San Diego Micro-living

Read Full Article:
San Diego Teaches Us How Micro-Living Can Thrive
April 21, 2016
Dwell

little_by_little-portrait-kayak-mezzanine-high_ceilings
Image courtesy of Ye Rin Mok

Hector Perez, a Woodbury University professor, rallied together a team of architects to design a small urban infill project in the historic Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. The development was supposed to be a series of nine infill projects, but was unable to complete them due to the economic downturn. However, the first lot was developed into a double-height, mixed-use building of Perez’s design, where, in less than 4,000 square feet, he has created eight live-work units, each with a private outdoor space.

Click here to read more about this cool California contemporary design.


Architectural Installations of Coachella 2016

Read Full Article:
The Best Architectural Installations of Coachella 2016
April 18, 2016
Arch Daily

coachella_art_2016_10
Photo courtesy of Goldenvoice

This weekend kicked off the first installment of the famous art and music festival in Coachella Valley, California. Every year, artists from around the world create larger than life installations for the festival to celebrate culture and design. Click here to check out the best installations from this year’s event.


Urban Coffee Farm

Read Full Article:
Urban Coffee Farm
April 14, 2016
Landezine

UrbanCoffee_15Image courtesy of Bonnie Savage

Built for the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, the Urban Coffee Farm & Brew Bar is a beautiful example of bringing a functional landscape into the urban core. Melbourne is famous for its coffee culture, and design studio HASSEL wanted to bring the story of coffee’s growth and production into the same space as it is consumed. Sitting amongst coffee plants, users will be able to learn more about coffee’s journey from rainforest slopes to the cup they have in their hand.

Click here to read more about this fun and innovative installation.

 


Landscape Urbanism

Read Full Article:
12 Projects that Explain Landscape Urbanism and How It’s Changing the Face of Cities
April 7, 2016
Arch Daily

Untitled
image courtesy of Arch Daily

“a traditional understanding of the city as an extrapolation of architectural models and metaphors is no longer viable given the prevalence of larger forces or flows. These include ruptures or breaks in architectonic logic of traditional urban form as compelled by ecological, infrastructural, or economic change.” – Charles Waldheim

Click here to read more about these twelve projects and how they are changing the way we understand and live in our cities.


A park within a park

Read Full Article:
Metcalfe Park – ASPECT studios
March 30, 2016
Landezine

METCALFE-PARK-06
image courtesy of ASPECT Studios

Metcalfe Park is an urban park located on Sydney’s famous waterfront. Despite the spectacular views, the grassy park lacks any functional or recreational amenities. ASPECT studios conducted extensive research to find how people use the site currently and what additions to the park would best suit the neighborhood.

Click here to read more about how ASPECT studios created a park within a park.

 

 


The Beauty of Clean Energy

Read Full Article:
Daan Roosegaarde uses green lasers to showcase the “beauty” of wind turbines
March 25, 2016
Dezeen

video courtesy of Roosegaarde

Dutch designer Dan Roosegaarde and his team have transformed a wind farm in the Netherlands into a giant art installation by attaching green lasers to the turbines. Roosegaarde developed a software that would project the laser onto the text turbine and follow its rotation. This allows for the installation to evolve with wind conditions creating a zen like experience for visitors.

Click here to read more about how Roosegaarde and his team hope to share the beauty of clean energy.

 


Spanish duo creates 100 architectural illustrations over 100 days

Read Full Article:
Estudio Extramuros creates 100 architectural illustrations over 100 days
March 16, 2016
Dezeen

100-day-project-estudio-extramuros-architecture-illustration-seville-spain_dezeen_1568_11
image courtesy of Estudio Extramuros

According to Spanish architects Fabiola Muñoz and Carlos Leó, “it’s difficult to read a plan and section, but it’s not that difficult to see an illustration and feel curious about the architecture behind it”. Which surely rings true when they created the 100 architectural illustrations in 100 days series. The duo have highlighted architects and styles from all different eras and styles into 100 neatly framed squares that are an enjoyable and digestible visual experience.

Click here to read more about the series and hear more from the artists themselves.


An Industrial relic turned into a creative campus

Read Full Article:
Urban Outfitters HQ
March 10, 2016
Landezine

Urban_Outfitters_HQ-Navy_Yard-D.I.R.T.-Studio-03
image courtesy of D.I.R.T. Studio

The new corporate campus for the retailer Urban Outfitters transformed a decommissioned naval yard in Philadelphia into a new space for the city with artistic vengeance and ecological vigor. Maintaining the integrity of the original site, the design uses existing industrial elements to dictate the forms of the design. Suddenly former rail lines carrying cargo carry to and from ships now carries employees from their office to a cup of coffee.

Click here to read more about this poster child for industrial redevelopment.


Natural Playground

Read Full Article:
Buga 05 Playground
March 3, 2016
Landezine

17
image courtesy of RSL

Normally playgrounds are simple prefabricated structures that can be placed in any park. Although these structures are usually the cheaper option, Rainer Schmidt Landscape Architecture utilized modified land forms to create a more naturalistic park that evokes play with no structure needed.

Click here to read more about Buga 05 Playground.


Lifting the Veil on Downtown Los Angeles

Read Full Article:
Making Sense of The Broad: A Milestone in the Revitalization of Downtown Los Angeles
February 24, 2016
Arch Daily

The_Broad_photo_by_Jeff_Duran_-_Warren_Air_26527-83
image courtesy of Jeff Duran

The 20th century was not kind to downtown Los Angeles. While the city stretched out into suburbia, cities like Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood blossomed into cultural centers. Meanwhile the downtown “core” of the city rotted into vacant corporate mega towers.

Click here to read about how the opening of a new contemporary art museum downtown that is transforming the area into a new cultural hub for a new Los Angeles.


Remarkable Women of California

events-women
Image courtsey of Marilyn Brant Chandler DeYoung

On Thursday, March 10 from 5:30-7:30pm the Santa Barbara Historical Museum will host Author Marilyn Brant Chandler DeYoung. She will be speaking about her new book about highlighting illustrious, talented and provocative women of the Golden State. Click here to read more about Marilyn Brant Chandler DeYoung and the event.

Tickets for the event are $20 for members and $25 for guests.


Wilderness and Exodus

Read Full Article:
Wilderness and Exodus: the Production of a National Landscape
February 18, 2016
World Landscape Architect


image courtesy of Shelley Long

Car travel is a way of life in North America. Ever since the 1950’s development of our society has tended to focus on how easily things can be accessible by our vehicles. This industrial mindset tends to be detrimental to existing natural systems. Shelley Long, a graduate student at the University of Toronto, wanted to challenge this disconnect by incorporating national park typologies into existing infrastructure.

Click here to read about Shelley Long’s visionary project about turning a famous Canadian roadway into a series of curated experiences that blurs lines between city and national park.