tackle in the 21st century, permeable pavement is our best solution to addressing one of the biggest causes of water pollution and local flooding. As Bowers stresses, we probably don’t have much of a choice. Do you see yourself using or implementing this type of pavement in your own city or property? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Frank Bourque Featured Image: By JJ Harrison (jjharrison89@facebook.com) – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Article by Aybige Tek – Öresjö recreational area by MARELD landscape architects, in Trollhättan, Sweden. When designing the Öresjö recreational area, the main concept for the landscape architects and people involved in the design phase was to create a beach and bathing areas in public space for everyone. Public use was their main goal where the geometry is circular; half-moon shaped, in fact, and also has linear and also curved beach pathways around it. Let’s see how they achieved their goal of creating a beach for everyone now:

Öresjö Recreational Area

The park is located in Trollhättan, Sweden, in Öresjö Recreational Park. This small village has Trollhättan Canal for natural walks, the Saab Car Museum, and the Innovatum Science Center as its top landmark places to visit. Öresjö Park brings in a fresh landscape point for even tourists to go visit and enjoy.

It is a concept of drive-in and enjoy the beach for a day or a half-day and leave, yet still it is an attraction point even for tourists to go check it out. The best quality of the Öresjö Recreational Area is that nature’s wild side is connected to landscape architecture and architecture in the smoothest way possible. The geometry of the circular amfi beach, the clean edges of grass and pathways and sand creates a tranquil look for the eyes. When one material will change on the ground level or on the pathway level, the transitions are sharp and clean and technically perfected! This design soothes the user’s eyes and the user feels at peace. There are several barbecue areas for people. Areas for outdoor barbecuing and play are strategically placed throughout the site so users can easily access them. A curved wooden boardwalk connects the restrooms to the beach area, which looks like a half moon from the top viewpoint. A lookout platform that lands near the picnic lawn has a beach view. Ice cream and hot dog stands are near one of the barbecue areas and also close to the restrooms. All the areas have trees of different sizes and ages. Most of these trees are oak trees in this region.

Which plants are used at the resort? 

Oak trees and grass are the main features of nature here. The sand, grass, and wood surfaces are distinguished due to the design. Pines and spruce trees are planted into its woods. These are also the existing trees at the site. Mareld landscape architects have not planted any new trees or plants. According to the landscape architects’ information, the new landscape design was planned around all the available existing landscape elements.

The existing trees’ exact positions were carefully documented before they made construction drawings and the wooden pathway was placed so that the trees wouldn´t be affected. They have protected the existing trees by covering or separating the construction from the trees. Gravel and wood materials were also used to bring in more natural texture to the site. The design has linear and curvy features which are easy on the eyes. Spaces and actions are linked to each other so the project feels connected. Thick stone walls that are edge walls also bring in a natural element with landscape architecture. Öresjö Recreational Area features wood pathways, seats and tables. The pathway railings are wood structures with metal mesh wires embedded in their frames. The restrooms are wood cabinets which suits beach architectural design. There are stairs that reach the water’s edge that have three risers where people can also sit. All the wood that is used is water- and air-resilient. The drawings that are required for this site are simple and elegant which follows the Scandinavian design principles with a rich use of pure wood and natural elements. Flow is an important part of the overall design approach at the site area. One person can flow from one action to the next and spend hours at the site. One family or group of friends can easily spend a whole day at the recreation area, feeling refreshed on the way back home.

What activities can be done at the recreation center?

Outdoor activities are plenty in this area. Bathing in the water, playing volleyball at the beach, walking in the park, walking your dogs, reading your books, running, cardio exercising, doing canoe trips, and eating ice cream and hot dogs are some of the activities available. There are also slides and swings for kids in play areas. Picnic and barbeque areas are also great options for gathering with people.

Fishing is another activity to do in the canal. This beach has a great disabled accessibility which makes the area rejuvenating for disabled people also. The noise of the little traffic and car parking is stopped and insulated with high walls of seats and existing trees, therefore creating one of the best spaces for resting mind, body and soul connections.

What is the overall experience?

Quietness and the sounds of nature have become very rare in our modern day life. Öresjö Recreational Area is that quiet area which is essential for our wellbeing and health. Even a person who visits this site can go home resfreshed and renewed without even doing any sports. Think of working out in such a space, to reap even more benefits from nature and landscape architecture.

Öresjö Recreational Area creates sustainable solutions for its society and the materials that are used are economical, local, and have the typical characteristics of Scandinavian architecture. Nature’s moods in all seasons can be observed in this beach area because the atmosphere created is neutral and soothing for our eyes; it is easy to observe nature’s movements in these spaces. What other sustainable recreational areas have you visited or are planning to visit in the new year?

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Full Project Credits For Öresjö Recreational Area:

Project name: Öresjö Recreational Area Landscape Architects: MARELD landskapsarkitekter Project location: Trollhättan, Sweden Client: City of Trollhättan Date of Completion: 2016 Photographs: Linda Sandin Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Aybige Tek

We take a moment to look at 3 lighting innovations to look out for over the next 5 years and see just how bright our future really looks.  There have been several lighting innovations that is set to disrupt the electrical industry. The widespread commercialisation of commercial LED high-bays energy supplies and reducing carbon emissions to advancements in lumens output that will improve the aesthetics in building and interior. ABA 100 2016 winner for Innovation LEDified share some of their most fascinating LED light innovations that is expected to shape the electrical industry over the next five years.

Lighting Innovations

EVA LED Light

There are many LED lights that customers can choose from and for the residential consumer, the choice of beam angles and lumen output can be overwhelming. Rather than make things more difficult for the non-savvy LED consumer, LEDified designed an LED light solution that would combine its range of lights into one. Think of it as a ‘one size fits all’ LED lighting solution. The EVA LED light boasts an impressive 85 lumens per Watt, but it uses less energy than a standard LED downlight. The bulb lasts for up to 50,000 hours, fits into any standard cut-out, is dimmer compatible and uses a remote control which can change the bulb’s brightness and colour at any time. You can see the specifications of the EVA light in the video below:

CoeLux

One of the most impressive LED technology innovations is the CoeLux LED light panel which creates artificial sunlight by creating an illusion of depth that makes the light appear far above the panel. The biggest threat to this light being scaled commercially in the LED market is the price. One panel will cost at least $61,000 and the installation cost starts from $7,600. However, if the price of the panels can fall significantly in the same way residential LED lights have over the past 20 years, then the product could revolutionise the lighting market as well as the health, wellbeing and productivity in organisations and in the home. To get to that point, it is likely that the panels will need to be in the three or four figure range. You can see a demonstration of CoeLux in the video below:

Even if CoeLux’s prices don’t come down low enough to appeal to a widespread commercial market, architects, building managers and health practitioners will still show interest and should be among the early adopters of the technology.

LEDIT-B100 Dimmer

One of the common problems in the lighting and electrical industry has been around the adaptability of light dimmers. Many people and electricians mistakenly assume that they can fit any dimmer to illuminate their lights. However, most people tend to experience flickering lights or some of their luminaires failing to illuminate. Hamilton Litestat launched a 2-way dimmer that caters for both “Trailing-edge” and “Leading-edge” controls to deliver a smooth operation and maximum performance. Gavin Williams, Hamilton’s Marketing Manager said: “We developed the LEDstat in response to the common issue of compatibility between branded LED lamps and conventional dimmers. The LEDIT-B100™ is the next stage in development, allowing the user to switch the same LEDs from 2 or more switch locations.” You can see the demonstration of their product in the video below:

These 3 lighting innovations are just some of the ones that standout as potential game-changers in the electrical industry over the next 5 years. All of these technologies are still fairly new to the market and it will be interesting if a demand for a “Hi-tech makeover” will spur consumers to purchase these lighting innovations. Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Caitlyn Bell

Article by Niriti Porwal – A review of Angelopolis Corporate Terrace by DLC Architects (María Guadalupe Domínguez Landa, Rafael López Corona) in Lomas de Angelópolis, Puebla, México. Good commercial landscape planning is a matter of striking the right balance of form and function. In order to make the landscape speak for itself, it is important to think about how you want the user to interact with your design and gain a valued experience.

Angelopolis Corporate Terrace

The design for Angelopolis Corporate Terrace is one such example that has set a benchmark for commercial landscape planning projects. The design approach seeks to seamlessly gratify the client’s needs by being a technically, functionally, and aesthetically rich space. Located in an urban area near the city of Puebla, Mexico, the project came with a strong design brief. Functionally speaking, the space needed to be of a dual nature: It should be flexible enough that it creates a friendly environment in which people can relax and at the same time become an extension of the workplace that allows interactions between coworkers.

Technically, the project needed to be built using sustainable materials, with low energy consumption and minimum maintenance. And last but not least, aesthetically, the design solution needed to be adaptive in nature. Altogether, the design needed to reflect the quality of the building while at the same time adapting to the needs of every user.

Angelopolis Corporate Terrace Landscape Design

DLC Architects came up with a refreshing venue for this office extension space. The design incorporates casually yet intentionally placed “green islands” to address the site’s geometry, context, use, and as a response to the design brief. Much of the design originated from a strong analysis that linked the organic forms of landscape to the built mass in a subtle manner. To bring out the experience, each island is flanked by a lush, green mound created with soil to generate undulating spaces within the islands.

The resulting geometrical forms have an open and flexible planning that encourages discussion, collaboration, relaxation, and socialization at all levels of design. The lighting design, also done by DLC, is an add-on that highlights the experience further. Each bench includes beautiful rope lights at the bottom edge that defines these ever growing and narrowing spaces in the nighttime. Interestingly, since the entire design project revolves around the organic pattern of the island, a striking contrast is seen in the design of paving. An intentionally designed disarrangement pattern is followed in the layout of the pavement, which contrasts with the design language of islands. Moreover, the effort to incorporate maximum possible greenery serves as a mini get-away retreat during office hours.

A “Functional-Technical-Aesthetic” Approach to Design

In order for the project to stand by the brief and become a comprehensive design solution, the following interventions were incorporated into the design building process.

• Functionally, each island’s circumference forms a continuous edge of a bench to give a casual yet inspiring environment that encourages interactions. The strategic placement of the islands allows the space within to expand, contract, or rotate in an exciting manner. The tortuous and meandering spaces created within the islands serve two prime environments: First, one that is broad and vast, which allows a flexible placement of furniture, allowing usage of space in a diverse manner; the second, which on the contrary sits between the sharp lines of islands, is more closed and isolated, allowing users to have informal chats or meetings in a more intimate setting.

• Technically speaking, the green mound at the center of every island is generated in order to increase the soil depth, thereby allowing bigger plants and trees to grow. The undulating slope, overlapped with a creative planting scheme, produces a green fencing that breaks the visual connectivity. The structure for all green spaces is cast in situ using white concrete with a smooth finish. Among one of the several minimal interventions is the use of 100 percent Composite Wood mixed with permeable concrete and manmade pavers to define spaces used for different purposes. The above strategy allows for increased permeability and absorption of rain water run-off.

• Aesthetically, this landscape architecture looks to have the largest amount of green areas possible. The recognizable sweeping island carved out of the existing geometry creates a sense of respect for the plot of the original “pre‐ build” state. The planting palette chosen is very responsive to current context and weather conditions.To bring out the texture, a mixture of spiky and mono-colored spreading shrubs was combined with centrally placed thematic trees for every island. Out of 650 square meters of green area, 90 percent of the planting is preferred to be native. The remaining ones are curated sensitively to adapt to the existing environment.

A Cognizant Attempt at a Complex Setting

Whenever the word “commercial” is used, there is an assumption made about its landscape design. The designing of such spaces is rather complex; it calls for much more than just having an aesthetic appeal. It requires a solution that creates an outdoor identity unique to the brand and the building, is sensitive to the needs of the user, is environmentally responsive, and is aesthetically appealing.

A creative balance of all the above factors is what makes the planning for such complex spaces comprehensive in nature. The design approach for Angelopolis Terrace has certainly tackled the above parameters well. Can we as landscape professionals also aim to achieve this balance among the functional-technical-aesthetic parameters in our projects?

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Full Project Credits For Angelopolis Corporate Terrace:

Project: Angelopolis Corporate Terrace Client: Metropolis Design: DLC Architects (María Guadalupe Domínguez Landa, Rafael López Corona) Collaborators: Mónica Muñóz González, Adriana Herrada León Period: 2014-2015 Construction: Metropolis Lighting: DLC Architects Photos: Frank Lynen Location: Lomas de Angelópolis, Puebla, México Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Niriti Porwal

Article by Kurt Longland – We take a look at 5 awesome projects for streetscape design inspiration, covering some of the world’s most unique and interesting landscape architecture projects.  So it’s the time of year when one project has been completed and another is under way, and as such you learn that your new task is to design a streetscape … whatever that means. Once you realize that it is as simple as the name implies, it suddenly dawns on you why this area of design has its own name. But how can one design a street? Whether starting from a green field or from an existing main road, how can we design an inspiring, interesting, and intelligent intervention into these challenging areas? While you might already have an answer — and we would like to hear about it in the comments below — here are five projects that we have found that show what is possible in one of the most restrictive and complicated spaces a designer can work with.

Streetscape Design Inspiration

1. Shade Without Trees

You have a walkway. It is narrow and surrounded on both sides by two- to three-story buildings. The area gets a lot of pedestrian movement and is sealed in stone. But there is no shade — so that is your task: adding shade to the street. Now, while we might think trees and awnings could be our solution, take a look at the video from the work completed in Portugal. They have used umbrellas — and the results are inspiring, unique, and simple, all at the same time. WATCH >>> Umbrella canopy in the Streets of Agueda Portugal

2. Rewriting the Walls Our first project dealt with the void above the street. But what about the walls? The walls could be storefronts or blank facades. There are many ways we can tackle the design of a wall. Here is one from the alleyway along Perikleous Street in Athens, Greece. Instead of trying to cover up the wall, the design firm Atenistas, with the help of the community, was able to rewrite the alleyway by changing the wall. They used a simple plant pallette and made the air conditioning units an actual part of the design. They have been able to create a pleasant streetscape out of what was once a neglected alleyway.

3. Raising the Floor Now that we have addressed the walls and the void, what about the ground? What can we achieve when given a flat surface? We might think of adding murals or creating walls to bring a border to the area, but what would happen if we introduced a new ground height, such as OFL Architecture did with the Zighizaghi? This installation makes the area more welcoming to the public and was inspired by biology. The designers used hexagons – the preferred geometry of bees — turning the once simple ground plain into a new and exciting experience. The project not only provides a visually welcoming entrance, it also creates a space that allows users to engage physically. Yet in essence, all the project did was rewrite the floor. 4. Designing in the Rain This time you are tasked with designing a garden bed along a main street. While it might be possible to plan a sequence of seasonal colors in a traditional style, this project takes a different approach by introducing a rain garden. The rain garden captures water runoff from the imperious surfaces surrounding it. This not only decreases the amount of runoff that is wasted in stormwater pipes, but also gives us a chance to re-enact waterways and lakes – right in the middle of a street. Take the article written by fellow writer Farah Afza on the 21st street roadway as a fine example of what a rain garden can do.

5. Patience and Reward

Patience and reward to a grand reveal is an interesting and difficult element to introduce into a landscape. In a world of instant gratification, it is still important to understand that some elements require time. In some landscapes, it takes one or two visits to uncover most of the secrets of the design. Rain works by Waka Waka Studios, as seen in the short clip below, helps us to understand the importance of patience. The designers have created murals and imagery that can only be revealed when splashed with water. This new form of revealing the landscape with a hidden design is inspiring. It has the potential of turning any surface that is exposed to the weather into an artistic canvas. WATCH >>> Rainworks – Rain-Activated Art

Back to the Line Work

While there are other streetscape projects out there to explore and even more designs still in the making, it is time to get back to your own street project. While sketching the area or trying to understand the true boundaries of the site, remember to ask yourself this: What element can you play with? Time, rain, floors, walls, shade? Because even if you only have one of these elements, the possibilities to create an inspiring project are endless. Good luck and may your contours never falter.

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Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Kurt Longland Featured image: By Turismoenportugal – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Article by Galo César Gutiérrez Díaz – A review of Canal Park by OLIN, in Washington, District Of Columbia, USA. In a city where the priority is the automobile, will it be a great advance to recover open public spaces? These improve the quality of life of its inhabitants, giving multiple benefits from social to economic. Recovering an open public space is not easy; it takes a lot of social support to make this happen, but by doing so, it causes a long chain of benefits for the sites where it is possible. In the district of Anacostia, Washington D.C., a project shows us one of the best ways to recover three blocks that were intended for the district’s school parking lot. This beautiful landscape design was achieved by the OLIN studio, who were in charge of capturing a beautiful and improved image of the old canal that once crossed the site.

Canal Park by OLIN Studio

This park, which opened in 2012, is part of an initiative of the District to develop the economy of the site, promoting it with different forms of commerce, and spaces where residents can recreate, triggering additional benefits for the surrounding community. Starting with the pavilion, with its elegant and modern design made by STUDIOS architecture in collaboration with OLIN; it refers to the barges that once sailed through the canal. In the upper part of the pavilion, a green terrace space welcomes us and gives us a magnificent panoramic view of the park.

At the bottom, you will find the coffee shop and the breakfast area. Fast food services are also available as the perimeter is the location of many food trucks, which have emerged as a new trend and fast food alternative in the city. Would you like a good refreshment in hot weather? You can do it !! This project also has a dancing-jet fountain in front of the pavilion, which embellishes the site with its beautiful dance and show of colored lights that make this a magnificent experience for children and adults. This area also has benches that delimit the space and entice the spectator to sit in different positions and the children to enjoy spontaneous games. In the winter months, the fountain is replaced by a magnificent ice rink that reminds us of the ancient tradition of skating on frozen canals. Everyone can enjoy the serene environment caused by the native and adapted magnolias located by the three blocks that make up the park, as well as the Rain Garden, which is located in plots and parts not built up, capturing the water and recharging the aquifers of the city. The lanterns that illuminate the park were placed at strategic points inside the garden to refer to the barges that once transited the place. The tree boxes were designed in such a way as to generate less impact. And what about the children? As this is not yet over, the multifunctional pavilion located in the center of the park offers children’s plays, as well as concerts dedicated to infants. This outdoor theater appears to float on a thin layer of water, creating a quiet play and breathing area intended for younger visitors. The grandiose stainless steel sculptures, made by David Hess,are located throughout the park, giving it a sense of uniformity and provoking an interactive game between the small visitors of this park, while the large esplanade of grass offers us a flexible space for outdoor films, concerts, games, etc … School groups visit the site often, as play areas for children are protected by a semi-perimeter of benches that makes them feel more comfortable and safe to those who observe and take care of the children. This makes this space a place where there are no age limits and people can interact in a friendly and calm ambiance. This place has lights for pedestrians, bike racks, durable and clean pavement … these things make it a safe and walkable place. Canal Park is also a sustainable design model, serving as a pilot project for the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES ™) and a candidate for LEED® Gold certification. Would you like to participate in this grateful and peaceful cultural place?

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Full Project Credits For Canal Park :

Project: Canal Park Size: 3 acres. Former land use: Brownfield. Client: Anacostia Waterfront Initiative. Location: 200 mt Street SE, Washington District Of Columbia 20003 Climate zone: Humid subtropical Landscape architecture designer: The OLIN team. Architects: STUDIOS Architecture Stormwater engineers: Nitsch Engineering. Civil Engineers: VIKA Capitol, Inc. Lighting designer and sustainability energy consultants: Atelier Ten. MEP engineers: Joseph R. Loring & Associates. Structural Engineers: SK&A Structural Engineers. Irrigation designers: Lynch & Associates. Ice path designers & fountain engineers: Stantec Bonestroo. Geotechnical consultants: Soil Consultants. Sculptor: David Hess. Signage designers: The Design Theorem. Audio visual consultants: Shen Milsom & Wilke. Dry utility consultants: Richter & Associates. Cost estimator: Davis Langdon, an AECOM Company. Opened to the public: November 16, 2012. Budget: $20 Million. Recommended Reading:

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

By Galo César Gutiérrez Díaz

In this article, we discuss the essentials for rural homesteading. The desire to “get away from it all” drives more and more people away from cities and into rural areas each year. The desire to avoid crime, pollution, congestion and a fast-paced lifestyle inspire these city-dwellers to relocate, and the news coverage of those same problems encourages most rural folks to stay put. Of course, there are some sacrifices involved in this escape from civilization. Life is considerably different when you go off the grid, or at least toward the edge of the grid. There are no insurmountable challenges, but if you’re considering a move away from the concrete and asphalt, there are things that you should plan for to make sure that your relocation isn’t a failure.

Essentials Rural Homesteading

Changing Financial Demands

The first thing people think about when considering such a move is how far they will be from the things they need to access. How far will they be from a mall or even a grocery store? As those distances increase, the need for increases as well. As a result, you need to economize in other areas. Families looking at the Canadian open country for a home can go to albertaenergyproviders.ca to check for the cheapest energy rates. A dollar saved on electricity becomes a dollar freed up for gasoline, so comparison shopping is well worth it. Your routine shopping may cost more, too. In cities, the higher sales volume and greater competition make for better prices. A single, small store in a small town will undoubtedly cost more.

Looking Inward For Entertainment

City life certainly has more opportunities for entertainment. There are youth sports leagues, cultural events, and civic groups that can fill your days with educational and rewarding activities for the entire family. Many of those will no longer be available in a rural area. Kids who are perpetually on the go with their own schedules will actually have to spend time with their siblings and learn to get along with them. That’s a good thing, of course, but it’s a transition that will take parental attention and guidance. Adults will see a similar change. There won’t be a ballet coming to town or a sports playoff game just a few miles away. But this can be a positive change for you as well: If you’ve participated in charities or arts activities, you could have a chance to lead those events in rural areas. Many small towns are starving for fine arts, and you could serve in a key role to help bring them to your new hometown.

Maintaining Access To The Outside World

Getting away from a hectic city life may initially include a desire to unplug and escape from all the demands of TV, the internet, and cell phones, but the reality of today’s society is that these tools are critical. And we often don’t think about how much of our idle time is occupied with the exciting opportunities of living in or near a big city, so the ability to socialize and be entertained over a long distance is even more important. Of course, it isn’t just about entertainment. You’ll need to stay informed about weather, since your small-town highway maintenance crews may not be able to clear snow as rapidly as you are accustomed to. News that you used to glean from face-to-face social interaction will now be accessed directly from the media. In the face of all of these changes, you may have second thoughts about moving. But you shouldn’t let these things distort the reality of a rural life, which is this: The air is cleaner. The traffic is calmer. You will know your neighbors, and they’ll know you. And you’ll be living in a much less hectic lifestyle that will improve your health and happiness. Like any major change in life, it will take some adjustment. But an escape from the city could be the best change you ever make. Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Brooklyn Williams Featured Image: By © Jorge Royan / http://www.royan.com.ar, CC BY-SA 3.0

We take a look at the exterior of your home, and how to make it eco-friendly in an otherwise non-ecofriendly world.  Our communities have never placed more emphasis on green efforts, and for good reason. With greenhouse gas emissions and constant waste harming our ecosystem, it’s our duty to find ways to make our homes and lives more eco-friendly. While many green efforts focus on the interior of a home, exterior upgrades can make a huge difference in utility bills and home value. Whether you choose to pursue long-term upgrades like cool roofing or make gardening changes that can keep your yard looking its best, these strategies will have you well on your way to an eco-friendly exterior.

Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

Motion-Sensing Lights

It’s common to have lights in your outdoor living spaces, but using motion detectors can save electricity. Your lighting will only illuminate when a person or animal walks by. From floodlights to small lights to light up your pathway, you’ll never have to worry about turning off the outdoor lights again. MrBeams.com offers over 50 types of motion detector lights to choose from, and you can find bright lights for the interior and exterior of your home.

Consider Composting

Take your recycling efforts a step further by learning to compost. Simply buy a bin and dispose of your organic waste. From vegetable and fruits scraps to garden clippings, making the effort to compost can benefit your yard and garden and cut down on garbage waste. Compost can serve as a wonderful addition to your soil, putting nutrients back in the ground and improving your plants and homegrown produce. Composting can divert almost 30 percent of household waste away from the garbage can and back into the soil.

Purchase Eco-Friendly Outdoor Furniture

If you’re looking to invest in outdoor furniture, buy from an eco-friendly company that creates beautiful pieces from recycled materials. Browse through the offerings from bambeco.com. Their sustainable home goods include beautiful pieces that will match with any design motif, and you can rest assured that every item you buy from this awesome company was crafted with the utmost care, and designed to reduce pollution and consumption while protecting natural resources. If you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly, consider purchasing your furniture secondhand from Craigslist or a garage sale. With a fresh coat of paint and some TLC, you can transform an old piece into something beautiful for your yard—this takes recycling to an entirely new level.

Exterior Wall Coating

Most walls are made of porous materials, which can allow the elements to wreak havoc on your home. Exterior wall coatings are designed to serve as flexible, breathable surfaces that can withstand the contraction and expansion of a building. While walls can be very absorbent and collect dampness from the elements, exterior wall coating can help keep your home insulated and protected from excess wetness.

Cool Roofing

Consider cool roofing. This type of roofing is designed to reflect solar rays to prevent the absorption of heat within your home. This is especially useful for homeowners in hot, humid climates. This one change can have a significant impact on the overall temperature of your home, making your space more comfortable and energy efficient. During the summer, it’s easy to see your energy bills skyrocket because you have to utilize so much energy to keep your house cool. A cool roof can minimize the need for air conditioning. While redoing a roof can be costly, with programs that provide PACE financing, homeowners can install upgrades immediately that will pay dividends in years to come.

Avoid VOC Paints

When painting your exterior walls (and interior walls for that matter), be sure to use products labeled as VOC-free. VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are found in a variety of mainstream paint brands. These chemicals are released into the air in the form of low level toxic emissions and can cause some pretty terrible health issues. With short-term exposure, you may experience headaches and dizziness, but long-term exposure may prove to heighten the risk of serious diseases. Keep your family and friends safe with paint brands that are labeled as low VOC or VOC-free. Start helping the environment by starting in your own yard and home. With these tips, you can help ensure both the inside and exterior of your home are eco-friendly and make a difference in the world. Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Bilal Sajjad Feature Image: © Copyright P L Chadwick and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Article by Maria Giovanna Drago – A review of Hotel Mar Adentro by Miguel Angel Aragonés – San José del Cabo, México. Mar Adentro is a hotel complex located at the far southern tip of the California peninsula in Mexican territory. It’s separated from the inland by the Sea of Cortez, a geographical area characterized by the prosperity of marine fauna and flora — it is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of natural goods. The complex directly overlooks the beach, inviting guests to scan the horizon. It stands out among the succession of hotels along the coastline, not just because it is completely white, but also thanks to its essential and modern design. It is composed of more than 200 rooms, suites, and villas. Mexican architect Miguel Angel Aragonés designed it in collaboration with traditional artisans. Its simple lines stand out, offering limpid spaces that stimulate feelings of well being in humans, together with the sky and the water.

Hotel Mar Adentro

The Sea Inside (Mar Adentro)

The accommodations cover three levels of water terraces, with such arrangements and differences in height to allow each level to have a clear view of the sea. Each terrace consists of a huge rectangular pool with a solo dry path — more or less articulated — that splits it in half. Villas and apartments are arranged on each terrace in an arc shape that makes them look like islands, while the panoramic side remains open toward the beach and sea. Blocks of flats, which are the bigger buildings, have nude facades or regular big windows and are located on the highest terrace, while the villas are nestled on the others. The central buildings never exceed the immediately higher level in their height, while the ones on the two sides are higher to enclose the space in such a way that it looks like there is no rest of the world outside, just the panorama to enjoy, undisturbed by the underlying levels.

The architect ensures that every guest will have his own window on the sea. “Each room visually contains a piece of the sea. No one can resist gazing out at it,” he said. The prevailing color is the pure white of the walls and curtains, providing a reference in a context dominated by the blue sky, together with the blue water of both the swimming pools and the sea. Green trees mark the boundaries of the tourist complex on the long sides adjacent to other hotels. The short sides host the accesses: On one side, the transit flows to the main road; on the other, to the private beach. The layout, the landscape, and the colors recall the magnificent Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, by architect Louis Kahn, built in 1965. There the laboratories are organized in a horseshoe shape around a square with a stream of water at the center that visually connects with the sea in front. The rivulet ends with a waterfall on the next level, which is a secondary, more reserved square.

The Nest, the Solarium, and the Lawn

The pool of the main terrace — the upper one — is crossed by a slightly curved walkway that leads to three outdoor oval areas: the sushi bar, the solarium, and the artificial lawn. Dark gray slabs upholster the path. There are no railings on either side, so people have the impression of walking on water.

The first oval you come to is the sushi bar, called “Nido,” which means “Nest”. Indeed, it is located inside a nest-like structure that seems to float on the water, as there is no external flooring around. It’s made up of a dense network of wood branches — reinforced by a well-concealed steel structure — that creates a zone in dim light with two access holes at each end, connecting it with the walkway. All the furniture inside is white, including the long central table that runs from side to side. Going beyond the “Nest,” the walkway descends slightly to reach the solarium. It is an oval area with a deep pool at the center that is accessible by a ladder to allow clients to have a swim. Candid beds with pillows are arranged around it, some of them sheltered by white curtains. Customers can sit here, lie down to rest in the shade, or sunbathe. Immediately after this, the walkway continues with another curve and surrounds a green, oval lawn with white, modern design seats. Opposite, in the corner, is a small, shallow, artificial lake – also oval — while the perimeter is bordered by bushes, as if to imitate a private garden.

High Technology

Mar Adentro is also a showpiece of high technology. The Hotel Mar Adentro offers its guests the convenience of modern life — the one we all hope to have in our homes — just a click away. No need to download a bulky app on a mobile phone; the reception staff consigns a tablet to each guest at check-in, with intuitive controls.

The idea originates from the desire to provide guests with the opportunity to personalize their accommodation and feel at home. They can manage everything with the tablet: They can regulate the opening of curtains, heat or cool the rooms to suit their favorite temperature, communicate with the staff about customized menus, request a new toothbrush, or even book a personal chef. Guests can have what they want without the usual physical interference of waiters, so that they can enjoy their holiday undisturbed. Last but not least: Guests can adjust the intensity of artificial light and even change the colors, choosing between shades of rose, magenta, and tangerine. In the evening, the colored lighting of each room make the facades look like modern paintings. It must be a spectacle outside to see how the colorful atmosphere reflects in the ripples of the pool.

Human Proportions and Italian Interiors

The interior rooms have been built according to a modular system, with the same repeated module allowing guests to obtain larger accommodations according to their requirements. This system has facilitated the organization of the environments and their construction on site. Each module is obviously proportioned according to the architectural principles of ergonomics and space on a human scale. “I always use human scale, no matter what size of building,” Aragonés said.

The interiors follow the same principle as the space modules. They were manufactured in Italy and then assembled on site. Aragonés has partnered with Poliform, an Italian brand of interior design. Together, they designed the modular system in 12 different options, in line with the essential style of the architectural building, which were assembled together to obtain the furnishing: wood floors, doors, fixtures, and furniture both of the residences and the restaurant area. Alberto Spinelli and Giovanni Anzani, founders of the company, have collaborated on the design of some of the pieces. Aragonés chose Poliform because of the dedication and imagination of Italian manufacturers, where nothing is left to chance, but cleverly worked by years of experience.

Music and Architecture

Aragonés has revealed a secret: He likes to listen to music while he works. He says music is one of the five pillars in his life. He listens to everything, from Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens to Bach. As we can see, Mar Adentro was born from the tune of many songs, as it also stands in company with the sound of the sea waves. Moreover, the Hotel Mar Adentro’s owner has included an exclusive music program — “musician in residence.” Other Articles You May be Interested in: 

• Las Vegas Gets a Taste of Award Winning Landscape Architecture
• How to Show a Community’s Soul in The Landscape of the City
• Singapore’s Got Talent – Landscape Architecture in Singapore

Organizers usually match dinner with great music, since the Hotel Mar Adentro is the ideal place to share the pleasure of a live performance together. For this reason, it has been signed as an exclusive partnership with the Los Angeles music venue Hotel Café, bringing the conviviality of the singers and music songwriters that perform once a month or during the holidays. Choreographers and dancers from all over the world perform, too. Among other services, Mar Adentro hosts the Abierto Spa Sea, an art gallery, private pools, a shopping plaza, five prestigious restaurants, and a movie theater. It’s obvious that it has been sold out for months even before the grand opening! Hotel Mar Adentro looks like the perfect place to go to forget your problems and duties and enjoy life. How do you think the architect could have improved on his design to convey feelings of well-being? Is there more besides location, human scale, and colors?

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Full Project Credits For the Hotel Mar Adentro:

Project Title: Hotel Mar Adentro Landscape Architecture: Miguel Angel Aragonés Design Team: Miguel Ángel Aragonés, Juan Vidaña, Pedro Amador, Rafael Aragonés, Alba Ortega. Structural Engineering: José Nolasco Location: San José del Cabo, México Scope: Design a private residence Completion: January 2016 Construction: Jorge Flores, José Torres Collaborators: Ana Aragonés, Fernanda Kurth, Antonio Trinidad, Manuel De La O., Diego Amador Heads Of Labor Work: Severiano Torres, Roberto Torres Materials: Concrete, Steel, Travertine, Photo: Joe Fletcher Lighting: Taller Aragonés, Ilumileds. Glazing And Sliding Windows: Taller Aragones, Javier Rivero External Roller Blinds: Deko System Group (Model System Italia) Wardrobes And Closets: Poliform Interior Furniture: Poliform Exterior Furniture: Exteta Water Systems: Swimquip Intelligent System: Control 4 Special Engineering: High Tech Services Kitchen: San-son Preliminary Project January 2012 Executive Project November 2014 Building Opening January 2016 Area: Covered Area 47,082.00 Sqm, Uncovered Area 26,454.77 Sqm Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Maria Giovanna Drago

Article by Ophelia Yuting Ji – A review of the Loop light installation, by Olivier Girouard, Jonathan Villeneuve, and Ottoblix, in Montréal, Québec, Canada. When we think about a city’s landscape, we often picture rivers, parks, neighborhoods, and downtown streets shining beneath the beautiful light of the sun. But what about the city’s nighttime landscape? The nighttime view and the daytime view can be astonishingly different. When the natural landscape fades from view in the night, the infrastructural landscape created by people takes center stage, often providing a charming atmosphere framing the energetic activities going on under the moonlight and artificial lighting. The relationships among infrastructure, public spaces, and people are redefined in the starry night.

Ideally, well designed and considerate city infrastructures have the opportunity to not only serve as secondary companions to assist us in our daily – and nightly — activities, but to actually become the center of our lives, engaging us in a city’s public spaces. Visitors are not just the audiences of the spaces constructed by designers, but participants in the spaces, making them “public.”

The Loop Light Installation

The installation called Loop brought the above expectation amazingly to life on Place des Festivals, in Montréal’s cultural center — the Quartier des Spectacles. From Dec. 8, 2016, to Jan. 29, 2017, this installation by artists Olivier Girouard and Jonathan Villeneuve with Ottoblix, produced by Ekumen and the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, showed tourists a fairytale wonderland through the interactive installations of 13 giant animated wheels. Each of the wheels was like a zoetrope. When visitors pump-powered the machines, the cylinders started to spin, the lights lit up, and the images became animated, putting the whole story in front of the participants and creating a new way to experience the night. WATCH >>> The 7th edition of Luminothérapie about Loop in 30 seconds:

According to the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, each of these 13 zoetropes featured a different fairytale, each with 24 images. These fairytales included familiar childhood staples such as the frog prince and the three little pigs, shown mainly through black and white images as a reflection of memory. After three months of design work, 800 hours of assembly, 115 kg of screws, the help of 20 suppliers throughout Quebec, the elbow grease of 15 dedicated volunteers, and contributions from Generique Design, Jérôme Roy, and Thomas Ouellet Fredericks, the project was brought to life.

The biggest installation featured in the annual winter art event Luminothérapie, it evolved into a collective re-imagination of the night streetscape within the city’s busy cultural center. It was a machinery experiment that called not only for designers, artists, and engineers to get involved, but also the whole public, which was needed to complete it with their active participation. All of these efforts were condensed into a fantastic project that gave participants the full ability to manipulate the push-cars and to make the story unfold for their own entertainment, as well as for those seeing the projections on the surrounding buildings — UQAM’s Pavillon Président-Kennedy and the new Wilder Building Espace Danse. Two architectural video projections were installed on the site by Ottoblix. In this way, the artwork was connected to the surrounding context of the modern buildings as one part of the contemporary urban fabric, and other pedestrians simply walking by could also have the chance to enjoy dreaming in this wonderland. How fast each story was told totally depended on the speed with which the participants were spinning the machines. With the music and flashing lights on the periphery of these giant wheels, a mysterious world among the noisy business streetscape opened up a brand new door. Advanced digital formats were used to reconnect people with their childhoods. The combination of new technologies and old memories made time stand still and evoked warm Christmas feelings WATCH >>> Luminotherapie, Montreal

According to interviews with the artists conducted by the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, the idea of the zoetrope was inspired by a trip Jonathan Villenueve made to the Berlin Technology Museum. He was impressed with a zoetrope he saw in the museum that animates images by spinning a cylinder. So then he and Olivier Girouard decided to make a vertical zoetrope, which would be not only participatory, but also collaborative. In their minds, this hybrid machine and art installation was like a three-headed beast – a Chimera with all of these music box, zoetrope, and push-car ideas.

This loosely defined hybrid turned out to be something that the public really enjoyed. In the artists’ opinion, a successful project such as this means more appreciation by the public. “It will be interesting to see how each person responds, but in any case we want to stimulate everyone’s imagination and encourage all to participate, helping people see public space differently. Loop looks simple, but it is technically complex,” the artists said. Instructions on how to manipulate the machines were provided along the street. These joyful scenarios were an extraordinary example of how public space can be redefined for the public, not as objects but as incubators to stimulate creativity and passion from every person. It was about inspiration, innovation, and interaction. It was about the future of public landscape, with the help of digital tools and by engaging the existing contextual urban fabric as well as the memory of the city. As Jonathan Vlleneuve said: “The Place des Festivals is part of a worldwide network of major public spaces. Working outside museums and galleries gives us the opportunity to think differently and reach different audiences – people who want to have their daily routine punctuated by something extraordinary. Our job is to give them something that’s both meaningful and astonishing.” So what do you think a cityscape in the night should look like? How would you imagine the infrastructure of the city in the future? Do you ever re-imagine any public spaces around you that could be better with some innovative ideas? These are not just questions for artists or landscape architects; they are also questions for the public at large.

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Full Project Credits For the Loop Light Installation: Designers: Olivier Girouard, Jonathan Villeneuve and Ottoblix Contributors: generique design, Jérôme Roy and Thomas Ouellet Fredericks Produced by Ekumen and the Quartier des spectacles Partnership. Photography: Ulysse Lemerise/OSA Images Recommended Reading:

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

Article by Ophelia Yuting Ji