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Article by Radenka Kolarov Undulating Bridge Hoofddorp project by LODEWIJK BALJON landscape architects, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. In 2015 this project was awarded the Lamp Lighting Solutions Award because of a strong and unique synergy between interior design, landscaping, lighting and architecture. The landscape architects of Lodewijk Baljon have designed the bridge as a connection between the rail and bus station and the sustainable office park Beukenhorst in Hoofddorp. Another interesting fact is that this bridge has been built with a nod to the historical background of the city; later in this article you will get to know exactly how. Besides that, it provides a safe commuter experience and it offers the most pleasurable view for everyone. For sure, this Undulating Bridge is a very in...Read More

Article by Zean Mair-Macfarlane Regents Park Block 20, by Scott Torrance Landscape Architects in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Now, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a rooftop garden in the middle of a city. So what makes this project different from the rest? Well, for a start, this project isn’t just a rooftop garden. It elegantly stretches over four different levels of an 11-story building. Regents Park Block 20 in Toronto, by Scott Torrance Landscape Architects, is Canada’s largest and oldest social housing project. It previously suffered from both social and criminal setbacks in the community. In theory, the project isn’t just a restoration of design, but an attempt to reunite the community and reconnect the area to its local parks. Regents Park Block 20 Gr...Read More

Article by Sophie Thiel We take a closer look at landscape architecture in Australia that also makes for great tourist destinations.  Geographically, Australia is not only the smallest but also the most isolated inhabited continent on our planet. That isolation has conferred an enormous advantage on the region: the development of globally unique fauna and flora. Today, Australia is not only home to a wide variety of fascinating landscapes, but also to groundbreaking landscape architecture projects that are overshadowing the rest of the world. Some of these projects were already featured in Paul McAtomney’s article 10 Great Projects Showing why Australia are Leaders in Landscape Architecture. Since the mainland of Australia is a country where landscape architecture has been booming for year...Read More

Article by Paula Uzarek We review a holistic approach to Landscape Architecture in The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, by Malik Lip & Associates Sdn Bhd, in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia Think of limestone hills climbing vertically above geothermal hot springs, fused with a pristine, verdant rainforest and natural caves. What connotations appear in your mind? I see a sanctuary, a relaxing environment where I can escape from the external world, perfect for looking for balance and peace within myself. If I turn my thoughts to landscape architecture design, I see the use of natural materials and tropical plants. This space is not imaginary: It is the exact location and general idea of the Banjaran Hotspring Retreat, a great example of design blending in with the environment. Holistic Approach to Lan...Read More

Article by Miriam Judith González Bolívar We look at how to reduce vehicular impact in the development of the Village Centre project, by Alles Wird Gut, in Innichen, Italy Converting streets into pedestrian zones has become very popular. With the necessity of being more sustainable while taking note that walking is elemental for mobility, it’s an alternative transportation model that helps with climate change and certainly has health benefits. Nowadays, with motorized evolution, these places have been invaded by vehicles, reducing spaces for recreation, service areas, commerce, etc. The influx of transportation has become one of the biggest enemies to the cities. But wouldn’t it be nice to take back pedestrian areas in our cities? A great place to start is in the hearts of our cities. Redu...Read More

The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) has recently announced the winners of its National Awards of Excellence. 11 projects received a national award and one project, Lasdowne Park was selected for the Jury’s Award of Excellence, “given to one project per year which best demonstrates the CSLA’s vision of advancing the art, science and practice of landscape architecture.” Per the CSLA, winners were selected by a national jury of landscape architects. The principal criteria applied by the jurors were: Demonstration of a deep understanding of the craft of landscape architecture and attention to composition and detail Demonstration of excellence in leadership, project management, breadth of work, new directions or new technology o Innovation in concept, pro...Read More

When I was a student, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a school field trip to south Florida and tour some of it’s most iconic landscapes. We embarked with the intent of inspiring our young minds with the possibilities of unique and prolific tropical flora as well as the colors, sights, and sounds of South Beach. Though I was struck by the breadth of Fairchild Gardens and the charm of Lincoln Road, the most wonderful part of the trip was a private tour of a sprawling residential landscape by the designer who had actually led the project. I found myself in disbelief that the plants and rocks before me had actually be set there with intent. Everything looked so natural! My classmates and I were dumbfounded and many of us hoped (and still hope) that one day we would have the skill to cr...Read More

Article by Erisa Nesimi We take a look at 6 unique parks that have significantly contributed to their community. Stating that parks are important for our cities is not breaking news; the advantages of these spaces are generally well known and accepted. Ever since the Garden City movement in the 1900s, the importance of such green spaces has been considered in a significant way. Nevertheless, nowadays, it is not enough to simply make parks a part of our cities; it’s important how we do that. Parks have been shown to be elements that make the world a better place in which to live, but the question you might surely ask is, how? As a person living in a city where parks are generally not well designed, I can tell you that the impact of these environments can be huge. There are several reasons w...Read More

Article by Eleni Tsirintani 8 House and Landscape Design, by BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group, in Copenhagen, Denmark. The architects have designed a neighborhood in horizontal layers, like a built cake, as they put it in their presentation.  The distinct layers diversify and intersect according to the program and the functional demands. The massive scale of the intervention questions the boundaries between building and urban planning. The diversity of spatial experiences, the combination of functions and the great importance given to sustainability are only few of the project’s merits. 8 House: A Gordian Knot in Copenhagen The project is located in the outer edge of the city in the area of Orestad, in Copenhagen. It is the largest private development ever undertaken in Denmark. The complex accom...Read More

Article By Tahio Avila We take a look at 5 Projects That Make Incredible Use of Water Let’s get lost in the projects that landscape architects are developing more and more every day. It’s clear we are in the sustainable era, where every design we make should be eco-friendly and sustainable. Searching for projects that include the element of water, I realized that every one of them had something in common: the concept of sustainability. Over the past several years, landscape architects have been using water as an accessible resource, using it as a way of getting renewable energy or just designing projects that will help the community collect it. The projects in this article will help us understand why water shouldn’t be a single-use item. Many interesting projects have being developed in co...Read More

Article by Luis Guísar The historical war site, the Bluff, by OMGEVING, in Ypres, Palingbeekstraat, Belgium. OMGEVING architects were in charge of the landscape design for one of the most important battle zones of World War I, the Ypres Salient in Belgium. The design was conceived subtly, in order to respect the site’s history and its present conditions. It was not OMGEVING’s intent to send visitors down into war trenches or inside a bomb crater. What really mattered to the design team was to improve access for visitors so that visitors can see what the unique landscape framework in which the fighting took place looked like. Thus, the design leaders decided that the project would pay tribute to the site’s history by its own subtlety. Historical War Site To Understand the Present, We Must U...Read More

Article by by Elisa A.M.Varetti 10 SketchUp tutorials that will suddenly turn you into a SketchUp pro. Have you always wanted to know how to use SketchUp but never tried to because you thought it was too difficult? Have you always wanted to learn SketchUp’s deep secrets and become a master in this software? If your answers are yes, you need to read this article and discover 10 unmissable tutorials that will teach you, step by step, how to improve your knowledge and make you become a SketchUp Master. Be sure to pay attention to all of them and use them to develop you skills in your spare time as each one of them has something different to offer in terms of practical information. 1. Let’s Start WATCH >>> Just the Basics 1. Import Reference Image – SketchUp Tutorials For Landsc...Read More