Blog

How is the future of design education changing?  More importantly what actions are currently being done to develop the way students learn design?  In this interview with Douglas B. Clark, Luca Fauciglietti finds out: The University of Manitoba located in the city of Winnipeg in Canada is the only University that offers four different majors in English: City Planning and Urbanism, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture and Architecture. I had the pleasure to meet Douglas B. Clark, the Executive Director and Partners Programs of the Faculty of Architecture.  In this interview, we will look at the course structure, how it operates, what makes it unique to other universities and also, what are Mr. Clark’s feelings on the future of the education of the design professions. In the open day you d...Read More

The maze, has been a fascinating element of the landscape since ancient times with the Cretan labyrinth being the oldest mentioned one. It was a very popular element of 16th century Renaissance gardens in Europe, serving not only as an interesting pastime, but also a focal point for thoughts on the source of life, human fate and our place in the universe. In the 17th and 18th centuries the labyrinths became even more elaborate and complicated; the design often included blind endings, ornamental ‘rooms’ or even pools and fountains. They also got harder to solve. For centuries labyrinths have been intriguing and inspiring to mankind; they were present in books, stories, legends and even films including the children’s classic “Labyrinth” ; they were designed by the most famo...Read More

You’ve got a space, a wasted space, a space not living up to its true potential, it could be so much more, it could be engaging, wonderful and exciting, but you just pass by it, day after day, not realising that each time you pass it, you are in fact passing an opportunity to do something great, something creative and something  spontaneous to thrill and excite all those who come into contact with it. 72 Hour Urban Action A space doesn’t need to be in the right location or even in the right time, it just needs to be injected with energy and creativity which is what the 72 Hour Urban Action team are all about. They enter the public domain with their unheard of ideas about instant urban change and how to transform a public space on a tight budget and even on a tighter time limit.  They...Read More

Bridges have shaped our transportation infrastructure, have served as cultural backdrops, and date back to the “Hunters and Gatherers” Era which used natural materials such as fallen trees to act as crossing planks.  Yet, the Romans were the first to construct bridges with strength withstanding natural forces.  Aqueducts and the creation of concrete, cement, and cofferdam (a watertight cover allowing for construction of the foundation on the bed of the river) served as a critical discovery and fueled a boom in bridge construction.  This list is a collection of my favorites, which test the engineering and design boundaries, ultimately becoming landmarks of their respective locales. 10.  Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, Awaji Island, Japan Linking Kobe to Iwaya, while crossing the Akashi Strait, this b...Read More

There’s an app for everything these days, but what are the best and must have apps for the landscape architecture professional? Unless you’re living under a rock or have missed the iphone train you would know that apps are the latest craze in convenience, they are your gadget in your pocket, the Swiss Army penknife of the 21st century; and not to mention a booming business making many many people millionaires many times over. You can even download a graffiti app that allows you to capture the image of your surroundings just like a video camera and write cyber graffiti all over it. All the fun, without the crime….  Yes apps have taken the world by storm and have weaved their way into the lives of every tech savvy individual, catering for all interests and gaining the world of ap...Read More

Time and time again we are told that exercise is really good for us and organized sports seem to be the best bet to shed some pounds or generally feel better. Some sports are really appreciated, practiced in national competitions, brought to Olympic status and some rather limp forwards through a few fans or daredevils. The view on skateboarding and roller skating as a sport is quite a mix of these two extreme views: some people go mad for it and do it till they die and others just despise it and think it offers nothing but trouble. Well, whichever side you may take, you got to agree that skateboarding changed the world a bit, in many terms, especially among youths. In this view, many sports, once got into, become a lifestyle for people and skateboarding has done this successfully to many y...Read More

Landscape architects have a massive responsibility to create sustainable spaces. A major part of this is to create spaces that are well connected to sustainable transport options: public transport, cycling and walking, so that people can enjoy the space you have created, without people, spaces just don’t make any sense. Bikes are becoming a bigger part of car-dominated western cities. In the US, only 0.7% of all trips are made by bicycle, and in Canada it is only 1% (link). When these figures are with the Netherlands, where 27% of all daily trips are made by bicycle, we cansee there is lots of room for improvement in countries dominated by the car. Cycling has many benefits. It is good for the environment, as there are negligible carbon emissions from your breath compared with those ...Read More

We take a look at two of the world’s most iconic raised parks! A park is by definition a green area – usually at the ground level, beside streets and buildings – that offers people an outdoor place for spending time with friends or by yourself. But what happens when parks are elevated from the ground as happened at the Promenade Plantée and the Highline? A park requires a lot of attention and nowadays can be considered green architecture. Landscape architects are as important as architects of buildings; they spend time designing amazing green spaces and the Promenade Plantée is the perfect example of art and landscape architecture applied together to give life to something special and unique. La Promenade Plantée is a long green space turned into a pedestrian walk and pub...Read More

Monocultures, or the use of one species in planting schemes and are falling out of favour in our public schemes.  More and more, people are asking for diverse palettes of plants in the landscape.  This has been due to a number of reasons, but mainly because of the shortcomings of one type planting schemes.  This article will summarize the downfall of monocultures, question the success of their alternatives and look at their future, if any. Monocultures became popular due the sense of unity and harmony they gave to a landscape.  Mass planting of a specific species can produce a stunning visual impact and provide stronger contrast against a building or focal point.  Monocultures were also as far from nature as one could get, showing man’s manipulation of the landscape, the person being the c...Read More

I was walking through a new square in Tel Aviv the day when I saw 10 baby strollers parked in a row with no one around. As I went closer I discovered a sunken garden, with lots of babies and small children playing in the winter sun while parents lounged on the large steps that led to the sunken area. The sunken garden was designed by the famous Israeli sculptor Dani Karavan, who is more known for his memorial monuments in Israel and around the world. Dani Karavan designed the Kikar Levana an environmental sculpture that sits atop a small hill, at the Edith Wolfson Park, in Tel Aviv. The sculpture’s name means White Square. It is located at the highest point in Tel Aviv where the city meets nearby Givatayim. Interestingly enough the monument acts as a really active space for kids who want t...Read More

Water shortages are becoming more and more an ever evident occurrence in our daily lives in the western world.  While underdeveloped countries have dealt with the extreme effects of droughts for decades, the Western world has escaped much of the hardship through quick fix solutions.  These include damming rivers, piping water halfway across the landscape and installing more and more irrigation.  Something’s gotta’ give, sooner or later. The current problem in many cities and countries worldwide is declining precipitation rates, a problem that is exacerbated by aging infrastructure.  This is most evident in London, where a hose pipe ban is currently in place.  The situation is so dire at the moment that the ban is being touted to be in place from now until early 2013.  Other problems caused...Read More