Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Nowadays, there are bound to be architectural ghosts in any city, as old, unused buildings slowly rot away. If formal reconstruction doesn’t work, how about giving guerrilla development a go? This is exactly what the Asta association  did with the Boema Garden Project in Cluj. A forgotten building has become a hybrid environment for concerts, workshops, exhibitions, and other guerrilla cultural events. . This informal reconversion has injected life back into an old palace.I spoke with project coordinator Dan Ioanici to learn more about how this ruin was saved from its former fate.

• Tell us a bit about Cluj-Napoca’s Boema Garden. Why is it such a special place?

The former palace and it’s luscious garden, home to the Kendeffyne family in the early to mid-19th century, is, simply put, a place of great social and architectural turmoil. This central historical landmark has been tossed around between different private owners and the Romanian state (be it Communist or Democrat) ) for almost the entirety of its existence. Nevertheless, the greatest impression it has ever made on the public conscience of the city was during its functioning as a summer garden — , a tavern where everyone would meet after a hard day’s work and debate the most pressing issues of the day. During a 13- year slumber, the palace and its garden lay silent and seldom disturbed by human incursions.

• How did the idea for the project come about? What is it exactly that you are doing?

As we , architecture, arts, and landscaping students , finally got to explore the house, we were overwhelmed by the myriad of different stories it could pin, the sheer number of “artiefacts”we found, ranging from clothes to books, construction plans, portraits, and even flags and furniture. This was entropy happening right under half a million noses in the middle of the city. It didn’t take us long to figure out what our general attitude toward the house should be. We would not be the ones to correct, to clean and refurbish that what others let disintegrate and perish. We would rather preserve and expose, enhance the subtle particularities of each individual chamber, and project in others what we felt when we first visited that room. At least one storey of our house would be an exhibit in itself. The garden got what some could call an archaeological treatment:None of the different additions to the original late baroque garden is to be removed, but kept, explained, and assumed as of equal importance. One expression describing the way we perceived the house and the garden and their many interlocking phases of existence stuck with us: “spatial and temporal scrapbook (collage)”.

• You recently held a preview event for launching the project. Tell us a bit about that.

How to rekindle this flickering flame that Boema once was? Well, the same way you reverse entropy: by pumping energy back into the secluded system. In this case, the energy needed was firstly a human one. We decided that we would create a teaser event in March 2013, just to give people a taste of our project and its possibilities. This was to be accomplished by creating just part of the artistic installations, a few exhibitions mostly regarding our work there and the way the house is changing its shape around us, and as many activities as one can fit into a five hour interval – music, food and drinks, presentations, talks, and exploration. For the first time in the last 13 years, Boema would again be a home and not a house, a place and not a site.

• What are the details and installations of this guerrilla development project?

The Scratched Room is where people were invited to leave their own mark on the house by drawing on the wall or scratching it with various objects. The Salon is where the bulk of the events happened; we had two concerts, a Swedish buffet, drinks, and an exhibit of the final installations of art proposed for the 15th of May. The Nail Room hosts a nail and light fixture installation, complete with a duct tape sculpture and huge Communist portraits, greeting the visitors in an almost Dada setting. The Rubble Room had a pile of rubble, the flesh and bones of the house and a wall with paper artiefacts.

The Acoustic Room is the only room on the first floor that has a dome of any kind, and it was used for a musical performance by those from “CercIntreg” (“Full Circle”), in which people could participate in order to transmit messages via drumming and singing. In the “I Destroy You” Room, one of the art students, Filip Zan, proposed an installation/performance combo in which he would melt some polystyrene cubes with acetone in an effort to recreate the same process of entropy that led the house into its current state and then exhibit said cubes. The Door Room contains various doors and door frames used as background for an exhibit meant to document the recent works done to the house.

The courtyard is witness to a flurry of installations, one of the most important being the “Vertical Garden”. This endeavour is special not just because of the size of the garden, but because it will be the first exterior vertical garden in Transylvania. Landscaping students will do most of the grunt work under intense supervision of experienced specialists. Other installations in the courtyard include a huge, sculptural lighting fixture, furniture made out of wooden pallets, and a temporary bar stage, all necessary to sustain the concerts that will take place here starting with our festival, Architecture Days 2013.

• What impact do you envision this project having on the city and local community?

Hopefully, it will attract a large enough number of visitors so that further similar projects will be easier to do and will gain the support of a larger community, city officials, and private investors. In other words, we hope this will be the first of many projects to help revitalize the city center by reclaiming it for the people.

• What is the future of the project and the building? Is the Boema Garden going to remain an odd setting for cultural activities or will it return to its former glory as a tavern and summer garden?

Currently, our efforts have reawakened the owner’s interest, and he began work on the final restoration of the building and the garden. His plans include opening a restaurant and a tavern, while leaving enough space for cultural events in the attic and the courtyard. We regard this as a huge success, because it was the very purpose of our project to entice people enough to react and simply do something.

Alternative solutions can always lead to solving a seemingly closed problem, so as was the case here. More old buildings can be put to good use through innovative ideas and a bit of bold action. Architecture, landscape architecture, arts, and design students came together to implement this project for the 2013 Architecture Days event in Cluj-Napoca. Let’s hope we hear more about these small -scale-big -impact projects from the world architecture scape. Article produced by Oana Anghelache Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link

People are returning to nature and to the principles of ecology, especially through small-scale projects that reorganize urban spaces that lack greenery. Urban gardens and green spaces are the most popular of these projects, so we decided to talk to representatives of an association from Cluj-Napoca, Romania, which has started developing urban gardens. “Verdeata Isteata`” brings a new perspective on the disused city green spaces and engages the community in embracing a new perspective on ecology and urban gardening.

How did you get this idea for an urban garden in such an urban neighborhood like Manastur? We were looking for quite a while for ways of expressing our ideas in the urban landscape of Cluj-Napoca. We took the local authorities’ program “Adopt a Green Space” and turned it into a platform for expressing our alternative ideas for developing a green space in the city through specific urban gardening techniques. Out of a list of 40 green spaces, we chose this one because it has a high level of visibility, high traffic, no previous development, and a high grade for passing on a message. In the context of a highly urbanized Manastur, with a predominantly uniformed and lacking personality, an urban garden would diversify the landscape, bringing a fresh note to the city image. How did the recycling activity on the Somes River go? How did the idea for upcycling come into use for the urban garden? The idea came at the beginning of the project, recycling being a great necessity in the urban context. Seeing the river every day, we noticed the high amount of rubbish that gets dumped in the river. This led to the idea that it can be an efficient source of materials for the fixtures in our garden. We chose an unusual way of promoting a public recycling event by organizing a fishing contest. The objective of the contest was to collect 20 tires from the riverbed, which we previously identified. The secondary objective was to sensitize our fellow citizens to the necessity of cleaning the leisure area around the “Horia Demian” sports venue, situated near the river. Unfortunately, with the exception of the volunteers involved in the project, the local people didn’t offer to help. What is the profile of your garden and what elements will it have? Describe it for us. The social and educational program extends to a period of three years, with this initial site of 206 square meters being cut up in three triangles with intense circulation. Access to the site will be by a path going in a zigzag pattern, each distinct area having urban agricultural fixtures. We tried to give an ascending aspect to the extremities of the site going to the middle, slightly higher ground. In the west triangle, we tried to replicate the image of a mini-city in the form of mini-greenhouses for seedlings.  An interesting trait of the project is the drip irrigation system, which is a first in the city’s green spaces. We will practice urban gardening with a double purpose: practical and aesthetical. How is the project financed and who are the participants? When and how will it be implemented? This is an educational program, which addressed the social message of defining the community in Manastur. The entire project is based on voluntary work and the principles of recycling. We are an open group; anyone who is dedicated to the values that brought us together can join the association. The project is in the course of being implemented and its accountability to the community is more than monitoring and maintaining the site, but going as far as involving people through interactive events. The inauguration of the project will take place around the Easter holidays. What effect do you presume it will have on the local community? Such projects are more and more popular. Why do you think they are important? The desired effect is to create awareness and open up the community to a healthier and more active lifestyle. We are dealing with a project that gives people a public space initially insignificant and unheeded, while calling out the community to take responsibility for it. Because there is no precedent in creating such projects in Romania, Verdeata Isteata can be considered a pioneer in a new era in which “the earth does not belong to the people, but the people are those who belong to the earth.”  Is there a future for Verdeata Isteata? Will the projects extend to other areas of Cluj? Based on the high interest already manifested in this project, we expect things will not stop here. We have already identified other areas targeted for such projects, such an an area of the Canalul Morii corridor and the roof of the city’s old brush factory. The impact was felt in other cities like Lasi and Timisoara in Romania, so we can assume that it is possible to spread these kinds of projects nationwide. Give a short description of your association. Will you undertake other types of projects in the future? What is the main purpose of your activity? We are an informal group, open to all those who have common interests with us. We are talking about a community that grows organically and is based on ecological principles, among which we mention the principle of open resource, the recycling and recovery of resources and that of permaculture. Although in our informal group there is a great diversity of interests and activities, some of us have organized a work team specialized in urban gardens.” “We are architect Gelu Cristian Puscas, landscape engineer Oana Burla, landscape engineer Madalina Les, Paula Tripon and Camelia Maria Poliec, who are students in landscape architecture. We all promote these concepts because we want someday to see an urban lifestyle in harmony with the natural environment.” I once found a quote that said that “progress can only be made by voluntary work” and that is why such small-scale and slightly out-of-the-box projects are so important for the eco movements. This is the time to change the face of our cities and combine our technology and modern lifestyle with healthy green spots and urban gardening or agriculture. Projects like Verdeata Isteata need to become more widespread and are in need of more publicity, especially from a small-scale, community involvement perspective. Interview conducted by Oana Anghelache Verdeata Isteata Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link

In Pali, the term ‘Vijjacarana’ means the balance and use of knowledge and practice. Buddhists use this term to acknowledge the fact that the individual is responsible for his journey and that simply being well versed in the Dharma is only part of it. Without practice, knowledge can only become stagnant. Another term from the East that also insinuates this is “dragons head, snakes tail”. This evokes the image of one full of knowledge (the dragon’s head) without the body to balance the head (the snake’s tail).

A Warning to Landscape Architecture Students

  Although survivors of the architectural industry collapse in the early 1990s insist that it was worse than proclaimed, there is little

doubt that those graduating from design professions do so with a little trepidation. Since the Global Financial Crisis, the industry has taken a downturn in revenue, which has resulted in the disappearance of graduate positions. The graduate is in the position of being economically unsustainable to a practice until he has the knowledge to return a profit for his space in the office. Experienced staff members who train and watch over a graduate also lose profitability for the practice by spending time with the graduate instead of creating income. Still, some practices do take on graduates as a gesture of development for the individual and the industry. Graduates can provide fresh blood and new skills to a company, which does sweeten the deal; however, it would be up to an individual practice to ascertain the value of this deal. This also creates a situation where student jobs and internships are also harder to find. Sure, the intern might volunteer her time for free, but experienced staff members are still needed to manage the intern and resources, like space and computers. As financial purses tighten, so do the resources to accommodate interns. Traditionally, academia taught the dragon’s head; the dragon’s body began developing through student jobs and internships. These days, it can be frustrating to sit in a professional practice class and hear a professional — who may have only graduated a couple of years back — talk about the student job that led to the graduate job that led to his present career, when emails from current students are never returned. The idea used to be that academia could be free of practice to allow students to develop their minds free of the constraints of the body. When they graduate, the body may be developed enough to allow the graduate to be less of a burden on a practice. The trades know this; however, a trade rarely has such a high conceptual component allowing the apprentice to spend more time developing the body so that they are economically sustainable as they graduate. Academia is also in a difficult position. To sustain quality of education, academics should be paid properly and class numbers should be kept to a minimum. Computers and technology are expensive, and universities are run as businesses. Your fees go beyond your education. I would personally argue that academia is not practical enough, and that by not providing students with the skills they need for the work force by concise education on various construction methods and industry standards, they are crippling our chances to enter the industry. However, the number of opportunities would potentially be the same as they are now — and so will the competition for those places. The reality is that the future of this profession is in the hands of the students ,who have a say in their own destiny from the time they begin studying. In these tight times, it is often who you know that matters more than what you know, and the ability to network has never been more important. There are some students — and you will know if you are one of them — who will be looked after by the academics. They have the correct framing, work hard, and basically fit in. They will be the first to receive the email about a new position or be accepted into a teaching position. To survive, students must honestly look at the skills they have and how to use them within the network they have. It is important to practice actualizing ideas as much as developing theories. Start a club; universities have the cash for this. Don’t target that club to your own department; target it to those who may be involved in development or planning so you are the only landscape architect tapped into the source of potential work later. The best thing I did in my last two years was to organize two large art shows. The shows lost me many points and favors at school, but allowed me to meet some people who are now great mentors and have helped me get my foot on the first rung of the industry. It is up to you to do this. In this world, credibility is everything and, in my biased opinion, more important than your ability for conceptual thought (unless you are hoping to work in academia). Plan your education inside and outside university and set goals, because once you graduate with a big head and a small body, it will be much harder to begin practicing, especially if the industry remains the way it is today. Good luck. Article written by Stuart Beekmeyer

SCD – Studying Landscape Architecture – Landscape architecture is slowly gathering the status that the profession of architecture has achieved around the world. And with more and more universities and colleges offering landscape architecture courses, we want to see what landscape architecture offers that is so special. What is its context? What is the educational perspective on it?

Senior College Dun Laoghaire – College of Further Education in Dublin, Ireland, offers a great and complex course on Landscape Design. Landscape Tutor Barry Lupton was kind enough to give us some very important insights. So why should someone study and become a landscape architect? “Landscape architects articulate the interface between the human species and the rest of the planet. From displaying a mastery over nature, landscape architecture has grown to work with and even for nature. Landscape architects form places of congregation, communication, activism, leisure and nature, where people can interact and socialize, where communities are made, where individual and collective identity is formed and expressed, and where civic and environmental responsibility are born.” Lupton says. Landscape architecture’s status is different around the world, with as many statuses as there are countries. Ireland is no exception. So what is Lupton’s opinion on the matter? “Our difficult relationship with the land has had significant impact upon landscape architecture. It still sits well down the hierarchy of building professions. And unlike many other European countries, the title of landscape architect is not protected in Ireland. Anyone can call themselves a landscape architect, and anyone does. This is a point of much frustration for fully qualified and accredited landscape architects, and the Irish Landscape Institute has worked tirelessly to rectify the situation.” All around the world, landscape architecture is becoming more popular as people want to get their hands dirty and get their creative juices flowing. So what kind of experience can one hope to get from pursuing such a passion? Lupton says: “Studying to become a landscape architect is like no other educational experience. I know of no other profession that challenges the opposing rational and emotive parts of the mind as landscape architecture. I often explain the experience to being akin to straddling the midpoint of a tug-o-war between an artist and an engineer. It is perhaps cliché, but landscape architecture is less of a job and more of a way of life.” “Through the educational experience you learn so much of yourself, you learn to see and engage with the world in new ways, you build the confidence and skills and the knowledge to know you can actually enact real, meaningful change. Studying landscape architecture is inspirational.” With so many architects these days taking on the role of the landscape architect, why not just study architecture? What’s the big difference? We asked Lupton to explain: ”Landscape architecture is differentiated by one significant factor: The principle forms of expression are dynamic living organisms. This factor has a profound impact upon those studying in this area. If you’re a student reading this and this doesn’t resonate, you’ve been focusing on the wrong bits (probably computers!).” “Studying design which incorporates living things affords students of LA a more holistic, connected vision of the world and the work they undertake. In my experience, this tends to permeate all aspects of an LA’s life.” Studying landscape architecture at Senior College Dun Laoghaire  may be a greater feat than you may think, as Lupton explains: “Course content at SCDis under constant review and is continually adapting and responding to industry demands. Our focus on real experience permeates all aspects of the course and is particularly evident in studio projects, which revolve around actual developments. The courses at SCD are two-year Higher National Diplomas. They are accredited through BTEC in the UK and formally linked to a number of England’s most renowned design schools.”  “Graduates can progress directly to year three of several BA courses. Another aspect of our courses which stands as a real credit to the college and the student body is involvement with landscape, garden and community events. Those that completed their studies have all found work in the industry at home and abroad. Those who decided to change careers were able to utilize the skills and knowledge they built to either find or create jobs.” When contemplating a career one can’t help but think of the future; after all, that’s what we’re all studying for, so what does the future hold for landscape architecture? Is it worth your time and effort? “The profession needs to address this complexity by clearly defining its role. The scope of its remit has grown exponentially, and a whole host of factors have contributed to the creation of a highly complex domain. I do fear that the profession is becoming somewhat subservient to computing power. The future of landscape architecture? I’m not sure, but it might be in trouble if the power goes out.” So the piece of advice here is to go green in LA! Does it sound like an enticing domain to study? One thing is for certain: Landscape architecture has become an important influence in the way we live, how we live, and in what conditions. And it surely should get the worldwide recognition it deserves! Find out more here: SCD Landscape Design We would like to give a special thanks to Barry Lupton for taking the time to talk to us. Article written by Oana Anghelache

In recent years one topic gains more and more popularity – agriculture in big cities and how it relates to landscape architecture. Today it is considered to play a critically important role in sustainable development and it covers all components of sustainability: economy, society and environment. Urban agriculture can be seen from very different perspectives and can take on very different forms. These include; community , collective , roof and private gardens; organic farming and farms serving local markets or even broader regional and national scales. It is increasingly recognised for its benefits to urban society. In time of crises and urbanization, we should ask ourselves if we can challenge what we take for granted, what we think is obvious and embrace a more creative point of view. Can we relocate the usual picture of the vegetable garden in the end of our backyard, hidden from the outside world and instead, put it in a public place. In a broader view, how can we promote agrarian land as an attractive and desirable place for recreation? To illustrate this, I would like to show a design from Shlomo Aronson Architects, a team of landscape architects, planners and architects from Israel and their project for Ben Gurion International Airport. What an exemplary model from a city that is ranked as one of the greenest in Israel. The airport is located 19 km southeast of Tel Aviv’s city center and is one of the biggest in the region. It is located in an agricultural area and the team takes advantage of this. The approach they use is to strongly integrate the airport to its surroundings of citrus groves and agricultural fields. The central garden is designed to remind visitors of its natural landscape features with its particular topography and man-made agricultural development. The vegetation is based on olive groves, grasslands and wheatfields, mixed with more typical planting such as palms. Of course, we need a water element to finish this unique piece of design. The different shapes and textures create the diversity needed for a good garden design. Thus, production and beauty are well combined and balanced. No one can argue that inspiration for garden designs can be found in agriculture. However, my aim is to encourage a broader use of that type of land. How can we integrate vast fields of agricultural lands and at the same time propose to urban society that it can be a place for recreation? One way is to present it as an aesthetic and cultural asset and put it on stage. Employ public infrastructure and create seating points and vistas. Belvedere Park, Cologne is a project that exemplifies such an approach. Vast fields of sunflowers, lavender, cole, vineyards and cherries. The list is as large as our imagination. One unexpected face of agriculture is Farmersgolf. Have you ever heard of it? It is a type of golf played in farmswith specific instruments found on farms. For example, a golf hole is made by placing a bucket on the ground and obstacles can include cows, ditches or barbed wire. The ball is much bigger than the usual golf ball and the head of the club is shaped like a shoe. ? It has been played since 1999 and is popular in Germany, France, Belgium and Sweden. It is the result of costly golf fees in the Netherlands and a test should be passed before being allowed to play. This is what we can call a return to nature. Agriculture nowadays has multiple functions that include the conservation of cultural heritage landscapes, agricultural and landscape recoursesand leisure, tourist and educational activities. Ranging from visits by school children, workshops on healthy eating and preparation of food, to more unconventional activities like Farmersgolf. Can you think of another creative way to use productive land in everyday life? Article written by Slavyana Popcheva

In the center of Dublin, on top of an old chocolate factory sits Ireland’s first urban farm. It is an oasis in progress, with a small brood of hens happily pecking through composting vegetables, high above Dublin city on a rooftop littered with various tiered planters entirely handmade. Most objects within the premise are up-cycled or recycled from pallets and various other materials that the group have scavenged.

Inside their eco-sanctuary are various methods of farming from their fish-tank aquaponics to their vast compost bins. Urban farming is the practice of sustainable development and sustainable food by producing food within the city limits, using recycled materials and being as ecological as possible. I met with eco- enthusiast Paddy O’Kearney, who talked me through the process of successfully running an urban farm and their aims for the future. “We came across this site [The Chocolate Factory] and it was pretty ideal essentially to develop the project itself. The project was officially launched in the middle of November, along with our FundIt campaign, aside from that we started construction, looking at materials and different ideas in development of the project itself around July”. “Essentially there is a major inertia around actually getting things like this done. Sustainability, food production and the things we can do with the resources at hand such as up-cycling pallets and generally keeping the aim of just being as sustainable as possible”. Aquaponics seems to be core to your project, could you explain that further? “It is the production of food using fish; essentially it is a mixture between agriculture and aquaculture, so basically, you are growing a certain amount of food from fish waste and sustaining the fish from a certain amount of food you are producing yourself. Its ramifications are far reaching in terms of closed vertical systems and developing food systems for an urban environment, which is pretty useful. Also, in situations like deserts and such, they are incredibly useful”. What was your biggest challenge? “Building it! We are looking to develop the project itself, it is currently still in development. Technically at this stage it is not an urban farm as of yet, it’s an urban farm in development. We are basically in the process of building it, managing our resources, managing our time properly, getting people to help us build it as well, so there are a lot of learning curves”. “In particular the manner in which we are developing materials and also due to the fact we are the first ones, we can’t just go to the next one and put questions to our cohorts, we’re the first ones (doing this) which means a lot of experimentation and a lot of learning”.  What is the objective of urban farming and are you supplying services to the community at the moment? “As of yet, no because we are still constructing it, our primary focus is completion at the moment.  Realistically speaking it is developing projects like this, it doesn’t mean you are going to be able to produce all the food for the city yourself, within the confines of the city but definitely a percentage”. “Overall if you were to use every supposed site within every city center, for the population living in cities, but the fact of the matter is that Dublin’s population density is nowhere near as high as  London, New York or Paris, so I’d say for Dublin that figure would be much higher, between 25-30%, potentially, if you were to use brownfield sites, rooftops, balconies and lawns”. Do you think we as a country are reverting back to more agricultural roots? What demographics do you get? “I think it’s not just Ireland itself, it’s globally as well; you have different projects around the world. Primarily the focus is on sustainability and making sure we have a future and that we can minimize cost, insuring that there is less waste. The idea is basically anyone who is living in an urban environment, so anyone from school children, to teenagers, to people your own age, essentially anyone who has time, and, of course, older people as well. We are developing systems for basically everyone and anyone. With the urban farm that number [amount of people fed by urban farms] would be arbitrary; it is about developing as many sustainable systems as possible”. What is the future of urban farming in Ireland and what are your aims/goals for the Dublin Urban Farm? “The plan for the project and also my own (City Composting Ltd.) is to take up various other sites and develop them as the time goes by, train and develop the skills of individuals so they can go off and start their own projects, within and outside of Dublin and potentially consulting with corporates like Google or whomever wants to develop their own green image”. Well, urban farming may not be new; it is only a recent trend in Ireland.  This project is only in its youth and as such offers a unique insight into how urban farms develop, the challenges facing them and the solutions utilized to allow the urban farm to thrive.  This project is also a perfect example of how to make use of empty buildings and brownfield sites within our cities.  With cities facing numerous problems (food, peak oil, climate change) the practice of urban farming will only grow in importance. Interview conducted by Lisa Tierney Dublin Urban Farm’s website: https://www.urbanfarm.ie/ Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/inspireorganics Fundit: https://www.fundit.ie/project/dublins-urban-rooftop-farm Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link

Gardenia Fair is traditionally held on the grounds of Poznan International Fair during the end of February, just before the horticulture industry comes to life in the spring. It replaced the National Horticulture Exhibition which took place in the autumn as a part of Polagra Fair Gardenia 2013 was the 7^th edition organized in its current format. It has been growing steadily over the years – this spring it hosted over 500 exhibitors in 6 pavilions, occupying a total area of 32,000 square meters. This year Gardenia was run in conjunction with Animal Market (zoological fair), Rybomania (fishing fair) and Special Days which displays decorations for occasions such as Easter, Christmas and weddings. As always, a large proportion of the exhibits were taken up by various machines such as tractors, lawn mowers and irrigation systems. The inventive robotic lawn mower which does not need human assistance to do its job caught my attention. This technology might find customers among busy garden owners. The John Deere TANGO E5 autonomous mower won a Gold Medal at the Poznan International Fair.

Another big group of exhibitors were, as usual,  plant nurseries and producers of seeds and other plant material. Due to it being early in the season, the stands lacked color and variety in comparison to the “Green is Life” Warsaw Exhibition. This has been true of previous editions as well. Exhibitors usually employ inventive methods of designing their stands to make up for the lack of flowers and greenery. This year the exhibits seemed strangely dull and unimaginative. Above all, the Vilmorin seed producer exhibit definitely stood out. They organized a brilliant cooking show. A professional cook presented the dishes prepared with vegetables grown from Vilmorin seeds. The spectators had the opportunity to sample the food. They were also offered a booklet with the recipes demonstrated and an example of a balcony design – a perfect solution for garden enthusiasts who are not fortunate enough to own a plot of land! Professionals use this opportunity to predict fashions in local landscape architecture and garden design for the upcoming year. The growing interest in green roofs and walls was clearly visible. Stone as garden decoration, ground cover or gabion walls was also much more present then in previous years. Speeches regarding the construction of green roofs, transition towns and plants used for urban green spaces were interesting and informative. Unfortunately, other talks seemed strangely similar to previous years. Gardenia did not lack attractions for visitors, especially amateur gardeners. It definitely does a great job promoting landscape architecture and horticulture. The local university held a special program titled “Design Emergency” for people who need help designing their gardens. There were lectures held in a show garden organized by OSTO (Polish Society of Garden Makers). The visitors had the opportunity to admire two design exhibitions; “Greenery in the City”comprised of the best works for a landscape architecture competition, and the “EKOOSIEDLA” “Eco-dwellings” competition. Some of the boards were of very high-quality – both visually and in terms of design. A few, however, were not worthy of being showcased at such an event. Gardenia is certainly growing. Every year it is taking up more space, there are more exhibitors and it attracts a larger number of visitors. I am just not entirely sure whether it is heading in the right direction, especially with the aforementioned side events such as Special Days or Rybomania. I would also like to see a fair intended only for landscape architecture and garden design students and professionals, free from tractors, lawn mowers, rabbits, Christmas baubles and dog food! Report written by Marta Ratajszczak Dates: February 22-24, 2013 Venue: Poznan International Fair Grounds, Poznan, Poland Organizer: Poznan International Fair Limited Tel.: +(48)-(61)-8692000 Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link

Ecobuild is an event exhibition showcase for developers, companies, organisations and trusts involved in the construction, design, environment, planning and education sectors who have a strong focus on sustainability. Ecobuild took place this year from March 5^th to 7^th at the Excel Arena on London’s docklands.  It has become the premier event in the UK for sustainable products and the construction industry, even rivaling those on mainland Europe. So what’s the point of Ecobuild?

• It’s a visitor exhibition where companies can showcase new sustainable, environmentally friendly products;
•  It’s an event where organisations can launch new guidance documents and research papers on industry and environment;
• It is a Mecca for talks, workshops, lectures and seminars on the environment, urbanism, construction, sustainability, design and climate change;

It is a must visit event for students, professionals, property owners, the general public, developers, companies and professional organisations. This is Ecobuild 2013 Ecobuild’s primary focus is on “sustainability”, a fairly loose term, but at Ecobuild sustainability includes the following:

• Re-use of sites & materials
• Construction
• Social inclusion & empowerment
• Biodiversity
• Climate Change
• Green Infrastructure(GI)
• Water sensitive urban design (WSuD)
• Renewable Energy

First up; the talks.  These were a huge step up from last year, with the number of talks increased and the range of subjects covered expanded.  Over 140 talks and seminars by 1,100 speakers.  That’s pretty impressive.  Of particular interest and delivered brilliantly, were the “Delivering Sustainability in the City” talks. Topics covered included biophilic design, community participation, green infrastructure, WSUD, sustainable transportation, smart cities, urban resilience and urban regeneration.  Speakers included Professor Tim Beately of the Biophilic Cities Project, Professor Tony Wong of the Cooperative Research Center for Water Sensitive Cities and Martin Kelly of Trees & Design Action Group. To me, and I may be a bit biased as I am somewhat of a biophiliac, the best lecture was given by Professor Beately on the subject of Biophilic Cities.  Professor Beately discussed his experience of cities around the world who are engaging with nature, as he seeks to complete a film based on all the cities taking part in the Biophilic Cities project.  From watching bats in Austin, Texas at sundown, to the day-lighting of streams in Oslo, Norway, Professor Beatley really sold the idea of biophilic cities to the crowd with fantastic case study examples and enthusiasm.  Another lecture that stood out among the rest was the “Making the most of Green and Blue Infrastructure”, which dealt with the economics and delivery, but perhaps more interestingly, the aesthetics of GI. Moving on to the exhibits, well, there are just too many to mention here!  850 exhibitors! Not to mention countless numbers of sustainable products being showcased.  First up, we have the Green Infrastructure Pavilion, hosting the Landscape Institute(LI), CIRIA, AECOM, DEFRA, DECC, BIS & DCLG, who together, with support from some of their 270 partner organisations, make up the Green Infrastructure Partnership. The push and buzz around the pavilion was the launch of two new documents at Ecobuild 2013: The LI’s new GI position statement and CIRIA’s “WSUD in the UK” guidance document.  A special mention has to go to the South Yorkshire Forest group and their interaction with the public on behalf of the Green Infrastructure Partnership. Moving on to the Biodiversity Pavilion, which never had a dull moment thanks to lectures being given by RESET’s Blanche Cameron and Dusty Gedge, the president of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations , who were representing the Green Roof Consultancy.  Talks ranged from GI, to urban trees and green roofs.  The pavilion was covered in green walls and green roof displays adjoining the Ecobuild Arena which was covered in green itself!  Exhibitors here included the Center for Alternative Technology (CAT), Habitat Aid, the Green Roof Consultancy, the Ecology Consultancy and RESET. The University of East London’s School of Architecture put on one amazing display.  Their students laid out a massive model, displaying the intended master plan for the redevelopment of Canning Town in South East London.  Starting on Tuesday morning, the students worked right through to Thursday to get the model finished.  The students pulled out all the stops and created one of the most successful exhibits at Ecobuild. A special mention must go to Barcham Trees, the largest tree nursery of its type in Europe, who provided much of the vegetation at Ecobuild and gave great support to the event.  They were giving away free hardback copies of their guidance book “A Time for Trees”. The Ecobuild Arena was fantastic as well, a practical jungle inside the Excel Arena, hosting a number of key talks, while displaying some pretty impressive green walls, vertical gardens and wall murals.  The RIBA bookshop proved popular as well, selling publications of the event’s key speakers and exhibiting organisations. So, Ecobuild is over for another year, but don’t worry if you missed it, it’ll be back next year, 4^th-6^th March 2014. It is truly an event that is representative of trends in the construction, development, planning and design industries.  It is a must for any professional, student or member of the public interested in sustainability. It’s also a chance to meet and talk face-to- face with the big players in our industry all in one place, gaining a critical insight into what they think of the industry at present and where its future lies. Report written by Joe Clancy Photography: Joe Clancy Website: https://www.ecobuild.co.uk/ Dates: March 5^th-7th, 2013 Venue: Excel Arena, London, UK Organizer: UBM PR Contact: Sarah Kershaw T: +44 01622 858697 E: sarah.kershaw@ubm.com Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link

Attendees at this year’s Eurasian Amusement Parks And Attractions Expo enjoyed a fun thrill ride of new products and leisure time possibilities.

The event, held Feb. 12-14 in Moscow, showcased the latest in amusement park and entertainment equipment, water parks, game rooms, playgrounds, and summer theme parks.

While not as big as some of the other major trade shows (in Berlin, London, and Orlando, Fla.), it offered European buyers a chance to explore what the industry’s best manufacturers and vendors have to offer. “Despite the fact that the show is not as big as in Orlando and London, its strong advantage is the fact that the visitors come here purposely – for the sake of the products, innovations, and fun,” said Andrew Rogonov, head of sales for GK Konstruktivnoe Biuro Tekhnologii. “Right from the morning, we had queues of the visitors and customers at our booth.”

Russia’s entertainment industry is moving forward by leaps and bounds. Russia is the first European country to open a theme park branded by American studio DreamWorks Animation. Similar parks have already been built in the United States, Australia, and Japan. Russia will also be home to the world’s first fully indoor amusement park, managed by the American company Universal Studios and the children’s entertainment center under the Mexican brand of Kidzania. Mira Movchaniuk, EAAPA Expo coordinator, said this shows that Russia is on the crest of a wave of European amusement park development. The expo was also a great environment for the exchange of best practices and innovative projects in the field. Dmitry Funk, head of sales at SPARTA, said: “We are enjoying success here. The customers are especially interested in the exhibited new series of trampolines with permanent pumping.” Oleg Prishin, director of Art Ice Group, said: “We are regulars at EAAPA events. I like that they are well organized, and we have already made many interesting contacts, which is important for us as exhibitors.” Companies participating in this year’s edition surprised attendees with innovations, new technologies, and new releases. For examples, swings for physically challenged people were exhibited and demonstrated by Vega Group, one of the largest manufacturers and vendors of outdoor sports and children’s equipment for comprehensive improvement in the system of housing and public utilities. Stylish and safe street furniture came from France via the French firm Proludic. EAAPA Expo remains the main point of entry for large-scale operators and market experts in the area of parks, entertainment, and amusement rides, which have been widely announced and appreciated across the CIS countries. “Next year, we plan to continue to grow and develop EAAPA 2014 by introducing new thematic areas and expanding our affiliate network and the target audience. We are planning to enhance the scope of our investment cooperation and present the most promising investment projects in Russia and the world,” Movchaniuk said. These events act as hubs that foster relations between different professions and fields, resulting in co-operation and greater results in terms of project delivery.  Continued growth and development of EAAPA will only enhance the end product user experience and environment. Report written by Oana Anghelache Dates: February 12-14, 2013 Venue: Russia, Moscow, All-Russia Exhibition Centre (VVTs), Pavilion 75 Organizer: Smile Expo LLC, 115114, Moscow, Russia, Letnikovskaya str., 11/10 bld.5 Tel.: +7 495 212 11 28 E-mail: info@smile-expo.com Enjoy what you’ve read! Support us and pick up one of our awesome T-shirts and hoodies today, Click the link