Archinect - News

Trahan Architects completes community-enhancing pavilion design in Arkansas

2024-12-16T12:49:00-05:00

A new pavilion design in Arkansas from Trahan Architects in a public park designed by Spackman Mossop Michaels is making space that encourages creative play while serving the greater needs of its community.

Funding for the project was provided through the Walton Family Foundation Design Excellence Program. The stunning images from photographer Tim Hursley capture its bold, "weightless" presence against the flat landscape.

Image: © Tim Hursley

Located in the city of Springdale, the new Performance Pavilion space designed for 10-acre Luther George Park is made from steel and doubles as a shade canopy when not in use as an events venue and gathering space for up to 3,000 people.

Image: © Tim Hursley

CIG Architecture, the Dutch manufacturer known for its work with Anish Kapoor, Olafur Eliasson, and others, worked closely with the firm to produce the steel shell that will patina over time so as to reveal the effects of the local climate on the architecture.

Image: © Tim Hursley

Uses vary ...

A floating padel court sets sail in Miami Harbor

2024-12-13T17:21:00-05:00

The popular Mexican game known as 'Padel' has landed with a splash in Miami in the form of a new floating playing court space built and designed by the real estate investment venture Yntegra Group.

Their temporary platform in Miami Harbor weighs 84 tons and measures 16.4 x 38.4 x 71.5 feet.

Photo courtesy Yntegra Group

Its presence is a sign of the growing influence of the highly sociable racquet sport of pickleball. The project should immediately bring to mind the experiential appeal of the new (and finally approved) + POOL that’s set to grace New York’s East River at Pier 35 beginning this summer.

Photo courtesy Yntegra Group

The court will remain floating in the waters near the private member-only Fisher Island until May 2025 before being relocated to the Bahamas to spread knowledge of the game there as a permanent attraction for a forthcoming high-end resort known as The Exumas.

Photo courtesy Yntegra Group

Yntegra Group was able to construct much of ...

Olafur Eliasson's inaugural Shinan Art Island Project installation opens in South Korea

2024-12-11T13:05:00-05:00

Olafur Eliasson has shared photos of the new Breathing earth sphere immersive installation project in Shinan County, South Korea. The installation is the first to be created for the larger Shinan Art Island Project on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site listed archipelago that will bring different artists and designers together to create a special destination experience under the banner '1 Island, 1 Museum.'

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

Visitors will first arrive at the domed space on top of Docho Island via a tree-line approach that takes them to a contemplative resting place framed by a single Hackberry tree.

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

From there, the installation is accessed from an entry point embedded within the hillside and leading to the inside of a spherical subterranean space lined in lava stone and a tri-color palette of tiles that offer the illusion of three-dimensionality and physical impression of "tumbling through space."

Photo: courtesy of Kyungsub Shin

As ...

White Arkitekter’s Våga water tower stuns in coastal Sweden

2024-12-11T11:26:00-05:00

Våga, a new modern water tower designed by White Arkitekter has sprouted in Varberg, Sweden. The stunning concrete structure is designed to stand for hundreds of years and serve the surrounding villages with a vital connection to drinking water without ever "diminishing in beauty."

Photo: courtesy of Anna Kristinsdóttir

Photo: courtesy of Anna Kristinsdóttir and Joacim Winqvist

Architects Per Hultcrantz and Agnes Orstadius explained this is meant to create a monumental spectacle. It spans 187 meters (613.5 feet) while being just 9 meters (29.5 feet) wide to take full advantage of the site’s hillside placement and loom over the landscape surrounding Träslöv.

Photo: courtesy of Anna Kristinsdóttir

Across are nine pillars, each supporting concave cast-in-place panels. The design’s shape, repeated wave motif, and looming mass on the hill’s crest create a landmark impression allowing it to be "perceived differently" from up close or the far off E6 motorway depending on your vantage point an...

Wuhan ski resort rises with terraced pixels and swooping form by CLOU architects

2024-12-11T00:42:00-05:00

The Wuhan Ski Resort, located in the Huangpi district of Wuhan, China, has emerged as a new landmark in the region, offering a fusion of sports, entertainment, and retail within a striking architectural framework. Designed by CLOU Architects, the 178,000-square-meter complex integrates a broad array of functions, including a half-kilometer-long indoor ski slope, retail precincts, outdoor carnival areas, and lakeside leisure zones. The resort reflects a growing interest in snow sports in China, fueled in part by the popularity of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

An overhead perspective highlights the sweeping architectural form of the ski slope and the colorful retail pavilions lining the central lake. © Shrimp Studio

The architecture employs a modular façade system composed of “three-dimensional pixels,” unifying the visual language across the various structures. This terraced aesthetic is both functional and expressive, providing a cohesive identity to the diverse building typolog...

Martha Schwartz on the challenges of designing urban green space in a changing climate

2024-12-10T10:26:00-05:00

The biggest challenges, especially as I’ve encountered while developing the Linear Urban Forest, are the upfront costs, the inconvenience factor of construction and retrofitting older infrastructures with technologically innovative features. There is also a lack of awareness about using the landscape to lessen the damage of climate change.

Schwartz worked for SWA Group in the 1970s and early 80s before launching her own practice in New York in 1983.

She says she chose landscape architecture principally because "I didn’t have enough money to buy a tract of land where I could create land art projects" (a movement her contemporaries like Michael Heizer had begun pioneering around the same time) and then gradually grew into the realization that it would be applied in urban contexts to combat against climate change. Of late, she been at work developing her Linear Urban Forest model, which is supported by a Harvard University Climate Change Solution Grant and recently completed its first pilot test in Springfield, Massachusetts.

10 new architectural landscapes & outdoor spaces that stood out this week

2024-12-07T08:00:00-05:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Outdoors.

Tip: use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Buji Playgrounds in Shenzhen, China by Ballistic Architecture Machine (BAM)

↑ House in Longbranch, WA by mwworks architecture + design; Photo: Andrew Pogue

↑ SkyBase One in Carvoeiro, Portugal by Bespoke Architects; Landscape: Jardim Vista; Photo: João Morgado

↑ Uncloud Coffee in Bang Saen, Thailand by Unknown Surface Studio; Photo: Rungkit Charoenwat

↑ Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos in Baja California, Mexico by Guerin Glass Architects

↑ Mini Garden by Tuğçe Taylan

↑ ATour Town Parent-Child Activity Center in Qingdao, China by GN Architects; Landscape: Aopa Landscape Design; Photo: Liangwenjun

↑ House in Kutná Hora, Czech...

Archinect入驻微信，小红书平台 / Archinect launches on WeChat and RED in China

2024-11-27T19:35:00-05:00

Archinect is thrilled to announce our official debut on two of China’s leading social media platforms—WeChat and RED (Xiaohongshu). This milestone marks an important step in Archinect’s 27-year mission of connecting the global architecture community. With an official presence on these platforms, we aim to establish closer connections with Chinese-speaking architects and design enthusiasts.

Since its founding in 1997, Archinect has been dedicated to fostering meaningful connections among architects worldwide. By launching on WeChat and RED, we’re excited to bring Archinect’s distinctive voice to China’s thriving architecture and design scene while introducing exclusive content tailored for our growing audience.

Follow Archinect on WeChat

WeChat is China’s premier all-in-one platform for messaging, digital publishing, and social media, with over 1 billion active users. Through our official WeChat account, we’ll deliver the latest architectural news, interviews, and updates, tailored t...

Longwood Gardens shares sneak preview ahead Longwood Reimagined opening

2024-11-15T17:18:00-05:00

With the final stage of a multiyear revitalization now completed, Pennsylvania’s Longwood Gardens horticultural center has announced its official reopening date will be November 22nd, 2024. This concludes the work performed by Weiss/Manfredi in collaboration with Reed Hilderbrand. The project cost for Longwood Reimagined was approximately $250 million.

Interior View, West Conservatory. mage by Sahar Coston-Hardy/Esto. Courtesy of Longwood Gardens.

Work on the 17-acre expansion culminated with the addition of a new 32,000-square-foot glass greenhouse designed by Weiss/Manfredi that houses the immersive Mediterranean garden creation from Reed Hilderbrand, serviced by a network of 128 geothermal wells which are connected to a ground-level heat exchanger.

nterior View, West Conservatory. Image by Ngoc Minh Ngo. Courtesy of Reed Hilderbrand.

Beyond that is a brand new structure called The Grove that was made to host Longwood Gardens' education and administrative operations. Another impor...

Biodiverse natural pond swimming pools are gaining in popularity

2024-11-03T08:00:00-05:00

Unlike traditional swimming pools, which contain chlorine, natural pools rely on plants and rocks for filtration instead. An underwater retaining wall separates the swimming area (where humans — and sometimes fish — swim) from the regenerative zone, which closely resembles wetlands filled with aquatic plants like water lilies or water lotus. Pumps, and sometimes waterfalls, keep the water moving, and the rocks and skimmers filter sediment and large debris.

The alternative pools gained popularity in the UK before the trend was imported here. Costs range from between $50,000 to $200,000 to install and have the added bonus of self-winterization. One drawback might be the intrusion of some unwanted animal guests; however, the Times says: "Natural pools are considered lower maintenance, too, because owners don’t need to add chlorine once a week to the water. Other issues may arise, such as too much algae, but generally, it comes down to the plants, which can be thinned out."

Asif Khan homages Victorian London timber laborers with Canada Water boardwalk

2024-10-30T18:07:00-04:00

Asif Khan’s contribution to London's Canada Water master plan, a 230-foot-long boardwalk designed to homage the historic Surrey Docks' laborers and their role in Britain’s bygone timber industry heyday, has debuted in collaboration with the award-winning firm Townshend Landscape Architect.

Image: © Brendan Bell

Located on the rehabilitated shoreline of the River Thames in southeast London, the firms worked together with the London Wildlife Trust to deliver the project that doubles as a social hub, stepping down to the water's edge to include seating areas and an educational pond.

Image: © Brendan Bell

Surrounding it are a series of manmade islands and channels that attract and support avian species, conceived of as a 'mosaic' of different biodiversity enhancing natural habitats.

Image: © Luke Hayes

Inspired to design a pensive respite from the pace of the city, Khan says: "Crossing water can give us powerful sensations. This boardwalk immerses us in a few moments of colour, of nature...

Snøhetta and sbp to replace 120-year-old bridge across New York gorge

2024-10-29T15:34:00-04:00

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) has unveiled the design of the new Sentry Bridge at Watkins Glen State Park, designed by schlaich bergermann partner (sbp) and Snøhetta. Set to replace a 1908 concrete arch bridge, the new structure reflects over a century of pedestrian infrastructure, from tunnels to lookouts, along the popular Gorge Trail.

This redesigned Sentry Bridge maintains a connection to the original arch structure while offering a modern, lightweight aesthetic. Stretching 46 feet, the bridge’s stainless-steel construction is anchored by the stronger rock face on the gorge’s north side, with a half-arch design that subtly disappears behind the rocks, inviting visitors into the scenic Gorge Trail. Materials including stainless steel, bronze, concrete, wood, and local stone seek to highlight both craftsmanship and durability, embracing the elements to become part of the gorge’s natural and historical landscape.

Image credit: schl...

Kate Orff named 2025 Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal winner

2024-10-25T17:01:00-04:00

SCAPE founder Kate Orff has been named as the Tau Sigma Delta 2025 Gold Medal winner by the Grand Chapter of the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society for Architecture and Allied Arts in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA).

Orff, who in April of last year was named as a 'TIME 100' honoree, was described as a "leading voice in landscape architecture." She will next deliver the closing keynote address at the ACSA’s 113th annual conference, which takes place from March 20-22, 2025 in New Orleans. The firm has recently been announced as the lead for a major adaptive reuse redevelopment project in Connecticut in addition to landing two Honor Awards selection at the 2024 ASLA Professional Awards in September.

Field Operations completes major elevated walkway on Seattle waterfront

2024-10-08T08:31:00-04:00

Seattle’s Waterfront Park transformation took another step closer to completion last week with the opening of Overlook Walk, a new elevated park for the waterfront designed by Field Operations. The new walkway creates a “new pedestrian destination and journey between the city and waterfront,” linking the historic Pike Place Market with the Seattle Aquarium, Pier 62, Waterfront Park, and Elliott Bay.

Image credit: Tim Rice

The walkway is located in the footprint of the former Alaskan Way Viaduct, which was demolished to improve access to the waterfront. Sitting between Pike Place Market and the Seattle Aquarium, Overlook Walk bridges a nearly 100 vertical foot gap between the market and waterfront, featuring 360-degree views of downtown Seattle, Lumen Field, T-Mobile Park, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains on the western horizon, and Mount Rainier to the south.

Image credit: Tim Rice

Image credit: Lara Swimmer

The design also envelops the new Seattle Aquarium Ocea...

SCAPE teams with BIG for Manresa Island power plant redevelopment on Long Island Sound

2024-10-02T11:27:00-04:00

Landscape and planning studio SCAPE has announced the addition of architects BIG to a new adaptive reuse project in southern Fairfield County, Connecticut, called Manresa Island.

The project, which is set to reimagine a decommissioned coal-fired power plant into a new 125-acre public park in the city of Norwalk, intends to elevate the site’s endemic wetlands and biodiversity while creating a range of opportunities for dining and recreation.

Image courtesy SCAPE and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)

Three buildings — the two 22,000-square-foot boiler and turbine towers and a 8,200-square-foot office component — will be redeveloped through the effort, added to by SCAPE’s master planning and landscape contribution, and connected via a newly unearthed scenic waterway.

Image courtesy SCAPE and Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG)

The project's features include an expansive green lawn and meadow with a public beach. A 1.75-mile tract of waterfront access will be created, offering residents an alternative t...

Kengo Kuma mysteriously replaces Marlon Blackwell to lead design for the Global War on Terrorism Memorial

2024-10-01T13:13:00-04:00

Kengo Kuma has just been named as the lead architect for the forthcoming Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Stating that his passion for the work stems from the loss of a personal friend on September 11th, Kuma said: "This Memorial will help the entire world contemplate the war of global significance that has followed that day of sorrow and the experiences of those who have participated in it."

The wartime experience of roughly 2.7 million American servicemembers who took part in the conflict since 2001 will indeed play a role, along with a consideration of the war’s impact on the broader society in whose name it was administered. According to a survey of 20,000 veterans and civilians from all 50 states performed by organizers at the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, the following elements were preferred by a majority (80%) of respondents:

More than 60% of respondents wanted green space around the Memorial, and 50% of respondents hop...

SCAPE completes Living Breakwaters coastal resiliency project for Staten Island

2024-10-01T11:01:00-04:00

SCAPE has completed work on the $111 million Living Breakwater coastal resiliency project in Staten Island, New York three years after the start of construction in the borough's Tottenville neighborhood.

Per SCAPE: "The project consists primarily of 2,400 linear feet of near-shore breakwaters—partially submerged structures built of stone and ecologically-enhanced concrete units—that will break waves, reduce (and eventually reverse) erosion of the beach along Conference House Park, and provide a range of habitat spaces for oysters, fin fish and other marine species."

Image courtesy SCAPE/Ty Cole

Staten Island was heavily impacted by Superstorm Sandy, prompting the launch of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Rebuild By Design competition in 2013. A live oyster installation for the project is expected to follow by 2027.

Image courtesy SCAPE/Ty Cole

Studio Gang's Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center breaks ground in the Hudson Valley

2024-09-27T11:01:00-04:00

Work on the first-ever LEED Platinum theater in the United States has commenced in New York’s Hudson River Valley. By summer 2026, the new 14,850-square-foot permanent home for the Hudson Valley Shakespeare company from Studio Gang, the Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center, will welcome guests to open air performances on its donated 98-acre campus in Garrison. Nelson Byrd Woltz is included for the landscape program of the surrounding site, which had been previously been used as a golf course.

Jeanne Gang says: "The architecture weaves in elements of the natural environment to create a unique indoor-outdoor setting for the company’s open-air productions and to offer an unparalleled theater experience."

Image courtesy of Studio Gang

Also in the Hudson Valley, HWKN is designing a new expansion of the CCS Bard Library and Archives and ARO is planning a mass timber visitor center at the Frederic Church Center for Art and Landscape at the Olana State Historic Site with Nelson Byrd Woltz. Stu...

Domino Square opens, completing Field Operations' Domino Park contribution in Williamsburg

2024-09-23T20:20:00-04:00

The completed and final piece of Domino Park at the redeveloped Domino Sugar Factory site in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has been unveiled after developer Two Trees Management opened the one-acre Domino Square to the public for the first time on Monday.

Image: Daniel Levin for Two Trees Management

The square extends the larger six-acre Domino Park design from Field Operations, establishing a 33,300 square foot public area between the completed One Domino Square residences and The Refinery at Domino office component to be used for public gatherings as a retail-lined extension of the urban realm.

Image: Daniel Levin for Two Trees Management

Brooklyn's Studio Cadena collaborated with Field Operations in order to create a distinct and alluring space that can be operated in all seasons. A lifted edge interior bowl fitted with corten steel enclosures is framed by tiered amphitheater-like seating and large planters in between the two buildings. On the other side, a retail arcade addresses the ...

Leading landscape architecture firms pledge zero emissions by 2040

2024-09-19T14:28:00-04:00

Twenty-six CEOs from some of the world’s most influential landscape architecture firms have publicly committed to making their profession zero emissions by 2040, aligning with the goals set out in the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA Climate Action Plan).

Collectively generating over $350 million in annual revenue, these firms contribute to projects exceeding $1 billion in construction value each year and influence millions of acres across more than 50 countries. Their commitment underscores the crucial role landscape architects play in addressing climate change through nature-based solutions.

“These are people who have the skills and imagination to make it happen,” said ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Conneen. “They’re already designing resilient waterfronts, parks that soak up stormwater, and urban forests that take greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere and cool our cities.”

The CEOs’ public letter also calls on governments, clients, and allied professionals to strengthen cli...

National Endowment for the Humanities awards $190,000 grant to the ASLA for educator workshop

2024-09-04T15:28:00-04:00

The National Endowment for the Humanities has announced that it has awarded a $190,000 competitive grant to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Fund.

The grant comes in the form of the Landmarks of American History and Culture award, which aims to support a series of workshops for 72 K-12 educators to study environmental humanities and place-making through the lens of landscape architecture in Washington, D.C. Expert instructors will guide lesson plans on green building, climate resiliency, design sustainability, and diversity-equity-inclusion-justice. The workshop will also include guided site visits to culturally significant landscapes in the Washington D.C. region.

“The more people we invite into the profession of landscape architecture the stronger our communities will become,” said ASLA CEO, Torey Carter-Conneen. “Landscape architecture is a unique blend of art and science. Workshops like this are how we provide a path for students who likely have no idea this ...

New York City releases RFP to transform Park Avenue into a verdant, public space

2024-08-30T08:00:00-04:00

Earlier this week, the City of New York released a request for proposals (RFP) to redesign a portion of Park Avenue, between East 46th Street and East 57th Street, by adding greenery, public seating, concessions, and safer crossings for pedestrians.

This section of Park Avenue sits atop the Grand Central Terminal Train Shed, which is currently undergoing a major rehabilitation by the City and the MTA. The project includes replacing the train shed roof structure and waterproofing membrane, along with enhancing Park Avenue, which will be removed and reconstructed in stages as underground work occurs. The street will be restored with an expanded median for pedestrians. Its redesign aims to enhance public space, promote sustainable transit options, and foster community for residents and visitors.

The New York City Department of Transportation is seeking design services from a contractor with a background in landscape architecture or urban design to fill the wider median with elements,...

Watch the world's largest wildlife crossing taking shape across the 101 Freeway in California

2024-08-07T20:18:00-04:00

A new video depicts the world’s largest wildlife crossing taking shape in Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Mountains.

The long-awaited $92 million Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, which broke ground in 2022, can be seen sitting above eight lanes of traffic within the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills.

Video courtesy Caltrans D7/YouTube

As noted by the Los Angeles Times, the first stages of construction for sound walls and concrete barriers on both sides of the bridge can be seen.

The installation of steel girders was reportedly completed in April. In addition, crews have been assembling wood forms and placing reinforcing rods to make way for concrete pouring.

Set for completion in early 2026, the 200-foot-long, 165-foot-wide bridge is expected to be the largest of its kind in the world.

Previously on Archinect: LA's 101 Freeway wildlife crossing now has a groundbreaking set for spring

RIOS, Field Operations behind proposed $7B redevelopment of Chicago's United Center area

2024-07-23T19:39:00-04:00

The bigger picture of RIOS’s massive The 1901 Project proposal on Chicago’s West Side came into focus today as part of a planned $7 billion redevelopment of areas surrounding the United Center.

The 55-acre site is set to be transformed into a mix of retail, entertainment, and residential spaces over a period of ten years in a new privately funded venture that will join RIOS with Field Operations beginning in the spring of 2025.

The first phase of construction, which kicks off next year at what is now a surface parking area adjacent to the arena, will deliver a 6,000-seat music venue, a 10-acre elevated public park, new parking facilities, and a mix of retail and hospitality aimed at encouraging local businesses with a hefty sense of increased pedestrianism included.

Proposed The 1901 Project redevelopment. Image courtesy RIOS

Current situation. Image courtesy RIOS

Once that phase is complete, the plan's housing component will come into focus. The architects say this will include a mi...

Burning down the house to make American homes disaster-proof

2024-07-21T11:00:00-04:00

Last year's devastating wildfires in California and Hawaii once again came into focus as part of a New York Times exposé on the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (I.B.H.S.)-led movement towards the “biggest overhaul of building standards in more than 30 years.”

Burn demonstrations help visualize protective interventions that best resemble moats in unison with better building materials. The Times says: “The message to homebuilders is stark: Homes in certain parts of the United States must now be constructed with wildfires in mind, or they most likely will not be insured, which would mean they couldn’t be bought with a mortgage.”

Landscape designers as well as architects working on private residences will be equally affected. The MIT Technology Review wrote more extensively on the subject of design and the disaster-proof home in California last April.

Snøhetta completes redesign of the Blanton Museum of Art grounds with rain-capturing shade structures and native plants

2024-07-17T14:31:00-04:00

Snøhetta has completed work on their $35 million redesign of The Blanton Museum of Art grounds for the University of Texas at Austin.

The debut of the New Ground Initiative comes at the end of a three-year revitalization that saw the Blanton continuously operate during construction. The 200,000-square-foot campus now has a greater permanent presence as the gateway between the university and city of Austin thanks to public art installations and key improvements to the existing landscape design and architecture.

Image courtesy Casey Dunn

Lead architects and UTSOA alumni Craig Dykers, John Newman, and Elaine Molinar were able to guide the project using their student experiences, resulting in an inclusive new space.

Image courtesy Casey Dunn

At the center of the project stands a previously completed intervention of petal-like 40-by-30-foot metallic shade structures that was designed to reconcile an open area now referred to as the Moody Patio. Besides providing protection from Texas's re...

10 new examples of pools & ponds in architecture

2024-07-06T08:00:00-04:00

In case you haven't checked out Archinect's Pinterest boards in a while, we have compiled ten recently pinned images from outstanding projects on various Archinect Firm and People profiles.

Today's top images (in no particular order) are from the board Pools & Fountains.

Tip: Use the handy FOLLOW feature to easily keep up-to-date with all your favorite Archinect profiles.

↑ Free Rhapsody of Folding Villa in Shaoxing, China, by LYCS Architecture

↑ Liminal House in West Vancouver, Canada, by Mcleod Bovell Modern Houses; Landscape Architect: Botanica Design; Photo: Hufton + Crow

↑ Preston Hollow Residence in Dallas, TX, by Specht Novak; Landscape Architect: Hocker; Photo: Casey Dunn, Manolo Langis

↑ Hangzhou Vanke Junxi Club in Hangzhou, China, by We Design; Photo: Yan Ming Studio

↑ Rosewood Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand, by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF); Executive Architect: Tandem Architects; Photo: Credit Connie Zhou

↑ Briarcliff Residence in Franklin, MI, by Disbrow Iannuzzi; L...

Cities depend on water. Here's the best solutions for urban designers to ensure their security

2024-06-17T19:51:00-04:00

More cities will likely face these kinds of shortages as climate change, deforestation and ecosystems degradation increasingly threaten the natural systems that maintain water supplies. But nature offers solutions, too. By protecting, restoring and sustainably managing forests within their watersheds, cities can improve water quality and quantity in a cost-effective way. And they can make water sources more resilient to a changing climate.

The most recent ASLA survey of U.S.-based landscape architects confirmed the industry’s positive response to this critical demand, including that a total of 42% of respondents have said they are pursuing climate projects worth more than $1 million and another 29% saying the value of this work was over $10 million.

Mexico's recent presidential election is another barometer, as the environmental engineer and former CDMX mayor Claudia Sheinbaum’s ability to tackle the looming water crisis there proved a decisive factor in her historic victory. (A catastrophic 'Day Zero', however, still looms right around the corner.)

Montreal's new botanical garden entrance pavilion was designed to disappear into the environment

2024-06-04T15:24:00-04:00

Montreal-based firm Pelletier de Fontenay has designed a new entrance pavilion at the Montreal Botanical Garden. This project comes alongside the revitalization of the Garden’s insectarium and the entrance to the surrounding Parc Maisonneuve.

Image: James Brittain

The pavilion was developed in collaboration with a team of landscape architects from the City of Montreal’s Urban Parks Division and the firm Lemay. The main challenge of the project was to better orient and guide visitors towards the insectarium and botanical garden, while respecting the cultural heritage of the site.

Image: James Brittain

The firm drew inspiration from 18th- and 19th-century English gardens, specifically the romantic image of the overgrown ruin and how it reflects a close relationship between the built and natural world. The pavilion, purposefully limited in scale, will progressively blend into its surroundings, becoming an infrastructure for greenery, insects, birds, and small animals.

Image: James Brit...

ASLA survey finds increased demand for nature-based solutions to climate change among landscape architects

2024-05-31T08:00:00-04:00

The latest survey of landscape architects released Wednesday by the American Society of Landscape Architects includes updated information on incumbent design trends and project valuations, indicating a further shift in priorities nationwide under the looming threat of climate change.

According to the survey, significant (10% or more) increases in the demand for climate-based solutions have been recorded by at least 70% of all respondents. State and local governments are the most common source of demand in terms of clients. Stormwater management and reduced carbon emissions transportation alternatives such as walkability improvements and bicycle infrastructure make up the leading list of solutions, and almost half of those surveyed said their construction costs were more expensive than that of traditional projects.

Comparing these findings to the ASLA's 2021 survey, the most popular solutions for ecosystem degradation, extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, sea-level rise, and drought rem...