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Written by Elisa García Nieto Starkville Public Library “read” Sculpture by Travis R. Crabtree (MSU Student) with project adviser Cory Gallo (associate professor) at Starkville Public Library, Mississippi (U.S.A.) Landscape architects know how many obstacles a project needs to overcome before jumping from the screen of their laptops. Building in the real world involves a wide range of factors and conditions which students, sometimes, do not have chance to face in the scholastic environment. And this is far away from that beloved haven for even the most restless of them. What can you do when you have plenty of ideas to put into action but you are still an undergraduate? How could you go beyond academic subjects and lead your own proposals? Well, there are alternative ways for students to co...Read More

Article by Elisa A.M. Varetti The Haven Lakeside Residences, by Malik Lip & Associates Sdn Bhd, in Malaysia Have you ever stopped to wonder about living in close contact with nature? Everyone loves to dream about quitting everything, going away, and living on a deserted island or, more simply, far from the daily routine. But we all know most of us will never leave our comfortable houses and the modern conveniences we are used to. Deserted places are not so attractive, after all, and there are always trips and holidays to help us keep our bond with the natural world. But some of us can have the best of both worlds, as this project in Malaysia shows. The Haven Lakeside Residences The Haven is an urban development of almost 13.6 acres, including a natural, four-acre lake, located near the...Read More

Article by Eleonora Fiorin Cockfight Coliseum Garden by 2.8 x arquitectos, in Lima, Perù, turns into a meditation garden. If you visit the city of Lima, you might be surprised to discover a number of cockfighting arenas. The sport is still legal, popular and rife with Peruvian tradition. But one of those folkloric spaces has met an unexpected and original destiny, being transformed from a memory of death to a place for life, becoming a green and quiet public space for a meditation garden. 2.8 x architects found that bold solution when they were asked to renew the disused construction that once was part of a private house. The emotional attachment of the owner led him to be willing to transform the former arena into a spiritual place — a memorial — and to make it available to th...Read More

Article by Terka Acton Open Orchards are urban orchards, by the Open Orchard Project, London, United Kingdom. Urban greening is known to play a role in helping us deal with climate change, pollution, and temperature regulation. But – as this people-powered United Kingdom project is proving – making the most of the green spaces in our cities can also yield social benefits. Improving the local environment by planting urban orchards in public spaces can help to strengthen bonds within communities. The Open Orchard project started in 2014 in West Norwood, south London. With the help of funding from The Open Works, a group of residents came together to plant fruit trees in and around this built-up urban area. Fruit trees are a good choice for cities, since they can be grown on dwarfing rootstoc...Read More

Article by Paul McAtomney We take a closer look at 10 awesome projects from the USA.  For years, the United States of America has remained fertile ground for landscape architecture as not only a profession and academic discipline, but also as a modus operandi of design that engages urbanism, environmentalism, and culture. The replacement of the traditional city with expansive urbanism has lead landscape architects to encompass a myriad of landscape typologies, with the American post-industrial era providing fecund grounds for such projects. We take a look at 10 contemporary projects that are excellent examples of landscape architecture in America. 10 Awesome Projects From The USA 1. Navy Yard Central Green, By Field Operations, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania One of the latest additions from...Read More

Article by Win Phyo Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, by Donaldson and Warn, in Denmark and Walpole, Southern Ocean Coast of Western Australia. Do you know about the long-lost era of Gondwana? There is a unique piece of the Earth on the South Ocean Coast of Western Australia that provides a window to the past. To access this land, one must embark on a 600-meter-long Tree Top Walk, designed by Donaldson and Warn, which ventures among a grove of more than 400-year-old giants. One hundred and eighty million years ago, present-day South America, Africa, Arabia, Madagascar, India, Antarctica, and Australia comprised a supercontinent. Imagine this time of the Jurassic period, when the land was covered in lush rainforest and dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. The land in this part of Australia i...Read More

This is a must read on what makes a good bicycle path and follows on from Part 1. Many countries take the Netherlands as example when creating much needed bicycle infrastructure. In the previous article we had a look how that Dutch bicycle infrastructure came about. How are various cities around the world going forward with the implementation of bicycle infrastructure? What makes a good bicycle path? Find out after a small recap of the previous article in this video. WATCH >>>  Why the Dutch ride bikes The progress Although the infrastructure is already vast there are still improvements being made in the Netherlands. It’s necessary; the latest numbers show an increase of heavily injured cyclist in recent years. Remarkably these injuries aren’t caused by collisions with cars but be...Read More

Article by Erin Tharp The Playgarden, by The Pattie Group of Novelty, in Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, Ohio Traditionally, children’s playgrounds are found in schoolyards, at churches, or in public parks. But how about putting a playground in a more unconventional place, such as outside a National Historic Landmark? That’s exactly what The Robert O. and Annamae Orr Family Foundation did at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron, Ohio. Opened in 2014, the Playgarden is a 5,000-square-foot playground located just north of the Corbin Conservatory on the estate’s grounds. Designed by The Pattie Group, a full-service landscaping company out of Novelty, Ohio, it features multiple areas meant to stimulate the imaginations of children of all ages and to introduce them to the history of Stan Hywet...Read More

Article by Irina Papuc An easy guide on how landscape architects can go about hiring software engineers. If there’s one thing we know about landscape architects, it’s that their brains are always ticking over with new ideas, not just about spatial design or urban rejuvenation schemes but ways to work better, live better and be better and in today’s tech savvy world this can often lead to an idea that needs software development such as an app. or computer program. So, You’ve come up with a great app idea. Maybe the latest plant identification app. or perhaps you’ve developed an idea for software which makes it easy for landscape architects to find potential jobs or perhaps clients, depending on where you’re coming from. You’ve thought through all of its features, you know there’s people who...Read More

Article by Sophie Thiel We take a closer look at landscape architecture in Asia that also makes for great tourist destinations.  In our third article about landscape architecture tourist destinations, we take a closer look at projects in Asia. As the world’s biggest continent, Asia seems to also be the most diverse part of the Earth. It spreads from icy Siberia in the north to tropical Indonesia in the south, and reaches from Saudi Arabia in the west to Japan in the east. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that there are thousands of must-see places spread all over Asia.  Yet not many of those are the outcome of modern landscape architecture, since the profession has only recently enjoyed growing popularity. Nevertheless, you will find some of the world’s greatest landscape architecture in t...Read More

Article by Carlos Cortés Open-sided shelter, by Ron Shenkin Studio, in Pardesiya, Israel.  Graveyards and cemeteries are places where we bury and say one last goodbye to our family and friends. This open-sided shelter by Ron Shenkin Studio is a spacious structure placed next to a cemetery where people converge and dedicate eulogies and words to the deceased, prior to and during the ceremonies. What is the Purpose of the Funeral Landscape? By nature, these are places where strong emotions emerge. The design for this pavilion embraces those emotions and “paints” the site with simple but effective symbolism. From a tribute in the form of raised orchards to a reminder that man comes from dust and to dust returns, we take a look at every aspect of this project that is inclusive with its landsca...Read More

Article by Samantha Young Many of us love gardening and don’t need an excuse to do it, but for those of you who do, here are 15 reasons why gardening is good for you. Gardening may seem like a chore for some but with a multitude of benefits, a little pruning can go a long way. From banishing stress to burning calories and saving you money, here are 15 reasons why you should be gardening. 1. Beats Depression In a study, individuals who showed common symptoms of depression were instructed to garden for six hours per week. Not only was a measurable improvement shown after three months, these benefits continued months after the program ended. 2. It’s Great Exercise A form of low impact exercise, gardening isn’t only good for the joints, it also burns anywhere up to 300 calories per hour....Read More