To Infinity and Beyond

A concept of landscape architecture and site design involves the acknowledgement of desire paths, those etched remnants of the accumulation of thousands of footsteps over a particular planted area. While often this idea is used to determine the future location of pathways - there are millions of urban 'desire paths' that are created by the innate need to follow the path of least resistance.

:: desire path betondorp - via Keeshu (Flickr)

An installation 'Infinity' by Mai Yamashita + Naoto Kobayashi takes the concept to the extreme to create a distinct tracery for the exhibition RE-IMAGINING ASIA: "For eight days, the artist duet will be trampling the symbol of infinity (figure eight lying outstretched), in the grass until its trace is visible in the ground well after grass has grown over it again. Little by little, we become aware of the enduring impression that daily rituals can make on us."

:: image via vulgare

:: image via HKW

:: image via vulgare

:: image via Yamashita+Kobayashi

The idea is much more impressive in video, such as the one on their site, or this YouTube version here. Looks like a good workout as well.



Thanks Thomas from VULGARE for pointing this one out...

Best Careers 2009

I'm having one of those deja vu moments from last year, as a recent post from ASLA's Blog The Dirt linked to a US News & World Report article that named Landscape Architecture one of the Best Careers of 2009. And lo and behold, it's a snappy cut and past job (mostly from last years kudos...). More interesting is a stream of comments from LAs around the country - giving a voice to the fact that the economy hurts even some of the best fields. Not to minimize the fact that people are being laid off, but the point being it's a career - implying time, ups, downs, and needing flexibility, of which landscape architects possess - those wide-ranging and adaptable skillset to make it through life's recessions. Stick with it.

"Overview. Yes, you might end up creating palatial backyards for rich people, but you might also help design restored wetlands, mountain resorts, urban plazas, and zoos. A landscape architect must have talent for both the aesthetic and the functional, the art and the science—you're creating an ecosystem that must thrive over time. Indeed, sustainability has increasingly become a high priority among many landscape designers and clients. One of the latest innovations includes green roofs, which are plants set in a layer of compost over a moisture-proof barrier.


:: Got compost? - image via Jetson Green

Since it costs little to open up shop, 20 percent of landscape architects are self-employed. Those who are less entrepreneurial work for firms or for the government. One thorn: Landscape architecture projects are subject to an ever growing thicket of government regulations. To be content in this career, it helps if you're an avid environmentalist and can tolerate the often labyrinthine approvals process. And if the stress builds, you can always seek a moment of peace in one of your landscape projects."

I'll spare you the rest as it's virtually a carbon-copy of '08, but it is interesting the focus this year which includes Ecosystem Restoration as a 'smart speciality' and mentions China as a hot place for practice, along with a link to an ASLA interview with Chinese landscape architect Jie-Hu, designers of the Beijing Olympic Forest Park.


:: image via ASLA

2009: A Year in Preview

It's funny reading the breakdowns of 2008, and the masses of predictions for 2009, (and a great one for 2010) specifically as the economy still reels due to wide-spread mismanagement, and there seems to be a non-stop (yet perhaps slower) parade of amazing, crazy, and just plain wrong projects - as witnessed in 2008. What will be the next big thing? It won't last, of course, but will be etched in our history - at least as a sidenote - with importance determined by font size, as in this diagram from "Modern Movements in Architecture” by Charles Jencks (1973).


:: image via In The Belly of an Architect

So, in lieu of predictions, I will offer a manifesto and guiding principles which will direct Landscape+Urbanism for the upcoming year, sort of. I'm still planning on more of the same, as I don't particularly care what others think of my blog, because I'm not writing it for anyone except me. Solipsism is good. This in mind, as always content is subject to the whims of culture, of course, and my personal schizophrenic nature when it comes to focus - but at least some form of predictions - which will of course, like new years resolutions - be forgotten by Groundhogs Day. So for now, here's some random musings, and an excuse to drop a bunch of links.

Veg.itecture will die of its own excesss and will be replaced with a world where every building image will be draped in shrubbery - with the exception of Modern architecture - which still views landscape as a blank field in which to drop the objet'd'art. This will mark the subsequent death of some other words in the lexicon - as evidenced by this 'dead-words' post from Lebbeus Woods. Designers will be able to design any building, and then apply the Vegitecture filter in Photoshop to make them look green.


:: image via Archispass

Metaphorical monumentality will be replaced with true monumentality - on a scale not seen since the construction of the pyramids, we wil mobilize, through economic-induced 'slave' labor - to construct monuments to our excess that are physical, rather than merely being paper - to show our true colors. See this post from Life Without Buildings for more.


:: The Colossus of Rhodes (Dali) - image via Life Without Buildings

Green will be replaced with blue as the color of choice for sustainability - due to climate change, air quality issues, water scarcity, and water quality issues. Green will be seen as a blight - and will be summarily eradicated from discussion, work, and our general pysche. It will be easier.


:: Waterflux - image via Arch Daily

Anyone using the words 'LEEDing the way' or its many variations will be killed... nuff said.

:: image via WebUrbanist

Relaxation will be the new 'work'. Think about it... how much time is spent working on crap, or crap we don't like, whereas a relaxed spirit and mind allows us to tap into our untapped creativity - making even crap somewhat lovely. And, if it's true our construction moratorium is good for sustainability, then non-building is good building. Let's all take a nap.

:: Oliver Bishop-Young’s SkipWaste project - image via Dezeen

Streets will be cool again: Forget Green Streets, as we've killed sustainability and the use of the word green - so these linear transportation networks will merely be known as streets... stormwater, pedestrian safety, multi-modes, sustainable, safe, and other benefits included - it's called green infrastructure. They will be transformed on a monumental scale. We will dance on the graves of old streets.

:: image via Treehugger

Infrastructure will be replaced with megastructure. Megastructure is based on bottom-up design that is flexible, adaptable, and self-organizing... like cities. See more here and here.

:: Archigram's Plug-In City, prototypical Megastructure - image via urb

We are reaching an apex of sorts. The trip down is going to be exciting, but the bottom is gonna be really, really bad. Or good, I'm feeling optimistic. Oh right, this isn't a bell curve, it's linear...

:: image via Treehugger