Landscape.IS.Hankin
“There are three classes of people: Those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.” Leonardo da Vinci
20 Mar 2013
25 Apr 2011
IZOLYATSIA Regeneration Project
Landscape Architect: FoRM Associates
Location: Donetsk, Ukraine
Area: Unspecified
Dates: 2010 - 2011 completion
The main aim of this project is to create a "hub of cultural excellence" (FoRM Associates), as well as creating a social, ecological & economic transformation of the post industrial landscape. "The Izolyatsia project aims to foster a dynamic environment emphasising the creative process, investigation & cultural production" (World Landscape Architecture).
The phased regeneration of the industrial complex will reclaim a lot of the 'grey' & abandoned site & transform it to make it 'green'; having the implications of literal environmental improvement & metaphorically as a place for new growth & positive change.
The slag heap, in phase one of the project, will be adopted for two purposes; a platform for large scale art installations & the centre of a new green public realm. The slag heap - the Terrikon - is completely man-made & has become a defining feature of the city, the transformation into a green space will continue its prominance, creating more of a sense of definition, boundary & community connections.
The project will deliver a bio diverse landscape in the centre of the city, contrasting to the current landscape of Donetsk, which was based on Soviet style "mass greening". The new public realm will incorporate open spaces with natural enclosed spaces, creating the ability for nature & art to coexist & interact. The transformation will form the basis for future developments of other aspects of the industrial site.
Images courtesy of World Landscape Architecture
Masterplanning
Project: BGU University Entrance Square, Israel
Landscape Architects: Chyutin Architects
Area: 0.5 ha
This masterplan is for quite a small area, an entrance square to a University. The plan is simple & easy to read, the lack of textures makes this even more so (even though I tend to avoid using flat colours myself). Chyutin Architects have managed to use colours from similar colour palettes, creating a very tonal look, where all the colours compliment each other & are distinguishable, but do not contrast to much. I think you can tell this drawing was done by Architects as opposed to Landscape Architects due to the choice in style, however it has worked very well for them in my opinion. Surprisingly it is hard to keep things simple & make them look good.
Project: Valencia Parque Central, Spain
Landscape Architects: Gustafson Porter
Area: 23 ha
Project: Tianjin Qiaoyuan Park, China
Landscape Architect: Turenscape (Beijing Turen Design Institute)
Area: 22 ha
Project: Madrid RIO, Madrid, Spain
Landscape Architect: West 8
Area: 80 ha
Project: Sa Riera Park, Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Landscape Architect: Ravetllat Ribas
Area: 11.6 ha
The second masterplan is at a smaller scale but with its surrounding context & other phases of the project in darker grey tones. The plan, like above, shows trees as coloured dots, but because of the scale they are harder to distinguish between. The colours used are an exaggerated representation of the features/plants they are illustrating. This is not my favourite style of masterplan as I find it harder to read the information; there is too much colour in a small space, & all of it quite contrasting. Tonal colour schemes are far more appealing & easier on the eye.
Images courtesy of World Landscape Architect & Landezine
19 Apr 2011
Landscape Restoration
Landscape Architect: Batlle i Roig (Architects)
Location: El Garraf Natural Park, Barcelona, Spain
Area: 150 ha
Completion: 2008
Cost: 26,000,000 Euros
A 150 hectare land fill site, south-west of Barcelona, has been transformed into a green terraced agricultural landscape by Spanish architects Batlle i Roig. The project named La Vall D'en Joan (Valley of Joan) was started in 2000 & completed in 2008, in which year it won the Energy, Waste & Recycling category at the World Architecture Festival, which was held in Barcelona.
Images courtesy of Landezine.com
14 Apr 2011
HBO+EMTB - Practice Profile
Below is an extract from HBO+EMTB's Landscape Architecture section of their website.
"HBO+EMTB create quality environments informed by place, culture and ecology. Our projects emphasise and incorporate sustainability and water sensitive design principles.
As cities expand, available greenspace within the public, corporate and private domain takes on greater significance. Our interventions benefit the community, enhancing the experience of landscape through robust, functional designs that delight the senses and increase biodiversity.
HBO+EMTB’s landscape design expertise covers the design and construction of constructed ecologies, parks, large scale rural and recreational landscapes, schemes for private gardens, boutique resorts, new residential estates, commercial developments, streetscapes, public domain and infrastructure projects" (HBO+EMTB)
HASSELL - Practice Profile
HASSELL have won many awards across the design field, "Recognition of our sustained and diverse output is illustrated by the more than 450 design awards HASSELL has received from peer groups and industry bodies." (HASSELL - Practice Profile)
The practice aim to create exciting, diverse places & spaces whilst also considering environmental & sustainable issues. Informing their designs with knowledge of environmental conditions, shapes, forms & function.
Landscape Architecture is not their most developed discipline, projects mainly consist of small spaces, outside buildings (offices, universities), there is no large scale public spaces or parks in their design portfolio.
Cairnlea: 460 hectare new residential suburb in the north-west of Melbourne. The site was previously an explosives plant, & so was heavily contaminated. The redevelopment of the area used existing natural features, including large areas of remnant grassland, two creeks & an array of native trees; all situated on an active floodplain. The project was also aimed at creating a community hub, with schools, community facilities & a commercial zone.
HASSELL addressed the importance of sustainability & environmental land management; due to the nature of the site, being a floodplain & having two major waterways traversing it, they created an extensive storm water re-use system (potentially saving upto 160,000 kilolitres of water per year). Some of the water is treated & used in irrigation, other water is used to create habitats & wetland areas.
All images courtesy of HASSELL
28 Mar 2011
Newham
After another day attempting to gain access to the Millenium Mills site for my studio project (another failed attempt) I decided to see what else was in the local area. I came across a few interesting places, including a community run allotment, Newham City Farm & Beckton District Park
27 Mar 2011
Tudela (Club Med) Restoration - Spain
Landscape Architect: EMF Landscape Architects
Location: Cap de Creus, Catalunya, Spain
Area: 200 ha
Completion: 2010
Project Type: Restoration, nature
Image courtesy of Landezine