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The Evergreen Brick Works by Claude Comier Associates, Toronto, Canada. Also known as Don Valley Brick Works Park because of its location in the Don River valley, this old brick works factory and quarry has been restored and re-naturalized to provide Torontonians with a high-quality and revered park and community environmental center. During the 100-plus years in which it operated as a brick works, materials quarried from the site went into numerous buildings constructed in Toronto and further afield. When raw materials ran out in 1984, the brick works closed, leaving behind a large industrial footprint — 16 industrial buildings, a damaged river floodplain ecosystem, and contaminated soil. During the early 1990s, the site was used for illegal raves and urban exploring. Graffiti took ...Read More

A Brief and Visual Guide to Historical Landscape Architecture. Although Scot Gilbert Laing Meason first used the term landscape architecture in 1828, humans have of course shaped the landscape around them since the inception of civilization. Over the centuries, mankind’s interaction with the land and the designing of it has led to the creation of a plethora of societies, cultures, and landscape technologies. Of the countless historical landscapes that dot the world today, I have chosen 15 to discuss — some well known and, hopefully, some that will be new to you. Historical Landscape Architecture 1. Patio de los Naranjos Located within the Mosque of Córdoba (or Mezquita de Córdoba, as it is known in Spanish), southern Spain, the Patio de los Naranjos is thought to be one of the oldest...Read More

The Commonground by Land Collective. The Commonground project in Indianapolis stands as more than just a gateway to a hospital or a threshold to a medical complex, but as a model for constructive collaborative design. Landscape Architects at Land Collective were just one of many active members of a team of architects, engineers, lighting designers and others who came together to make this project a reality. This programmed plaza at the Eskenazi Health Hospital is a new destination in downtown Indianapolis for everyone in Marion county whether they are actively receiving Eskenazi’s services or not. This model and concept of a garden for all became the central driving vision of the common ground plaza. The designers had a vision to create a space for everyone to gather, contemplate, relax an...Read More

Sun City Takarazuka by SWA. Many countries are dealing with the increasing demand for adequate housing caused by the fast growth of the population over the age of 60. Governmental and private companies around the world have been producing residential buildings for this part of the population, integrating health care and accommodation services. This scenario is changing the idea that people have about how would be the ideal place to live when they reach the old age. Instead of isolated country houses, community buildings are proving to be a more practical way of living that provides different kinds of services but most of them are still far from being the people’s dream homes mainly due to their resemblance to health care institutions. To transform these places into welcoming homes, archite...Read More

Parc du Mont Evrin (Mont Evrin Park) in France, designed by Urbicus. Designing a rural landscape can be a hard task. How does one purposefully design a vast area and make it look like it has always been there? How does one create a space that doesn’t make visitors feel like all of their movements are anticipated? Parc du Mont Evrin (Mont Evrin Park) in France, designed by Urbicus, might be the perfect example of how to make the unnatural feel natural. What made the task for Urbicus a little easier was the fact that the designers started with land that was formerly agricultural. Since the landscape had been natural for a long time, it was only fitting to restore the countryside environment while renewing the neighborhood. The park’s rural environment features prairies, hedgerows, smal...Read More

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. Welcome to this week’s edition of Sketchy Saturday; the sketches have been pouring in, and the talent just never seems to stop, it is a joy to see so many creative, artistic and active people out there making use of their ability to excite, connect and inspire people into observing their environment in a beautiful way. Clearly not every entry that gets sent to us will get published in the Sketchy Saturday top 10, but this does not mean you were not close to being featured, so please keep on sketching and sending in your awesome work, we love it all. Did we pick the right sketch for top spot, you decide! 10. by Kelly Hartholt, second year ‘Landscape Design’ student from The Netherlands. “I’m currently designing a country estate at...Read More

The Delta District Innovation in Water Management, Vinge, Denmark, by SLA  The creative mind sees opportunity where most can only see difficulty – this is the beauty of our profession as (landscape) architects. We all are aware of the climate change the planet is facing, but how can we overcome the challenges imposed by it and still provide better urban environments? Landscape architects from SLA prove that this is indeed possible with the beautiful project The Delta District in Denmark, which skillfully deals with local issues – such as flooding – and improves the quality of life of the residents. The Delta District and the City of Vinge The Delta District is the first stage of a larger project: Vinge. Vinge is a new sustainable city (currently in development) located in the municipality ...Read More

Stylish Private Outdoor Design by Red Rock Contractors and Red Rock Pools & Spas. A blank slate is viewed by designers as an open canvas, a place of unrealized dreams, and an opportunity to let those dreams become a reality. And a blank slate is exactly what Rick Chafey and Brett Blauvelt of Red Rock Pool & Spa and Red Rock Contractors found when they walked onto the property in Gilbert, Arizona, and it excited them. On their initial visit, according to Chafey and Blauvelt, “nothing about the site was extraordinary, it was just a plain Jane home with an average pool on a five-acre lot … hardly the kind of place you’d find a multimillion dollar custom estate home.” It soon became clear that they were about to take on a complete recreation, not only of the home but also of the entire...Read More

Lotus Lake Park by Integrated Planning and Design Inc. Historically, China has had a somewhat less than stellar reputation for living conditions, particularly in cities where rapid growth and urbanization has occurred. However, after many decades of overcrowding, pollution, and virtually non-existent green space in cities, China has managed to become a world leader in environmental design and planning. Today, China is a cultural center for technology and innovation, and the field of landscape architecture is no exception. In fact, China was recognized as the country experiencing the most growth in landscape architecture in our article 5 Countries Where Landscape Architecture is Booming. Sudden growth in sustainable urban design? Growing concerns over public health and environmental sustain...Read More

The Lyon River Bank by IN SITU Architectes Paysagistes. In Lyon, France, the east bank, often referred to as the left bank, of the river has undergone a transformation that has taken the former ports from a riverside car park, to a varied public space that will facilitate relaxation and socialising and encourage both city dwellers and wider Lyon residents to use sustainable transport options. The 10ha site covers a stretch along the river of approximately 5km. The ‘Berges de Rhône’ (Banks of the Rhône) development was a project undertaken by the local authority who launched an architecture competition with the assistance of the Greater Lyon Open Spaces Department (Grand Lyon) and its project-management team. Following this consultation, a team comprising landscape architects from IN SITU A...Read More