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Article by Kamil Rawski – A review of the Max IV Radiation Centre landscape by Snøhetta, in Lund, Sweden Lund is a city in the province of Scania, located in southern Sweden, northeast of Malmo. 87,244 people lived there in 2015, out of a municipal total of about 117,000. The city is strong academic centre thanks to Lund University. Today it is one of Scandinavia’s largest institutions for education and research. In particular, the Lund Institute of Technology, which has connections with many high-tech industries in the city, such as Sony Mobile Communications, Ericsson, and Microsoft. Also the MAX IV Radiation Centre was developed in collaboration with the university. Combine Landscape Design The MAX IV Laboratory is a high-performance synchrotron radiation laboratory. This facility...Read More

2016 has been a great year for landscape architecture books. Whether you are interested in preparing for the eventual shift toward BIM technology, learning about innovative ecological solutions in cities, or the future of infrastructure, last year had something for you. Notably, Charles Waldheim released his most comprehensive primer on Landscape Urbanism which laid out the current thinking on designing cities in tune with nature. Kate Orff published her first comprehensive monograph (though that’s not all it is) about her firm SCAPE. These and many more books formed a stout selection for practitioners and academics alike. We covered a few of these books here at Land8 and plan on reviewing a few more on this list in more detail soon. ASLA’s the Dirt also recently published a list of ...Read More

From New York’s High Line to Atlanta’s BeltLine, transit revitalization projects are popping up all over the U.S., and beyond. High-speed roadways, outdated railways, and abandoned subways are being replaced or modified to make room for bicycle lanes, expanded outdoor seating areas, plantings, and pedestrian zones. Once seen as crime-ridden, polluted, and congested, cities are now bustling with economic growth and development that constantly innovates. Are we witnessing the comeback of our inner cities? Kaid Benfield, a longtime leader of the smart growth movement, believes that we are inching towards the right kind of development – creating great places for people and for the environment. In Episode 7 of Remarkable Objects, Kaid touches on how land use practices are changing in a positive...Read More

Article by Eleni Tsirintani – A review of the Blocs 77 Condominium project, designed by Shma, in Bangkok, Thailand. Sometimes the given limitations of a project are hard to cope with. In the case of Blocs 77 Condominium project, that meant 5,244 square meters, 467 residential units, compulsory construction of a six-meter-wide fire engine route, parking lots on the ground level, a high-rise building, and the city of Bangkok, Thailand. Taking into account all of the above, the landscape architecture firm Shma had to come up with a landscape design to address the needs of residents, connect the condominium Blocs 77 with its surroundings, and create a connection between the condominium garden and the adjacent canal. Blocs 77 If you wonder how much harder this could get, consider also the...Read More

Article by Ophelia Yuting – Take a break with us and enjoy these 10 carefully selected YouTube videos which show the landscape in a whole new light.  As landscape architects, we get used to being exposed to two-dimensional inspirations — photos, drawings, or artwork on flat platforms. But the 2D perception has its limitations. We live in a three-dimensional, multifaceted world, and we need to be able to explore landscape design in terms of sound, motion, feelings, and atmosphere. All of these can be perfectly captured in a video. Here, we offer 10 awesome YouTube videos you must not miss. 1. Allgood Trio Sesame Stairs Instead of constructing an ADA ramp to take over extra space at the front door, Allgood chose an innovative way of designing so-called “Sesame Steps” to help peop...Read More

Article by Jeanne Connolly – We explore 10 cities that are reinventing their relationship with nature and creating better places to live.  Over the past decade an environmental movement has taken over the world in an attempt to restore the natural environment and prepare for the extreme effects of climate change. Major cities are turning to nature as a strategy to adapt, and are racing to prepare before the storms strike. Why the emphasis on nature? Healthy ecosystems regulate the climate naturally, and reduce our vulnerability to the damaging effects of climate change. That being said, strengthening the relationship with nature will strengthen the resiliency of our cities. Traveling to 10 cities around the globe, we look at how a strong relationship with nature has helped them to be...Read More

Article by Win Phyo – We explore 10 influential urban designers that have shaped the world as we know it and inspired countless others to follow in their footsteps.  Urban design is complex. Before I introduce the influencers that have made a huge difference to the way people live and interact (some still are making that difference), let’s answer this question: what is the definition of urban design? According to urbandesign.org, urban design is “the art of creating and shaping cities and towns”. The following ten people – some of whose names you may recognize – were (and are) visionary urban designers and they have contributed to the process of giving shape, form and character to whole neighbourhoods, including built and social elements that make up the colourful vibrant place...Read More

Article by Maria Giovanna Drago – A review of The Drawers House by MIA Design Studio, in Vũng Tàu – Vietnam. The MIA Design Studio was born in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003 – from the collaboration of three individuals – and currently employs 30 people. Its projects are renowned for a certain attention to climate performances and for the integration of external and internal spaces. “Less, but better” is one of the company’s slogans. Among the most international eco-projects, there is the “Drawers House“. It is located in Vung Tau, southern Vietnam, and was built in just six months for a family of four persons. The Drawers House The Enclosure The private residence gives the illusion of being the usual villa enclosed by walls when seen from the road...Read More

Article by Win Phyo – Today we dive in YouTube and find 10 brilliant tutorials that will help you drawing landscapes better and improve your overall skills. Drawing is a discipline that we ought to develop constantly within the profession, especially if it is not our strongest asset. Sketching out our ideas is ultimately the first fruition of our designs before we stare into our computer screens to portray the perfection of our ideas. As Pablo Picasso once said: “Inspiration exists, but it must find you working.” Drawing is one of those things that requires skill, which is ultimately developed through spending hours and hours improving on the craft. Since the categories of elements contained within landscapes can stretch far and wide, studying it through drawing can reveal many facet...Read More

Article by Pooja Wahane – A review of Rosa Luxemburg Garden, by Atelier De Paysages Et D’Urbanisme, in Paris 18 ème, France.  Can someone work within a set of constraints in which the scope of innovation is almost negligible and still come up with a brilliant idea to transform an abandoned place into an aesthetically appealing, habitable, and comforting space? F.H. Jourda offers a promising answer to this — the Rosa Luxemburg Garden. Rosa Luxemburg Garden is an active railroad space that went from being an urban wasteland to evolving into a beautiful, semi-open green corridor. It is an exemplary example of how to combine architectural sensibilities and sustainability. F.H. Jourda has managed to transform an abandoned warehouse spanning more than 9,500 square meters into a...Read More

Article by Irene Crowo Nielsen – Barangaroo Reserve by Peter Walker and Partners Landscape Architecture (PWP), in association with Sydney-based Johnson Pilton Walker Architects and Landscape Architects, in Sydney, NSW, Australia. Move over Opera House, Darling Harbor, Harbor Bridge and Bondi beach, there is a new kid in town. Barangaroo Reserve is definitely competing for a top-three spot for tourist attractions in Sydney. A six-hectare abandoned industrial dock area in Sydney Harbor dating all the way back to 1836 is now gone. Rising from its ashes is the Barangaroo Reserve, a lush headland park with its historical shoreline reclaimed. The land has literally been lifted 18 meters to match its original landform profile. Local residents are able to walk straight out from their houses ...Read More

Article by Meenal Suresh – Metro Forest Project, by LAB (Landscape Architects of Bangkok), in Prawet District, Bangkok, Thailand Have you ever wondered how nature would define a city? Bringing elements of nature into cities has been the hallmark to many city planning schemes. Green spaces improve the health of city dwellers, attracts tourists, act as a neutral meeting space for citizens of all types, statuses and wealth categories. A city is often the flipside of nature – sleek, synthetic, man-made, and slightly impersonal. So what makes a well-thought-out urban city? Of late, innovative solutions are in the rise such as a forest in the middle of the Thai capital. How has the PTT Metro Forest helped Bangkok? Why is it considered a big deal? Read on to find out what sets this manmade forest...Read More