Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

Article by Gwgw Kalligiannaki– A Review for Lizard Log Playground and Park, Designed by McGregor Coxall, Western Sydney, Australia. “Design a park”. This task is a challenge for all architects. Well, it’s not easy, because what, actually, is a park? I am sure that we all think about parks as big green spaces distributed around the city, in order to have some “nature points” between the buildings. However, Lizard Log Playground and Park is not an ordinary park. It is not just a green area. Lizard Log is designed by McGregor Coxall to reflect all the pros and cons of the Australian rural land.

The master plan of the park is, in fact, a renewal of the Pimelea parklands, a design that was made prior to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Coxall’s design includes new toilet blocks, BBQ and picnic areas, and also a new design for the children’s area. Coxall’s design includes new toilet blocks, BBQ and picnic areas, and also a new design for the children’s area.

The Master Plan

Coxall was asked to redesign and extend the facilities of the park. The new master plan is based on the site’s topography, with all the elements designed and embedded into the landscape.

Paying attention to the siting, in combination with a minimal materials palette, the project reinforces the connection to nature, in order for the visitor to have a “personal sense of landscape”. The long paths allow the visitors to enjoy long walks in an atmospheric landscape or cycling between tall trees.

Lizard Log Playground and Park – A Self-Illuminating Project

The design of this park includes systems to meets its own energy needs. The power for the site is produced by solar panels, and recycled materials are used where possible.

The water used for toilet flushing comes from the dam and all the grey water is used for irrigation.

The Role of Water

Highlighting the lack of water in the Australian countryside, the park is organized to conserve as much water as possible. All the parking areas are constructed as a system of rainwater collection and transportation in wetlands, for cleaning before reaching the dam for reuse.

The system is noticeable to the user, in order to understand the flow of water but also the logic of the system itself. Facilities The master plan includes a variety of facilities for the users, all designed to be close to the natural environment. About 1.6km of pedestrian path loops around the park area and is available for long walks, or cycling. Lizard Log is also connected with paths to a neaby dairy; Calmsley Hill City Farm, as well as Moonrise Lookout, Sugarloaf Ridge, and Prospect Reservoir. In order to host outdoor events, like festivals or outdoor cinema, Lizard Log also includes an amphitheater for 500-5000 people. Playground The core of the park is the playground, a sprawling area that is fully blended with the surrounding landscape. An existing stand of trees “shows the spot” where the playground should be placed, to take advantage of the shade. The dead trees of the site area are used as sinuous interpretive elements, to give a different sense of playing. Apart from the landscaped trunks, the children are in contact with games like balancing beams and wood-carved animals, also made from the site’s timber. A climbing wall, swings, a slide, and flying foxes complete the playing equipment. Water is always an attractive game for children; the architect designed and placed a play deck with a hand-operated water pump, for the children to play with. This action was made so that children would understand that water is not always an abundant resource. BBQ and Picnic “The countryside is appetizing”. The park is embedded with twenty-four electric barbeques and ten coal barbeque stations, all free of charge for the visitors. Concrete platforms were designed for the coal barbeques, but it is forbidden to use them during official total fire ban periods. Twenty shelters for picnics are also designed to host different capacities of people. Ten of the shelters are available for hire and the rest of them are free of charge. These kinds of facilities make the park a place for the whole family to spend its time, at different times of the day. McGregor Coxall gave a new impetus to Pimelea parkland, through a modern design. Including facilities for all ages but also for the whole family, allows the visitor to stay for a long period of time without losing interest. The site’s views and the light materiality create a scenic environment, designed out of the limits of a classic park. Modern landscape architecture includes several factors in designing such sites, in order to make them more interesting for the users. It is its statement to the vast green spaces that we used to call “parks”. “A sensitive response to the rural nature of the site, underpinned by a strong sustainable strategy, drove the site’s redesign,” says the architect, highlighting his method of tackling the project in relation to its environment and the topography of the landscape. So do you think a park reflects the quality of the city is located in?

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Full Project Credits For Lizard Log Playground and Park Project Name: Lizard Log Playground and Park Location: Western Sydney, Australia Budget: AUD $7,800,000 Date of Construction : 2011 Size: 5 ha Client: Parramatta Park Trust Disciplines: Landscape Architecture Environment Sectors: Parklands and Open Space Project Team: Philip Coxall and Jack Qian Collaborators: CHROFI and Fiona Robbe Landscape Architects 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 Gwgw Kalligiannaki

Article by Giacomo Guzzon – A review of the Parkstad Rotterdam Project, by DELVA Landscape Architects,  in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Parkstad, a residential project covering three building blocks, is part of a larger master plan for the redevelopment of a derelict area in the southern part of Rotterdam. This project challenges the conventional way people live in the city, and seeks alternative solutions to encourage residents to interact with each other and to use space in a more efficient way.

Having lived in the Netherlands, I had the opportunity to become familiar with this country, its inhabitants, and the way they live. The Netherlands is one of the countries with the highest population density in the European Community (396 people/km²) and therefore I am not surprised that, especially there, where space is limited and precious, there are new projects exploring alternative ways of collective living. Since many areas of this country were reclaimed from the sea, it is logical that the use of space is planned in a very meticulous way. The land is fragmented into small properties, and the average plot for private houses is generally very small. A typical Dutch suburban house is narrow, has a tiny front garden and small backyard divided from the adjacent ones by a fence or a hedge. Parkstad challenges the conventional arrangement of houses and gardens, proposing an innovative solution to use space in a more collective way.

The Master Plan

The plan aims to transform an undeveloped part of the city, a void, occupied by a railway yard, a water-retaining structure, and a temporary park, into a new urban district, reconnecting the neighbourhoods of Kop van Zuid and Afrikaanderwijk, which flank it on either side. This project was envisioned as a linking and regenerative element for Rotterdam South, converting a mix of fragmented urban elements into a new, diverse, and well-connected part of the city. The framework of pedestrian and vehicular roads, public transport facilities, boulevards planted with large trees, and green spaces forms the basis of the master plan. Within these elements a diverse range of residential urban blocks will be developed, accommodating a heterogeneous housing program. The scheme also envisions the creation of a public swimming pool.

Parkstad Rotterdam – The New City Block

The Parkstad scheme moves away from the traditional residential block and seeks new solutions of living that are able to embody the needs of a modern and diverse society. Today there is interest in finding a housing model that offers the right balance between demands for both individuality and collectivism. The designers wanted to create a way of living with a strong social cohesion whilst giving everyone enough privacy to satisfy individual needs.

The designers wanted to create a way of living with a strong social cohesion whilst giving everyone enough privacy to satisfy individual needs. The new city block in Parkstad combines some elements of conventional housing arrangement, like a private outdoor space for all ground floor properties, with the square shape of a common urban block, which typically has a central communal courtyard surrounded by buildings, resulting in something new and innovative. With this layout the city block is able to provide a large communal and safe park in the middle of the development as well as many small private gardens around its perimeter. Each ground floor apartment has a private garden with a terrace which is open on one side to the communal courtyard. These are separated by greenery. Attention is also given to the exterior façade and height of each block, since these elements have an important impact on the ultimate feeling of the cityscape. The façade is designed in two different ways depending on whether it is facing a main street or a secondary lateral road. The façades facing primary streets are designed to accommodate shops and bars and have an active frontage, giving the neighbourhood a lively atmosphere. The other ones have a more intimate and residential feeling, giving priority to pedestrian and residential activities. The housing program moreover aims to offer a range of property sizes and prices to attract people of varied age as well as income, in an effort to mitigate the gentrification effects common to such regeneration projects.

The Garden Rooms

Enclosed within the building blocks are three garden rooms or communal courtyards. These have slightly different forms and orientations according to the building massing, but are united by some common features, namely a small orchard, a greenhouse, a communal BBQ area, a shed to store garden tools, a lawn area for sunbathing and a playground with natural play elements instead of manufactured products. The future development of the garden rooms is envisioned to be realised by the future residents acting collectively. By doing so, residents will feel a greater degree of commitment to and sense of responsibility for the communal areas.

Landscape Elements

Each garden room in Parkstad Rotterdam has, at its centre, a path that forms a loop around most communal areas. The path is an important element in the scheme, because it provides the perfect interface between the private gardens and the public areas while providing a gathering space and a jogging facility. Along the path are long benches where people can sit and meet their neighbours while the children are playing. This path is designed to encourage contact between neighbours and make them feel they own the space.

In all gardens, instead of fences, walls, and gates, hedges and perennial borders are used to divide space. This soft boundary between the small private gardens and the communal courtyard has a twofold function: it adds large areas of planting to the courtyard, making the space feel green and less regimented, and it enables parents to see their children playing while sitting in the garden terraces. Parkstad Rotterdam shows us how simple landscape concepts can be used to create something innovative. By combining high standards of quality in private spaces, assuring a broad range of housing opportunities, and providing for both collective outdoor living as well as private outdoor space, it is possible to reconceive the “city block” and achieve a model for a new way of communal living in the city. What do you think, is the “city block” in Parkstad responding to the needs of today’s society?

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Full Project Credits For Parkstad Project Name: Parkstad Designer: DELVA Landscape Architects / Urbanism, Powerhouse Company, Skonk Location: Rotterdam, NL Competition Date: 2016 Client: Vestia/Estrade and the municipality of Rotterdam 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 Giacomo Guzzon

For this issue of our “Got Talent” world series, we have selected 10 amazing projects that represent Landscape Architecture in Singapore. Singapore is one of the leaders of modern architecture nowadays. For decades it has been transforming its cities with distinguished structures and it has been recognized for originality and design all over the world. So, let’s take a look at some projects…

Landscape Architecture in Singapore

10. Patterson Collection Located in the River Valley Planning residential area, in the main district, this exotic residential development consists of two towers, each with 19 stories of flats. ONG&ONG was the firm who took charge of the landscape design in this place, with responsibility and consciousness toward the environment, where the residents can join harmoniously with the exuberant vegetation as well.

9. Adria Completed in 2013 and designed by ONG&ONG, one of the most important landscape firms in Singapore, Adria is a residential project located in the Novena District, in a strategic place where residents are easily linked to the most important nearby places. Here’s where home is a synonym of luxury and coziness. The landscape design has placed terraces where residents can have an inside/outside experience with the exotic vegetation, and pools refresh the surroundings with a new kind of “islands”, where residents will forget about where they are. 8. Cyan Another design by the prestigious landscape firm ONG&ONG, is Cyan. These two 24-story residential towers are quite different from others. What makes it special is that just about 20 percent of the site is occupied by buildings, leaving the other 80 percent to landscape. This project combines luxury housing with plenty of vegetation and water. The landscape designers captured the tranquility of gardens, so the residents would feel a sense of peace inside the noisy city. The firm planned for all the amenities people need to be located in the same place. Residents don’t need to take step out of the devolvement, for they have everything they need inside. And if you wonder why it is named Cyan, it is for the cyan-colored tiles used in the pool. 7. Minton Housing Development Designed by DP Architects Pte Ltd, this housing development of 10 towers with an extensive offering of activities and such a fascinating interpretation of landscape, which makes this residential complex an attractive place to live as well. Wooden bridges and sky terraces connect and are in turn interconnected with the living blocks, making a whole new experience for the residents. With spaces for yoga, karaoke, spa, and piano playing; adding commercial services and seating areas across the entire development makes it a perfect place for living. This development shows the modern and sophisticated lifestyle of residents where they can meet with nature, not leaving behind their comfort. 6. The Coast Continuing with residential developments that look like a 5-star hotel, we found The Coast. Located in Sentosa, which translated from malayo means peace and tranquility; this residential development enters another luxury category, with privileged views to the South China Sea to which only residents have access. The landscape design was charged to Tierra Design + POD. Vertical gardens and oases create the perfect ambience that connects directly with nature while residents get encapsulated away from the noisy city. This is the kind of project where tranquility, peace and architecture have the same meaning. 5. City Square Urban Park As far as we can see, ONG & ONG has established its presence in Singapore not only in residential development but in urban projects. City Square Urban Park is adjacent to the City Square Mall. The real purpose of the park is to be an “educational” park where the population can learn about ecology, understand nature, and most important, respect it for its role in conservation. Also, to be coherent with the educational theme, the park is built with eco-friendly materials and alternative energy supplies the functions of light and temperature regulation. Not a common park, as they try to break the bridges among social classes, where everyone is equal. This is the kind of park every city in the world needs. 4. Cape Royal Resort If you want to have your sweet and perfect escape for holidays, this is definitely the place you should go on vacation. Cape Royale Resort is located in Sentosa Island, one of the most attractive places in Singapore which is full of tourists every year. The Thai firm TROP: TERRAINS + OPEN SPACE was in charge of the landscape design. This resort has it all; beautiful views to the sea, pools with different depths, and a special and enormous pool which is the centerpiece. A real oasis encapsulated inside the hustle a bustle of a city. 3. Marina One We have talked about amazing and unique projects, this is not an exception. Marina One is located in the business district of Singapore, with four towers of different heights and such a great design viewed from the inside. With a green valley in the central area, we find waterfalls that fill a pool, and ramps where anyone can take a walk to have some peaceful time surrounded with nature. Its organic façade plays along with the environment. Terraces in the buildings provide a place from which to gaze at the surroundings, including a green roof that recalls nature. 2. The Capitol Yes, the capitol. Not like in the Hunger Games, but a capitol which thinks of the entire, real society. One of the most expensive projects planned for the inhabitants of this district, the municipal campus hosts interactive attractions, cultural events, galleries, open markets and so on. This project combines the luxury of the private with the open access of populism, creating interaction between them. I believe this project has a very well-thought-out social purpose. 1. Bishan Park As Wyn Phyo outlined in her article, “How Bishan Park Became the ‛Central Park’ of Singapore”, Bishan Park is to Singapore what Central Park is to NYC. It is a recreational park in which water is an important element to refresh the location, thanks to an engineering project that irrigates with water to feed the ecosystem within. This park is surrounded by a watercourse which carries 40% of the nation’s water during the rainy season. It has been designed to reduce heat during the day, and to refresh the area. In addition, the park has multiple playgrounds, so people each have a space according to their age; “Recycle Hill” is the name of the area that receives these playgrounds, which are made of recycled concrete. Moreover, the park has connected its neighbors with nature and the conservation of it. 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

For Tons More Landscape Architecture Articles click the link Article by Miriam Judith González Bolívar

Article by Irene Crowo Nielsen  – We take a deeper look at planting plans and discuss 10 mistakes you really don’t want to mane when creating a planting plan. For a landscape architect, the planting plan is like the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae: It makes the design and concept come together. A good planting plan creates a framework allowing people to interact and thrive in different environments. But creating a good planting plan can be tricky. There are a few things you should be aware of before setting out on this task. We are going to help you along the way by listing a few bullet points you definitely should avoid:

Get Your Planting Plan Done Right

1. Choosing Poisonous Plants

It is easy to be deceived by plants; one part may be edible while another is poisonous. Others can hurt if you get them on your skin. Whatever you do, avoid planting poisonous plants in public spaces or in private gardens where children will be present. Foxglove is an example of a common flower that is highly poisonous. A good alternative for Foxglove is Hollyhock. Other poisonous plants include Water Hemlock, buttercups, Lily-of-the-Valley, Hyacinth, Oleander, and Iris. Check charts, books, or other sources for poisonous plants that apply to your country before making a planting plan. Treat unknown plants with respect, and teach your children to do the same. 2. Selecting Dangerous Trees It’s scary how dangerous trees can be, so be careful with the type of trees you are choosing for you planting plan. Take the Silver Maple and the Bradford Pear, for example. Both are prone to lightning strikes and to splitting. 3. Using Scattered Colors Less is more! Color is a powerful design tool. Too much sense of color without harmony can become a distraction. Choose your key plant and add color combinations that blend well with it. For example, you will want to select either harmonious or contrasting colors. Harmonious colors are found next to each other on the color wheel and share similar values (i.e. violet and blue or yellow and orange).

4. Not Planting for the Season A lot of planting plans only address spring and summer, but there are so many climates around the world that need to take into account an all-season landscape. Designing year-round gardens begins with choosing appropriate plants for your region. The trick for color through the seasons is to group plants so that as one clump fades, perennials nearby are coming into flower. Depending on where you live and the amount of sunlight your garden receives, these are suggestions for seasonal plants:

• Spring: Tulip, Crocus, Snowdrop, Daffodil, Peony, Pansy, or Forsythia
• Summer: Daylily, Coneflower, Zinnia, Nasturtium, Rose, or Hydrangea
• Fall: Asters, Ornamental grasses, Mums, Hardy begonias, Ornamental kale, or Sedum
• Winter: Evergreen Hollies, firethorn, or chokeberry bushes

5. Ignoring the Sun

Have you remembered to plant for the sun? Do you know how many hours of full sunlight the outdoor area will get each day? Ignoring the importance of a sun/shadow analysis can cost you a beautiful planting plan in regard to its lusciousness and will to survive. Color through the season is also easier to achieve in a sunny garden. Most shade-tolerant perennials bloom early in the season, so a shade garden will not be as colorful as a sunny flower garden.

6. Over-planting or Under-planting

Be sure to give the plants enough space, but remember that too much space between plants will make the design look less luscious and more like a desert. The ideal space when arranging individual plants in the beds is to space them so that they will touch when they reach mature size. Another tip is to think about vertical and horizontal layers with a repeating pattern of plants. By repeating colors, forms, spacing, or textures of plants throughout your planting plan, you will create a recognizable pattern in the landscape. 7. Choosing Non-site-specific Plants Not checking what type of trees, shrubs, and plants will do well on your site and in the soil you have can cause you a massive headache. Have you decided to use a plant that is suitable for sandy soils, but really you’re on clay soil? Look for information in charts or books to make sure you are planning for the best possible plants for your soil conditions. 8. Ignoring Soil Depth Another important point (which cannot be said enough) is to double-check and agree on all soil depths with the client ahead of time, then decide what plant, tree, or shrub goes where. This is especially important when you are planting on top of a parking complex or some place similar. Clear it up with the client (fight for depth!) before you start making your planting plan. This will make your job so much easier, and the trees, plants, or shrubs you choose will live happily ever after.

9. Planting a Tree Too Close to a Structure

This is a common mistake by new designers — they plant ornamental trees too close to a house or building and the plants end up growing into the structure and blocking the light.

10. Ignoring the Powerful Roots of Trees and Shrubs Many trees have a powerful root system that can easily damage the foundation of your house or in-ground pool, or interfere with water, natural gas, or sewage lines. Stay clear, and if you are unsure if it’s enough space, play it safe and move the tree farther away. Another important thing to remember is to not put the plants too close to the pavement; you are both choking off the plants’ nutrients and water and potentially damaging the pavement. An example of a powerful tree is the River Birch. In the past, these trees were used as foundation plantings, but people soon discovered that their roots seek water — sometimes in the form of water pipes, which can be highly destructive and even tear up pavement. Lastly, a planting plan does not have to be complicated; it can help you organize ideas and help you select the plants you’re using. Good luck! What’s your favorite plant to use when you are making a planting plan?

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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 Irene Crowo Nielsen

Article by Nour Adel – Renaturation of the river Aire, by Georges Descombes and Atelier Descombes & Rampini, in Geneva, Switzerland. Designing river gardens and natural scenery is a unique aspect of our profession as landscape architects, because it allows us to not only focus on hardscaping and landscaping specs, but also to deal with an intriguing ecological dimension in which there is an an opposition between nature and culture. This challenging renovation project in Geneva attempts to propose an alternate path, in which the urgent ecological shifts are incorporated into a larger cultural change. The complex organization of the design associates the new river space and a linear series of gardens in the former canal. It is a great example to analyze in order to understand what to consider when designing river gardens or any refurbishment project that deals with water elements and existing natural scenery.

Renaturation of the River Aire

Ecological Shift

“The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river. ” –– Ross Perot, American businessman and independent presidential candidate in 1992. The main approach for the renovation project was an ecological one. In front of the watershed — the area of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers — this long river garden organizes the area’s views, aiming at attracting attention to this fragile and precious territory.

The project’s main goal was to present a true “restoration” of the whole region, since rebuilt landscaped devices — ditches, hedges, and thickets – had almost entirely disappeared, but remained readable on historical documents. Action was taken to bring them back to life. In the perimeter reserved for natural environments (a strip of about 80 meters along the canal), open lands that were once intensively cultivated have been replaced with diverse backgrounds for the creation of a remarkable ecological corridor that promotes the networking of habitats and displacement of small animals. These ecological corridors are connections across the landscape that link up areas of habitat. They support natural processes that occur in a healthy environment, including the movement of species to find resources such as food and water. Ecological corridors can contribute to the resilience of the landscape in a changing climate and help to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions by storing carbon in native vegetation. They can also support multiple land uses, such as conservation, farming, and forestry. The idea is to balance between making it a beautiful natural scenery for people to witness and enjoy, while preserving the area’s authenticity and maintaining a healthy life for the its little wildlife inhabitants. The footprint of the canal is a key aspect for providing the necessary atmosphere of calmness and interiority, without which there is no real garden. It is a permanent trace that introduces a complex integration between past and future. The result is an organized sequence of differentiated places and paths that allow a reasonable distribution of people and movement. In an effort to contribute to the restoration of natural landscape values, the safety of property and people is one of the main aspects of the project for managing flooding. It helps to strengthen security by management measures and water storage procedures that utilize the river to serve the community. Integration with Surroundings Located in a pivotal spot in the city of Geneva, the river gives a unique spatial definition to the area. Such a space is very challenging to be re-designed. For the drawing of the river itself – conscious of the useless effort to design a fixed riverbed and aware that a river usually loves to design itself freely – the designers of Georges Descombes instead proposed a pattern whose form addresses the play between the river flow and the prepared terrain. Accordingly, the spontaneity and freedom of the river’s nature is still preserved. This diamond-shaped pattern opens a complex series of undetermined channels for water flow. These channels were excavated along the entire new river by removing the humus layer, consisting mainly of remnants of plants and animals, thus maintaining a precise control of the longitudinal nature of the river. The dimensions of these special diamond-shaped islands were configured to be able to accept the general sizes of the former curves. The result is spectacular and suggests the tool of most landscape artists — integrating artificial interventions into a natural situation, which is afterward left to the mercy of natural forces. One year after the opening of the new river space, the results are beyond our expectations. The river flows, displacing diverse materials, gravel, and sand. The geometrical matrix of interlacing diamonds is significantly modified. Surprisingly, the more defined the grid given to the river, the more the river will be free to design. This project enables us to see the importance of ecological/wildlife corridors to the environment. Could this design approach be setting a new standard for upcoming renovations?

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Full Project Credits For Into the Renaturation of the River Aire:

Project: Renaturation of the river Aire, Geneva Client: République et Canton de Genève (State of Geneva) Architecture: Group Superpositions Architects: Georges Descombes and Atelier Descombes & Rampini Engineers: B+C Ingénieurs ZS Ingénieurs civils Biology: Biotec SA Chronology: Phase 1: 2002 – 2006, Phase 2: 2009 – 2011, Phase 3: 2012 – 2015, Phase 4: Ongoing Costs: Phase 1: 1’500’000 Fr., Phase 2: 25’000’000 Fr., Phase 3: 33’000’000 Fr. Length: 5km Surface: 50 Ha 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 Nour Adel

Article Bhanu Mahajan – Into the Wild shows us landscapes designed for children, by Openfabric and DMAU, in Grevelingenveld, The Hague (Netherlands) Outdoor play is about an experience, skills, health, stamina and everything else that is part of a kid’s development. But why outdoors and not indoors? While formal sporting activities strengthen them physically, playing in the wild/natural settings nurtures their creativity. But what to play, and how? The formal, hard play courts are generally the sole landscapes designed for children to try their hand in outdoor activities, and most of these activities are related to pre-structured sports, right? But what to play, and how? The formal, hard play courts are generally the sole landscapes designed for children to try their hand in outdoor activities, and most of these activities are related to pre-structured sports, right?

But are the conventional play areas, with courts and lawn patches, enough to foster kids’ all-around development? The absence of nature is so profound in the modern day child development curricula that the experience of playing in the natural world is somehow lost, and the importance of it is ignored. Here designers, and planners too are the stakeholders, as they conceive of open spaces as neighborhood parks with greenery and walkways, and seldom think about the kids’ play area.

Landscapes Designed For Children

So how should a play area be designed?

An answer to that can be found in the ‘Into the Wild’ project by ‘Openfabric’. The project is about a bold transition of a boring playground into an interactive and experience-based play area.

The Grevelingenveld, known locally as Deltaplantsoen, is a neighborhood square, developed in 5100 sq.mt., in Rivierenbuurt, The Hague, which initially had a set of courts with some scattered seating areas and green patches. With the development of a new neighborhood school facing onto the square, it lacked a touch of nature and the freedom to define play space ourselves. Preschoolers learn much through their senses. Keeping this in mind, the design concept is to juxtapose both concepts of playing; a formal sports court on the outside and a wild, interactive play zone at the center. This value addition is significant to the aesthetics and functions of the same space. An urban exterior contains standard-sized play courts and structured order games and a natural interior where, with their own perception of a play-scape, users are free to design, build or destruct play spaces using natural materials, fast-growing plants and tree logs. The earlier playground was mono-functional which offered neither the diversity nor the dynamism of the new space, nor did it allow for the different play choices and preferences of different age groups. Especially for the lower age group children, there wasn’t any space to show their creative instincts in this formal playground.

Urban Gone ‘Wild’

With this new arrangement of the same space, the ‘Into the Wild’ project has a diverse range of different kinds of playing activities. The exterior formal court is defined by painted lines, forming standard-sized courts, and the intermingling of some other colorful straight lines, without any specific order and which can be interpreted as an abstract pattern, also offers endless possibilities for children to interpret and imagine their own space through their own perceptions.

The central play area, formed by an undulating landscape, is the most innovative part of the project, which contains native plants and natural materials, sand pits, tree trunk bridges, tunnels, and slides. Isn’t it inviting and tempting for the children to re-explore the new functions of this play space, which was boring and mono-functional, earlier? To add to this is a curvilinear wall separating the playscape and the outer court area, called the ‘Ribbon’, which, according to the designers, is the ‘threshold between the urban and the natural’. It has all the traditional playground equipment and the top surface of it can also be used as seating for the spectators watching the sports. Sand art, hide and seek, treasure hunts, tagging, and digging, along with cycling, wall climbing, skating, all intermingle together with slides and tunnels to provide a richer experience which was lacking in the previous layout. Because the natural world is filled with beautiful sights, sounds, and textures, it’s the perfect resource for the development of aesthetics and ability of place finding in young children. The space, as a whole, helps to master emerging physical skills and building blocks of life. Sustainability is not only about preserving the environment, but also about feeling an increase in sensitivity. The beauty of the natural world around the children increases aesthetic awareness, which can heighten care and love for nature among kids. This heightened sensitivity is crucial to achieving sustainability of our natural environment, about which they are generally taught in schools. Because playing outdoors gives them a chance to connect with nature and get sensory experience from the activities and games by learning through movement, this project truly shows the way forward to achieve ‘Sustainability’ in its true sense by bringing kids into direct contact with nature. This project is crucial to the well-being and creative instincts of kids and their sensory perception. The rich, interactive and first-hand ‘Wild’ experience in the ‘Into the Wild’ project is unmatched. And kids, no doubt, love it. What is the role of landscape design in children’s overall development?

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Full Project Credits For Into the Wild:

Project Name: Into the Wild Architects: Openfabric, Dmau Website: http://www.openfabric.eu/, http://dmau.com/ Contact e-mail: open@openfabric.eu Project location: Grevelingenveld, The Hague (Netherlands) Completion lear: 2015 Gross Built Area (square meters or square foot): 5.100 sqm Photo credits: Jacopo Gennari Feslikenian, Daryl Mulvihill, Francesco Garofalo Other participants (eg. collaborators, clients, consultants, etc): Team: Francesco Garofalo, Daryl Mulvihill, Barbara Costantino. Client: The Hague Municipality, Richard Krajicek Foundation Consultant: Arcadis 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 Cristina Ferrara

Article by Cristina Ferrara – Yeppoon, by TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean), in Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia. People and places facing a natural cataclysm have to deal with negative consequences. These events leave both psychological aspects and constructive challenges; reconstructive, indeed. Floods, thunderstorms, cyclones, and heavy snowfalls are always more and more frequent, bringing possible damage to natural habitats, constructions, buildings and inhabitants’ habits. A rapid restructuring and renovation of damaged places is one of the best ways to react to the negative impact on the psychological field and a good strategy to improve and ameliorate the relationship between inhabitants and their towns, their public spaces and their lives. See Also: 

• What To Think About When Designing The Landscape For a City Center
• Landscape Architecture Articles
• The Latest News Landscape Architecture

This is what happened in Yeppoon, Queensland, Australia, in 2015, when the big cyclone Marcia devastated all of the town’s foreshore and the nearest places around it. In that occasion, a joint and farsighted strategy among the institutions decided to give the residents new renovated places to live and to take care of and the Foreshore Requalification Project was selected to give new vitality and new life to this place.

Yeppoon Landscape Design

This project covers a wide, rather flat area on the sea-side coast and it has one visible and essential aspect: its shapes link the sea and the natural site to the waterfront promenade and the “vitality-places” around it. They are suitably designed and inspired by the beauty of the natural surroundings that accompany it and the soft shapes of the coast. Zigzag long paths first lead people in front of the sea, breathing the saline and facing ocean waves; once inside, the fantastic nature-embraced platforms appear with playing plazas, community places, activity open-air rooms, swimming pools and water games. Hard and soft-scape are well intertwined together: material colors like brown and light-brown lead back to the sand aspect and together with the wooden trees, give rise to a pleasant mix of all elements. Like other great community spaces, this project has the full control of the space and makes it the perfect backstage for aggregation, spare time, recreation and community.

Highlights of the Project

After the destruction caused by the cyclone, the intent was to re-build spaces and establish a new sense of confidence and identity for the inhabitants of the place, making them confident with activities and shapes of the area. The key point of this project is that it is perfectly grafted into the context and it has multi-functional spaces, largely usable by day or night, like the staircase and the terrace overlooking the sea; comfortable meadows and sitting areas made of curbs and stone seats on which to relax, play or walk during the day and perfect at night for fireworks, spectacles, concerts and open-air cinema. Multifunction is also relevant for the water elements: wide swimming-lagoon pools attract people during hot days and they get inspiration from the sand dunes deployed on the shallow coastal beaches. At the same time, under the comforting shade of the palm trees, variety Pandanus, lies a wide wooden terrace encircling the pool and offering space for reading and sun bathing; a very good chance to enjoy the fresh air. A tropical mix of wide- leaf shrubs borders the trees and gives a more natural look to the place. Special water games for children are next to the pool, ensuring a connection between the two fluid spaces and giving a chance to kids to have fun where bridges, big flowered-shaped showers, and soft meadows invite them to jump and run.

Connection between the promenade and the beach below are guaranteed by slightly inclined stairs, comfortable also as seats, and by vegetated and rocked slopes which sew natural and built spaces together. Different ways to spend time and coexist with the natural beauty of the ocean sea-side have been studied for this project that is going to rescue the inner aspects of the place, offering also a wide choice of pavilions and cafes perfectly integrated into the landscape setting and designed by Architectus and Brian Hooper Architect. The accessibility of places is supported by wide parking areas in proximity of the main access to the promenade: a well-organized and integrated system that will make the whole area reachable, permitting people to directly take part in the place; an important aspect with some relevance nowadays.

Participated Project: a Future Resource?

The Foreshore Revitalization has the peculiarity to be partly funded by the federal, state and local governments in order to create a new strong identity for Yeppoon and its community: it means that shared ideas and efforts led to a new design approach and to new possibilities to live in a place and take part in it. Gradually more and more projects around the world are involving citizens, technicians and institutions in their process: this might be a real turning point, very different from the classical approach to design where professionals think and draw and users use – and sometimes dislike. Whenever a project is shared, discussed and applied together with inhabitants and institutions, the outcomes are extremely satisfying and this is what will happen to the Yeppoon foreshore: unity is strength, especially after a disaster. And you, have you ever taken part in a participatory project? Would you like to be involved in this process? Describe it in the comments below.

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Full Project Credits For Yeppoon:

Project: Yeppoon Client: Livingstone Shire Council Location: Yeppoon, Central Queensland Size: 1 km stretch of Foreshore Project Team TCL (Taylor Cullity Lethlean) Perry Lethlean – Design Director Lisa Howard – Associate Alex Lock – Senior Landscape Architect Alexa Ongoco – Project landscape Architect Architects Elizabeth Watson Mark Burrowes Brian Hooper Architects Brian Hooper Commercial Aquatics Glen Luscombe Gareth Clarke Bligh Tanner Rod Bligh Alan Hoban TTM Ilona Blackburn Assett Horticulture Ross Higginbotham Queensland Quantity Survey Tim Rawkins 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 Cristina Ferrara

Article by Frank Bourque – The Park, by !Melk Landscape Architecture & Urban Design, in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Let’s face it — landscape architecture isn’t just a growing revolution. It is the reality in which we live, and one that is pioneering the way to a better future. Many metropolitan cities have embraced landscape architecture and have shifted from simply accommodating it to actively integrating open space in strategic ways to elevate our urban environments. From Marina Bay Sands in Singapore to the Dubai Tower, there is a lot of good landscape design going on around the world. Many cities have embraced landscape architecture as an integral part of their built environments; Las Vegas, as unexpected as it may seem, is definitely one of them. One proof of that is this amazing project located on the Las Vegas Strip that transforms the flashy, entertainment-driven motif into a green paradise.

Las Vegas, The Park by !melk

The Park And Its Very Beginning

The new green space in Las Vegas actually has a very simple name: The Park. Completed this spring and officially presented on April 4, it injects a swath of nature into the concrete-and-glass strip and fills the blank spaces between modern buildings. Located between the popular hotels Monte Carlo Resort and Casino and New York Hotel & Casino, it features a massive outdoor public space filled with fun activities for people of all ages. The Park is definitely more than just a park. Extending from Las Vegas Boulevard to the famous T-Mobile Arena, it is meant to give a facelift to one of the most urban parts of Las Vegas and align it with urban landscape architecture at its finest.

The lead designer behind this project is the team at !Melk Landscape Architecture & Urban Design, a modern landscape architecture company located in New York. Being fully dedicated to this project and focused on making a huge difference as seen through the eyes of landscape architecture, the designers put their clear minds and optimistic attitudes to work. The end result is Las Vegas’ newest attraction, which has already welcomed millions of people. MGM Resorts International backed the project and continued its green domination of built-up landscapes in Las Vegas. The Park is one of the largest outdoor spaces in the city and a property that complements the gaming industry by adding a new twist.

What Does the Park Have to Offer?

The Park offers it all from entertainment to nightlife, amenities, and restaurants. It introduces the best of Las Vegas to the public and attracts like-minded individuals who understand and enjoy the presence of landscape architecture in an urban setting.

Also referred to as an oasis in the middle of the desert, The Park is a green space that includes some of the most unique native plants and trees. With more than 250 shade trees and more than 7,000 individual plants of both native and adapted varieties, the greenery is well-balanced within The Park. Agave and yucca plants and palo verde, acacia, and mesquite trees fit perfectly with the desert vegetation. And as soon as you notice the several fun water features and the amazing 60-foot-tall structures, you won’t see The Park as just a park anymore, but as an artistic hub that offers pure relaxation.

When to Go and What to Do

The Park is an open public space, which means that it is open 24/7. However, most of the restaurants, bars, and cafes are open during standard business hours – which, of course, tend to run quite late in “Sin City.” The best times to go are the afternoon and evening hours, and the best places to stay nearby are the Monte Carlo and New York, New York resorts. In a nutshell, The Park offers a lot of activities and opportunities for both tourists and locals. You can eat and drink, gamble, or just enjoy life. When it comes to nightlife, there are a few great restaurants and bars, including the Shake Shack, Beer Garden, California Pizza Kitchen, and the Japanese restaurant Sake Rok.

If you don’t feel like eating, drinking, or partying, you can sit back and relax in the authentic oasis of The Park. After all, the landscape is the most special thing in it, making The Park a great place for public gathering. The Park is definitely a place to visit and take pictures of the four clusters of shade structures, which stand around 60 feet tall and give the park an interesting artistic appeal, topping the wonderfully designed recreational spaces and walkways.

A Final Word

The Park is one of the best things to happen to Las Vegas in the past few years. The space is so popular nowadays that it is actually expected to be the most-visited urban park in the world. This breathtaking fact falls perfectly in line with the vision shared by the landscape designers at !Melk, proving that big metropolitan cities such as Las Vegas need vibrant, attractive, open spaces in order to build a true modern character.

From works of art to shade sculptures, bars, restaurants, LED-powered lighting sequences, and fascinating nature, The Park is definitely not to be missed when you visit Las Vegas. It creates a picturesque patio ambiance and pioneers the world into a new era in which landscape architecture dominates the outdoor spaces and sets the bar higher for every city. What do you think you would enjoy the most in The Park? Let us know in the comments section.

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Full Project Credits For The Park:

Project: The Park Designer: !Melk Landscape Architecture & Urban Design Size: Approximately 3 acres (6 acres including frontages) Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Date of Completion: April 2016 Client: MGM Resorts International Cost: $100 million (including the architecture of the restaurants) Since its opening on April 4, 2016, “The Park” has received coverage by numerous popular news and trade outlets, including: USA Today, NBC, Telemundo, NPR, ABC News. Fox 5, Discovery Channel Canada, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, De Volkskrant, The Guardian, Landezine, Architect Magazine, World Landscape Architecture Magazine World Architecture News, Inhabitat, Curbed, Landscape Architects Network

Awards

• Water Hero Award by the Water Conservation Coalition / Southern Nevada Water Authority (update May 17, 2016)
• Top 10 Landscape Architecture Projects of 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 Frank Bourque

We take a closer look at what you need to think about when designing the landscape for a city center.  Designing the landscape for a huge project like a city center or even park in the middle of the city is a huge accomplishment. Being assigned this design is also a huge responsibility as you will have to think about numerous factors. You will not be able to just design anything as there will be vendors and other issues that might arise. For this type of project you should have a list of requirements that you have to live up to. The following are things you need to think about when designing the landscape for a city center.

Landscape For a City Center

Factoring In The Sun

There are areas of cities in warmer parts of the country that bring in full grown palm trees to plant when redesigning a landscape. While these trees can offer immediate coverage from the sun, other trees might take years to fully mature. Putting in adolescent trees can be the answer or even quickly growing trees can help until the slower maturing trees grow appropriately. The wind is something that needs to be factored in as well as creating a wind tunnel with the landscape can have people avoiding the center of the city in colder climates.

Flow of Foot Traffic

Many landscape architects like to focus on the landscape itself and forget to worry about its functionality. The flow of foot traffic in the middle of the city is extremely important. One misplaced plant arrangement can lead to congestion and the plants being trampled. Do not overestimate people’s respect for the landscape when they are in a hurry or are stuck behind a slower walker. Make sure everything flows effectively with rounded edges when connecting two streets as this will help immensely with flow.

Cost Efficiency With Beauty

City projects might not have the budget that many luxury homes do when it comes to landscape architecture. The person in charge might want the city to look like a pastel portrait but only gives you minimum money to do so. Picking the most durable and cost-effective plants that do not sacrifice when it comes to beauty is essential. Being picked to design the city center’s landscape is a huge honor. This can lead to plenty of other opportunities in other cities and even more lucrative opportunities locally. Keep in mind the above tips as you will have a majority of the city looking at your design in awe if you design it to the best of your potential! 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 Featured image: CC BY-SA o.0

Article by Moreira Filho – The Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct, by HASSELL, Dandenong, Melbourne, Australia. Far from their homelands, immigrants all over the world look for a space they can call their own in their adopted country. And they often have to do this in an atmosphere of struggle and even prejudice in their day-to-day lives. How can landscape architects design projects to help people feel at home and celebrate their culture in an unfamiliar setting? In 2014, HASSELL designed a place for the Afghan community around Thomas Street in Melbourne, Australia, in an area now called The Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct.

The Landscape of the City

A Mirror to the Soul

The Afghan Bazaar includes a bunch of shops, cafés, and restaurants designed for Afghan people but open to everybody. The influence of Islamic design and Afghan culture comes alive for those who walk along the sidewalks or browse the stores. To discover the soul of the place, the designers went beyond simple observation. They consulted with the community to hear their dreams and listen as they reminisced about their homeland. This consultation was facilitated by the landscape architecture practice of Sinatra Murphy.

From these consultations, the designers adopted a patterned blue mosaic for the pavement, reminiscent of the tiles of Afghanistan’s Mazar-e-Sharif — the Blue Mosque. This respect toward geometrical Muslim design can be read as respect for the Afghan culture and people, inserting them into the city’s scenario and encouraging cultural pride. Social gathering is a tradition in Afghan culture, so benches of steel and wood by Commercial Systems Australia were customized as a reinterpretation of Arabic daises and sofas. The benches promote socialization, small talk, coffee meet-ups, and outdoor life. At night, LED lightbulbs under the benches give the sensation of Arabic lighting, common in Afghan culture. They also shortened fragments of the street to make the sidewalk bigger, creating parklets. Parking for cars and bicycles is interspersed among these fragments, creating a calm space in the midst of city traffic. Cars have to slow down as they approach the area, because of the change in topography and the addition of stone rumble strips positioned along the street. All of this makes the area both culturally significant but also inclusive.

Vegetation as an Oasis

Green elements always remind us of prosperity, freshness, and life. In cities, they have the power to break through heavy concrete and the mechanical aspects of cars and public transit. In this project, the designers created garden beds along strategic points of the extended sidewalk. The sense of enclosure and buffer from the roadway encourages people to gather, meet, and eat meals outdoors.

Along the garden beds, Persian Lilac (Melia azedarach) has been placed to provide shade on hot sunny days. Its powerful green leaf color and the bright lilac flowers forming bouquets contrast elegantly with the other elements of the landscape. Parrotia persica, also known as Persian ironwood, has been placed linearly into the main sidewalk. This rectilinear green visual effect completes the harmony of the geometrical forms of the pavement. The trees provide shade and make the promenade pleasant with their fresh sensation, especially on hot days.

Lamp: Light for Human Beings

The apex of the promenade is an art installation known as Lamp, by Afghani-Australian artist Aslam Akram. This sculpture is composed of two parts. According to the artist, the base expresses human energy and, for this reason, it represents history, holy places, and the memories of the Afghan people. This part can also sum up knowledge, wisdom, purity of heart, and the Afghani experience. The top of the artwork symbolizes human energy creation in a positive way: the friendship and respect among multicultural communities that make Australia a diverse, respectful country. WATCH >>> Making of ‘The Lamp’ Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct Centrepiece Dandenong

Lessons to Learn

How can we insert a community identity without doing harm to other communities within a city? What lessons can we learn from the Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct? Hearing people’s wishes and dreams can make all the difference for the success of a project. But we need to listen not only to those who work or live there, but also to those who are passing through. As landscape architects, we must be conscious of connecting people with their environment as if they were in their homes while also helping them to receive their visitors as good hosts. As Jan Gehl teaches: “Every good neighborhood should have a heart (…) Public life and lively cities are very important for social inclusion and for democracy.” So, what do you think a useful questionnaire would be for this kind of research into the heart and soul of a community?

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Full Project Credits For Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct:

Name of Project: Afghan Bazaar Cultural Precinct Architects: HASSELL Location: Melbourne, Australia Client: City of Greater Dandenong / State Government Victoria, Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Year: 2014 (completion of 1st phase) Partners: Sinatra Murphy | Community consultation and brief development Aslam Akram | Artist WSP Group | Lighting and electrical design Aurecon | Civil engineering Size: 1,500 square meters 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 Moreira Filho

Article by Alexandra-Elena Ciocan – Town Hall Square of Meilen, by Studio Vulkan Landschaftsarchitektur, in Zurich, Switzerland. I think we can all agree upon the fact that landscape architecture is often confused with “gardening”. While it is a compliment that we, nature lovers and landscape professionals, accept with grace, there is so much more that the domain has to offer. One example is the Town Hall Square of Meilen, a project that Studio Vulkan Landschaftsarchitektur has brought to life in the center of Meilen, Switzerland, by changing the directions trending in that domain. The scheme envisioning the square’s design comes to complete the architectural planning of the Village Hall, along with the creation of an underground car park.

Town Hall Square of Meilen

What was once a broad parking lot, with nothing else to offer but its standard services, is now a landscape to cater to the needs of the user and his space. Moreover, this very project will let you in on some secrets not many know about landscape architecture.

The Focal Point will not Always be Nature

While it is not a surprise to any of us, but more of a rhetorical statement, in contemporary society, most of us live in constructed landscapes. And that is not only because we need buildings to live in, but because we enjoy gazing at architectural pieces that are visually captivating. Indeed, landscape architecture has the main goal of unifying the natural environment and the built setting. But that does not exclude the fact that we, as designers, are to operate with all the elements of a landscape, in its integrity. These guidelines have led the planning and design teams to introduce the sculptural staircase to the visitor perception, as the dominant element of the scene.

User Experience is a Trustworthy Friend The user experience research tells us that if you’re in a hurry or tired, climbing a sum of stairs will not do you any good. By applying this observation through a solid user-based design, the landscape architects have managed to unify the purpose and aesthetics of this major focal point. Fusing a zigzag ramp with a slender slope and the steps has simplified the user movement and has secured a way of accessibility to and from all the buildings surrounding the square, for the disabled people as well. Furthermore, the proposed composition played with the existing ground levels to bring them to the same line, and by this – a new expanded area has been disclosed. This proof of clever land use management has also saved space and opened up the perspectives to and from the square. The new wide area proposes space for the cultural and historical events of the community and even for the traditional market fair.

Being Responsive to the Specific Context Pays Off

By only glancing at the site, one can easily observe its uses: the authority building of the Village Hall and the two banks which are enclosing the area and draw in rushing people, give the site a primarily functional allure. The pedestrian transit was inconvenient as the existent “network”, composed of ramps and staircases between buildings, allowed different levels and crossings over the parking lot to segment the area. Consequently, the accessibility was not facile for this circulated square. People have always had preferences for specific landscapes, depending on the location and its uses. So, by being truly involved in the process of landscape evaluation and taking into account the particular functionality of the square, the site planning promotes good accessibility and visibility, a flowing transit between the two levels and a few community-oriented areas.

A Functional Landscape can be Visually Inviting

As the site’s dimensions and shape were restrictive, the location was formerly occupied only by a fountain as a decorative element and a few benches to provide the needed space for catching your breath. In order to change the monotonous look of the square, the teams considered ways of attracting people to this spot and one of them was being creative about the use of materials.

The value they add is simple and elegant, reminiscent of the connection between the so called “concrete jungle” and nature. The woodland marks two areas; the playground with the tree stumps and swings and the recreational areas with curvy seating visually delineate the space. Standing as a contrasting opposite are the macadam and gravel used for the paving. This difference between the various paving materials creates a dynamic sensorial experience for the user. Built for supporting the people-oriented design, a cafe defines the upper and lower platforms of the square, while providing a quiet leisure point. Although the open space of many other squares out there which have primarily historic purposes might cause you sunburns (take for example the plaza San Marco from Venice or Piazza Maggiore from Italy), this one commits to providing shade. The landscape designers have incorporated a row of trees – between the village hall and UBS bank – which also stand as a perspective line which accompanies visitors from the street to the square.

Leave Space for Growth and Reactions Might Change

While this is a still-discussed project, it is also one to evolve in time and stir opinions. Along with the trees which will continue to develop and compose a different greenery display, a sneak-peak into the future of this square can be caught in its west section. Here, the outlook of a solid margin promises to expand the current urban plans by adding new constructions. Planning, designing and working day by day with plants and soil might anchor us in only part of the reality of what it means to be a landscape architect. It’s the perfect time to take a moment to step back and gain perspective. Do you think there are elements which should be valued more in our projects? If so, what do you think is the most important to include in all the landscape design works? Or do you think there is a golden ratio to perfectly integrate all landscape components into your project?

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Full Project Credits For the Town Hall Square of Meilen

Project: Town Hall Square of Meilen Client: Municipality of Meilen Competition: 2010, 1st prize Project Planning: Since 2011 Realization: 2015 Area: 6,700 m2 Location:  Zurich, Switzerland Building Costs: Approx. CHF 28 million in total/surrounding area: approx. CHF 2.4 million Landscape: Studio Vulkan Landschaftsarchitektur, Zurich Architecture: Blättler Dafflon Architekten, Horisberger Wagen Architekten Specialised planning: Baumanagement b+p/ Ingenieur Dr. Lüchinger + Meyer Bauingenieure (Visualisation: Nightnurse Images GmbH, Zurich) Photography: Studio Vulkan 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 Article by Alexandra-Elena Ciocan

Article by Farah Afza Jurekh – Joseph Venne Public Plaza by NIPPAYSAGE, Ontario Street, Montreal (Quebec), Canada. Design is a powerful tool. It has the ability to transform and do magic. Landscape architects amaze us by bringing out a whole new outlook, the potential of a place from merely nothing, especially in revitalization projects. Joseph Venne Public Plaza, located in Montreal (Quebec), Canada, is one such intriguing project which has turned an old parking lot – a boring space – into the heart of the neighborhood. The space which was once being ignored by the residents is now the center of attraction, the meeting place of the St. Marie’s neighborhood.

Joseph Venne Public Plaza

Revitalization of the Neighborhood

Joseph Venne Public Plaza, designed by NIPPAYSAGE, is a part of the major revitalization projects in the urban realm. Being a part of the urban project, the design team not only concentrated on a new public plaza, but also sought to make it a focal point of Ontario Street to revamp the neighborhood.

Design Approach

The approach of the design team fits the spatial requirements, satisfies the needs, and reflects the desires of its people. For any site, historical background and site context are the determining factors. Across the street is the JTI-Macdonald Corp building, one of the well-known tobacco factories.

Hence, an unbuilt perimeter was kept for the safety of the workers in case of any explosion. The old building in the proposed place is the CSDM; a French boarding school which was once used as the primary school for the tobacco factory workers. Considering the historical context, the designers establish a plaza with strong visual connection between the two entities along the adjacent street. This permeability has made it an inviting plaza for the students, workers and residents.

New Pattern of Paving

A new pattern of paving is designed to woo the people. The new and intriguing pattern gives the public plaza a new outlook to stand out from other plazas. The pixelated versions of large leaves, when viewed from above, seem like the computer-generated image carved in the pavement. The underlying concept behind the giant leaves derives from the cellular patterns of the leaves. Various customized modules of concrete blocks are used to create this pattern. The tonal variation in the grey hue gives a distinct look to the leaves and a subtle look to the whole public hub.

Ecologically Sustainable Plaza

Apart from designing an enticing pattern for the paving, two large green pockets are designed in order to reflect the desires of the residents to be greener. These two pockets perform ecologically by acting as rain gardens. Densely planted with large native trees and herbaceous plants, these pockets can control the rainwater runoff from the impervious surface of the public plaza. The rainwater runoff is collected and filtered amidst the native species. The use of rich palette of native species, along with being inviting to people, will also attract native wildlife. The combination of different colors of flowering plants with the greenery is a true retreat for the users sitting on the wooden benches just beside the pockets. One can easily be lost in the beauty of nature and can spend a good time there.

Fountain; the Core Element

Sometimes, a single element reserves the power to transform the total outlook and change the mood of the space. In this project, the fountain is the heart of the public plaza. The centerpiece, designed by the NIPPAYSAGE team, was designed to attract people and to make the plaza more welcoming to its community. The folded-plate fountain-like sculpture symbolizes the contemporary style which is made of various assembles of large steel sheet. The perforated pattern also reflects the foliage pattern as that in the paving pattern. The silver metallic fountain is formed by a playful combination of light and water which brings a serene ambience to the plaza.

Play of Water and Light make the Plaza a Vibrant Space

By day, the sunlight penetrating through the holes light the fountain naturally with the yellowish warm hue of daylight, spreading soft beams of light around the sculpture. While at night, the whole thing is lit up like shining armor. The lustrous, gleaming light from the perforations produce starry effects on the plaza as if the stars have fallen from the sky. The lustrous, gleaming light from the perforations produce starry effects on the plaza as if the stars have fallen from the sky. The somber blue color of the evening sky and the glittery luminous lights from the fountain incite a magical look to the plaza, persuading users to enjoy the reflection of night sky.

Along with the diffused light, water sprinkling out from the holes brings a distinguishing aura to the plaza. As the users maneuver around the fountain or sit in the benches, water splashes from the fountain; the radiant starry lights and the green pockets will invite you to be closer and linger by the fountain. Five jets are lying under the perforated sheet from which water sprinkles out. Other mechanized systems required to run the fountain are integrated and hidden in the two long benches. It was a challenging job for the designer to hide the water reservoir under the sculpture itself, which has been done successfully. Joseph Venne Plaza gives us inspiration because it shows us how even a well-thought-out paving pattern can make the whole project different, a single object with the combination of light and water can incites various moods to a plaza and lastly, how this design approach has turned an ordinary parking lot into the apple of the eye of the residents of Ontario Street. Do you think this project has achieved its goal to revitalize its neighborhood? Leave your comments below.

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Full Project Credits For Joseph Venne Public Plaza:

Project Name: Joseph Venne Plaza Location: MONTREAL (QUEBEC), CANADA Budget: 750 000$ Date of construction: 2013 Date of Completion: 2015 Client: Ville de Montréal Project Size: 935m2 Photography: Steve Montpetit, NIPPAYSAGE 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 Farah Afza Jurekh