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A showcase of some of Switzerland’s best landscape architecture projects. Dipped in the center of Europe, surrounded by the Alps, Switzerland has always projected the image of mountain life and communion with nature. But Switzerland is also a country with a deep respect for order. Over the last 10 years, Switzerland has seen an increased interest in landscape architecture, with many of its cities introducing creative and contemporary urban projects. Here you can find a Top 5 list of the best landscape architecture projects in Switzerland. Take a look! Landscape Architecture in Switzerland 5. Tree Museum / Designer: Enea – Location: Rapperswil-Jona b This museum is a collection of trees designed as a piece of art. On a surface of 75,000 square meters, the Swiss landscape firm En...Read More

Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve, Hershberger Design, Grand Teton National Park. Many know Wyoming for being the home where the buffalo roam, and while this is true, it is also home to one of the most breathtaking National Parks that America has to offer. Grand Teton National Park boasts the magnificent Teton Mountain Range, the mighty Snake River, and more than 200 miles of winding trails. It is now also home to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. The people of Wyoming are steadfast in their love for the land on which they live, play, and work, and seek above all else to protect and preserve the beauty that surrounds them. So it comes as no surprise that the LSR Preserve was designed to reduce congestion in the area and to provide visitors with a place to enjoy the solitude of the park ...Read More

Phase 1 of Governors Island, by West 8, New York City, New York, USA. Everyone has seen such places: Sites that have been abandoned and sunken into oblivion. They are often described as moonscapes, landscapes in emergency, or even eyesores. Despite those various definitions, they all have one thing in common: the unpleasant feeling they give to people. As we all know, ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. So, instead of searching for new virgin territories in which to expand our cities, we should first consider deserted landscapes that could be transformed into “green” jewels. Governors Island A perfect example of such a dramatic transformation is the Governors Island Project in New York City. A former military base with a central location near Manhattan, it was once invisible to cit...Read More

Simon Beck Snow Art, published by S-Editions, 2014. Hardcover, 167pp. Is it possible to transform your passions into a profession? And to unite artwork with an outdoor activity that can be compared to the most challenging sports? Despite not exactly aiming to address these questions, Simon Beck, in his book Snow Art, shows how he has been creating a difficult but pleasing art that combines all of the subjects about which he is passionate – snow, the outdoors, drawing, and orienteering. Although the book is not a guide on how to make this kind of art, the reader will find some practical tips in the easy-to-read texts, written in English and French and accompanied by a large number of pictures. It is a valuable book for those interested in this incomparable work that transforms the flat surf...Read More

Kopaszi Dam in Budapest, Hungary, by T2.a Architects and Garten Stúdió Ltd.  Imagine a piece of land surrounded by water, near delicious restaurants and cool places to hang around, and offering the perfect touch of nature everywhere: How cool would that be? And if the reality is that this land was once abandoned, that fact definitely adds some special value. In 2004, the owner of Kopaszi Dam in Budapest, Hungary, and the XI district municipality called for an open, national architectural competition to complement a large-scale real estate development in the area. As the winner, T2.a Architects led the design and construction, while Garten Studio Ltd. did the landscape design. The designers of Kopaszi Dam didn’t just “design” it and make it beautiful, they actually injected life into ...Read More

A review of 1000x Landscape Architecture by Braun Publishing AG (COR). Enclosed within this book are 1,000 pages playing host to 1,000 examples of contemporary landscape architectural work, the majority of which were created in the last decade or two. The first edition of the book was published in 2009 and this, the second edition, in 2010; bear this in mind if you are an enthusiast looking for the discipline’s most recent projects worldwide, as anything designed or built post-2010 isn’t included. Structure and Content of 1000x Landscape Architecture Upon receiving the book, the first thing that struck me was its colossal size – 1,000 pages of content at roughly 10″ x 13″ in size really adds up. The first body of text to greet the reader is a two-page preface complemented...Read More

Quezon Daycare Center, by Yuusuke Karasawa Architects, Quezon, Republic of the Philippines. Besides being the largest and most populous city in the Republic of the Philippines, Quezon is known for its many cultural and historical sights and landmarks. Included in the territory of Quezon are 272 city government-owned daycare centers. For one of them, architect Yuusuke Karasawa made a modern, multifunctional project that will completely improve the quality of people’s life. Construction of the Karasawa project in the city northeast of Manila is planned for 2015. In terms of daycare centers what makes this so special? Besides the multi functionality and design, the Quezon daycare center is special because the architect has created a unique network that will connect people in their daily...Read More

A look at alternative career options for landscape architects exploring the diversity of disciplines that overlap into landscape architecture. Landscape architects have the wonderful opportunity to choose from a variety of professions. Different people have different skills. Therefore, it is really important for every specialist to find his perfect place in the field of landscaping. If you sincerely love what you do, you will become the most passionate, dedicated and satisfied expert of all. And if you become a great professional, you are most likely to become an admirable person, an absolute inspiration to the world. Finding your best career path is not an easy task. The clue to the riddle is the knowledge of all the chances and prospects that lie before you. Here are 10 great career opti...Read More

A deeper look at some truly awesome ways to use plants. Looking at examples from around the world. What are the most awesome, unique, awe inspiring, cool planting schemes and use of plants in the landscape and beyond?  Green roofs, living walls, green facades, phytoremediation, moss art, green graffiti, and mass plantings; there is too much to choose from . Whether it’s ecological, functional, sensory or just simply visually stunning, here’s 9 of my favourites.  What’s yours? Awesome Ways to Use Plants 9. Muscari River, Keukenhof Gardens, Holland Consisting of Muscari armeniacum, also known as Grape Hyacinths, the Muscari or “Blue River” winds through 32 hectares of the gardens and woodland, at Keukenhof Gardens in Holland.  Without a doubt one of the most spectacular sights and most photo...Read More

A review of Landscape and Urban Design for Health and Well-Being: using healing, sensory and therapeutic gardens, by Gayle Souter-Brown. With the development of modern technology, accessible personal electronics, cars for every household, good education, and abundant career opportunities come new and difficult problems. Never before have our communities seemed so broken, the elderly so isolated, and the children so sorely lacking in social skills. We observe a dramatic rise in children’s obesity rates and in lifestyle diseases among adults stressed out by the speed of modern urban life. The children are kept indoors due to the growing fears of their parents and the pressure of expectations laid upon them by their schools. The adults spend most of their time working in bleak office en...Read More

Pavilion at the Ljubljanica Embankment, BB Arhitekti, Ljubljana, Slovenia For hundreds of years, European cities relied on the rivers they were built around for transportation and for sending and receiving goods. In the modern world, these rivers have become novelties or tourist attractions, and locals have become out of touch with the grand bodies of water that helped form their cities. Such was the case for the Ljubljanica River in Slovenia until the city dreamed up a way to reconnect the people to the river. Urban Waterfront Regeneration to Fulfill  Jože Plečnik’s Dream The riverbank had not been touched since the 1930s, when the architect Jože Plečnik defined the river with his monumental buildings, open squares, canals, embankments, and riverside parks. Plečnik envisioned the ri...Read More

PRESS RELEASE: Building Trust international, Wildlife Conservation Society and the Royal Government of Cambodia announce details of an interpretation centre which will act as a hub for eco-tourism activities in the northern plains of Cambodia and stand as a memorial to the past. Building Trust international have unveiled their latest collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) with a proposed interpretation centre at Ang Trapeang Thmor in Cambodia. Due to be constructed next year the building will serve to remember the great price Cambodia paid during the Khmer Rouge period, while looking forward to the diverse and spectacular wildlife the country has to offer both local and foreign tourists alike. The centre will be a new type of museum created to educate and raise awarenes...Read More