Tying Playscapes Into Landscapes -The importance of the landscape architect in building spaces for children
Tying Playscapes Into Landscapes -The importance of the landscape architect in building spaces for children
I was walking through a new square in Tel Aviv the day when I saw 10 baby strollers parked in a row with no one around. As I went closer I discovered a sunken garden, with lots of babies and small children playing in the winter sun while parents lounged on the large steps that led to the sunken area. The sunken garden was designed by the famous Israeli sculptor Dani Karavan, who is more known for his memorial monuments in Israel and around the world. Dani Karavan designed the Kikar Levana an environmental sculpture that sits atop a small hill, at the Edith Wolfson Park, in Tel Aviv. The sculpture’s name means White Square. It is located at the highest point in Tel Aviv where the city meets nearby Givatayim. Interestingly enough the monument acts as a really active space for kids who want t...Read More
What Landscape Architects Need to Know About Water Shortages
Water shortages are becoming more and more an ever evident occurrence in our daily lives in the western world. While underdeveloped countries have dealt with the extreme effects of droughts for decades, the Western world has escaped much of the hardship through quick fix solutions. These include damming rivers, piping water halfway across the landscape and installing more and more irrigation. Something’s gotta’ give, sooner or later. The current problem in many cities and countries worldwide is declining precipitation rates, a problem that is exacerbated by aging infrastructure. This is most evident in London, where a hose pipe ban is currently in place. The situation is so dire at the moment that the ban is being touted to be in place from now until early 2013. Other problems caused...Read More
James Richards Sketchbook: A new blog!
Hi all; my new blog is up! Check in for current sketches and musings on design and creativity (and music and Mexican food and…you get the idea). I’ll also be posting updates on the final weeks of writing and illustrating my first major book, Freehand Drawing and Discovery: A Sketching Renaissance in a Digital Age (that’s the working title this week). Please check out the blog at the link below and become a member; I’d love to hear from you! -Jim http://www.jamesrichardssketchbook.com
Hobbit House – A home built into the side of a hill
People started out from living in rudimentary and natural shelters like caves or simple structures from wood and animal pelts. But with development, of skills and further knowledge, humans strived for more security and comfort in their homes. They slowly drew away from nature and towards artificial means of living. A massive change was made, brought along by industry and the growing needs for technology, one almost completely detached and opposed to nature, especially when we arrive in our age. And yes, man has relished it: from the iron structures, to glass expanses and unnaturally white walls spreading through one’s house. It is a living style that disregards the environment. Today’s houses stand out in their surroundings rather that fitting nicely with the trees, hills and all of nature...Read More
Horticulture
Our understanding of plants and their habitats will play a major role in determining the world we pass over to the next generation. Knowing what works where is vital to not only the success of the plant but to the success of the over all design scheme. Horticultural knowledge plays a key role in maintenance issue, the quality of an outdoor space and the level of it’s sustainability. For far too long our public landscapes have been victims of mono crop planting, brutal maintenance plans and visually appalling planting schemes. Often planting knowledge in the public realm is seen as more of a luxury then a necessity, but now it is apparent that nothing could be further from the truth. To understand plants, how they work and what they need is essential to the development of the outdoor ...Read More
Rendering Tip – Use HDRi skies for realistic backgrounds
HDRi Skies This Tip will show you the advantages of using HDRi skies to create better renderings. HDRi skies are a great way to improve any scene you are rendering. It is a quick and accurate way to give the user a high quality background image and illuminate the scene using the HDRi light intensity and colors One of the benefits of HDRi skies is the fact that the background image is in the shape of a dome, providing a full 360 degree background. This means that no matter what angle you are viewing your model from, there will always be a high quality background image. This also makes them valuable for scenes which contain reflection – reflective surfaces like this Camper, or windows. The HDRi image provides better shadows and illumination than just the sun, or plain sky. This lightin...Read More
Garden Dialogues: Exclusive Access to Private Gardens, their Landscape Architects & Owners
What’s Out There Garden Dialogues, a new national program created by The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) and taking place in April, June and July 2012, offers exclusive access for small groups to experience some of today’s most beautiful gardens created by some of the most accomplished designers currently in practice; and, opportunities to learn about the creative process from the designers and their clients. Garden Dialogues will provide a distinct look at gardens and enable participants to hear first hand about the collaborative process that led to the creation of each garden. Space is limited and each Garden Dialogue is $35.00. Seibert & Rice Fine Italian Terra Cotta is the national sponsor of Garden Dialogues, and Garden Design magazine is the program’s nati...Read More
Garden Design Trends for 2012
Each New Year, the internet is abuzz with it the inevitable horde of prophets and trend-watchers, confidently predicting the themes of the year. Of course, there is absolutely no accountability for these supposed experts because once the buzz of the New Year fades, the predictions are forgotten. I may be one of the few people on the planet who actually loves New Year prognostications. Finding meta-themes from the sea of quotidian activities appeals to my philosophic bent; for me, it is a puzzle game: I love the thrill of finding a pattern among scattered pieces. So it is with great delight that I present to you my attempt at New Year trend-spotting. This year, my trends focus on trends in garden design (it’s best to stick to what I know, right?). For the last few weeks, I have spent time...Read More
Announcing open call for submissions for the inaugural issue of GROUND UP
GROUND UP is a new journal print and web publication intended to stimulate thought, discussion, visual exploration and substantive speculation about emerging landscape issues affecting contemporary praxis. Edited and produced by the students of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning at University of California Berkeley, along with an advisory board of noted landscape architects and urban theorists and critics, each edition will examine a critical theme arising from the tension between contemporary landscape architecture, ecology and pressing cultural issues. We are announcing an open call for submissions for our inaugural issue, Landscapes of Uncertainty, which examines the impact of recent radical economic, political and ecological shifts on the landscape. Wit...Read More
Deviantart Group 4 Landscape Architects & Urban Designers…
Finally today I’ve found sometime to work on the group… I’ve managed the group settings. From now on, everbody can be members and/or offer submissions for the galleries. From time to time approval can take time, please be patient. I’m holding the approval option on, just because to avoid a possible mess and keep the galleries clean & related to the main subject. I hopefully believe that this group can help us meet new landscape architects, urban designers who are already on DA and get inspiration from their works… Don’t forget that this is a non-profit work. Please be aware of the content creators’ rights, copy rights etc. This group is to share information and to get inspiration from each others’ works, not for art-theft. All promotion...Read More
Results of Slant Garden Design Award 2011
The First Prize in the Slant Garden Design Award has been won by Ricardo Alexandre Lime Gomes & Daniela dos Santos Silva (Portugal) for their project entitled Douro Valley Garden and full details can be viewed on http://www.slant.eu where you can also view full details on the 6 highly commended projects and the remainder of the short list. Your comments will be very welcome, and you can also follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SlantCompetition
3D Software suggestions…
I’m thinking of drawing all my future construction details in 3D….I have AutoCad and BricsCad but have never used them for 3D. Is there easier to learn 3D software or is what I have as good as it gets?