March Theme of the Month - Water!

Celebrate World Water Day on 22nd March by reading the latest Water research in the free access collection by Taylor & Francis.

Discover over 35 articles on; Water Education; Water Equality; Water Innovation; Water Policies and Schemes; Water Quality; and Water Use. 

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCategory?categoryId=43983507#link9

 

Transiting Cities

A group of ex MA students, Sophie Lewis, David Wilkinson and Kate Johnson, orking with Ian Fisher, have produced an exciting entry for this international competition, run by the Office of Urban Transformations Research, RIMT University, Melbourne, Australia: www.transitingcities.com

The competition aims to create informed visions of new, innovative and alternative

cities of the near future by defining opportunities for transition into a low carbon,

prosperous and vibrant communities. The intention is to produce strategies for an adaptive and resilient regional centre, which can respond to the variable scales and conditions of change that effect life in the Latrobe City; enhancing the existing and future qualities of this urban environment, the rehabilitated mines, associated infrastructures and define opportunities for growth.

Their proposal is entitled, Dendrite City, an urban form that is responsive to the terrain that it occupies; its  physical ground plane is devolved but is informationally involved; it is a net producer of knowledge and resources, a negative carbon producer and a positive contributor to ecological diversity and connectivity. It is a city that defies the logic and wisdom of theoretical models that favour density and complexity of form. It reinterprets the essential qualities of urbanism as an anthropocentrically aggregated response of environmental opportunity, multiplicity and performance, networked through information and exchange, globally and locally.

Shared Space

How excited was I when on a recent visit to London I discovered a ‘Home Zone’ style street setting smack bang in the middle of the city, Exhibition Road, South Kensington to be precise. Home Zone is a concept that originates from the Netherlands and something that I became aware of on a recent trip to Amsterdam. 

The idea of the pedestrian pavement and vehicular road blending together is a bold move forward. By using textured surfaces and creating ‘obstacles’ such as parking spaces on a diagonal and altering the road layout to a snaking effect, the intention is to reduce the speed of traffic by forcing the drivers to take more care and pay attention, allowing the space to be shared by everyone.

Though here the road still follows a linear format and therefore didn’t really reduce the speed of traffic as much as I would have anticipated. Also, as a pedestrian it was easy to lose the definition of the edge as there is no level change, perhaps I was subconsciously following one of the visually enticing diagonal line. Designed by Dixon Jones, the project was completed ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games and sets a new standard in urban street design. If you’d like to find out more then click here.

Sian Bury - Landscape Architecture Student

Online Seminar: Design with Water - Coastal Adaption Strategies

Gertjan Jobse will talk about design with water: coastal adaptation strategies in the Netherlands. The seminar starts at 18 pm (17pm in England!), on the 4th of December 2012, and you can join as a guest by using the link given.

https://webconf.vc.dfn.de/onlineseminar/

The High Line, New York: Objet Trouve and Form as Provocation

The Landscape Programme at Manchester School of Architecture are pleased to announce details of the next Experience Lecture:


The High Line, New York: Objet Trouve and Form as Provocation
Dr Raymond Lucas, Manchester School of Architecture
Thursday 29th November, 5.30. MMU Business School, G.27
  

The purpose of the Highline is to offer opportunities. To enable wandering and musing, to escape functionalism and allow people to make what they will of the city, experiencing the height from the ground, appropriating industrial space, controlled and closed off to most. The High Line is a provocation, a pure form suddenly made available to the everyday experience of the New Yorker. This is Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism Trouvé as in the manner of Duchamp’s Objet Trouvé, but the key here is the form and its celebration.

The New York Highline has very quickly become that rare thing, a piece of landscape architecture which transcends its professional field and community context to become a media phenomenon and new icon. Ray Lucas will consider the reasons for the global impact of this Highline and explore themes of relevance to contemporary urban space-making through the particular prism of this project.

 

De Nieuwe Ooster Cemetery

When planning a Landscape Architecture study tour in Holland, you would not normally expect a visit to a cemetery to be on the agenda. Though surprisingly, this was possibly one of the highlights of the week. 

As soon as we arrived at the cemetery, instantly people's moods changed, they became quiet and contemplative, slowly strolling through the setting and reflecting on the surroundings. Karres en Brands, the Landscape Architects behind the design, have clearly succeeded in incorporating a contemporary design, whilst still maintaining a sympathetic link to the original site.

Clipped hedging provide a form of privacy for visitors and defines the zones created by the designers. Grasses and perennials are woven through the setting, hanging over the pathways, allowing people to make contact, whether it be intentional or not. I couldn't help but feel that there was a ghostly quality to the planting, perhaps this was intentional to evoke this emotion. The trees commanded height and were spiritually uplifting.

Water is known to be a calming element and people are naturally drawn to it. The reflective surface of water mirrors the surrounding landscape, while at the same time creating a mood of contemplation. There were mixed feelings in response to the lily pad sculptures, some felt that they were a distraction and rather brash, while others believed that they portrayed the avant-garde confidence of the Dutch designers.

Alongside the gravestones were contemporary steel structures that housed individual shrines. Personally I felt quite uncomfortable in this space and it felt as though I was invading someone's sacred place.

In my opinion the De Nieuwe Ooster Cemetery really works. It has a formal quality combined with a calm character. It is a serene and soothing setting that offers solace to those that walk amongst its grounds. 

New London Landscape

Shortlisted entries for an LI competition, entitled, 'A Highline for London' are now being exhibited at City Hall, London until 30th November, if anyone is in the capital before then. A website has also now gone live with shortlisted and winning entries currently uploaded. Among these is an entry by MMU MA student, Scott Badham with Ian Fisher, '[Re]structure'. It will soon contain all 170 entries and further contextual information about the theme and context. Some intriguing ideas and great visuals. Pushing the boundaries of landscape architecture. Highly recommended!

http://www.newlondonlandscape.org/

Leuvehoofd Park, Rotterdam

Those of you who came to Holland will remember the beautiful space we found in Rotterdam at the end of the Erasmus Bridge after returning from the dispiriting Kop van Zuid.  There have been various rumours and versions floating around of the name and authorship of this space. The planting design is definitely by Piet Oudolf and here is a link to his website for more information: www.oudolf.com/piet-oudolf/gardens/public-gardens/leuvehoofd-rotterdam/leuvehoofd-rotterdam-3

PS. Lets have a few more posts from the study tour!

Online Seminar: Managing Climate Change in Coastal Megacities

Online Seminar: Managing Climate Change in Coastal Megacities

2012-11-20

Asan Suwanarit from Thammasat University,Thailand, will talk about Building Adaptive Capacity for Managing Climate Change in Coastal Megacities, the example of Bangkok, Thailand. The meeting starts 18 pm, please use the link for joining as a guest. 

https://webconf.vc.dfn.de/onlineseminar/

Students' School Playground Project

Tom Daggers and Alican Gokmen, now year 3 students on the BA course, have been involved since early in year 2 on a project with St Pauls C of E Primary School in Withington to redesign the playground. The students became aware that the school was unhappy with the existing playground layout and volunteered to give some ideas. The students carried out workshops with pupils and talked to teachers to develop their plans. An initially suspicious PTA and governors were won round by the students willingness to listen and respond and by their innovative ideas. The designs have been adopted in full and will be implemented in a phased programme over the next 3 years. Tom and Ali will remain involved in developing detailed designs as the project moves into the next phases.

Olympic Park Legacy

Inspiring a Generation
The Landscape Legacy of the Olympics

An interview with Tom Smith on masterplanning the Olympics is available on the LI website: http://landscapeinstitute-news.org/6KZ-ZVJL-993VYCWICB/cr.aspx

This is the second in a series which are very interesting as an insight into the processes of generating such a bold, ambitious and high profile landscape.

Masterplanning the Olympic Site An interview with Tom Smith. Click on the image to be taken straight to the interview or click here to find out more about the LI's Olympic Learning Legacy.

 

International Landscape Convention

The International Landscape Convention aims to create a holistic view about cultural and natural landscapes. Do you want to sign their petition? Read more and decide...

Change.org|Online Petition Template

MA Student Shortlisted for LI Green Infrastructure Competition

A proposal by Scott Badham (in close collaboration with Ian Fisher) reconceiving London's transport arteries as key elements in the city's Green Infrastructure, has been shortlisted for the LI's Green Infrastructure Competition.

[RE] Structure

We have opened a toolbox whose contents fix the separation of anthropocentric and biocentric (Infra) structures, by fusing what at first appear to be divergent conditions of operational activity.

Utilising the key public transport arteries, which define London as a city, these are (re)envisioned both as mobile and grounded elements, which provide direct ecological connectivity throughout the urban structure.

Biocentric “mats” and “sleeves” define this approach. In this example these have been layered on to existing formal elements of public transport infrastructure (bus and the DLR) but are potentially extendable to all public utilities.

In particular the mobility of the bus, with its “mat” of vegetation, specially selected to maximize surface area and absorb particulate (PM10”s) and gaseous pollution, acts as a local and urban infrastructural conditioner.

The “sleeve” is staged as a medium for algal growth, which acts as a biocentric engine, cleansing run off and producing a rich array of by-products, which are looped in to the infrastructure as an unseen element to support further ecological connectivity.

The universal nature of this toolbox reinforces London’s position as a centre of innovation, but at the same time through its application to the local transport infrastructure, provides a unique identity to the city.

Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award

"The IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award is the highest honor that the International Federation of Landscape Architects can bestow upon a landscape architect. The Award recognizes a living landscape architect whose lifetime achievements and contributions have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of society and the environment and on the promotion of the profession of landscape architecture"  (IFLA)

This year one of my highly respected Hungarian professors, Mihály Mőcsényi, has been awarded whose work has inspired hundreds of landscape architecture students, widened our view about the profession, and shaped our way of thinking. 

If you would like to find out more about the Award and Professor Mőcsényi, please visit:

http://www.iflaonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=82

http://worldlandscapearchitect.com/2012-sir-geoffrey-jellicoe-award-goes-to-mihaly-mocsenyi/#.UFgquVQu1br

http://www.toposmagazine.com/blog/sir-geoffrey-jellicoe-award-2012-goes-to-mihaly-moecsenyi.html

Photo (by Sándor Bardóczi): Desiree Martínez (president of IFLA), Dr. Mihály Mőcsényi (Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award recipient, 2012), Ilya Michailov (General Secretary of IFLA)

The National Trust Natural Childhood Report

In the news today there was an article (link here) about the National Trust's Natural Childhood Report. This is about how parents are not allowing their children outside to play like they used to because of fears over health and safety, mainly 'stranger danger' and worries about road traffic. The report says that as a result children are not only loosing touch with nature but their social, mental and physical development is being affected leading to problems in later life.

 I thought this was a very important thing to consider as landscape architects; to create safer streets and neighbourhoods with accessible green spaces, especially important in cities where nature can sometimes be scarce. So below I've done a little brainstorm of some of the points from the report.

 
Sophie Thompson
(More on my blog)

A Perfect Union

The Marriage of Horticulture and Architecture

The Society of Garden Designers are hosting their biannual conference this Autumn, bringing together the themes of horticulture and architecture. With eminent speakers including Kate Baker (Dip. Arch), Patrick Blanc, John Brookes (MBE, FSGD), Andrea Cochran (FASLA) and chaired by Brita von Schoenaich (Dip Hort Kew, MLI) this is a fantastic opportunity. Hearing the stories of successful professionals can be a real source of inspiration as well as showing us the human side and helping us keep in touch with reality. Conferences are a great way to network with kindred spirits who share our aspirations and passion for Landscape Architecture at it's best.

To find out more about the speakers please click here.

© Marion Brenner

Sian Bury - Landscape Architecture Student

IFLA Student Design Competition

IFLA student design competition

IFLA have announced their prestigious annual student design competition. The deadline is 30th November and the title is:

'Redemptive Landscape Architecture'

http://www.ifla2013.com/student-competition/

Students are encouraged to enter. If you would like to, please let your year tutor know and we will try to form a single student team. It would be great if this were possible.

Major changes to Oxford Road

As part of the Oxford Road corridor project, a significant change to access along the university stretch of the road is planned.  All are invited to comment on the link provided in the text below or by attending one of the consultation events. Please make your voices - as landscape architects with a very local interest - heard!

CONSULTATION began this week on major changes to traffic on Oxford Road proposed by Transport for Greater Manchester.

Views are being sought on the ‘bus priority package’ which affects movements around All Saints and Elizabeth Gaskell and prioritises public transport and cycling over car use.
Under the proposals Oxford Road would be car-free from the Capitol Theatre/Grosvenor Street corner, south as far as Hathersage Road, open only to buses, bikes, black cabs, and emergency vehicles.
Car traffic would be diverted along Upper Brook Street, Lloyd Street North, Cambridge Street, and only allowed to travel north along the Mancunian Way section of Oxford Road.
Cambridge Street
Other proposals up for discussion, include cycle lane along Cambridge Street and higher Cambridge Street and new pedestrian crossings at the junction of Cambridge Street and Cavendish Street.
A four-week consultation runs until October 3 when anyone with a view can contact TfGM buspriority@tfgm.com, or alternatively you can attend public events at:
- Monday, 17 September 2 – 7pm at Greenheys Adult Learning Centre, Upper Lloyd Street, M14 4AZ
- Monday, 24 September 2 -7 pm at The Lounge, The Deaf Centre, Crawford House, Booth Street East, M13 9GH.

Budapest Summer school

Summer School in Budapest 2012

 Summer school 2012 in Budapest was two fantastic weeks that went by very fast. The first week was excellent, going around Hungry, really getting to know the country and all its character. We got to really explore the surroundings and have some free time in the evenings, where we got to taste the local foods. It was not all a walk in the park and a holiday, which we found out in the second week. We were set a lot of work, but it was interesting and thought provoking. We had to work with various different nationalities and learn how to work in new ways. There was a lot of work set to complete in a small space of time, but it pushed us to produce our best work under pressure.

I really enjoyed the summer school and I would definitely do it all again!

Budapest Summer School pt.2

It was an intensive, yet enjoyable couple of weeks on the Budapest Corvinus Summer School. The first week was spent traveling to various Hungarian landscapes and participating in workshops and lectures. This orientated us within the approach of Hungarian landscape design and the cultural landscape uses that the climate allows.



The second week focused on the project area, Normafa, which has a complex and unique history, and variety of historical and current leisure uses. This allowed a design process of arranging facilities/uses and making visible the historical layers of the site to ease orientation and use, this was invaluable to my experience of landscape design, which had previously focused on creating new uses for existing sites. It was refreshing to engage with a multinational team and understand the different approaches of each landscape school as well as that of Corvinus, gaining new ideas, techniques and friends.

Amber Roberts (MIRIAD student)