Blog

As the modern issues of global warming and the economic crisis continue to escalate, people are trying to find solutions to delay negative effects or entirely alter the source of the problem. Most don’t want to face the facts. Temporary solutions are a popular because a total and complete change seems insurmountable. But that is exactly what Jacque Fresco proposes in his elaborate and impressive “Venus Project”.  The main aim of the project is social change towards the ultimate goal of sustainable, equal and prosperous living. The world in the Venus Project would be resource-based and would eliminate the current monetary and political framework. Ideally, it would provide a high quality of life for everyone and allow for humanity to live in an ecological and non-damaging way. This would mea...Read More

When I think of William H. Whyte, that pioneer of urban observation, one image comes to mind. I watched Whyte’s 1980 film “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” in either 1994 or 1995 in an architecture building classroom. Still today in my mind I can clearly see that famous overhead time-lapse of people on the Seagrams Plaza as they follow the sun. But the picture that sticks with me is the one of the guy trying to find a comfortable spot in a plaza mostly bereft of seating. This overworked gent has trundled down from some beige office for his lunch break and finds all the walls are topped with short metal spikes. He is not deterred. He wads up his jacket, lays it upon the spikes and sits. In the film he looks terribly uncomfortable. Whyte’s deadpan voice-over says: “As we found out, peo...Read More

No longer the undeveloped concrete eyesore it once was, Discovery Green has been transformed into a 12-acre, LEED Gold certified public park located in Houston’s dense urban core. Opened in 2008, the park was the result of a successful public-private partnership between the City of Houston and Discovery Green Conservancy and has been incredibly well-received by millions of visitors.  More after the jump… Discovery Green’s Mission Statement: “To provide an uncommonly beautiful, urban green space in the heart of Houston that serves as a village green for our city, a source of health and happiness for our citizens and a window into the incredible diversity of talents and traditions that enrich life in Houston.” Site Plan (above) via archdaily.com Located across from the Geor...Read More

Michael McGillis is an environmental artist who creates beautiful pieces using diverse materials and brilliant colors. He recently shared some of his new work and answered a few questions about his artistic process, ideas and background.  Read on! “I don’t think of it as ‘inspiration’ as much as motivation.  Being attracted to a subject and feeling compelled to explore it within ones own capacity.  In my case, a process of making art.” What is your current location and where are you working? I grew up in the inner suburbs of Detroit, lived in the city for 20 years, and recently moved back to those same suburbs. I have a small studio behind my house where I plan projects, make models and am able to watch my daughters play in our deep backyard. What is your educ...Read More

This projects comes from an up and coming Landscape Architecture studio in Portugal.  After working together for 7 years, João Bicho and Joana Carneiro branched out on their own in 2011 to create their studio JBJC arquitectura paisagista.  The scope of their activities ranges from small private gardens, agricultural and pastoral landscapes, public spaces, restoration of degraded and sensitive areas, hotels and tourist developments.  Their work is based on the exploration of design through technical aspects leading to an enriching experience of the utilization space.  Read on! Project Narrative: The proposed intervention seeks to make the most of the existing landscape in the region, while at the same time surrounding the building with the quality it deserves. The building which covers the ...Read More

Ever since the wheel was invented, it has taken precedence over foot traffic. Wheeled vehicles—particularly motorized ones—rule the road and shape our public spaces. In fact, when you think of the word city, what comes to mind? Pedestrianized Landscapes or… Traffic. Traffic jams. And lots of people. For the most part, our cities have evolved into a snarl of vehicles, jockeying bumper to bumper and competing with swarms of sidewalk hoppers. We could blame it on a number of factors, from the spread of suburbia to the scarcity of public transportation. But no matter how we look at it, one battle will always surface: man vs. machine. Urban designers are becoming increasingly aware of the difficulties of trying to reconcile pedestrians with traffic. Many cities are developing methods to r...Read More

Street Art Tours seem to be all the rage right now!  ‘Street Art’ is loosely definable, but in most cases refers to unsanctioned art in the streets. Made famous, or infamous, by artists such as Banksy, Space Invader, and Morley. The Telegraph Travel section recently had this to say about the prominence of tours:  “Street art is now a global tourism force. There are specialist tours in Berlin, Paris, New York and Melbourne, in several British cities – and astonishingly, about ten different graffiti tours in London alone.” Have you been on one of these they mention? Do you know of others around the world? Perhaps some of these examples will inspire to join in the fun… David Walker 30-foot bird by Belgian artist ROA Banksy’s hometown of Bristol has a great street...Read More

Over the last five years, the Times Square Alliance has invited architecture and design firms to submit proposals for a romantic public art installation celebrating Valentine’s Day in Times Square. This year’s winning design, Situ Studio’s “Heartwalk”, was unveiled on February 12th just in time for Valentine’s Day. Made entirely of debris from Hurricane Sandy, Situ Studio’s “Heartwalk” draws inspiration from, “the collective experience of Hurricane Sandy and the love that binds people together during trying times.”  Two ribbons of salvaged planks rise from the boardwalk deck and flare out like waves; creating an illuminated, heart-shaped “room within the city.”   “Triangulation is the process by which some external stimulus provid...Read More

The San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden, also known as the Chinese Sunken Gardens, is a registered Texas historical landmark with over 90 years of rich history. Formerly an abandoned limestone quarry, the site was the source of limestone for much of San Antonio, and thus played a prominent role in the development of the cement business. In recognition of the site’s incorporation of the landscape’s history, the San Antonio Japanese Tea Garden has also been designated as a Texas Civil Engineering Landmark as well. Located in Brackenridge Park near the San Antonio Zoo, the Japanese Tea Garden is a tucked away gem and destination that’s more likely planned upon than stumbled upon. Visitors walk up a short hill past the base of the park to the open-air pagoda, from where, the moni...Read More

The language of flowers: A red rose means passionate love, a white rose means innocence, forget-me-nots stand for remembrance and true love. These are just a few letters from the extensive and varied alphabet of plants! Valentine’s Day is a perfect time to learn more about these plants for valentine’s day. This article will help you understand what your girlfriend meant by adding “lovage” to your dinner and prevent you from acting surprised when you find poppy seeds stuffed into your pillow! With this knowledge in hand, those in relationships might surprise their partners, and the single ones might win that heart they have been longing for. Here are a few chosen plants worth knowing on Valentine’s Day: 10. Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia) Vanilla is a species of orchid native...Read More

We interview Janne Saario – the keen pro skater turned landscape architect, designing some of the most innovative skate parks in the world! His creative thinking and personal experience of the landscape through the skateboard is what makes the difference from the rest of skatepark designers. Until now he has completed a few skate parks which according to the skaters riding them are an absolutely different way of feeling the landscape. They say “what makes his design different is the fact that he thinks even about the smallest detail”.  We managed to get a little glimpse into his thoughts, experience and plans for the future, in an interview for you. So you have been a skater most of your life and a large part of it professionally. Where there any skate parks back when you started out...Read More