Blog

Place d’Youville in Montreal, Quebec, Canada design by Claude Cormier + Associés. What is landscape architecture, really? Perhaps one of the most difficult and frustrating parts of the landscape architecture profession is the fact that very few people understand what it is that we really do. No, we are not landscapers or gardeners, and while we do also work in small gardens, our scope and understanding is far greater. Landscape architecture is the understanding of the complex nature of a site: the dynamic relationship between the natural and the built environment and the overlaying of the cultural context. “artificial, not fake” Canadian landscape architect Claude Cormier has begun to challenge this notion by embracing the constructed landscape and celebrating the artificial. H...Read More

Strijp-S, by Piet Oudolf, Carve, Deltavormgroep and Har Hollands, Eindhoven, Netherlands. Eindhoven, for those who’ve never been there, may seem to be just a tranquil, sleepy town somewhere in the Netherlands. But in fact it is home to many unconventional landscape architecture projects, including the tulip chairs and the fabulous glowing bike path “Starry Night” that one of my inspiring colleagues wrote about. Also among these projects is Strijp-S, which has helped to turn the city’s image upside down: from a boring factory village to a modern design metropolis. The collaboration behind this fantastic project in southern Holland comes from the design and engineering office of Carve, landscape architect Piet Oudolf, Har Hollands (lighting design) and Deltavormgroep (designers of public spa...Read More

Urban Freeway Removal is seen by many as the next logical step following a failed experiment in urban planning. The construction of urban freeways in cities was an untested idea when it was developed around the world in the late 1950s. In the past 50 years, tens of thousands of miles of highways have been built around the globe. However, there is strong evidence that urban highways are a failed experiment! This has led many cities to question the placement of freeways and whether they merit further investment or whether urban freeway removal should be considered. What can be done when a highway no longer makes sense? To answer this question, we have to take a closer look to understand the intention behind building urban freeways. While in the United States, the construction of major freewa...Read More

Leisure Centre of Madine, by Urbicus, Versailles, France Finding a balance point for a project located in a natural place involves listening carefully to the environment in order to preserve its essence. The Madine Lake — or Lac de Madine — in The River Meuse, France, is located in the heart of the Regional Natural Park of Lorraine, which is home to a great variety of local flora and fauna. It is one of the largest lakes in the country, with an 11,000-hectare stretch of water, 250 hectares of forest, and 42 kilometers of banks and shores. This beautiful setting has always been an attraction for European tourists and sport lovers, laying the groundwork for a perfect opportunity to develop a project that responds to the exigencies for responsible tourism. Planning and Designing t...Read More

Israels Square, by COBE, Copenhagen, Denmark In 2008, the Danish architectural firm COBE won a competition for the redesign of Israels Plads (or Israels Square) in central Copenhagen and the project was completed in 2014. The square is located between the City Centre and Ørsted Park and within a couple of blocks of Nørreport metro station and the Botanic Gardens. The square consists of two urban plazas, one containing a busy covered market. The other plaza includes the newly rebuilt section, which is the subject of this article. The square’s easy accessibility to the city center and residential neighborhoods lends itself to a variety of uses. Over the years, the square has undergone a series of transformations, in accordance with the requirements of each era. Although transformed, elements...Read More

Sjövikstorget Square, by Andersson Thorbjörn with Sweco architects, Stockholm, Sweden Just as we sometimes feel the need to retreat, we also occasionally feel the need for expansive freedom. With dwellings and neighborhoods becoming more and more constricted, such spaciousness is becoming a rarity. But we can learn from centuries of Japanese gardening masters that space can be “borrowed”. Concept of the Sjövikstorget Square The idea of borrowing a backdrop from surrounding scenery is known in Japanese as “shakkei”. Shakkei refers to the exploitation of scenery external to a garden’s physical boundaries, either immediately outside or at a distance, for the purposes of visually enlarging the garden’s scale and enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Based upon this concept, Sjövikstorget...Read More

Trollstigen National Tourist Route, by Reiulf Ramstad Architects, Rauma, Møre og Romsdal, Norway Trollstigen is one of the most beautiful mountain roads in the world, located in Rauma, Møre of Romsdal County, Norway. The serpentine road is part of the National Tourist Routes and is visited by an impressive number of people each summer. A landscape architecture project undertaken by Reiulf Ramstad Architects has managed to bring out the beauty of the Norwegian fjords. The project was commissioned by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration in 2004. The new Trollstigen National Tourist Route was completed in 2012, covering a surface area of 150,000 square meters (1,200 square meters for the buildings). Unique location brings challenges to Trollstigen National Tourist Route The team of lands...Read More

Poppy Plaza by Marc Boutin Architectural Collaborative and Stantec Consulting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Like many landscapes, Poppy Plaza in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is situated in an area that provides many opportunities we need to identify and take advantage of as designers. The inherent value in natural systems, existing development, and human use create a set of parameters that distinguishes one site from another. The way we use this information to create a thorough design that serves the needs of potential users can lead to compelling projects that make a statement. One important aspect of our communities is the connections they create. Poppy Plaza uses design to bridge old connections and create new ones. We will explore the connections Poppy Plaza makes in relation to the Landscape...Read More

Spring Street Park, by Lehrer Architects, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A The historic Old Bank District of Los Angeles is beautiful and has a lot of potential for renovation. In 2013, Spring Street Park opened, occupying a 0.7-acre space in the form of an L-shaped lot. The project was the result of a fruitful collaboration between the Bureau of Engineering (Department of Public Works, City of Los Angeles) and Lehrer Architects. The new urban park serves a need for an outdoor public space in the area. Revival of an old district made possible through urban development of Spring Street Park The architects recognized the potential of the Old Bank District. They have taken into consideration the creation of an urban park, preferring bold designs in order to make their statement. The area needed...Read More

Biophilia is considered to be the missing link in sustainable design. Biophilia aims to provide space for respectful and enriching relationships between human society and the natural world. Anyone looking for the key to a future of prosperity that respects the Earth and improves everybody’s life should know about biophilia. Community gardens, healing gardens, and even gardens for prisoners – all of these types of landscapes are designed with biophilia in mind. Biophilia is the last missing piece in the puzzle of sustainable and healthy cities. The Definition and Meaning of Biophilia Originating from the ancient Greek (bios “life” and philia “love”), the term biophilia literally describes the love for life and expresses the ethos of maintaining and developing the life of mankind in all dime...Read More