Blog

Espace Bienvenüe: Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole by Jean-Philippe Pargade Architecte in Marne-la-Vallée, France. Paris Est. Scientific and Technical Pole came about in the spirit of creating a more sustainable urban civilization. The minds behind this project sought to achieve a unique blend of innovation and sustainable practice that would best benefit the local region while still maintaining an extraordinary aesthetic standard. The project is located in Cité Descartes within Marne-la-Vallée, which is just a 20-minute ride away from Paris and a central building block for the future development and re-imagining of eastern Paris. Marne-la-Vallée has a current population of about 280,000 residents, with the potential to hold up to 500,000. With the selling point being the maximum u...Read More

Park Groot Schijn, Maxwan architects + urbanists, in Antwerp, Belgium. The Park Groot Schijn is an excellent example of how collaborations between local residents and designers can yield beneficial results for everyone involved. A group of designers including Maxwan, Karres & Brands, and Ten Ten worked with residents of both Antwerp and the District of Deurne to create a masterplan that encompasses a wide range of activities and programs that benefit both the people using the space and the environment. The first phase to be built, a 6.5-hectare park, is centered among highways and two small rivers that help to define the space and also helped to determine its overall shape and design. When Maxwan and Ten Ten first visited the phase one site they found it was home to large native woodla...Read More

This infographic was originally posted on www.icebike.org.  Having published numerous articles on LAN in regards to the significant development of sustainable infrastructure in Copenhagen including bicycle tracks, it was only a matter of time before we were contacted to share an infographic on the topic. Below is an outline of the facts and figures that are contributing to Copenhagen becoming the ultimate bicycle friendly city. – Cykelslangen is part of Copenhagen’s vision to become the best cycling city in the world by the end of 2015. According to the VisitCopenhagen website, “Copenhagen’s ambitious goal for 2015 is that 50 percent of all who work in Copenhagen will commute by bike, according to the City of Copenhagen’s environmental plan, ECO-METROPOLE OUR VISION 2015, which toget...Read More

ENEL Pavilion, by Piuarch, in EXPO 2015, Milan, Italy. Can you imagine a forest composed not only of green trees but also of LED-illuminated vectors? Wouldn’t that be splendid? What if such a forest exists? Who wouldn’t wish to go there and be absorbed in the fascination of that daring design combination? To witness the encounter between natural and artificial? Although this collision may seem to have a dramatic and frightful ring, the truth is quite different. Because behind that innovative design we are going to tell you about stands a great idea — and an even greater cause. It is an influential aesthetic effect, and a feast for all your senses. If you are thirsty for something futuristic, inspiring, and ingenious, you have come to the right place. Light up your day by joining us o...Read More

The Coast, by Tierra Design, Sentosa, Singapore. In the heart of Singapore, it is often difficult to find a space secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city. For the last few years, landscape architecture in Singapore has concentrated on creating tranquil and luxurious private spaces — and residents of The Coast have paid a high price for just that. Situated in a residential enclave of Sentosa Island Cove, The Coast is a large apartment building — the only residential building with access to panoramic views of the South China Sea. The design is focused on creating a holistic integration of the built environment, combining architecture, landscape, and interior design. While the building itself is much like any other apartment building in Singapore, the outdoor complex makes...Read More

Meeting Bowls, by mmmm… ,Times Square, New York City, USA. Sometimes we only need to think simple to make the best pop-ups! This was certainly the case for Times Square’s temporary transformation back in August 2011, when Times Square Alliance and the Consulate General of Spain in New York City agreed to manage a space to calm the non-stop hustle and bustle of Times Square. The finished product was a new public art installation of urban furnishing called the Meeting Bowls. The project was designed by Madrid-based mmmm…, a collective of four Spanish designers (Alberto Alarcón, Emilio Alarcón, Ciro Márquez, and Eva Salmeron), with the aim of giving the public another vision of what the most crowded street in New York City could look like with just a simple design that is more than eye ...Read More

Lonsdale Street, by Taylor Cullity Lethlean Landscape and Urban Design and BKK Architects, in Melbourne, Australia. Modern cities with interesting architecture and good infrastructure still have problems with green spaces. We have noticed that public squares are sometimes underdone or misused. It happens everywhere, but what is the first step to change this situation? First and foremost we should study excellent urban projects. Doing this enables us to take a fresh look at the matter or even find inspiration. On the other hand, we are able to find solutions to urban problems, such as heavy vehicular traffic. Development of motorized transport has had a major impact on the shape of cities. Wide pavements are being replaced with parking and roads. However, when public squares focus on pedest...Read More

Osum River in Berat Landscape Design- Design Competition – by Felixx. Architecture could be considered an imposing task. Human intervention inevitably changes the dynamics of a landscape. But what if the dynamics could become part of the project? What if design manages to complete the landscape instead of transforming it? The competition entry of the Dutch architectural firm Felixx for Osum River in Berat, Albania, is an exemplary project in that sense. The competition was held by the City of Berat and mandated by the Office of the Prime Minister. It was a ‘research by design’ international competition to propose the landscape development design for Osum Island in Berat and to explore ways of resilience using the island as a test site. The competition was completed in March 2015. Osu...Read More

Van Campenvaart, by Carve, The Hague, Netherlands. We live in a world filled with diversity. As adults, the more we test out unfamiliar places, the more we are exposed to all the differences that make up our world. This is also true for children. Play is a big part of children’s lives: In every child, there is a natural explorer willing to investigate new territories, which (let’s face it) exist practically everywhere. When a child plays, he gets to test out the capacities of his body as he explores the material world around him. This is also where children begin to navigate around the complexities of social interactions. For children with disabilities, their chance to play can often be limited by physical barriers and social exclusions. As sad as this sounds, we also live in a world that ...Read More

We take a look at 10 of the world’s best examples of  seaside regeneration projects. Edge, limit, border, extremity. All of these words signify the transition from one state to another — a differentiation of conditions, a change of form, a possible ending or beginning. The line between sea and land could not bear more meaning and significance. But what happens when one is asked to treat that line? To change it, re-shape it, or transform it according to human needs and desires? Here are 10 exceptional projects that unravel along the sea; penetrate it, break it, or bend it; and reveal what working on the edge means in landscape architecture. Seaside Regeneration Projects 1. Copacabana Beach Promenade, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by Burle Marx — A Top Classic Omitting the work o...Read More

St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square, by White Arkitekter, in Malmö, Sweden. The coastal city of Malmö, located just a short train ride from the Danish capital of Copenhagen, is one of the most diverse and fastest growing cities in Sweden. The population includes a huge proportion of immigrants and young people, as well as thousands who commute to and from nearby Copenhagen for work and school each day. Its diversity, combined with its unusual location, makes Malmö one of Scandinavia’s most unique and vibrant cities. St Johannesplan & The Konsthall Square Moving 37,000 People a Day Located outside of the main downtown district, Triangeln was a relatively quiet area until recently. With the completion of the new City Tunnel train connecting Malmö’s central station to Copenhagen vi...Read More