Good stuff at the ASLA Convention?

[Jason T. Radice]

Hopefully all of you who attended the 2010 ASLA annual convention in DC last week had a great time in the City and learned a bunch from the programs. Unfortunately, I missed the Land8 get together Sunday because of a last minute private lecture by Dr. Yu at UMD where my attendance was required.

 

Being that the convention was so large, time was so short, and money is tight, none of us could participate in everything we wanted to. To help out the rest of Land8, especially the ones who could not attend, I thought it would be a good idea to exchange info about exceptional presentations. So, what did you see that would be of interest to the rest of us? Any particularly good speakers? Exceptional projects we should look out for? Anthing new and exciting on the Expo floor? Let us know!

 

For those of you who may not know, notes from the lectures are available on the ASLA website on the convention page. Some of these are really well done, and I have downloaded a bunch from presentations I missed.

 

Allow me to start…

 

The “site furnishings” lecture was very informative. It is quite fascinating how something we all take for granted can play such an integral role in our designs. This is more than just aesthetics, but a direct and necessary function that could lead to the success or failure of a project.  

 

“Design Strategies of Urban Parks” was also very good, and in a way related to the furnishings lecture. It really gave a good overview of some of the psychological aspects and amenitites that the modern urban space requires. (Thomas Balsley presented at both).

 

Some of the technical presentations were also very informative, such a ‘Noble Trees’ with Dr. Dirr, ‘Sustainabe Pavements’ and ‘Complete Streets’.

 

One day after the convention ended, Island Press had a book-release with Danish architect Jan Gehl. It was an excellent presentation (and a good book) that reinforces the need to think from a ground-level pedestrian point of view, rather than from an planning perspective. I highly recommend the book (Cities for People). Mr. Gehl even had complementary things to say about LA’s, namely, that we by-and-large are the only design profession that actually thinks about people when we design.

[earthworker]

Sounds like the industry is just fine and dandy. I am sure the Design Strategies of Urban Parks is quite relevant at a time when cities are laying off staff by the hundreds and can’t even afford to maintain the parks they have? Where were the seminars about finding a job after ten years at a firm? Or the seminar about how 30% to 50% of LA’s throughout the nation are unemployed. I guess if they aren’t going to mention this in their glitzy magazine, they certainly won’t mention it at their conference. THESE are the relevant issues of the industry right now.

[nca]

That is interesting. Business as usual?

[Anonymous]

Wow! I can really relate to how you guys are feeling. I’m usually a pretty upbeat, “glass is half-full” kind of a person, but right now I could careless about anything but getting more work and making life better for the “average” landscape architect. I’ve always felt a certain disconnect with LA magazine and the ASLA as a whole. It seems like the magazine’s primary focus is on the elite firms and their projects. As renewal time draws near, I question weather or not the ASLA has ever been an organization that looked out for the interest of the “rank and file” of the profession.

I don’t expect the magazine to continually dwell on the difficult economic condition, but I think most LAs are more concerned about how we can come out of this recession better off than when we went into it. I care more about how the ASLA is promoting the profession, than I care about some “tricked-out” mega-park.

I have to give the magazine a little credit. After months and months of ignoring how the economic downturn was affecting the profession, they’ve recently begun to acknowledge the situation.

Jason – I’m sorry for bumming out your post, but as an LA who loves the profession and is struggling to stay in it. It’s hard to get excited about anything that doesn’t relate to getting more work.

[Jason T. Radice]

There were presentations with regards to the state of the business, primarily aimed at firm owners and those who have recently ventured out on their own as a result of the depressed job situation. It was not ignored as LAM has seemed to do. Even within many other presentations, the state of the profession was mentioned, often in jest as to when things will pick up again. It was very much a reality check. Even the JobLink only had four firms, where in years past, there had been a dozen or more.

[Jason T. Radice]

I had the same kind of meeting with Peter Walker, he was very encouraging and a very nice man. I was suprised how many of the big names in LA were so approachable, especially since most didn’t have entourages constantly surrounding them (although, Dr. Yu had quite a contingency with him).

[Trace One]

I’m interested in the ‘private lecture’ by Dr. Yu – who is he and what is his subject? Seriously – I would like to be enlightened as to who Dr. Yu is…

[Jason T. Radice]

As Henry stated, Dr. Yu is the head of Turenscape in China. It’s a 600 person strong firm that has been trying to change the Chinese perspective of beauty (current ideals are evidenced by the Olympic spectacle). He won 3 ASLA awards at this years convention (which is why he was here). I went to a private presentation of Dr. Yu’s at the University of Maryland. Dr. Yu is trying to find natural alternatives to the Chinese tendancy to over-engineer and over-decorate the landscape. He has been active in dechannelizing rivers, using natural systems for stormwater and sewage treatment, using native plants and returning the waterfronts to people. He main belief is that the landscape should be productive. He is also famous for putting rice paddies as a decorative/productive landscape as a “quad” at a university in China.

[Trace One]

thanks for the info..

[Robert Schäfer]

It is so funny. Topos did publish Turenscape’s work since 5 years. Does nobody read reviews those days in the US?

[Trace One]

Mr. Schafer, I know about Turenscape and did not associate it with ‘Dr. Yu..”
I am glad I provided you with a good laugh, and you choose to express your nasty sarcasm in writing..It’s good practice..
..
How does the market function in China for this company as compared to our market? Any thoughts on that? He seems like more of a huge contractor than either an LA or an architect. What sort of government regulations does he have to go through, environmental reviews.. Does he benefit from state subsidized construction practices? (etc., etc., with questions on that line). How about the state subsidies for steel production- how does that Just curious. I remember a distinct amount of grumbling going on when they won three categories this year..
Perhaps you can refer me to a TOPOS article that follows the money?

And I am so sorry I missed your fabulous articles on him in Topos..I used to try to read Topos but the site seems incredibly static, with a lot of empty tags. The magazine is not availble here. Have you come alive again, with a more dynamic site? I think you guys were good for competition listings, that was about it..I suggest you check out Inhabitat, or even The Brooklyn Paper..Topos is a pretty good joke also, about as useful at the CELA publication, which proved itself completely unable to handle subscriptions.

ps Ridicule is always a useful thing to post on a site.. Does TOPOS enjoy ridiculing designers, or do you all take the usual worshipful non-critical approach all the design magazines take? Did you publish criticims of ‘Dr.Yu’ or just gaga stuff? Link me to the articles!

[Robert Schäfer]

Well, so far as I know: Turenscape is doing well. But I may ask Kongjian when I meet him next time. In PR of China most firms do well, ask AECOM or Hassell orany other firm.

[Trace One]

that’s it? I am not asking if they are ‘doing well’. Perhaps we have a language barrier.. I am asking what types of review and/or government monies does this type of firm have to experience, as compared to producing,say, the High Line..(which is not even close in scale to many of Turenscapes projects.)
Secondly, I was asking if Topos was actually critical of turenscape designs, or just the usual outpouring of incredulous wonder, as is usual for design magazines. That is an easy question to answer..
You are quick to ridicule an old girl on a web site (me) – do you also take on real projects and actually review them, or just act as the usual cheerleaders, with pretty pictures. Easy answer, there, Mr. Schafer..
Lets just start with those two questions..
.

[Jason T. Radice]

TOPOS is serious money over here ($150 for 4 issues!!!!!) . We already pay $300+ for LAM, we can’t afford any more for a TOPOS subscription.

[Robert Schäfer]

I am so sorry. I do not really know the interna, but I guess there is no funding like in the Highline case, in China these projects are just investments, private and state money.
So far Topos featured all Chinese projects in a friendly way as we did with the US ones. Pretty pictures are essential. But you are right, we should start to publish more critical reports – and loose even more subscribers. This is the sad truth with critic. Or?

[Author]

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