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Competition: Create Your City’s Next Great PLAYscape

Posted in Active Design, Opportunities on 05/21/2013 | 1 Comment »

Which city is the most fun? Building Trust International aims to answer that question by seeking professional and student proposals to “turn a neglected forgotten part of your city into a PLAYscape.” Building Trust will pursue funding and planning for the winning design in the professional category, while the winner in the student category will win $100 and the opportunity to volunteer with the build of the winning professional design.

Building Trust, a charity based in England and Wales, works with existing charities and communities in need by providing design and architecture support, as summed up in their motto, “Solving a world of issues through design.”

The PLAYscapes competition brief details the grim story of an under-active, play-less world, explaining that only a third of all teenagers get enough exercise and that five percent of adults believe they have the right work/play life balance. When people have the opportunity to play, they see benefits such as increased stamina, reduced stress, and improved social skills.

In the end, this competition intends to show how designers can make cities fun, healthy places with opportunities for play in the most creative ways imaginable. Of the suggestions within the brief, “you could re-imagine a street park, propose a basketball court on a vacant lot, [or] attach urban swings to bus stops. The possibilities are endless.”

Everyone is eligible to enter this competition, and presentation technique is at the discretion of the entrant. However, the brief recommends that the concept of the design includes sketches or renders, plans, sections, and elevations.

Submissions must be received by July 29, 2013.

Registration is £75.00 for professionals and £15.00 for students; both types of registrations will be free to those entering from a developing country. For the purposes of this competition, developing countries are defined as any of the World Bank’s lower middle or low-income countries listed here.

This guest post is by Phil Stamper, ASLA PR and Communications Coordinator

Image credit: Building Trust International

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In the Wake of Hurricane Sandy, Design a More Resilient Rockaway

Posted in Landscape Architecture, Opportunities, Policy and Regulation, Water Management on 05/09/2013 | Leave a Comment »

Rockaway, Queens, a low-lying area in New York City, was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy, so a fascinating new design competition seeks to create a more resilient and sustainable form of development for this vulnerable area, and, really, others like it in New York City and other coastal cities. FAR ROC [For a Resilient Rockaway] is a design competition that will delve into “innovative strategies for the planning, design and construction” of a more resilient place at Arverne East, an 80+ acre site on the Rockaway Peninsula. Their ambitious goal: new best practices for development in waterfront areas.

The conference organizers, which include the NYC Department of Housing and Development, AIA NY, and others, write that finding a new approach will be tricky, given many argue that some flood-prone areas should really be left undeveloped. “Costly damage to buildings, roads, and utility systems by the storm raises the controversial question of whether areas of particular geographic vulnerability should be rebuilt, maintained and defended, or simply abandoned.”

Averne Avenue is located in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area Zone A section of the Rockaways, a place that “experienced significant storm surge inundation” during the storm. Within the 80+ acre location at Averne East, the jury will be looking for imaginative yet practical designs for a “comprehensive, mixed-use, mixed-income, sustainable and storm-resilient community that will meet the new physical and regulatory challenges of waterfront development while maintaining a balance between innovation and affordability. Proposed solutions should promote new housing, employment, and recreational opportunities for area residents and visitors from throughout the region.”

To be specific, landscape architects and other design professionals proposing new design solutions will need to work with 1,500 units of housing, with a mix of low to mid-rise buildings; up to 500,000 square feet of commercial / recreational space; a 35 acre nature preserve; a 9 acre dune preserve; and 3.3 acres minimum of active and/or passive open space.

They add: “The project must incorporate all new infrastructure [roadways, water mains, sanitary and storm sewers, utilities, smart grids, etc.] and both active and passive landscaped open space on the site bordering the Atlantic Ocean waterfront. Proposals should emphasize sustainability and resiliency but present a quality, marketable, and constructable project.”

Once submissions are received, the jury, which includes landscape architect and ecologist Alex Felson, ASLA, will select four finalists. These finalists will each be provided with $30,000 to further flush out their concepts. The winner, who will be announced before the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, will receive an additional $30,000.

Submit your concepts by June 14.

Another design competition worth exploring: Washington, D.C.’s water utility, DC Water, just launched a $1 million green infrastructure competition to help the District fix its combined sewer overflow (CSO) problems. Green infrastructure projects can include green roofs, rain gardens, rain barrels, and pervious pavements, removing impervious surfaces, and using other natural means to capture and infiltrate rain water. They are targeting the Potomac and Rock Creek drainage areas in D.C.

They write: “This challenge will serve as a model to support DC Water’s proposal to conduct a large-scale, multi-million dollar demonstration project in the Potomac and Rock Creek sewersheds” and also help them “evaluate the feasibility of using green practices, in place of or in conjunction with ‘gray’ engineering solutions.”

Image credit: Rockaway, Queens / FAR ROC

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ASLA Event: Learn about Green Infrastructure

Posted in Landscape Architecture, Opportunities, Policy and Regulation, Water Management on 04/26/2013 | Leave a Comment »

To celebrate High Performance Building Week, the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) is hosting a Congressional green roof reception and tour. Policymakers, design professionals, local media, and interested members of the public are encouraged attend.

In a presentation, ASLA CEO / Executive VP Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, will be covering the economic and environmental benefits of green roofs and green infrastructure. Somerville will explain how green infrastructure is a less expensive solution for controlling stormwater runoff, conserves water and improves water quality, reduces the urban heat island effect, lowers building energy use, improves air quality, stores carbon, and creates biohabitat.

The event is part of an annual set of discussions and tours organized by the High-Performance Buildings Caucus Coalition, a private sector group that works with the High-Performance Buildings Caucus of the U.S. Congress to showcase best practices in building and site design. The Congressional Caucus is focused on increasing awareness among policymakers about the “major impact buildings have on our health, safety and welfare and the opportunities to design, construct and operate high-performance buildings.”

When: Thursday, May 16, 2013, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Where: ASLA Headquarters’ Rooftop, 636 Eye Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

RSVP at governmentaffairs@asla.org by Friday, May 10th.

For questions or more information, please contact Roxanne Blackwell, Director, Federal Goverment Affairs, ASLA, at rblackwell@asla.org or 202-216-2334

This is a widely-attended event so attendance is permissible under both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate rules.

Image credit: ASLA Green Roof / ASLA

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For Students: Seoul Urban Design Competition

Posted in Landscape Architecture, Opportunities, Urban Design, Urban Revitalization on 03/14/2013 | Leave a Comment »

The Seoul government has launched an international design competition for students, “Toward Urban Integration.” The organizers seek a bold new vision for the Jemulpo-gil expressway, which would involve building underground tunnels for cars and creating new sustainable spaces on the surface. Then, Seoul seeks to re-integrate the adjacent blocks with the new public spaces, resulting in a “eco-friendly” regeneration of the entire area. This is kind of a “Big Dig” / Rose Kennedy Greenway project for Seoul, a city of more than 10 million and one of the world’s most dynamic metropolises.

According to the organizers, Jemulpo-gil is an expressway that runs in an east-west direction from Youido, an island on Han river, to Shinwol IC (interchange) on the western edge of the city. The 55-meter wide 10-lane dual carriageway stretches some 8.4 kilometers. The competition site is any piece of Jemulpo-gil and the adjacent blocks east or west of the first section of the expressway between Shinwol IC and Mok-dong bridge.

The organizers write that the city is actually contemplating a bold revamp of the competition site: “The expressway has deepened the separation between the north and south sides and further deteriorated the living condition of the area. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has considered the idea of converting the surface of Jemulpo-gil to public space.” The city wants to do this to “reduce the heavy traffic,” enhance city life, and re-weave the frayed urban fabric.

The new public spaces could be parks, recreational spaces, or public buildings. Ideal solutions would “reconcile the public spaces with the local transportation.” The proposal, which could be conceptual or more practically-minded, would need to provide truly sustainable solutions for all components.

Submissions can come from any student or team of students in the world (the team can have a maximum of 3 people). Register by April 26 and submit by July 5.

Another competition worth checking out is the One Prize, an international open competition for building resilient cities. “This year’s competition is set in the context of severe climate dynamism. How can cities adapt to the future challenges of extreme weather? The ONE Prize is a call to deploy sophisticated design to alleviate storm impact through various urban interventions such as: protective green spaces, barrier shorelines, alternative housing, waterproofing technology, and public space solutions.” The folks behind the prize directly ask landscape architects to submit proposals by August 31. First prize winners will take home $5,000. Check out the winners from last year.

Lastly, our friends at The Architect’s Newspaper have created City Terrain, a new newsletter on the innovations in landscape architecture and urban design. “Each week, City Terrain will compile our top stories in landscape architecture and urban design, coverage ranging from waterfronts and innovative streetscapes to water retention systems and green roofs. Game changing projects, green products, urban agriculture, ground-breaking parks–City Terrain will harvest our award winning coverage and serve it directly to our readers.” Sign up for the newsletter.

Image credits: Seoul Urban Design Competition

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Great Gardens Get Their Own Tours

Posted in Gardens, Landscape Architecture, Opportunities on 03/04/2013 | Leave a Comment »

“How do garden owners and their landscape architects or designers work together to create a great garden?” This is the question that gets answered in fascinating ways during each one of The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s Garden Dialogues. For every in-depth garden tour, TCLF asks the patrons and designers to de-mistify the creative process and explain how the collaboration led to a “great garden.”

This year, the What’s Out There Garden dialogue has expanded, providing opportunities to learn about more than three dozen contemporary and historic gardens across the U.S. The series kicks-off March 23-24 in several locations around Miami, Houston, and New Orleans. The series continues through August. Here are key dates and locations:

March 23-24 – Miami-area & Gulf Coast, FL; New Orleans, LA; and Houston, TX
April 6-7 – Phoenix, AZ
April 13-14 – Southern California
April 27-28 – Southern California; Connecticut
April dates TBD– New York; Portland, OR; Virginia; and Washington, DC
May 4-5 – Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
June 1-2 – New York City
June 15-16 – Kentucky
June, July and August dates TBD – Aspen, CO; San Francisco Bay-area, CA; the Hamptons, NY; New York State; Massachusetts; Minneapolis, MN; and Seattle, WA.

There are 10 tours available in the first set in March. Many look great, but here are a few highlights. In the Miami-area, there’s a tour of the Bacardi Estate. TCLF writes: “This garden features elegantly combined formal and informal elements, hints of English and French garden styles, and a lush, complex plant palette. The geometry of a central rectilinear pool radiates outward through the exquisite use of paving materials, steps and botanical colonnades.” Mario Nievera, ASLA, Nievera Williams, is giving two tours of luxurious residences: Casa de Miel and Magical Mediterranean Garden. In Houston, Texas, there’s a tour of the Weber Estate, a “heavily-wooded, 185-acre estate” that features a 20-acre Japanese-style garden. And in New Orleans, Louisiana, there’s a tour of Lemann Residence, which “fuses traditional New Orleans architecture with mid-century California Modernism.”

These tours are intimate, enlightening affairs. A tour last year of a newly-designed Modern landscape framing a Richard Neutra house in the Hollywood Hills was a memorable experience.

Space is limited. Tickets are $35.00 each. Register Now.

Also, check out TCLF’s upcoming day-long Civic Horticulture conference in Philadelphia, May 17. TCLF writes that the event will “take a look at Philadelphia’s use of horticulture and what that portends for the future of Philadelphia and elsewhere. We will examine issues through multiple lenses – health/lifestyle, environment, economy and sense of place – but this conference will be unique in putting plants first in developing criteria for holistic stewardship.” As always, TCLF offers a great line-up of landscape architects and designers. For this conference, watch presentations by Raymond Jungles, FASLA, Raymond Jungles, Inc; Mia Lehrer, FASLA, Mia Lehrer + Associates; Susan Weilier, FASLA, OLIN; Thomas Woltz, FASLA, Nelson Byrd Woltz; and more.

Image credit: The Bacardi Garden. Sanchez and Maddux, Inc / Photo copyright Robin Hill. Courtesy of TCLF

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ASLA Communications Internship, Summer 2013

Posted in Education, Opportunities on 02/22/2013 | Leave a Comment »

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) seeks a full-time summer intern for an exciting project: The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Boston. This Web site, which will include both mobile-friendly version and a more robust online exhibition, will feature both well-known and up-and-coming landscape architects discussing what makes 75+ landscapes within Boston compelling. The Web site, which is modeled after the first guide in the series on Washington, D.C., is expected to launch in fall 2013.

Instead of offering yet another brochure for tourists, the site is designed to be a guide to both landscapes and design-thinking. The goal of the project is to educate the milions of visitors who come to Boston about how landscape architects, designers of public spaces, critically evaluate the design of sites. Landscape architects will discuss the site plans, design details, interesting historic features, and sustainable design elements. Landscapes featured will include major works of landscape architects (the Emerald Necklace, the Rose Kennedy Greenway), ecological landscapes, historic landscapes, and even post-industrial urban landscapes. Local Boston residents and landscape architects and other design professionals are also target audiences for the site.

Responsibilities:

The summer intern will be expected to work full-time on this project from June through August.

The intern will research and write introductory paragraphs on site histories, using historical records and available books and Web sites; manage photographs, including securing any stock photos and image credits; coordinate outreach materials to ASLA members and aid in social media promotion; and directly interact with a number of leading landscape architects to gather their feedback on given sites and edit the text for publication.

Interns will also have the opportunity to attend educational and networking events at the National Building Museum, Harvard University’s Dumbarton Oaks, and other museums and think tanks in Washington, D.C. and write articles for ASLA publications including The Dirt blog and LAND newsletter.

Required Skills:

Current enrollment in a Master’s or PhD program in landscape architecture.
Excellent writing skills. The intern must be able to write clearly for a general audience.
Proven research skills and ability to quickly evaluate the quality and relevance of many different types of Web resources.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact graciously with busy designers.
Working knowledge of Photoshop, Google Maps, and Microsoft Office suite.
Knowledge of Boston’s contemporary and historic landscapes a plus.

How to Apply:

Please send cover letter, CV, and one writing sample (3-5 pages) to aklages@asla.org by end of day, Friday, March 15. Phone interviews will be conducted with finalists the week of March 18 and selection will be made the following week.

The internship pays a stipend of $3,500. ASLA can also work with the interns to attain academic credit for the internship.

ASLA offers a flexible work schedule. ASLA’s national headquarters is conveniently located in downtown Washington, D.C., one block north of the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station on the Red, Yellow, and Green Lines. Learn more about ASLA’s green roof.

Image credit: ASLA 2008 Professional General Design Award. Boston Children’s Museum Plaza, Boston. Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates / Elizabeth Felicella

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New Survey Asks How Can Cities Become Ecological?

Posted in Ecosystem Services, Education, Opportunities, Sustainable Design, Urban Design on 02/11/2013 | 6 Comments »

Now that we have become an urban species, we are compelled to harness urban ecosystems to improve sustainability and human health and strengthen our relationship to the natural world. But are ecological functions really being prioritized? Are we investing enough in ecosystem services in our cities? Is green infrastructure — such as green roofs, living walls, water sensitive designs and natural green space — as widely used as it could be? If not, what’s holding us up?

A short, 3-minute YouTube video gives a brief introduction to urban ecology and presents a case for collaborative, ecological urban design, which could create a more optimistic future for our cities and planet.

To gauge how opinions vary by culture and discipline, you are also invited to participate in a short 10-question survey that seeks to answer: how can we do better as professionals? Analysis of the survey data will be available later this year.

Take the survey.

Also, check out a live chat with us through the upcoming Green Roof Virtual Summit, February 18th and March 6th.

This guest post is by Mark Simmons, PhD, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin and Christine Thuring (Chlorophyllocity) from the University of Sheffield.

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ASLA Announces Year of Public Service

Posted in Opportunities on 01/30/2013 | Leave a Comment »

It’s time to bring all your good work to light. The ASLA public awareness campaign has made 2013 the Year of Public Service. The goal is to highlight the wide-reaching public service activities performed by landscape architects and advocate for a deeper commitment by all to community service. Learn more about the initiative on the new YPS2013 web site.

ASLA invites current members to submit 2013 projects. Selected projects will be highlighted in the campaign’s Web site and outreach materials. Descriptions, quotes, and multimedia content may be used – with proper credit – on the YPS2013 website, blog and The Understory Facebook page.

To kick off this initiative, ASLA President Tom Tavella, FASLA, Fuss & O’Neill, led a process of re-envisioning the many blocks around ASLA headquarters in Washington, D.C., creating a vision for a greener Chinatown.

In addition, the video above is from a recent design charrette for the Mack Road Streetcape. ASLA’s California Sierra Chapter helped establish a new direction for the Mack Road Partnership’s corridor improvement projects, addressing critical issues identified in community input sessions.

You can start your own project or reach out to your local ASLA Chapter and join an existing project. For a project you’ve started, simply go to the YPS2013 web site and click “Submit Project.” A pre-populated email will pop up, requesting information. Any project can be submitted in which an ASLA member, chapter, or firm with ASLA members provides landscape architecture services at no cost benefit the community in some way.

ASLA chapters can provide access to other projects, too. ASLA and the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program have boosted their ongoing collaborative partnership to celebrate the Year of Public Service. Under this partnership, ASLA’s local chapters can volunteer in their communities to help NPS RTCA, providing technical assistance for such outdoor resources as trails, bike paths, and other recreational facilities. Review those identified for 2013 here.

Contact Phil Stamper at pstamper@asla.org with any questions related to the Year of Public Service. Join the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #YPS2013.

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Rural Communities Need Design Help, Too

Posted in Opportunities, Policy and Regulation, Public Spaces, Smart Growth on 01/16/2013 | 1 Comment »

The new Citizens’ Institute on Rural Design (CIRD), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Project for Public Spaces, and other organizations, is looking for proposals from rural communities who need design help. According to the group, successful applications will receive a $7,000 grant and technical assistance valued at $35,000.

CIRD, which used to be called “Your Town,” helps rural communities with fewer than 50,000 people. Through facilitated design workshops, CIRD aims to “enhance the quality of life and economic vitality” of these places. The intensive two-day workshops bring together “local leaders, non-profits, and community organizations with a team of specialists in design, planning, and creative placemaking to address challenges like strengthening economies, enhancing rural character, leveraging cultural assets, and designing efficient housing and transportation systems.”

Since the program began in 1991, more than 60 workshops have been held across the U.S., resulting in a range of new projects like new public art and business improvement districts, new waterfront parks, and complete streets.

Communities will need to find $7,000 in matching funds to participate (cash or in-kind).

Submit a proposal by March 5.

Also, the American Architectural Foundation’s innovative Sustainable Cities Design Academy (SCDA) program is asking teams that represent public-private partnerships to apply to attend design workshops in D.C. The program connects “project teams and multi-disciplinary sustainable design experts” in workshops that “help project teams advance their green infrastructure and community development goals.” See the kinds of communities SCDA has helped in the past few years.

Image credit: ASLA 2011 Residential Honor Award. A Farm at Little Compton. Michael Vergason Landscape Architects / Michael Thomas

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Landscape Architects Announce 2013 Annual Meeting Call for Presentations

Posted in Opportunities on 12/12/2012 | 2 Comments »

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) has announced the call for presentations for the 2013 Annual Meeting and EXPO in Boston. The 2013 event will take place November 15 – 18 at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center.

More than 6,000 attendees are expected, and the meeting will feature a diverse spectrum of industry experts speaking on a wide range of subjects, from sustainable design to active living to best practices and new technologies.

More than 130 education sessions and field sessions will be presented during the meeting, providing attendees with the opportunity to earn up to 21 professional development hours under the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES). Many of the sessions will also qualify for continuing education credit with the Green Building Certification Institute (toward LEED AP credential maintenance), the American Institute of Architects, the American Institute of Certified Planners, and other allied professional organizations and state registration boards.

Submit your proposals now. The deadline for education session proposals is February 6, 2013.

Image credit: ASLA

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