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The Landscape Architecture buzz terms that leave us all nodding and smiling along in utter confusion. The importance of an expansive landscape lexicon should not be understated. As landscape architects, I believe the way in which we communicate with words is equally as important and persuasive as communicating graphically, be it with clients, colleagues or classmates. With such a myriad of landscape architectural concepts and terminologies used in our design dialect, it is imperative to know both what these terminologies are and what they actually mean. Think of it as an academic investment that grows with time – here are 5 landscape architecture buzz words and what they mean. 1. Blue Urbanism In a nutshell blue urbanism is about designing for ocean awareness. It is an emerging set o...Read More

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10 Welcome to another fantastic edition of Sketchy Saturday, where we have taken everything you have sent us in, filtered through them and picked what we believe to be the top 10. This week we had our first ever Sketchy Saturday video entry which is well worth a watch. This is presentation format that we would love to see more of as it allows another dimension to the presentation of the sketch. I think you’ll agree all the entries offer something different, with a diverse blend of styles and approaches that illustrate the artist’s imagination and perception. 10. by Rigan Satria A. Putra, ST Master of Architecture Design student, Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, Indonesia “Rotterdam International Credit and Trading Association buil...Read More

 “The Disconnect” – Crater Lake by 24° Studio In today’s frantic and technology driven society, it is all too easy to become engulfed in social media. Although these virtual spheres present opportunities for people to instantly get in touch and share life experiences, in reality, nothing beats an old fashioned face-to-face conversation.  Let’s face it, do we really need to see an image of the latest delicacy our pseudo-friends cooked for dinner? With their temporary installation project ‘Crater Lake’, Japanese architectural firm 24° Studio have attempted to promote the lost art of social interaction to somewhat alleviate the societal disconnect brought about by social media. This hybrid, public playscape, urban intervention, and sculpture landscape installation sustains s...Read More

LAN writer Cameron Rodman pays a visit to Citygarden. Coming to St. Louis, I expected to be overwhelmingly impressed by the Gateway Arch and the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial grounds. The American monument and National Expansion Memorial have stood the test of time representing the history of America. I was excited to learn more about my country’s history and gain some knowledge of how westward expansion advanced. Instead, upon my visit, I found that the new jewel in St. Louis is Citygarden, a 2.9 acre urban park. Opened in 2009, Citygarden is the newest addition to the city’s “Gateway Mall” which starts at the Mississippi River and Gateway Arch then travels west 16 blocks up into the city. The park, which was designed by Virginia-based Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects, was a...Read More

Rain Gardens: Embracing the Environment to Create Thoughtful Spaces. You probably know from our previous article “Permeable Paving: The Essential Guide” that it is possible to allow water to infiltrate paths and roads with the use of permeable paving. But have you ever heard of the possibility of imitating natural forest infiltration within your own garden? What is a Rain Garden? The rain garden, as its name suggests, is a group of planting arrangements that make use of rainwater. The rain garden is usually small and can be incorporated into pretty much any outdoor design. While rain gardens are most commonly found in residential yards, they can also be planted in parking lots and parks. They can even function by themselves as small independent gardens. What differentiates this planting de...Read More

Want to boost awareness and participation in your local landscape architecture chapter but don’t know how? If you were lucky enough to attend last year’s ASLA conference in Boston, you’ve experienced first-hand the energy and ambition of the Boston Society of Landscape Architects. Located in one of the hottest spots in the country for landscape architecture schools and firms, BSLA also hosts an active Emerging Professionals group that’s been spearheading a local community around landscape architecture with fun networking events. I had the opportunity to speak with Nina Chase, BSLA EP Chair, and David Buckley Borden, BSLA EP Event Producer, about their leadership roles in the EP group and their advice for getting more people involved and active in landscape architecture. Can you tell us abo...Read More

Mercer Slough Nature Park and Education Centre by Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects Buildings and nature parks: Do the two mix, or should we avoid development in sensitive landscapes altogether? Perhaps there are practical and considered ways in which we can integrate the buildings needed to encourage people to venture into the natural environment on their doorsteps. After all, persuading more people to interact with the natural world — and providing facilities in which environmental education can be spread — has to be a good thing, right? Mercer Slough Nature Park is a 320-acre park in Washington, just east of Seattle. Taking its name from the Mercer Slough River that runs through it, the park contains a diverse range of habitats, perhaps most notably a lar...Read More

Green Roof Design by Spanish based firm ON-A architects. “Go Green” — the phrase sounds impractical when dealing with trends and technology, but ON-A architects has managed to merge contemporary housing with nature in this single family house — designed by architects Jordi Fernández and Eduardo Gutiérrez in Barcelona, Spain. This recent project consists of a mind-blowing sustainable and eco-friendly environment, both inside and out. It forms an inner envelope of circulating fresh oxygen with well-conditioned comfort, providing its occupants with an extremely natural space — like hibernating under a lawn of wonders. The Surrounding Area and Natural Perks This simple detached house lies in the characteristic landscapes of the plain of Vic, in the town of Tona. The house, op...Read More

Looking to interject color into a blighted landscape?  It may be easier than you think. Combine clay, compost, native seeds and water, and you have the fixings for a classic clay seed ball.  The seed ball, a preferred weapon of the guerrilla gardener, is an inexpensive way to cover expansive areas in a short period of time. The first recorded use of the term “guerrilla gardening” was in New York’s Bowery-Houston area by Liz Christy in 1973.  Christy and her group transformed a neglected private lot into a garden.  Today, this space still exists, maintained by volunteers and overseen by the parks department.  Since the 1970’s, Guerrilla Gardening has exploded in popularity and use as a method of improving our abandoned spaces. Johnny Appleseed and The Diggers Surprisingly this methodo...Read More

Street trees play an important role in our urban environment: filtering air pollution, mitigating wind effects, stormwater attenuation, and decreasing the urban albedo. Not to mention the more subjective benefits of aesthetics, improved quality of life and increased property prices. It is perhaps shocking then that the University of Pennsylvania places street tree mortality 8-10 years after planting at a staggering 57%, and the average life expectancy of a street tree in London is just 10 years. The Greater London Authority estimates that there are just under 500,000 street trees in London. Some of these trees were planted by the Victorians over 100 years ago. So why are so many newly planted trees in our urban environment dying, and what can we do to ensure new street trees thrive? Two Ma...Read More

Baan San Kraam by Sanitas Studio The Baan San Kraam residential development completed in December 2013, in Cha-Am, Petchaburi, Thailand encompasses 266 units. Out of the 13 buildings in the master plan, only two have direct views to the Cha-Am beach. The designers were faced with a specific and unique challenge: bring the beach to the remaining 90% of the development that does not border the ocean. The overarching concept was to create a holistic setting that mimics the seascape. Designers allowed the nautical theme to influence every aspect of the site design including circulation, vegetation, topography, and building orientation. The Vision: The design team was charged with integrating the beach theme into the entire residential development. The vision was to create unique zones so each ...Read More

Some pieces of art are meant to be admired from above, from a bird’s-eye view. They are always large, usually very impressive, and have been known to humanity for quite a while – long before the Google Earth era. Some of the notable examples that must be mentioned include the Uffington White Horse, Cerne Abbas giant, the Long Man of Wilmington, Osmington White Horse, the Nazca lines in Peru and some of the modern ones – the works of Jim Denevan or Jaroslaw Koziara. The role of these prehistoric pieces is often uncertain and a matter of much speculation; the modern installations are a part of the land art movement, which brings together art and landscape. There are many artists worth mentioning and numerous land art installations deserving of an article. However, one piece is particul...Read More