Blog

Article by Nick Shannon Funen Blok K, by NL Architects, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. New housing developments around the world are becoming more sustainable, livable and innovative every day. The key to having a well-rounded project is in the marriage of the buildings and landscape into one continuous experience. People want to live in an area with access to and views of green space, and the field of landscape architecture is critical in designing this experience. However, we cannot do it alone. The building has to be designed with the landscape in mind, and they should both respond to one another. A great example of the blending of views and access to green space is Funen Blok K in Amsterdam by NL Architects. This article will explore why this project is successful, and how the building...Read More

Article by Elisa A.M.Varetti Mary’s Garden, Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, by BASE Landscape Architecture, Santa Rosa, California, United States of America. Being a landscape architect can be extremely funny sometimes, especially when you are asked to design a child-oriented outdoor museum. Be careful; it doesn’t mean it’ll be an easy task, not at all. There are indeed different things to take care of, as our writer Velislava Valcheva reminds us in her article, 11 Things to Remember When Designing for Children. Children’s Museum of Sonoma County The Children’s Museum of Sonoma County by BASE Landscape, in Santa Rosa, California, is a rare example of a child-oriented design process in which kids satisfy their thirst for knowledge by having real fun. Thanks to a grant of $1.8 million gi...Read More

Article by Eleni Tsirintani Dong Da Lake-scape, by Mia Design Studio, in Thi Nai Ward, Qui Nhon City, Vietnam. Infrastructure and recreation are two functions that are not combined, at least most of the time. Given the limited space in contemporary cities and the constantly increasing need for projects that improve urban life such as drainage, sewage, and anti-flooding systems, this notion has to change. Dong Da lakeside project combines a new sewage system and a vivid linear park along the northeast bank of Dong Da lake. The intervention unravels along a narrow strip of land between the lake and the Thi Nai lagoon. The sewage system prevents lake overflow and protects the adjacent building blocks. The park has become a popular place for both residents and tourists that would like to enjoy...Read More

Article by Erin Tharp Arnhem Central Station, by Bureau B+B urbanism and landscape architecture, in Arnhem, the Netherlands. Since the first steam engine carried passengers through England in the early 1800s, rail travel has been a prominent form of transportation in Europe, for both locals and tourists. While the trains have always been successful, the stations they come into have often just been places to pass through. Many countries are starting to realize this, and are seeking ways to improve them. As a way to improve transportation for both locals and visitors, the Netherlands has set about developing new public transportation stations all around the country, and the new station at Arnhem is among them. The Movement to Improve Stations This movement started with the opening of Rotterd...Read More

Book review by Yuliya Georgieva A book review of Water Urbanisms East by Kelly Shannon and Bruno de Meulder. In this era of the internet and instant sharing of information, reading books might sometimes seem old-fashioned. Some think that by the time books are written, edited, published, and distributed to the readership, they are already old. Yes, books get old, but they represent compilations of carefully selected, and in the case of landscape architecture, specialized information brought to us by experts that would take us ages to compile alone. Such is the case with Water Urbanisms East. This book represents a terrific compilation of diverse scale case studies on water-based practices in Asia, studying cities and landscapes from the past to today. It revisits the practices of urban and...Read More

Article by Paula Uzarek Rike Park, by CMD Ingenieros, Tbilisi, Georgia. Is there a recipe to join two different districts, a historical and a modern one? A recently opened area, one of the most modern parks in Georgia, gives the answer to these questions and enlists the essential elements of a public park. The first ingredient of every urban space is location. Placement of Rike Park in proximity of Tbilisi Old Town is undoubtedly opportune. The office of the Presidential administration and ancient Narikala Fortress situated at the opposite side, overlook the whole scene. Rike Park What about the access? There are at least three ways. The most common one is to cross the Peace Bridge. The modern construction joins the eastern and the western banks of Mtkvari River. There is also another way ...Read More

Announcements composed by Brett Lezon A round-up of Landscape Architects Network’s 2015/16 announcements. From reaching the coveted mark of 1 million Facebook fans to the launch of our VIP club, 2015 was a year chock-full of uncharted territory for Landscape Architects Network (LAN). However, before we proceed, this would not be possible without the support of our passionate fans from across the globe and of our devoted partners! We would like to thank Adam Christopher, Building Trust International, Fire Pit Art, The Global Grid, Minimis, Permaloc, and Zinco for all of the tremendous assistance over the past year! Inside This Years BIG Announcements: Writer of the Year Top 10 Landscape Architecture Projects of 2015 Article of the Year LAN Page of the Year The New Landscape Architectu...Read More

Article by Paula Uzarek Water Playground, by RS+, in Tychy, Poland. Playgrounds are a topic inseparable from landscape design. How do landscape architects create them? It is important to include colors, shapes, fun and safety in a form adjusted to the space that designer has at their disposal. Yet motives and themes echoed over and over again are imprinted in our minds, making the existence of innovative designing processes almost impossible. When correlating minimalism and the quiet harmony of nature with a colorful, energetic playground, the task seems to be unrealistic. Fortunately, landscape architects move beyond the typical schemes. The water Playground in Tychy is an excellent example of inspiring and intelligent play area design and the first such project in Poland. Tychy, Water Pl...Read More

Article by Win Phyo King’s Cross Pond Club, by Ooze Architects, in London, UK. Welcome to King’s Cross Pond Club – a natural swimming pool born from the collaboration between Netherlands-based Ooze Architects and Slovenian artist Marjetica Potrc. This alliance has resulted in a unique practical swimming facility that is also a beautiful landscape feature. It is situated in the heart of King’s Cross regeneration area and as you might have guessed already, it is not your typical swimming pool. Now, there are many other peculiar things associated with this pool that break down habits of stereotyping and will possibly make you reconsider the notions of what constitutes an artistic design project. The King’s Cross Pond Club 1. It is in the Middle of a Construction Site The area nort...Read More

Article by Taylor Stapleton We take a look at 5 Reasons Why Planting Fruit Trees Along Sidewalks is a Terrible Idea. Landscape architecture has often been touted as a profession that can solve urban problems, but sometimes we get a little ahead of ourselves. Recently going viral is the idea to replace street trees in our cities with fruit trees, providing food for the homeless during the summer and fall. While a nice thought in theory, this would actually be a terrible idea, and here is why: 1. Will enough fruit even get picked? It is very likely that a majority of the fruit would go unpicked. What isn’t picked would spoil and fall to the sidewalk below, creating a mess that would stink and attract insects such as wasps. The sidewalks would become slippery, creating a health and safety iss...Read More

Article by Rose Buchanan Maria Theresa Street, by Alleswirdgut, in Innsbruck, Austria. The traditional shopping street is a fantastic notion of bright shop windows, bustling pedestrians, and the buzzing activity of traffic. The reality, however, is often not so pleasant. There is nowhere to sit, one can barely look into a shop without being shoved by passersby, and the desire to quickly look into the shop across the road is met with treacherous traffic crossings. Maria Theresa Street in Innsbruck, Austria, was no exception to this, and while the beautiful buildings and tourist attractions such as the Golden Roof created a spectacular urban street, it was not user-friendly. In 2006, the city realized the need to revive the street, and launched a competition to design an attractive public “l...Read More