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Some humorous observations from working away in the studio. Being in design school, you will find yourself around your classmates constantly. Sleep deprived all-nighters and coffee filled early mornings seem to bind us together. These people will be your best friends, critics, and inspiration. But everyone is different, so here is a list of the 10 people you will find in the studio. 1. The Coffee Addict If this person were a car, caffeine would be their gasoline. Ice coffee their unleaded, two shots of espresso their diesel, but never the unmentionable decaf – okay maybe on desperate mornings. A great friend to make for when you need a boost on a late night studio visit. 2. The Sleeper The sleeper really is the antithesis of ‘the coffee addict’. They seem to always been swaying back and fo...Read More

The ICD/ITKE Research Pavilion developed by a multidisciplinary team at the Institute for Computational Design. In recent years, architects, biologists, and engineers have been thinking about the possible connection the architectural field can have with living entities, such as insects or trees. Most of the time, architects design projects based on the imitation of natural forms. This imitation takes place in a field where there haven’t been previous studies about the organism being imitated, its basic organic functions, and its interaction with the environment. This concept is called biomorphism. When you add in concepts such as biomimicry and biomimetics as theoretical foundations, the design process is focused on the understanding of the functions of the project, how its functions and s...Read More

Adelaide Riverbank Pedestrian Bridge, by Taylor Cullity Lethlean In the past, bridges were seen simply as connections — pieces of architecture linking two points. However, the Adelaide Riverbank Pedestrian Bridge in Australia is proving that a bridge can also be a destination. Sweeping gracefully from the Dunstan Playhouse and Adelaide Oval across the Torrens River to the city, the bridge is an elegant solution for connecting Adelaide’s arc of waterfront parkland. Completed in March 2014, the $40 million bridge takes the first step toward bringing life back to the unique and picturesque riverbank precinct. Aurecon was the lead consultant and responsible for the design and management of this public infrastructure, but also worked with landscape architects Taylor Cullity Lethlean (TCL)...Read More

Building Information technology is rapidly changing our approach to landscape architecture.  The digital input within construction management has rapidly increased in the last decade or so. Likewise, the focus has shifted to urban landscaping when it comes to green practices within architecture. The premise is that landscape should be the main building block for city design. New York’s Fresh Kills reclamation project is an ideal example of technology input and urban landscaping. Urban landscaping offers a potential method to translate ideas within urban ecology to generate technology driven construction management that reflects both cultural and natural processes. Practices such as ‘Field Operations’ represent how much landscaping has evolved in the digital era. The Efficiency of Building ...Read More

Words of wisdom to work by and perhaps live by. Here at LAN we love a good quote. Wise words stand the test of time. In this article we take take a look at some famous quotes that can apply to landscape architecture. 11. “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve”. –Napoleon Hill (1883 – 1970) Just look at some of the most inspiring landscape architectural projects of recent years; The Eden Project, The High Line, or the National September 11 Memorial. Great projects are about not only having a great idea, but believing in them, and having the tenacity to see them through to completion. 10. “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” – Henry Ford (1863-1947) OK, so not every project you’re working on can ...Read More

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. Welcome to this week’s edition of Sketchy Saturday, where we had our tightest week ever in terms of competition, picking which sketch should obtain top spot was no easy feat. While the talent we get is always of a high calibre, the top three are usually in a league of their own and the winner is often a clear favourite, this week, we’re happy with first place but in a different week several others listed could of been featured in that number one position. Decide for yourself, which one would you of put in the top spot. 10. Marcin Wodniczak, landscape architekt from Poland, owner in www.addgreen.pl “I made this sketch as part of a design, to make sure a prospective client hires me as a contractor to make their garden around his summer h...Read More

A look at how the inevitable technology of automated cars will change the face of landscape architecture. Paradigm shifts in technology, through history’s lens, have proven to profoundly alter our society. This new technology, whether it be a printing press, cotton gin, nitrogen based fertilizer, car, or a computer sets a benchmark on how we function as a people. Its tendrils seep into our culture, economics, and a myriad of other locations – but one aspect that often gets overlooked is our landscape. Our cities were built to be the backbone support of the industrial revolution. Our roads were built to accommodate the car and truck. Our soil is radically altered due to fertilizers and farm practices of the past. Time and time again we can look at the trend of technology being introduced an...Read More

DM2 Housing Project by OODA architects. In historic downtown Porto, Portugal, buildings are protected to retain the strong character of the area. OODA architects have undertaken the sensitive renovation of D. Manuel II (DM2), reinvigorating the building and incorporating a patio that is part stylish green roof, part car park. The building has been restored from commercial use to its original purpose as a residential building, albeit now providing 17 residences instead of the one it was initially built for in the 19th century. In close proximity to the city’s the universities, hospitals, nightlife, and arts district, DM2 is being repositioned for a younger market. Compact living spaces and the use of some cheaper materials on the inside reflect this, but don’t be mistaken – the architects h...Read More

Stunning waterfall art by Laurent Gongora. The Cascade de Vaucoux waterfall in south-central France is one of those wonders of nature that for centuries has evoked awe in all who see it. It’s hard to believe that man could enhance Mother Nature’s handiwork, but artist Laurent Gongora may have managed it. Gongora has added a series of 24 steel triangles, which protrude from the waterfall in the mountainous Massif Region, “redrawing” the flow of water, splitting and scattering it as it pours toward the ground. The water diverges from its natural path, providing a gleam of light and misting the skin of visitors. The Design Gongora arranged the steel triangles in an eight-meter-high diamond formation, with the pointed shapes emerging from the falling water and diverting the torrent over and ar...Read More

Looking for your first job is really hard work. You have to realize that job hunting is kind of your first job. If you want to succeed in this hunt, full-time dedication is required. Almost everyone has the same doubts and questions when the time to work finally arrives: What kind of job do I want to get? How can I impress my employer? Are my skills good enough for my dream job? Is there a way to eliminate the competition? You can be pretty good at something and learn faster than the rest, but you have to persuade the person on the other side of the table that you are exactly what he needs. There are a few things you need to consider in order to get your first job:   1. You Don’t Have a Job Hunting Strategy Job searching can be really stressful if you don’t have a plan. On...Read More

The Roof Gardens of the European Patent Office, Rijswijk, The Netherlands. In the words of the celebrated French architect Jean Nouvel, “Each new situation requires a new architecture.” And so it is that the European Patent Office (EPO) has come to require a new building to replace its outdated and now unsuitable existing home in The Hague, The Netherlands. It is clear to see why the EPO would wish to replace its current building. Even if it were not too small for the agency’s requirements, there would be compelling grounds to replace it for aesthetic reasons. The stark nature of the two intersected cuboid forms, devoid of ornament and contour, dominates both the site and the local area in an oppressive and massive statement of authority. The building’s iconic 1970s architecture has ...Read More

PRESS RELEASE: Studio Fink completes a temporary transformation of the Piazza Vecchia Renaissance square in Italy into a contemporary Piazza Rosa. The Piazza Vecchia ( Old Square ) in Bergamo Italy is a Renaissance square, that Le Corbusier called “the most beautiful square in Europe” .As key part of a major international landscape symposium Arketipos held in Bergamo throughout September 2014 this historical square was transformed for two weeks into an outdoor living room as an event attracting tens of thousands of citizens and tourist of all ages. This year London based artist Peter Fink of Studio Fink has designed its annual makeover in collaboration with Lucia Nusiner ( Planting ) and Maurizio Quargnale ( Lighting ). Peter knows Bergamo well because he has participated in the last two A...Read More