Comments for The Dirt

Comment on A Tricky Spot for Los Angeles’ New Grand Park by judithcharlette

judithcharlette — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:43:35 +0000

In reading about the Grand Park, I think I am involved in a rewrite of the Emperor’s New Clothes. If it was called a Mall I would say, fine. It is just that. But a park?
The upper tier (of 3) is terrific. The wonderful fountain, once hidden from most LAers in the old space, was remodeled and made for kids to play in. KIDS. Remember them? Apparently one thought of them only for the warm days as that’s it for them. Beyond that, only grass and cement. Mostly cement.
When are we going to wake up and realize that LA NEEDS shade. Trees, shade trees, but if impossible, overhangs or tented areas or umbrellas.
Look at a where people are in the park on any normal day. Seeking shade, and there is little to be found. Thank goodness the benches are moveable because hot pink metal will roast fannies. Grass is fine if its’ surrounded by trees but if you check out the photos (or visit, which is best), people on the grass are huddled under the trees.
Another shame is the terrible garage situation at the loser part of the 2nd Tier. To cross the street to the lowest tier, one must cross TWO driveways!
A first consideration should have been a walkway over the garage to connect the tiers.
I don’t understand who is writing these articles about the park. What we needed was shade, greenery, water, a place for all sorts of folks, including kids and older folks. We didn’t get a park. We got a Mall. Let’s call it that.
Maybe the parks will come if the buildings on either side go.

Comment on Nearly Unknown in the West: Sub-Saharan Africa’s Cultural Landscapes by beckybadger89

beckybadger89 — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:52:42 +0000

Great article- this is a topic I’ve always wanted to explore.

I earned my bachelor’s in land arch a year ago from a school that also had an excellent African Studies department. While taking an African History class I talked to my professor about writing a paper on architecture and landscape in sub-Saharan Africa. He told me that unfortunately, I was going to have a very hard time finding documentation on the subject. He was right.

I later took a survey class on “art and architectural history in Africa” which included thirty-ish lectures on art and only two lectures on architecture, which covered three or four structures throughout the entire continent.

Needless to say, I am excited that this area of study is coming to light!

Comment on New Video: ASLA Advocates for Change by Hmmmmm

Hmmmmm — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:21:27 +0000

Glad to see ASLA upfront and advocating on this issue.

Comment on Interview with Kevin Shanley on Protecting Our Coasts by Hmmmmm

Hmmmmm — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:20:26 +0000

Great interview. Enjoyed it.

Comment on In the Pacific Northwest, Native American Communities Plan for Climate Change by Terry Mock

Terry Mock — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:52:04 +0000

Great article and concluding remarks – “We need semi-autonomous systems that nest in broader systems. We need networked but independent nodes.”

The 21st century will overturn many of our previously-held assumptions about civilization. The challenges and opportunities land development stakeholders now face – to fulfill the needs of society and achieve a favorable return on investment without harming the environment – have vast implications on the sustainability of our communities around the world.

The World’s First Sustainable Development Decision Model is symbolized as a geometrical algorithm that balances and integrates the triple-bottom line needs of people, planet and profit into a holistic, fractal model that becomes increasingly detailed, guiding effective decisions throughout the community planning, financing, design, regulating, construction and maintenance processes while always enabling project context to drive specific decisions.

Like Life Itself, Sustainable Development is Fractal – http://www.triplepundit.com/2011/01/like-life-sustainable-development-fractal/

Comment on ASLA Celebrates Women’s History Month by taihsian cheng

taihsian cheng — Fri, 03 May 2013 16:53:56 +0000

“…Female membership in ASLA has grown from 15 in 1899 to 5,301 today.” However, does anyone know the percentage of women membership in ASLA today? thanks.

Comment on Rethinking Our Relationship with Rivers by Hmmmmm

Hmmmmm — Thu, 02 May 2013 13:17:17 +0000

The book looks like a great resource.

Comment on Interview with Kevin Shanley on Protecting Our Coasts by K. Kerck

K. Kerck — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:21:52 +0000

I appreciate the realistic view: “Great ecological strategies need to be considered economically, and vice versa.” I like, “… dialogue should be occurring so that if the natural world presents us with an existential challenge at least some part of the community has been grappling with it …”, too, and would recommend that lower temperatures be considered, as well.

Comment on Warren Byrd: How to Be a Landscape Architect by Michael Sobczak

Michael Sobczak — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:09:16 +0000

W TByrd was always spot-on as a teacher and this is no exception. Warren breaks it down to the essence of why we do this work. It’s because of WTB that I switched from a “quick graphics” mindset back to to “drawing” to learn by observing. His lack of hubris in this time of celebrity designers/firms is evident in WTB’s built work and his teaching career. Warren Rocks

Comment on New Survey Asks How Can Cities Become Ecological? by Jorg

Jorg — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:23:30 +0000

Ecological is a fashion word especially when used with the house (in the movie) that is not affordable for 98% of the world population. This is wasting land (with a pool that is hardly useable and used with chlorine). This is being driven by the ignorance of academics (of people who are lucky having a peice of land with a native plant that is daily irrigated).

The term ecological is for academics and only an excuse to justify their own impact (ignorance).

Cities – where most people live – must be reorganized with sufficient living green space accessible for everybody in less that 10 min walking distance. Increasing the living qualitly through green spaces reduces the pressure on the remaining land and reduces traffic.

In Europe, the quality of life is already at a high level. In the US you can only find sterile ghettos or little farms with mancured lawns – nothing in between and this is an explosive foundation.

In this situation education would be the key but unfortunatly not affordable for the majority. This North American deficit is fatal and reduces a sustainable and real ecological development of an entire continent.

Only a few landscape architects plan with the people in mind and only a small portion of them will be heard with their unconventional, simple, and practical solutions.

If a fancy design is combined with a native plant you are everywhere in the media a hero regardless of the costs it takes to keep this plant alive. If you want to plant a tree in front of your brownstone, the energy company comes and kills it.