Landscape architect Laurie Olin has been named a recipient of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, a tremendous honor shared amongst other distinguished artists including George Lucas and New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint. President Obama will be presenting the awards on Wednesday. (White House)
(photo by OLIN)
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
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LAM snaps photos of Ken Smith’s landscape arrangement at the Rockefeller Center in honor of Independence Day. (Landscape Architecture Magazine)
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Garden historian Tom Turner releases his next Garden Design video, this time taking viewers around the world to study the overlap between garden design histories and the future of landscape architecture. (Garden Visit)
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Last week we heard about The Guide to New York City Urban Landscapes upcoming book launch. Until then though, garden lovers and landscape architects on the west coast can look forward to exploring Curbed SF’s list of 17 Secret Gardens and Green Spaces Hidden Around San Francisco. I’m happy to see that the TransAmerica Redwood Park and Filbert Steps made the list! (Curbed San Francisco)
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In one of their latest videos in the Dutch Profiles series, the DutchDFA features the urban design and landscape architecture firm West 8, including their work on the challenging Madrid Rio Project to put a highway underground. (World Landscape Architecture)
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Speaking of firm profiles, Grant Associates, the British landscape architecture consultancy best known for their work on Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay, has posted a beautiful firm introduction video on vimeo. (Vimeo)
& RELATED NEWS
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Public spaces can be dangerous for women in India. In an effort to make Bangalore’s ‘Rapist Lane’ safe again, students and grassroots groups activate public spaces with the addition of a few tables, chairs, and the power of conversation. This is a simple, yet incredibly inspiring social experiment. (The Atlantic Cities)
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Grist offers an interesting perspective and critique on Spontaneous Interventions, a recent Chicago art exhibit covering guerrilla urbanism. The exhibition, which will run from late May to September, was developed by the nonprofit Institute for Urban Design with a generous $100,000 grant by the U.S. State Department. (Grist)
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A huge bright green algae bloom engulfs the coast of Qingdao, China. Scientists suspect it’s connected to pollution, tourists revel in the strange sight, and local officials are unhappy with the situation. (New York Times)