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10 examples of biophilic design we liked this week

2024-11-23T08:00:00-05:00

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 Biophilia.

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

↑ Rheingold Bushwick in Brooklyn, NY by Durukan Design

↑ 1 Great Jones Alley in New York, NY by BKSK Architects; Landscape Design: HMWhite; Photo: Christopher Payne | ESTO

↑ Hotel Indigo Hangzhou Uptown in Hangzhou, China by Studio Carter; Photo: Seth Powers Photography

↑ MRIIA HOUSE in Ukraine by MAKHNO Studio

↑ Blue Lake-Lakeside Teahouse Renovation in Beijing, China by YI+MU Design Office; Photo: YI+MU Design Office

↑ Blodgett-Calvin Residential Compound in San Marino, CA by Fung + Blatt Architects; Original Architect: Calvin Straub; Photo: Mark Mahaney

↑ Siji Minfu Roast Duck Restaurant in Beijing, China by IN.X Design...

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...

Sam Lubell on cultural institutions’ newfound embrace of landscape architecture

2024-04-23T18:30:00-04:00

[...] such projects have fundamentally transformed in recent years, reflecting, among other things, seismic shifts in both museums’ priorities and the profession of landscape architecture, as well as a surge in interest in outdoor space because of the pandemic. The first rule: don’t dare call them gardens. These are sophisticated landscapes integrating — and enhancing — institutions’ missions while also encouraging education, sustainability and a much-needed sense of civic welcome.

Sam Lubell of the New York Times talks to Walter Hood, William Fain, and Kate Orff for a survey focused on the expanding role of landscape architecture in major American cultural sector projects.

He says: "The ascension of landscape in the museum world shows no signs of abating." Projects of note include the Hirshhorn Museum’s debated Hiroshi Sugimoto-led sculpture garden redesign, Studio-MLAand Frederick Fisher and Partners’ work for the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles, and the forthcoming Calder Gardens in Philadelphia from Piet Oudolf and Herzog & de Meuron.

"Museums are places where you can say something about the culture. Where we can begin to vet some of these things that we don’t want to talk about. It goes back to the idea of these being the new civic spaces, where honest conversations can be had," Walter Hood told him. (A look at his firm's contributions to the new International African American Museum in South Carolina by Moody Nolan and Pei Cobb Freed can be found ...

Landscape architecture is now officially a STEM discipline, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security

2023-07-12T17:03:00-04:00

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated degrees in landscape architecture as a science, technology, engineering, mathematics (or STEM) discipline upon the advice of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), announced by the organization today (July 12).

The designation helps both academics and practitioners in the expanded field gain recognition for the scientific nature of their work, which increasingly helps both government and private interests mitigate against the impact of climate change while performing other tasks that are critically important to the health and safety of the environment for citizens throughout the country.

"The STEM designation finally reflects the reality of the discipline of landscape architecture. Our work is fully dependent on science and technology, from understanding soils at the level of microbial interactions and nutrient exchanges, which keep our urban canopy alive, to coastal adaptations informed by continuously evolving ...

Oberlander Prize winner Julie Bargmann's work and life featured in 'Pioneers of American Landscape Design' series

2023-05-30T18:06:00-04:00

The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) has just released the latest episode of their ongoing Pioneers of American Landscape Design series featuring an oral history and overview of the work of the 2021 inaugural Oberlander Prize winner Julie Bargmann.

The D.I.R.T. founder and University of Virginia professor emerita profiles her career in landscape architecture beginning with her graduation from the Harvard GSD in 1987. From there, Bargmann went on to become a Fellow in Landscape Architecture at the American Academy in Rome before establishing the studio in Minnesota in 1992. Bargmann has since gone on to win the prestigious Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award and is elsewhere recognized as the "Queen of Slag" for her work outside of academia, which focuses heavily on post-industrial sites and the public realm.

The Turtle Creek Water Works in Dallas, Texas. Photo: © Charles A. Birnbaum, courtesy of The Cultural Landscape Foundation

Adriaan Geuze and Michael Van Valkenburgh are also ...

Featured landscape architecture jobs in New York City

2022-12-16T08:00:00-05:00

Searching for exciting landscape architecture career opportunities in New York City? Peruse this week's curated employment highlight from Archinect Jobs, with a selection of openings for landscape architects and designers in the Big Apple.

To look up specific job titles from the architectural profession, consult Archinect's Guide to Job Titles series. Also, follow our Archinect Tips series to improve your portfolio, resume, interviewing skills, and increase your overall chances of getting that next job.

Nantucket Harbor Compound by Workshop/APD.

Workshop/APD seeks a Director of Landscape Architecture
"Workshop/APD is an award-winning New York City-based multidisciplinary design and architecture firm. [...] We are currently seeking a full-time Director with at least 10-15 years of design experience on landscape architectural design projects where he/she can be the leader of the creative process."

Workshop/APD is also currently looking to fill a number of other design positions at their...

A decade after the tragedy, SWA Group unveils memorial to Sandy Hook victims as a center of reflection

2022-11-14T15:23:00-05:00

Ten years removed from the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of 27 school children and teachers in Newtown, Connecticut, SWA Group has today officially unveiled a permanent memorial to the victims, called The Clearing, that will seek to heal the community, survivors, and family members still in search of justice in their tight-knit New England town.

Located on a five-acre parcel of donated land near the replacement for the now demolished former elementary school, the design for the memorial keys on three elements integrated into interconnected paths that bring visitors through a circuitry of woodlands, meadows, and a water feature intended to “honor the process of grieving and remembrance.”

Photo: Neil Landino

SWA says: “The Sandy Hook Memorial differs from other memorials in that it was publicly funded and completely community-led. It is also primarily landscape rather than a monument. Memorials are typically embedded in landscape rather than having landscape as the focus. The ...

OSD and Polk Stanley Wilcox selected to design the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Arkansas

2022-07-13T13:42:00-04:00

The healing power of nature is a universal human experience and has been espoused throughout history in the Gospel of John, by the Ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates, and in several key texts of eastern and new age religions. It is one of the guiding principles behind the architecture of Islamic hospital designs dating to the 12th century and will serve as the key to New York-based multidisciplinary studio OSD’s landscape design for the new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Scheduled to open in the fall of 2025, pending the new school’s accreditation, the campus is to be connected to the currently under-construction Whole Health Institute building from Marlon Blackwell and the nearby Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which was also designed (in unison with Safdie Architects) around an elevating naturalistic experience.

Image by OSD and Polk Stanley Wilcox

OSD will work with Little Rock-based lead architects Polk Stanley Wilcox to realize philanthro...

Biophilia: 10 new examples of nature and the built environment coexisting harmoniously

2022-04-22T07:00:00-04:00

Happy Earth Day! 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 Biophilia.

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

↑ Field Office in Portland, OR by Hacker Architects; Landscape Designer: Lango Hansen; Sustainability Consultant: YRG; Photo: Josh Partee

↑ Nanbo Bay Reception Center in Yinchuan, China; Interior Design: SUNSON Design; Photo: Kanghui Zeng

↑ Restaurante 34 in Guimarães, Portugal by REM'A; Photo: Ivo Tavares Studio

↑ Lazy House in Zlín, Czech Republic by Petr Janda / brainwork; Photo: BoysPlayNice

↑ Restaurant Terrace [ Azuma ] in Odessa, Ukraine by JK Lab Architects

↑ Wine Cave in Texas Hill Country by Clayton Korte; Photo: Casey Dunn

↑ Art Villa in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica by Refuel works; Interiors: Fo...

12 featured jobs for established (and aspiring) landscape architects

2022-04-08T20:09:00-04:00

It's April, and that means: Happy World Landscape Architecture Month! In celebration of the many achievements and tremendous value of this profession, we're dedicating this week's curated job picks to select design firms and academic institutions currently offering exciting career opportunities to landscape designers/architects and interns on Archinect Jobs. For even more landscape architecture, urban planning, interior design, and architecture openings, visit Archinect's job board.

ASI Reisen HQ by Snøhetta. Photo: Christian Flatscher.

Snøhetta seeks a Project Designer/Landscape Architect in New York City
"The PLA works on project teams to advance the successful completion of projects, tasks, and initiatives. This is an...

Super Bowl LVI will light up Studio-MLA’s award-winning Hollywood Park design

2022-01-12T15:22:00-05:00

The eyes of the sports world will soon be on Studio-MLA’s award-winning landscape design as it takes center stage during SoFi Stadium’s turn as host of the 56th Super Bowl in Los Angeles next month.

Around 100 million viewers are expected to tune in to this year’s version of the big game, which takes place in the new multibillion-dollar behemoth designed by HKS. Perhaps the most significant feature of the massive 3.1-million-square-foot stadium complex is the 25-acre Hollywood Park that is coming to life all around it, allowing it to serve in a way that helps the overall development meet its mandate as a vital anchor for the community of Inglewood.

Image © Craig Collins 2021

The park is part of a much larger complex that will eventually take up close to 300 acres and feature two other flexible performance venues as well as a 5.5-acre artificial lake designed by the studio to collect and reuse 26 million gallons a year in water runoff from each facility. What was once an empty racetr...

Brooklyn's Prospect Park receives $40 million to restore historic, 26-acre enclave

2021-12-17T19:01:00-05:00

The Prospect Park Alliance and Mayor Bill de Blasio are announcing today that the city will allocate $40 million in the city budget to Prospect Park. This is the largest single allocation of funding from the city in the park's history and will be used to make much-needed upgrades and restorations in its northeast corner, known as the Vale.

The $40 million in capital funding will help to restore the historic Children’s Pool and former Rose Garden, originally constructed in the 1890s, that have fallen into states of disrepair. The project plans for the creation of a sensory garden and rustic arbor, a nature play area, and a landscaped amphitheater and small community building. Design of the Vale Restoration is expected to begin in 2022, in a process that requires another year for procurement, and 12-18 months for construction.

Map of the proposed Vale Restoration. Image: Prospect Park Alliance

“Prospect Park is Brooklyn’s backyard,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “It’s where I got married and raised my family, and where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come to spend time in nature. This historic $40 million in funding will ensure the Vale is restored to its full glory.”

Prolific landscape architect Julie Bargmann wins inaugural Oberlander Prize

2021-10-14T13:54:00-04:00

Pioneering landscape architect Julie Bargmann has been announced as the inaugural winner of the newly-formed Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.

Known for her work in regenerative landscapes, the University of Virginia faculty member now has the honor of being named as the first-ever recipient of the Prize, which includes a $100,000 cash award.

The award celebrates landscape architects working at the intersection of design and social justice causes. Critic Paul Goldberger said it was about the “importance of the public realm” at a 2019 keynote address announcing the prize, adding that, in his view, attempting to improve public building itself constitutes “a testament to belief in the social good.”

Introducing Julie Bargmann, the 2021 Oberlander Prize Laureate. Video via The Cultural Landscape Foundation on YouTube.

Bargmann has been a leader in urban reclamation projects since founding her D.I.R.T. (Dump It Right There) Studio in Minnesota in 1992....

Laguarda.Low Architects designs verdant mixed-use park in Shenzhen

2021-08-26T14:48:00-04:00

New York-based Laguarda.Low Architects has designed a sprawling 128-acre, mixed-use park in Shenzhen that aims to restore the city’s Bao’an district “to its former high level of livability.”

The OCT OH Bay Waterfront Retail Park, which opened in February of this year, joins the new Shenzhen International Airport, new government headquarters, and cultural facilities. The park is on a three-quarter-mile waterfront site, split into four primary zones: east and west waterfront retail park, urban business center, and Waterfront Cultural Park. A natural landscape intertwines with the built settings, dissected by pedestrian paths.

Entertainment venues, leisure facilities, and a performing arts center are all featured, emanating from an expansive open-air plaza. An abundance of natural light and “choreographed circulation,” as stated by the architects, redefine the traditional shopping experience.

The urban business center features terraced office buildings and a hotel that provide views ...

Biophilia: 10 fresh examples of nature and architecture blending harmoniously

2020-06-05T11:34:00-04:00

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.

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

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

↑ The Evans Tree House at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, AR by Modus Studio and the University of Arkansas; Team Member: Scott Penman (more about this project, a 2019 AIA Small Project Award winner, here)

↑ Hood Cliff Retreat in Hood Canal, WA by Wittman Estes; Photo: Andrew Pogue (Wittman Estes was also featured in Archinect's Studio Snapshots series)

↑ Cliff House in White Salmon, WA by Giulietti / Schouten AIA Architects

↑ Walnut Woods Residence in Indian Hill, OH by John Senhauser Architects; Photo: Eric Williams, Scott Hisey

↑ Art Villas in Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica by Formafatal; Photo: BoysPlayNice

↑ Jack...

The BAU-designed Jiangyin Greenway gives pedestrians an engaging oasis inspired by nearby river

2020-02-14T09:24:00-05:00

Located in the city of Jiangyin, China, the new Brearley Architects + Urbanists (BAU)-designed greenway captures the local push toward more sustainable transport and builds on the formal qualities of the nearby Yangtze River. Through geographical mimicry, the formal manifestation of the greenway sits as a "scaled model of the Yangtze River." The plazas and balconies that run along the greenway mirror the cities and tributaries that lie along the river.

As one moves along the greenway, sound walls guard the adjacent noise of the freeway; solid and transparent balusters calibrate areas of privacy; shade structures outline reflection zones and seating areas; and framed views are identified through sculptural truss systems that run along focal points along the path.

Moreover, visitors will discover an amphitheater for outdoor performances and community; an exercise playground; slides and climbing ramps and long even swings situated below the elevated levels of the greenway.

Sandy Hook memorial design by SWA Group takes a step forward

2019-12-30T20:13:00-05:00

“The themes of nature, rebirth and regrowth made it perfect for a landscape memorial,” said Affleck. They aimed to incorporate plants and materials that fit seamlessly into Connecticut’s natural environment, like the sycamore tree. The designers also spent time discussing grief with people in their own lives who have experienced it. They came to the conclusion that everyone heals differently.

A proposal created by Ben Waldo and Dan Affleck of SWA Group in San Francisco has been selected as the winning design for the Sandy Hook memorial in Connecticut. The memorial design features a circular reflecting pool at the center surrounded by peaceful gardens and meandering pathways that will allow visitors to "engage with the site in a way that is unique to them,” Waldo says in the Hartford Courant. If Newtown residents vote to fund the memorial, construction will start in December 2020. Plans call for the memorial to open to the public on December 14, 2021.

Waldo and Affleck's design was “universally loved” by the victims’ families, the memorial commission chair Daniel Krauss told the Courant.

Calling all landscape architects and designers! Check out these 7 firms currently hiring on Archinect Jobs

2019-11-20T16:35:00-05:00

A profession that balances art, design, science, and environmental stewardship, landscape architecture allows designers and architects to create environments that can facilitate positive and regenerative environmental and social outcomes within the built environment.

If you're passionate about planning, managing, and analyzing landscapes through design, check out these 7 firms seeking to hire the right candidates to join their team.

Image courtesy of Studio AKA.

Studio AKA seeks a Landscape Designer/Architect
Location: Washington, D.C.
Studio AKA is a small but nimble design practice located in Capitol Hill. They are seeking a self-motivated entry-level landscape designer or part-time mid-level landscape designer with a passion for imagining creative, sustainable solutions to tough urban problems. Qualifications include a Bachelor's degree or master's degree in landscape architecture, civil engineering, horticulture, or urban planning as well as proficiency with Adobe suite, CAD, rhino...

The Cultural Landscape Foundation organizes tour of San Francisco's finest public spaces

2019-09-10T10:00:00-04:00

Drawing on the Bay Area's rich cultural landscape legacy, this weekend of free, expert-led tours will feature dozens of sites, including gardens, campuses, plazas, public parks, and cultural institutions. An online city guide and printed guidebook will be produced in tandem with the Weekend.

The tours, scheduled for September 14 and 15, include visits to the Makoto Hagiwara-designed Golden Gate Park Japanese Tea Garden, the first public Japanese garden in the U.S., and to San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza, a site currently undergoing substantial renovations.

American Society of Landscape Architects publishes guide to universal design

2019-08-21T18:00:00-04:00

If we want everyone to participate in public life, we must design and build an inclusive public realm that is accessible to all. Public life can’t just be available to the abled, young, or healthy. The sizeable global population of people with physical, auditory, or visual disabilities, autism or neurodevelopmental and/or intellectual disabilities, or neuro-cognitive disorders will face greater challenges if we don’t begin to more widely apply universal design principles

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has published a guide to universal design meant to set the bar for universal accessibility in the landscape architecture realm beyond the largely quantitative requirements stipulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A statement announcing the guide written by Ian Dillon and Jared Green explains: “ADA standards, because of [their] focus on technical aspects of accessibility over experiential quality, often result in spaces that are still very challenging for people with disabilities to access, leaving them physically and mentally disconnected from public life,” adding, “Landscape architects and designers can apply universal design principles to create more inclusive spaces for underserved communities.”

According to the guide, “All public spaces should be physically accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or mental ability. Specific areas of public spaces shouldn't be designed for people with spe...

Beavers: Nature's landscape architects

2019-07-12T15:54:00-04:00

In California and Oregon, beavers are enhancing wetlands that are critical breeding habitat for salmonids, amphibians, and waterfowl. In Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico, environmental groups have partnered with ranchers and farmers to encourage beaver activity on small streams. Watershed advocates in California are leading a campaign to have beavers removed from the state’s non-native species list, so that they can be managed as a keystone species rather than a nuisance.

Writing in Places Journal, landscape designer Stacy Passmore explores the amazing landscapes beavers create when they are allowed to fulfill their natural role as environmental engineers.

More and more, beavers and humans have become partners in reshaping the landscapes of the American west, where, Passmore reports, the aquatic mammals have been deployed to remediate defunct mines, re-wild marginal lands, and boost biodiversity as they restore wetlands and other riparian landscapes.

The beavers, according to Passmore, are "subversive animals are rewriting the landscape, changing its topography, without hardly anybody registering the change."

It's likely that in the future, humans and beavers will work together more and more, as climate change reshapes the world's natural environments. But dont count on them to fix climate change. Passmore writes: "As beavers are 'reintroduced' to more areas, we should remember that we cannot restore historic conditions. We must conceptualize a mes...

In Paris, concrete is out and trees are in

2019-06-20T13:05:00-04:00

Under a plan announced last week by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, thickets of trees will soon appear in what today are pockets of concrete next to landmark locations, including the Hôtel de Ville, Paris’s city hall; the Opera Garnier, Paris’s main opera house; the Gare de Lyon; and along the Seine quayside.

"Islands of freshness" are on the way to Paris, according to a recently-unveiled plan by mayor Anne Hidalgo.

The environmentally-aggressive mayor is aiming to have 50 percent of the city's land area taken up by permeable surfaces and planted areas, Citylab reports, and so, she is turning spaces around some of the city's most cherishes sites and monuments into mini-forests. A pine grove will come to a swatch of concrete in front of city hall, for example, while parking lots near Garnier's opera house will give way to a cherry orchard.

View of proposed changes to the areas around the river Seine. Image courtesy of Ville de Paris/Apur/Céline Orsingher.

The plan comes as Hidalgo prevails over legal challenges launched against her environmental makeovers along the Seine, where cars are limited, soon to be replaced with grasses and shrubs. The city's notorious boulevard périphérique is being reformatted, as well, with a lane of traffic taken away to plant trees.

Will the changes turn Pa...

Paris to reformat its Boulevard Périphérique

2019-05-28T21:06:00-04:00

Cars and trucks on one of Europe’s most notoriously congested and polluted urban highways would not only be obliged to drive more slowly, they’d have less room to do it: The number of beltway lanes open to all traffic would also be slashed from eight to six. One lane will be reserved for public, emergency, and zero-emissions vehicles. The other one is to be devoted to trees.

Paris officials are making plans to redesign the traffic lanes for the city's 22-mile-long ring road, Boulevard Périphérique.

A recent report calls for retrofitting the eight-lane highway as part of a wider effort to crack down on car usage across the city. Since taking office in 2014, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has successfully pushed the city to lessen its autocentric configuration by pedestrianizing the streets surrounding the Seine, among other efforts.

A relic of post-World War II urban planning logic, Boulevard Périphérique was built between 1958 and 1973 on the former site of the Thiers Wall, the final remaining set of fortifications surrounding Paris. Today, the concrete highway is a source of toxic air pollution and noise, qualities the coming retrofits are aimed at addressing.

Atlanta to create country's largest public "food forest"

2019-05-28T13:24:00-04:00

The Urban Food Forest would include edible trees, shrubs, vines, walking trails, community garden beds and a number of other features that would be open to the public for free.

The Conservation Fund is working in southeast Atlanta to help create a new 7.1 acre Community Urban Food Forest, the largest in the country. The effort aims to convert an existing agricultural property into a new model for urban park and forestry initiatives by growing a variety of fresh foods for public consumption within a public park.

The food forest will help Atlanta achieve its goal of ensuring "85 percent of the city residents are within one-half mile of fresh food access by 2021," according to a recently-approved Atlanta City Council ordinance.

The City of Atlanta will now take over the site as the development of the food forest moves forward.

Biophilia: 10 fresh examples of nature and architecture coexisting harmoniously

2019-03-01T09:00:00-05:00

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.

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

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

↑ Delfland Water Authority in Delft, Netherlands by Mecanoo and SILO Agency

↑ The Tillary Hotel in Brooklyn, NY by Cl-oth Interiors

↑ House in Peconic Bay, NY by Mapos Architects, DPC

↑ O Cuatro Residence in Mexico City by MIGDAL ARQUITECTOS; Photo: Rafael Gamo

↑ One Vandam in New York, NY by BKSK Architects, LLP; Landscape Architect: Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, P.C.; Photo: Alexander Severin

↑ Three-Court Residence in Austin, TX by A Parallel Architecture

↑ Tribeca Loft in New York, NY by Andrew Franz Architect, PLLC; Photo: Albert Vecerka/Esto

↑ House Ferndale in Randburg, South Africa by Nico van der Meulen ...

A residential complex on the coast of Mexico renovated by MAIN OFFICE

2018-09-20T16:33:00-04:00

Mexico and Sweden-based architectural practice MAIN OFFICE has recently completed CASA LT, an expansion and restoration of a residential complex located on the coast of Mexico.

Situated in the well known surfers’ town of Sayulita, the new residential design provides a clear waterfront view of the Pacific Ocean from all spaces both inside and out.

The new complex consists of three small houses situated on the top of the hill. The original house was built in the 50's in poor condition due to lack of maintenance.

MAIN OFFICE restored the original house and added a new main building along with a guest house facing the be...

Francisco Pardo Arquitecto designs urban parks to revitalize neglected suburban neighborhoods in Mexico

2018-08-30T15:18:00-04:00

In Mexico City, a set of urban parks have been built on the city's outskirts to revitalize the neglected suburban neighborhoods in which they reside.

Designed by Francisco Pardo Arquitecto, the Mexico City-based firm has replaced a once contaminated water stream and paved lots with basketball courts, skate ramps, pavilions for public events, children’s playgrounds, and spots for a more general meditation.

Parque Héroes. Photo by Jaime Navarro.

Parque Colinas del Sol. Photo by Jaime Navarro.

"It is important to change not only the physical condition but also the perception of the space" said Francisco Pardo, who leads the eponymous firm behind the transformations. "As a designer, I believe that supporting local communities to achieve better public spaces for their families helps the greater community."

Parque Colinas del Sol. Photo by Jaime Navarro.

Using low-cost materials such as concrete, steel and cement blocks, the architects have created flexible space layouts that foster sponta...

MAD’s tent-like conference center breaks ground in China's rugged mountains

2018-07-26T15:08:00-04:00

MAD Architects' new China Entrepreneur Forum Conference Centre has broken ground in the rugged, snow-capped mountains of Yabuli, located in northeastern China.

China Entrepreneur Forum Conference Centre by MAD Architects, located in Yabuli, CN. Image: MAD Architects.

The new centre will act as a permanent venue for annual summits hosted by the China Entrepreneur Forum (CEF) in Yabuli. CEF commissioned MAD Architects, led by Ma Yansong, to design a building that embodied China's entrepreneurial industry.

China Entrepreneur Forum Conference Centre by MAD Architects, located in Yabuli, CN. Image: MAD Architects.

Cited along the axis of a mountain, MAD designed a dynamic, tent-like structure defined by soft and sloping lines. The building reaches only 78 feet in height allowing the structure to quietly integrate into the surrounding landscape.

China Entrepreneur Forum Conference Centre by MAD Architects, located in Yabuli, CN. Image: MAD Architects.

Organized into four floors, the st...

The Gateway Arch's newly landscaped grounds reconnect an icon to its city

2018-03-13T15:32:00-04:00

... [Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates] have renovated and expanded the arch grounds, originally designed by famed Modernist landscape architect Dan Kiley. New parks adjacent to the grounds are intended to funnel activity to the riverfront and work as connective urban tissue for the city’s most iconic feature, as well as to serve as a pedestal for that quicksilver curve.

The winning design by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates has reconnected the St. Louis Gateway Arch with its surrounding environment. The $380-million renovation allows for tourists and locals alike to enjoy the entire space around the Arch. The freshly landscaped grounds are mostly open now, however a formal opening will take place this July with the new museum.

Kohn Pedersen Fox's Brooklyn Point features the highest residential infinity pool in the Western Hemisphere

2018-02-06T14:15:00-05:00

A new development in downtown Brooklyn boasts a residential infinity pool atop the 68 story building. The tower, Brooklyn Point, was designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and features luxury residences with custom interiors by Katherine Newman Design.

The heated, infinity edge pool is situated 680 feet above grade and will be open Spring through Fall offering wide-sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline.

Rooftop infinity pool in Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates designed Brooklyn Point tower. Image: Williams New York.

Designed by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, the landscaped rooftop retreat also features a sun deck, outdoor dining area, changing rooms and showers, outdoor movie screenings, and a stargazing observatory.

On a related note: another high-rise infinity pool sparked one of the most epic comment discussion threads in Archinect history revolving around the safety of such a design.