Blog

Torico Square by b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos, Teruel, Spain We have a special chance to delve a little deeper into one of the most sensitive and exciting tasks of any landscape architect: the challenge of redeveloping historical sites. In this case, the 37,674-square-foot area called Torico Square in Teruel, Spain, has been the heart of the city’s urban life and a meeting point for ages. Even being surrounded by great architectural heritage and having a complex underground water system, the focus of the square is a beloved bull sculpture called Torico, which is located 32 feet above the square, at the top of a very particular fountain. Revealing the Architecture Through an Innovative Lighting Scheme Design The local b720 team developed a surprising remodeling proposal based on making t...Read More

Vale do Lobo — Vila 1148, by Iúri Chagas, Algarve, Portugal. Have you ever wondered, what is the key to a successful design? Perhaps no one has discovered the universal formula, but we all have some assumptions on the subject. And so do the designers of the high-quality private garden project you are about to view. Undoubtedly, there were many aspects considered by the designers, all of which contributed to the final result. To gain key insights into what makes this private garden a perfect example of innovative and contemporary landscape design, you should prepare to find yourself mesmerized by the exotic character of sunny Portugal and its fascinating residential landscaping. The Concept of the Private Garden Design It’s easy to be captivated by that specific picturesqueness, typic...Read More

The first 2015 Landscape Architects Registration Exam (LARE) is offered April 6 – 18, 2015. Why is licensure important?  The primary reason States license Landscape Architects is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. I also maintain studying for licensure educates a landscape architect how to be a greater success in career and business providing a better quality of life. From my seven years of offering Landscape Architecture Registration Exam (LARE) Review courses at UCLA Extension and at the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Conferences, I have heard multiple misconceptions about the Landscape Architects License Exam and confusion on the process.  So let me address five of the issues, specifically California!    1.  Two Years Experience are required before...Read More

The Hive by Grant Associates, in Worcester, UK. In the world of landscape architecture, sustainability has become a standard that most designers aspire to. It’s a practice that is even more important in today’s growing world than ever before and can be found in almost every press release for every major new project. And what better symbol to use for a sustainable project than that of a beehive, something that sustainable practices will hopefully help to preserve for future generations. Located in Worcester, UK, The Hive, a “BREEAM Outstanding” project, is home to the first joint university and public library – a venture between the City of Worcester and its University. The project was 10 years in the making and the result is a destination that invites learning both inside and out. The Buil...Read More

What can we learn from nature’s natural architects to inspire our built environment.  We humans like to think of ourselves as the best architects and engineers on the planet, but for millions of years animals have been constructing their own low carbon cost-effective homes from what they find around them in their natural environment. In this article we look at what we can learn from the world’s natural builders through three of the best examples of animal architects. Arguably the best builders in the (natural) world are termites. The mounds termites build are HUGE for their size. The collective homes of these social animals can reach 7.5 m (25 feet) in height, and up to 12 m (40 feet) in diameter. Given that the average termite is 1 cm (0.4 inches) long, that’s pretty inc...Read More

Masonic Amphitheatre and Smith Creek Pedestrian Bridge, by design/build LAB, Clifton Forge, Virginia, USA. Revitalization, renaissance, resurrection: All of these words are used to describe the same thing — a process of physical and spiritual renewal. Too often, these are empty words. But sometimes someone comes along and makes them real. This is a story about that someone(s) – students who collaborated with a local community and industry to design and build an architectural work that is not only charitable, but educational in its essence. This story wouldn’t be possible without design/build LAB, a project-based experiential learning program that successfully killed two birds with one stone: The program supported the urban redevelopment of the distressed community in the town of Clif...Read More

Central Park of Hunnan Axis, By Niek Roozen Loosvan Vliet,  with: Urhahn Urban Design and Landscape Institute Shenyang, Shenyang, China  China is making huge efforts to improve its relationship with water — our most precious resource. This is due to its historical importance to the country’s development, as we have seen in the article Is China Transforming its Relationship with Water? A Look at the Aiyi River Landscape Park, . In Hunnan Axis Central Park, it is no different – water is beautifully represented throughout the park, sometimes portrayed as calm and serene in the form of ponds, or as vigorous and lively in the form of water jets. The truth is, this dynamic element can create stunning aesthetic results in the urban scene (and even energize wealth luck to the surrounding nei...Read More

Dzintari Forest Park, Substance SIA, Jurmala, Latvia. Jurmala is a Latvian city situated close to the country’s capital, Riga. It is also one of the largest resorts in the entire Baltic region, well known for its mineral springs and sulphurous and medicinal waters. In an effort to increase the appeal of the city, a program for the reconstruction of Dzintari Forest Park was developed between 2007 and 2010. The program was requested by the Jurmala City Council and was designed by Substance SIA. The architects responsible for the project were Arnis Dimins and Brigita Barbale. The actual building was handled by Taders SIA. The project turned out to be a success, demonstrating that nature can be preserved while creating an active environment for people. What was the before picture of Dzintari F...Read More

The Cox Enterprises Gardens, by HGOR, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.  While some people may have to commute after work hours to access outdoor green areas, others are already benefitting from the integration of their offices with green space. The park-like gardens in the surroundings of some business buildings are attractive spaces, but they have a high initial investment, which discourages their creation. However, some very successful cases — such as the Cox Enterprises Gardens — may encourage other companies to adhere to this practice, benefitting not only the workers that will use the gardens, but also the neighborhoods that will share a healthier and more aesthetic environment. When the HGOR design team was chosen to plan Cox Enterprises’ new headquarters in the Dunwoody neighborho...Read More

Renewable energy production is a key part of creating sustainable landscapes.  Even at the site scale, harnessing geothermal, wind, and solar energy are powerful strategies for reducing society’s dependency on fossil fuels.  When dealing with photovoltaic installations on the residential level, a designer needs tools that allow him or her to make quick, conceptual decisions and provide the client with tangible, data-driven expectations.  That’s where PVWatts Calculator comes in.  Managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the web-based tool provides baseline estimates for output levels and costs (both installation and production) of photovoltaic (PV) systems.  It utilizes precise geographic location and correlating weather data to estimate the amount of solar e...Read More

Hunter’s Point South Park in New York City by ARUP, Thomas Balsley Associates, and Weiss / Manfredi. The first chapter of Hunter’s Point South Park story was closely connected with the industrial past of Queens neighborhood, in New York City. Years after abandoning East River infrastructure, the area was not integrated within the new blossoming wider urban context. Fortunately, waterfronts are places with an incredible urban and economic potential, so redesign projects always knock on the door. In this case, the idea of a public park was included in a larger masterplan providing residences, retail and a public school in a whole 30 acres post-industrial area. Great designers from ARUP, Thomas Balsley Associates, and Weiss / Manfredi took the challenge to realize a truly green la...Read More

Teikyo Heisei University Nakano Campus, by Studio on Site (Hiroki Hasegawa), Tokyo, Japan There is a certain type of landscape where people just feel good, without realizing the reason for that. Teikyo Heisei University Nakano Campus is undoubtedly one of those exceptional places. A place which has something more to offer. A feeling, a sensation, a perfect harmony. The secret to achieving such an effect is partly revealed in the philosophy of Studio On Site. “Although our work covers a wide range, we always emphasize the “experience of a place” and consider how a given activity will come to be positioned in society and on the specific site. We believe that landscape design is not due to the structure of the new form but a given activity always has something to do with the change in shape o...Read More