10 of the Best Urban Projects in the World

Article by Erisa Nesimi – Total reading time 5 minutes We take a close look at 10 of the Best Urban Projects in the World. I’ve always been fond of observing and studying the quality of spaces and how these spaces are brought together into one large entity: the city. In his book “Rebel Cities,” David Harvey says, “In making the city, the man makes himself” and “what kind of city we want cannot be divorced from the question of what kind of people we want to be.” So instead of raising the question of what are some of the best urban projects in the world, I’m asking, what did the cities in this article want to be? In urban projects, it is interesting to note that there are always several circumstances to be considered. There is never a tabula rasa, which makes the process so much more i...Read More

For many people not working in the design world, landscape architecture may be a difficult profession to describe. It’s not a term they see in the spotlight often and therefore their assumptions are often woefully inadequate. We have all had someone, when hearing that we are a landscape architect, default to inquiries about designing their front yards and while that is a part of what some of us do, we all know there is so much more to the profession. In Thinking about Landscape Architecture: Principles of a Design Profession for the 21st Century, Bruce Sharky, a professor at Louisiana State University, comprehensively dissects the history and place of the landscape architecture in the modern world. His new book gives a complete overview of the discipline and might greatly serve those that ...Read More

Article by Eleni Tsirintani We take a look at 8 common mistakes people make in Interior Planting. Interior planting is perceived mostly as a different way to decorate and improve interior space. Well, it should not be thought of that way. Whether it is an arrangement of pots or a vegetated patio, interior planting represents a living system with needs and ways of its own that could contribute important benefits, both in terms of function and aesthetics in everyday life. What should one — professional or not — bear in mind in order to have a vigorous and beautifully vegetated space indoors? In this article, we discuss what to avoid when planting indoors, and thus provide a guide on what to do to succeed in such a scheme. The following mistakes when planting indoors concern both ...Read More

Article by Farah Afza Jurekh – Total reading time 4 minutes. Sugar House S-Line Streetcar and Greenway, by CRSA, in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Designing has never been an easy job. Architects put their creative ideas to work to bring out the best from a space. But this just cannot be the representation of their thoughts only. A design can only be successful when it is not a whimsical depiction of architects’ ideas, imposed on users. That is why, before jumping into the design phase, it is important to do extensive studies, research and analyses. Architects can’t impose their decisions on people, the users, and the community. People will never accept any design which does not respect the site context, its background, microclimatic conditions, historical importance of the sit...Read More

Article by Radenka Kolarov – Total reading time 5 minutes. We already saw that China definitely has amazing projects in the article by Lidija Šuster. There is also one small but no less important project right in the center of the city of Chengdu. This Campus houses the office buildings and research facility of the company, Symantec, which has created leading technology innovations. SWA team is one of the world’s design leaders in landscape architecture, and their projects have garnered over 800 awards. That certainly tells a lot. TEECOM’s role was to design a converging network as a common platform for all systems and this brilliant data center design helps to reduce power and cooling demands. In the following article, I will do my best to present to you, this really special campus ...Read More

Article by Domenico Pistone – Total reading time 5 minutes. Terra Nova Rural Park, by Hapa Collaborative, City of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada Dams, intertidal coasts, residual mud, and a 27-hectare agricultural landscape located on the northwest tip of Richmond Island make up the canvas on which Hapa Collaborative has scattered its colors and forms. Terra Nova Rural Park is a splendid example of participatory planning among Hapa landscape architects, city administrators, consultants, specialists, and citizens. It is a new and innovative way to design that embodies the ultimate sense of the project: the sharing of space and ideas. The designers’ intention was to create a symbiosis of man and nature, without upheaval or force. The design succeeds in reconnecting visitors with th...Read More

Article by Joanna Łaska – Total reading time 4 minutes. Palma de Vecchio Pop-up Square by Studio Fink, Bergamo, Italy How would you describe contemporary art? Controversial? Loud? Cheap? Expensive? Insensitive? No matter what art means to us and how we’d describe it, we always think of museums and art galleries when speaking of it. But what would happen if art could be taken outside to surround us within urban spaces? What if art is now starting to take a huge part in urban design and it is much more easily accessible than we would actually expect? Studio Fink is here once again to prove to us that modern art not only can become a part of urban design but also to show us how easily it can be blended with traditional forms of art. Peter Fink, a founder and designer at Studio Fink, has...Read More

Article by Sophie Thiel In our fifth article about landscape architecture tourist destinations, we take a closer look at landscape architecture in South America. In South America, there are only a few countries where landscape architecture as a profession is well established. Indeed, landscape architecture in the European sense is much less prevalent in South America. Brazil, which was influenced early by Roberto Burle Marx and Rosa Kliass, seems to be one of the rare exceptions. However, those cities or regions that have a more profound understanding of landscape and garden design are still hard to find throughout the continent. The following list includes ten different examples of such rather hard-to-find landscape architecture projects of South America. Although there are many other rea...Read More

Article by Nour Adel NICHE, by Pantoja Arquitectos is bringing back Colombian art, in the Square Jairo Varela, in the center of Cali, Colombia. Whether you are a fan of classical Colombian music or just a random passerby in the streets of Cali, Colombia, the “Niche” project is bound to appeal to your senses. It’s a work to see, hear, and absorb. Designed by Pantoja Architects, the project highlights the features of the identity of the classical Colombian musician “Niche” and his talent for composition. The project, located in Cali’s Plazoleta Jairo Varela, is an urban piece that engages viewers with the Colombian art on a whole new level and provides them with a unique spatial experience. WATCH >>> Here is a glimpse of the Columbian artwork in action Bringing Back Colombian Art “N...Read More

Article by Samia Rahman Urban Spa, by students of ISAD, along with PKMN architects helps to bring life to the city, in Chihuahua, Mexico A community is the extended family of a society. And that extended family dreams of being surrounded by verdant, interactive spaces rather than a concrete jungle. Many times, landscape architects create new public places with green areas, seating, play spaces, and walking trails. But sometimes the revitalization of “dead spaces” with a simple installation can prove to be more beneficial by providing amenities in a previously boring life. These kinds of projects bring the community together to maintain the public realm. How do we bring an impossible dream to life? The students of the Instituto de Arquitectura y Diseno de Chihuahua in Mexico, along with the...Read More

Article by Win Phyo Here’s a list of 10 projects that put sustainability at the forefront of Landscape Architecture. “Sustainability” — boy, have we heard this word a lot over the past 10 years! But it is more than just a buzzword. In fact, the issues surrounding sustainability have provided more opportunities for landscape architects to lead the way toward finding holistic solutions that architects and engineers might not necessarily be able to provide. Basically speaking, landscape architects have the ability to see the bigger picture and understand the complex relationships among our cities, the people, and the natural environment. To demonstrate this, Tania Gianone has given us 10 practices that show how “sustainability” has made the world a better place — and almost ...Read More