Landscape Architecture in the News Highlights (January 1-15)

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library / Snøhetta

Confluence Named Landscape Architect of Record for Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library — 01/15/22, The Valley City Times Record
“’Confluence has deep roots in North Dakota and they bring exciting ideas for how we can not only repair the native ecology on this site, but invite the public and the ranching community into the restoration process,’ said Edward F. O’Keefe, CEO of TRPL”

Central Park Climate Lab Launches with a Mission to Save Urban Parks — 01/13/22, Planetizen
“Central Park offers a unique setting to begin studying climate change adaptation in urban parks as it has been impacted by some of the more severe effects of climate change within the past decade. Research will then expand to other New York City greenspaces and select city parks around the country. With the data acquired, the Lab will build on the work of leading researchers in the field to create new, scalable strategies for implementing climate mitigation and adaption protocols.”

Why Are San Jose’s Trees Disappearing? City Loses Hundreds of Acres Each Year — 01/11/22, The Mercury News
“Despite boasting ambitious climate goals, the nation’s 10th largest city is in the midst of an environmental crisis as the tree canopy that shades it has dwindled by 1.82% between 2012 and 2018. That percentage may seem small, but consider that it represents 1,728 acres of public and backyard trees, or the equivalent of 2.7 square miles, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. Forest Service.”

How U.S. Infrastructure Plans Shrank in Ambition — 01/11/22, Bloomberg CityLab
“We need a national, reliable network of electric vehicle charging stations, environmental infrastructure to adapt to climate change, and electric grids that can transmit large amounts of renewable energy from areas of surplus generation, like the Great Plains, to areas of high demand like the Northeast and Midwest.”

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Bounced Back Sharply in 2021 — 01/10/22, The New York Times
“But after last year’s rebound, U.S. emissions are now just 17.4 percent below 2005 levels, the Rhodium Group estimated. Several recent studies have found that the United States is likely to fall far short of achieving Mr. Biden’s climate goals without major new policies to speed up the transition to wind, solar and other clean energy.”

LAA Office Brings “Barn Quilt Urbanism” to Downtown Salem, Indiana, with New Heritage Park — 01/05/22, The Architect’s Newspaper
“Major elements of the petite linear park include a site-connecting asphalt mural-slash-pedestrian path rendered in bright blue and yellow hues and a parking spot-replacing elevated deck with plenty of seating alongside greenery-filled planters.”

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