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Permeable pavements are a great tool for alleviating stormwater issues.  Proper design—like with most landscape technologies—is key to their success.  Yet as these installations age, they clog and no longer perform as designed.  If infiltration cannot be restored through normal means, the pavement must be totally reconstructed.  Does this issue mean that landscape architects been over-eager in using permeable pavement as a solution for stormwater management? Debris like leaf litter can build up annually and reduce the infiltration rates of pervious paving. Image credit: BigBlockBobber, pixabay.com Routine Maintenance Landscape architects have long understood the need to maintain permeable pavements to sustain performance levels and have been talking about maintenance routines almost since ...Read More

Welcome to another dazzling display of sketchy talent from around the globe. Your work never fails to excite us and clearly our readership too as last week’s Sketchy Saturday was our most popular yet. In this week’s top 10 we start of with a doodle sketched at the breakfast table, which is a great example of how you can literally sketch anywhere and express your creative talent. I guarantee when this sketch by Antony (no. 10 Below) was being done that he had no idea that it would be seen by 1,000’s of people world wide, inspiring others and encouraging many more to sketch for themselves. This is what drives Sketchy Saturday, showcasing moments of creativity in order to inspire others.  Keep on scrolling and check out all 10 of this week’s Sketchy Saturday. 10. Anton...Read More

When most people think about the 9/11 Memorial design, it’s the two giant waterfalls that first come to mind. But landscape architects know that the space would not be nearly as impactful without those iconic rows of gridded Swamp White Oak trees. Located atop one of the largest and “most sustainable” rooftop gardens in the world, these trees are laid out in a Modernist style to function as architectural elements that not only provide structure, but also provide a living reminder of the passage of time. While it’s nothing new to include trees as symbols of rebirth and renewal in memorial design, growing and moving such a massive number of trees into one of the densest cities in America is a remarkable feat. Filmmaker Scott Elliot hopes to capture the seven-year design and...Read More

Our first collection of Youtube videos for landscape architects was such a major hit, that we had to follow it up with part 2. We did our best to compose a list with a rich diversity while keeping it relevant to outdoor design, delivering to you a list with a bit of comedy, some questionable music choices and some really ground breaking, innovative ideas that are sure to alter the way you think about public space. I hope you find the time to make it through all 9, they’re worth every minute, engaging literally millions of viewers worldwide. 1.Allgood Trio Sesame steps Disabled access is something designers of public space all need to be concerned about, and often it ends up changing the course of the overall design with the primary goal of achieving functionality for all those using ...Read More

Zhongshan Shipyard Park designed by Turenscape As cities grow and space becomes tight, urban planners and architects are taking a bigger interest in how, when and which spaces can be redesigned in order to take advantage of the existing land. The main intention is not to keep cities from growing, but to design a better environment inside them. Recovering urban space requires integrating the project within its context. Integration occurs at different levels – social, urban, and architectural — but most importantly at the cultural level. The influence and success of a project depends on how it interacts with the people who live there. With this consideration, designers transforming a site into a new space must recognize the connection that exists between the site and the people. One su...Read More

Heemstede Hageveld Estate designed by Hosper Built in 1923 and originally used as a Catholic seminary, the Hageveld in Heemstede had seen better days. In 1968, the rear building, the Achterhuis, was turned into Hageveld Atheneum College, but the front, the Voorhuis, remained largely unused and, by 1997, was deemed unfeasible by the diocese of Haarlam, NL. The owner of the estate felt that its beauty was still there, but both the Voorhuis and the landscape had been neglected through the years and were in desperate need of work. The goal was to transform the Voorhuis into high-end apartments, the Achterhuis into student dormitories, and to expand sporting areas for the school, all while maintaining the historical integrity of the estate. Dutch firm Hosper was asked to create an urban and mas...Read More

View from Laurie Olin’s Office Visiting various different landscape architecture offices is a great way to understand each firm’s different niche and specialization. Firms vary in many different aspects: project focus (public or private), rendering styles (hand or digital graphics), office environment (a small office or one that takes up an entire building), and so on. It can be hard to grasp these differences when usually all you have to go by is their completed work. That’s why, as I’ve stated before, a landscape architecture office visit is so important. By getting the foot in the door to one of your favorite firms, you can start to get a sense of whether or not you are the right fit for their team. It provides the opportunity to ask questions and get answers on ...Read More

Redevelopment of New Holland Island, St. Petersburg by West 8 On June 9, New Holland Development announced that they, alongside West 8, are preparing a new and updated plan for the restoration and reconstruction of historic New Holland Island. Founded in 1719, the island of New Holland is one of St. Petersburg, Russia’s most important monuments. New Holland has a reputation as an island of inventors and scientists, as it was planned and developed by leading architects and engineers. The island has been home to warehouses and administrative spaces for the Russian Navy, a facility for ship builders, a laboratory for science and technology, a naval prison, and one of the first radio stations in the country. “The introduction of the Summer at New Holland program in 2011-2013, highlighted...Read More

A landscape architect’s dream come true – modern permeable surfaces – are finally here to stay. In recent years they have steadily become more and more popular. Concern for the environment, especially water resources, has massively contributed to their popularity and promotion. Different types of permeable surfaces have actually been known for generations. Turf, gravel, or simply soil are all allowing the water to penetrate through them into the underlying soil. However simple and cheap, those surfaces are not suitable for use on paths and roads with higher traffic volume due to their lack of durability. They are also not stable enough, making them harder to use, especially for people with special needs – the elderly, wheelchair users, parents with prams or simply women i...Read More

While students and fresh graduates in most professions take pride in the grades they have earned and academic papers they have written, designers have a whole different story. Unless you are pursuing higher education, grades don’t really matter that much. Professionals are instead interested in seeing a visual outcome of your studio work in the four or five years you spent in university. In that timeframe, designing a decent portfolio is probably the most important step before embarking on the hunt for jobs or internships. LAN decided to compile a list of the most common mistakes landscape architects might commit while preparing their portfolio. Designing Your Portfolio 5. Inconsistency Perhaps every project you have worked on will have a different font and layout. That should not, however...Read More

It’s always so interesting to hear the thoughts of the people who compose the work that gets displayed in our top Sketchy Saturday feature each week. Each featured image is so much more than a sketch, it often has a story behind it, capturing a moment in the artist’s life, reminding them of how they use to think as well as acting as a token throughout course of their lives. Along with a high standard , we always look for the unusual, the personal and the imaginative when we choose our top 10 and certainly I think you’ll agree that this week’s top 10 have all of that and more. 10. Swayam Prakash Mohanty “I had made this sketch last month during my summer course “Shared Grounds” in Revdanda, Maharashtra. It represents my impression of the region and ...Read More