Dan Rieden

So interested in constructed wetlands as a ecological system and a landscape element. Any with experience care to share? Finally, any opinion as to its feasibility in arid-desert locations (MTE’s or more severe climes)?

Oh yeah. My blurred vision is starting to clear up! Thanks very much. Keep ’em coming.

Thanks Loe, very flattered.
I think it’s something to do with our approach to empty space. We have experienced shortage of flat land from the beginning. So, finding flat and open land was the first step. Some could find a plot in a ‘urban’ site (in medieval term) which is small and cluttered by neighbours, the others found a small plot on mountain…[Read more]

Hi Yuko. I am always enthralled by good japanese design and always wonder why such simplicity in design is so difficult to master. I hope to find some answers in this group.

Nice to meet y’all.

Here’s an example of the political aspect of planning and landscape architecture:

Nrschmid:
“However, some of them [landscape architects] struggle to find the underlying meaning in the ordinances and what has been established by plan commissions as precedent. For example, one community’s ordinance might allow Betula nigra (River birch) but the r…[Read more]

bangkok,shenzhen&hongkong,shanghai and guangzhou . Where is my next station?

I just moved to New Zealand from Shanghai, It is good to join this group for sharing experience working in China

Finally Hooked-Up!

Check out Jason’s review on Patrick Blanc’s new book The Vertical Garden.

And I have to agree, it is indeed quite fabulous and I am not at all disappointed. If nothing else, it is worth it to see the pictures of Mr. Blanc himself perched over a waterfall with his green hair.

The greatest designer is normal people—the best cities in the world were not designed.

Zoning is way to control activities, which is important for a city. But as we all know cities are dynamic, some people even suggest that the city is a living organisim. froming this point of view, “zoing” should work in different ways comparing with exisiting and conventional “zoning” practices.
I think “zoning” is also a tool for the authority to…[Read more]

Well, that wasn’t he part of the quote that I was trying to emphasize, I’m not going to stand here and say that the government has cornered the market on corruption, the argument really isn’t about morality, its about social functions.

You are entitled to your assessment of Jane Jacob’s work but her contribution to urban design theory is…[Read more]

Great group thread….Here are a few of my favorite quotes made to engineers over the years…perhaps you can relate?!
“Rectangular ponds are great….if you’re treating raw sewage”
“Yes, all those trees are necessary…..to hide your handiwork”
“Remember, Jesus was a carpenter because Landscape Architecture wasn’t invented yet..”
“Apparently…[Read more]

At your request Jonathon I am going to attach one of my recent plan view renderings for your evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses….I would like comments from whomever has some input….good or bad…..It will be in the above discussions…

Lets get this party started! Show us some examples….

Response to comment by Brent Farrar, I have used turpentine and pastels on normal paper. you get a similar effect of watercolour, but the paper does not wrinkle, this was my solution to getting the watercolour feel without all the hassle.

Hey Brandon….thanks for the invite. I use Vectorworks to create landscape designs…..do you know where can I find more information on realistic coloring techniques to use on my Vectorworks drawings so it looks like I used real colored pencils. Are there any other ways to make the drawings look high end? Peace!

Hi everyone, i’m the new kid on the block from SA.

Wow, 97 members-strong!

Good points, I suppose another important distinction to draw as we continue the conversation is that a planner’s role will vary greatly depending on if he or she is employed by a municipality or by a private sector consulting firm.

I suppose what I meant in my earlier post is that I have been impressed by the work of the private sector planners…[Read more]