Architizer’s Post

Congratulations to this year's Linda Milbourne Fellowship winner, Scout Kerensky-Coodley who worked on this incredible graduate fellowship project! This landscape architecture project was on the Fort Jay Meadow on Governor's Island in New York. We are very impressed with the work she did to complete this incredible report! We wish her well in her future landscape architecture endeavors. PROJECT GOALS: Public Experience: Welcome visitors to have an immersive experience exploring a natural meadow, with opportunities for public programming and engagement. Invasive Plant Mitigation: Remove the invasive plants in the area, and replace with native grasses and flowers that provide high quality habitat for birds and pollinators. Low Maintenance: Improve site conditions to have a landscape with lower long-term management costs, inputs and requirements than a traditional lawn. Habitat Replenishment: Increase the footprint of important meadow and grassland habitat in New York City, providing high quality wildlife refuge. Climate Resilient: Design a landscape that tolerates drought and reduces stormwater runoff, all while sequestering more carbon than a traditional lawn. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dsgH3Yx4 #GoPublicGardens #PublicGardens #PublicGardens #landscape #landscaping #landscapearchitecture #NewYork #GovernorsIsland

In the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America, a 10,763 squarefoot floating saltmarsh wetland has been installed. The installation is an extension of the National Aquarium and designed in part by Ayers Saint Gross. Functioning as a floating park during the day, visitors can educate themselves on the importance of wetlands and salt marshes. The site has already begun to attract mollusks, seabirds, and fish to it, which is a great indicator of its early success. The floating structure is home to over 30,000 grasses and shrubs, that once established, will spread and anchor themselves in the harbor. Once established and matured, the plants will act to aerate, clean, and filter the water, which in turn will attract more wildlife to the area, promoting a stonger and more resilient coastal biome. Projects and initiatives such as this, showcase the ability for us to be able to rebuild our ecosystems in places where the built environment has taken over. These types of projects are incredibly important to the long term sustainability of our environment. With this project as a role model, hopefully more coastal cities across the country will begin to implement the reintroduction of the natural environment into our built ones. We’re all in this together #sustainability #coastalresilience #saltmarsh #wetlands #protectthewetlands #coastal #design #architecture #conservation #urbandevelopment #urbanplanning #sustainabledesign #sustainablearchitecture #gardens

Landscape shapes play a crucial role in #landscape architecture and environmental planning. Visual Harmony: The shapes of the landscape, such as hills, valleys, and water bodies, contribute to the overall visual appeal. Curved, flowing forms can create a natural, calming effect, while straight lines and geometric shapes can introduce a modern or structured feel. Erosion Control: Properly designed landscape shapes can prevent soil erosion by controlling water flow and wind exposure. Hills, embankments, and terraces help reduce runoff, protecting the soil. Biodiversity: Different landscape shapes support various ecosystems. For instance, wetlands, valleys, and meadows create diverse habitats for plants and animals, promoting #biodiversity.

Besides being a landmark public space for the town of Dhuliyan, the redevelopment of the Railway precinct attempts to contribute towards the ecological betterment of the place. It was observed that appropriate site grading and a system of connected water receptacles (many of which are existing ponds nearby) can solve flooding related issues. Design Team: Suptendu Biswas, Vina Verghese Biswas, Devneil Biswas, Sharli Chatterjee, Divija Pampana #contextualarchitecture #architectsforchange #ecology #climatechange #urban #landscape #city #sustainabledevelopment #publicspace #publicplacemaking #inclusivity #indianarchitecture

Nature-based solutions focus on using natural features and processes to solve environmental issues while enhancing traditional engineered solutions to be more resilient, biodiverse, and aesthetically pleasing. 🌻🌳♻ Given our role as ecological designers and consultants, it should come as no surprise that nature-based solutions are at the heart of our innovative problem solving. Over the last week we have featured multiple nature-based projects like living shorelines and stormwater parks that our integrated team of landscape architects and ecologists have brought to life. These built projects offer significant ecological and community benefits as habitat and natural resources but are often components of larger efforts like waterfront and urban park restorations and erosion control and shoreline armoring. There are projects though where nature-based solutions are the primary focus of a project aimed at solving one or more site-specific issues. These may include engineered projects like green roofs and treatment wetlands, along with more traditional landscape projects that use unique plant palettes to naturally “clean” contaminated sites, a.k.a. phytoremediation. Great Ecology’s Constructed Treatment Wetland project at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, in collaboration with Fuscoe Engineering, Inc., tackled the challenge of treating stormwater runoff with a nature-based solution that utilized existing available space within the site’s world-famous horse track while maintaining necessary aesthetic value. Learn more about the project here: https://lnkd.in/dki-mspD #WLAM2024 #ThisIsLandscapeArchitecture #NatureBasedSolutions #Resilience #Biodiversity #EcologicalDesign #Ecology #NaturalResources #Wetlands #PhytoRemediation

Redevelopment of Van Renesselaan 30A3 is one to watch. Another superblock project from #GemeenteZeist. What is a superblock? That's a block the size of multiple city blocks devoid of inner-roads. In a historical setting, it's often characterized by a lack of modern infrastructure, including everything from electricity to safe egress. Currently research for this loation is underway by #Viridis (conc. ecology), #Nieuwbruut (conc. landscape), #Imoss (conc. urban design) #VandePoelSloopservice (conc. demolition) and #BoomadviesbureauDuifhuizen (conc. arboriculture).

I read an article last week on ‘hostile architecture’ which talked about city architecture that was designed to be uncomfortable for people sleeping in the streets. Made me very sad. Interesting the topic has come up again in the form of inhospitable Seawall architecture that doesn’t support biodiversity and marine life. I really like the idea behind these living seawalls, hopefully we see more of it! https://lnkd.in/gNkpTu9C

Burying Their Heads in the Sand? The Reality of Landscape Architects and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)   We asked our landscape architects and ecologists what they thought about this statement...   Here’s what they said: #BiodiversityConservation #LandscapeDesign #EcologicalBalance #GreenDevelopment #SustainablePlanning #BNGInitiatives #BiodiversityNetGain #GreenInfrastructure #EnvironmentalStewardship #EcoFriendlyDesign

What if the natural landscape was used to shape the growth and evolution of a city? What if we thought of cities as an ecology made of systems that adapt and change with the natural evolution of growth and time? Gensler’s Steven Velegrinis addresses how these innovative shifts can address imminent challenges to our cities posed by expansion and population growth. https://bit.ly/3RB4soM

Termites: Nature's Master Architects As small as they are, termites wield a mighty influence on ecosystems worldwide. Let's delve into the fascinating world of these industrious insects: 1. Subterranean Termites: Biology: Subterranean termites are highly social insects, living in large colonies underground. They have specialized castes including workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Life Cycle: Their life cycle typically includes eggs, nymphs, and adults. Colonies can persist for decades, with the queen producing thousands of eggs annually. Habitat: They thrive in moist environments, often found in soil, decaying wood, and damp structures. Their presence can be detected through mud tubes they construct for protection while foraging. Fun Fact: Subterranean termites are responsible for significant damage to buildings and wooden structures worldwide, costing billions of dollars in damage repair annually. 2. Drywood Termites: Biology: Unlike their subterranean cousins, drywood termites live entirely within the wood they consume. They have smaller colonies with fewer individuals compared to subterranean species. Life Cycle: Drywood termites undergo similar life stages as subterranean termites, but their colonies tend to be smaller and less extensive. Habitat: They infest dry wood, including furniture, structural timbers, and dead trees. Their presence may go unnoticed until damage becomes visible. Fun Fact: Drywood termites are known for their ability to survive without soil contact, making them particularly adept at infesting wooden structures in dry regions. 3. Dampwood Termites: Biology: Dampwood termites are typically larger than other species and are named for their preference for moist wood. Life Cycle: Their life cycle mirrors that of other termites, with eggs, nymphs, and adults contributing to colony growth. Habitat: They inhabit damp or decaying wood, often found in forests, wetlands, and areas with high humidity. Their presence can indicate water damage in structures. Fun Fact: Dampwood termites play an essential role in the decomposition of dead wood in forest ecosystems, aiding in nutrient cycling. Termites may be small, but their impact on ecosystems and human structures is immense. Understanding their biology and behavior is crucial for effective pest management and ecosystem conservation. Let's marvel at the ingenuity of these tiny architects and strive for sustainable coexistence. #Termites #InsectEcology #PestManagement #NatureConservation 🐜🏡🌿