5 Cities a Landscape Architecture Student Should Visit and Why

A selection of some of the most major cities in the world that will inspire any landscape architecture student. One needs to be clear about one thing. There is no city a Landscape Architecture Student should not visit. Intriguing Landscapes are everywhere. However, There are some basic destinations for students that could become valuable lessons. Cities a Landscape Architecture Student Should Visit • Tivoli, Paris and London, in that order The great Italian Villas have had the most extraordinary gardens. The Villa d’ Este in Tivoli by the Italian Landscape Architect Pirro Lingorio is the best known example. A clear geometry, sense of perspective and the element of illusion are the important characteristics of this landscape masterpiece. WATCH: Villa D’Este a Tivoli ripresa con un dro...Read More

Akasya Acibadem Central Park, by SdARCH Trivelli & Associati & Alhadeff Architects, Istanbul, Turkey. As Istanbul is considered by many to be one of the best capitals of art and culture, parks in the city are just as spectacular and in the following project lies the evidence: Akasya Acibadem Central Park located in Acibadem district. An area of high quality housing projects in the Asian side of Istanbul. In recent years, a new road network and new residential buildings came up. This Park appears to be the green center or the “green lung” of this new urbanization. The park surrounds the new shopping mall in Akasya, designed by DDG Architects. WATCH: Akasya Master Plan by DDG Architects The landscaping team, standing behind the “green lung”, is SdARCH Trivelli & Associati. They t...Read More

Mekel Park, by Mecanoo in Delft, the Netherlands. The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), one of the most prestigious of its kind in the Netherlands, aimed in 2004 to transform the busy and broad Mekel Road, which splits the campus in half, into a spectacular park. The goal was to bring to the campus the high quality of life in the city of Delft. Located in the heart of the campus, the park bridges the buildings of all the faculties and, because of this, it symbolizes the university’s international and interdisciplinary character, bringing together in a pleasant way people with different cultural and academic backgrounds. The Green Heart At 80 meters wide and 800 meters long, this park contributes to the university’s reputation and provides an attractive meeting point for stud...Read More

This week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10. Welcome to this week’s exciting edition of Sketchy Saturday. This week’s sketches may have been the toughest in our Sketchy Saturday history to judge the top 10. There is a fine line between what is excellent work and what is suitable for Sketchy Saturday. With Sketchy Saturday we always stretch the definition of the word sketch and display some questionable entries, but we’re always searching for a high raw element to the work and a direct relevance to landscape architecture. Enjoy this week’s Sketchy Saturday top 10! 10. by Luna Refaie , (Architect) , Jordan   “Our earth is getting covered with buildings , Every small empty space is being built without consideration for the outdoor spaces. We became imprisoned in our houses, We start...Read More

Innovation in cycle lane technology from Sola Road. On 12th November 2014, the first cycle lane made up of solar panels was laid out for a trial situated in Netherlands. The 70-meter stretch of cycle path lies between two suburbs of the Amsterdam city (Krommenie and Wormerveer) that generates solar power from rugged, textured glass-covered photovoltaic cells. Despite the weather, the current cycle lane services as many as 2,000 cyclists per day hence it is the perfect place for testing. The cycle lane will stretch to its full extent of 100m by 2016 and is said to be able to generate enough energy to power three houses. Over the next two to three years, the pilot project will be monitored to see how much power is generated and how the public will respond to it. A Path of Solar Panels Module...Read More

Şışhane Park by SANALarc, Istanbul, Turkey  Şışhane Park is a refreshing take on new urban public space. It oozes quality without being pretentious. Its clean geometric edges, clear open spaces, and mix of plantings beautifully frame the park while simultaneously integrating it with the surrounding city. It provides what all inner city spaces should: opportunity for a multitude of events, social encounters, relaxation, or expression. There are some notable draw card features, such as the silhouette walk, a walkway that sits above the city to the west and provides views across to a sunset backdrop. As a truly modern sustainable urban park, the space may lack wide open lawn areas, but it is inviting, encouraging visitors to stay by creating a genteel ambiance, offering reclined sunset decks ...Read More

Your guide to all the top computer software for landscape architects. There is a plethora of Computer Aided Software or CAD options on the market. All have something to offer for everyone from the budget focused landscape architecture student to the professional wanting a fully comprehensive package. Here we take you through a range of software options to suite all budgets and needs. Software for Landscape Architects Sketchup Sketchup is a FREE 3D drafting package with probably the world’s most intuitive interface. Much maligned for its simplicity, over the years Sketchup has gotten a bit of a bad rap for being ‘blocky’ or ‘too geometric’. However I’ve always found it to be as good as the designer using it. WATCH: Instant Topography with the Toggle Terra...Read More

Viewpoint Ørnesvingen, by 3RW Architects in collaboration with Smedsvig Landskapsarkitekter AS in Geiranger, Norway. One of the most complicated mountain systems in all of Europe belongs to Norway, where the highways and roads follow a serpentine route of curves and bends. Because of this, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration commissioned 3RW Architects to design diverse viewpoints, paths, and outdoor furniture along The Atlantic Road to provide the environment with better tools to absorb rising pressure from the tourist industry. The Ørnesvingen site, located on across the valley from Flydalsjuvet, close to the community of Geiranger, located at the end of the Geiranger Fjord, is the most beautiful viewpoint of all the places along the Eagle Road. The space provides astounding views ...Read More

Effective and sustainable ways to conserve water in landscape architecture. As we all know, water is essential to life, whether for humans or for any other living things. Water is a natural resource necessary but perceived as a limited commodity today. Furthermore, urban development generally leads to soil sealing. This generates disturbances in the water cycle and often causes flooding following the runoff from impervious surfaces that increase water velocity and therefore causes a lot of damage. So, poor management of water can cause damage to water systems and the environment. Therefore, it is imperative to act for better water management to promote its evacuation and the recovery of its natural cycle. Here are 9 Methods we Can Apply to Conserve Water: 1. Meadows and floodplains When we...Read More

The Park at Lakeshore East, Chicago, IL, by The Office of James Burnett. Chicago’s Park at Lakeshore East is making a name for itself as a rival to the city’s famous Millennium Park. Since being dedicated in 2005, The Park at Lakeshore East is now not only a part of the Chicago Park District, but has also been nicknamed the “village in the heart of the city” by local developers. The 5.3-acre park was designed by The Office of James Burnett of Houston, Texas. The firm, founded in 1989, has amassed a vast profile and says that “Landscape design is their passion – it is who they are, not just what they do – and that passion is reflected in the spaces they create.” The firm was hired early in the project to aid the master plan architects, and also helped to produce the open space g...Read More

The Lakewood Garden Mausoleum by HGA Architects. The Lakewood Garden Mausoleum was considered Minnesota’s finest place for the final rest since its founding in the 1870s. Many popular names of the time were engraved on this cemetery. As time passed by, local residents developed an emotional connection with the site, making it a treasured landmark in the neighborhood. HGA Architects and Engineers had the task of leading the master plan for a full renovation. From the beginning, Halvorson’s Design Partnership’s lead architect gave advice for the landscape composition and helped as a highly valued design team member until the renovation was complete. The project has won the ASLA National Award of Excellence for 2013 and the Honor Award by the Boston Society of Landscape Architectu...Read More