Blog

Article by Cristina Ferrara Cultural Corridor Chapultepec by FR-EE, in Chapultepec Avenue Mexico City. How many times, strolling on the street with your head held high, have you felt upstaged compared to the surrounding vehicles and buildings? Who, at least once in their life, desired to freely walk in the urban center, without worrying about one’s safety from cars, dangerous crossings, and the traffic noise? Well, something is going to change now in Mexico City because there will be a solution that is going to make the difference; a two-level green corridor running from Chapultepec Park down to the Glorieta de los Insurgentes, dedicated to pedestrians, bikes, skaters, wheelchairs, and strollers at the street level, in specifically designed lanes. It is the CCC– The Cultural Corridor...Read More

Near my office, in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Cambridge, MA, there are major street improvements taking place that include new curbs, walks, road resurfacing, and street trees. I find it ironic that the city chose to make this already verdant and beautiful neighborhood even more so while other far less wealthy areas have so little of the type of outdoor spaces that make cities livable. This isn’t a political statement meant to exclude the rich—everyone deserves to enjoy the gifts that landscapes offer—but more of an appeal to be more ambitious in our efforts to acknowledge and use nature’s unique ability to uplift every human being, regardless of their zip code. We have known the importance of landscape in the modern metropolis for many years now.  Frederick Law Olmsted and Cal...Read More

This year’s annual Vectorworks Design Summit brought together an international mix of landscape architects, architects, engineers, lighting designers, and hosts of other professionals from around the design industry. They gathered here to first, learn more about Vectorworks’ comprehensive range of products, but they also came to be inspired by a bevy of industry leaders who utilize their software to create and design innovative spaces around the world. Land8 was fortunate enough to have a presence at the conference, and we will be bringing you a few separate articles about this year’s event. WHAT IS VECTORWORKS? Vectorworks is a collection of software under the umbrella of Nemetschek based out of Munich, Germany. Created in the mid-1980’s as Diehl Software, the soft...Read More

Article by Irene Crowo Nielsen We take a look at a selection of our top 10 books for hand drawing, helping you to get better at this wonderful skill. Always wanted to grip a pencil and draw beautiful drawings? Have you looked at others and thought, “wow, that looks easy”, but when you try it is so hard! If yes, keep reading! Because here are some seriously inspiring books to improve your hand drawing skills whether you are just starting out, think you suck at hand drawing or are a more experienced drawer looking to take your drawing skills to the next level. Whether you want to draw realistic cityscapes, lifelike trees, or completely master the art of perspective drawing. It’s time to embark on your creative journey. Pick up your pencil and begin today! Books for Hand Drawing 10. Drawing T...Read More

Book review by Rose Buchanan – Total reading time 3minutes A book review of Living Roofs, produced by teNeues and written by Ashley Penn Can you imagine living without a garden? For many people the thought of this is unbearable. Gardens provide us with green, private spaces that we enjoy in the company of others or in treasured solitude. For this reason the idea of a large house in a leafy suburb with sprawling lawns is often held as the ideal lifestyle. However, with the growing population there is a greater need for people to live in a high density city. This usually means a confined living space in high rise apartments with no gardens. In reaction to this, there has been a growing trend for inner city residential spaces to include rooftop garden spaces. Not only do these spaces pr...Read More

Article by Rose Buchanan – Total reading time 3 minutes Cyan, by ONG & ONG Pte Ltd, Bukit Timah, Singapore It’s not often that you see a residential development dominated by outdoor recreational space. In fact, most developments squash as many tiny living spaces as possible onto one property to “maximize” their return. This is not true of Cyan, a prime residential development located in Bukit Timah in Singapore. Cyan’s two 24-story towers cover just 18 percent of the total land area, leaving the rest of the site open for landscaping. What’s more, this landscaping does not simply consist of rolling lawns and occasional plantings, but boasts fully programmed spaces that create a magical, resort-like setting within the city center. With a gym, children’s play areas, spa facilities, ...Read More

Article by Nour Adel – Total reading time 3 minutes Jubilee Plaza, by Ubu Design, in University of Southampton “Space to walk is also space to think, and I think that’s one thing landscapes give us: places to think longer, more uninterrupted thoughts or thoughts to a rhythm other than the staccato of navigating the city.”― Rebecca Solnit, Storming the Gates of Paradise: Landscapes for Politics Who would not love a spacious outdoor plaza at their college, where they have a space for relaxing, socializing, and brainstorming? You guessed it; Nobody. The learning process has been changing throughout the years and students need spaces where they can sit back, relax, and unleash their creativity without being confined in a lecture hall. Jubilee Plaza Ubu Design has been commissioned ...Read More

Article by Eleonora Fiorin – Total reading time 4 minutes Pavilion for the Nature Concert Hall, by Architecture office DJA (Didzis Jaunzems Architecture), in Gauja National Park, Sigulda, Latvia. Sometimes, architecture breaks its boundaries and combines its identity with other human expressions to reach a higher level of communication with our sensibilities. This is the case with the Nature Concert Hall pavilion in Sigulda, Latvia. As we inquire into this construction, we will face something more: an idea revealed in an atmosphere, an experience realized only because of people believing in it, that goes beyond simple architecture. It has something to teach us. Nature Concert Hall 2005 is a non-profit organization whose aim is to create occasions, interactive events, and shows to hel...Read More

Article by Eni Çeka – Total reading time 5 minutes Vlotwatering Bridge, by NEXT Architects, Monster, Netherlands The Vlotwatering Bridge is a unique eco-friendly bridge that connects the residents of the Dutch town of Monster with the Poelzone, a recreational area located in the Westland region of South Holland. The 70-meter “Batbridge” was designed by NEXT Architects, a design office based in Amsterdam and Beijing and the construction was finished last October. The bridge improves the ecological value of its environment by providing an attractive roosting space for the local bat colony, who feed off the river insects. The architects were able to successfully merge the bat’s needs with a curvilinear path conducive for walks and bicycle rides. The serpentine structure is not only func...Read More

Article by Paula Uzarek – Total reading time 5 minutes Red Rouge, by 100architects, in Shanghai, China Do computer games influence landscape architecture; the art of arrangement of elements in a given space? When talking about inspiration, they sure do. It is also known that certain kind of games have an impact on our brain activity as they stimulate the processing of spatial elements. But what connects Tetris with public space design, and with the world of design itself? When looking at Red Rouge in Shanghai, it is striking that the simple, geometrical shapes of polyominoes from a popular tile-matching puzzle game can create an array of seating, tables, and walls in Bar Rouge terrace. This, Shanghai’s most privileged balcony, with a stunning view of the Pudong area, is enriched with...Read More

Article by Aybige Tek IBS Headquarters Phase 1, by Samoo Architects and Engineers, in Daejeon, KOREA. How does one create office spaces with a global sense of creativity within a fabulous landscape for people who are interested in science? Samoo Architects & Engineers, global design competition winner for the IBS Science Institute in Korea, absolutely nailed this. Their project for IBS Headquarters Phase 1 has brought to life a hub filled with study, research, and culture. The theme of the competition was “Cloud World”, which describes being a cloud of resources for scientists. The designers took the theme literally, creating building elevations that look like clouds with different blue color tones. IBS Headquarters Phase 1 Breathing Life into a Space for Science The site has a lot of ...Read More

Article by By Erin Tharp. Ming Mongkol Green Park,  Landscape Architects 49 Limited, in Mittraphap highway, Thap Kwang, Kaeng Khoi, Saraburi, Thailand Cleaning up and repurposing unused sites has become a major trend in landscape architecture over the last decade. Most of these sites are former brown sites that require some sort of remediation, but Ming Mongkal Green Park actually started out as a deteriorated orchard. Located on 22 rai on the Mittraphap highway near Thap Kwang, Khang Khol, Saraburi, in Thailand, the park is a Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative (CSR) by owner Siam City Cement. The owner contracted with Landscape Architects 49 Limited, which set out to create a place for environmental education and preservation awareness. Ming Mongkol Green Park They also wanted thi...Read More