11-M Memorial

Project: Memorial for victims of march 11. 2004 bombings

Design: Estudio FAM
Completion: 2007
Location: Madrid, Spain

Photos by Landezine cc

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 22, 2009 at 9:25 pm, filed under Cemeteries / Memorials, on the spot and tagged Madrid, Memorial, Spain. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Toledo Escalator

Design: Martínez Lapeña / Torres Arquitectos
Location: Toledo, Spain
Completion: 2001

Photos by Landezine cc

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 21, 2009 at 10:59 pm, filed under Infrastructure, Parks, on the spot and tagged Escalator, green roof, Spain, Toledo. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Botanical Train-station

Design: Rafael Moneo
Area: 4000m²
Completion: 1993
Location: Madrid, Spain
More about history of Atocha Station
Photos by Landezine cc

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 20, 2009 at 11:28 pm, filed under Gardens, on the spot and tagged Madrid, Re:use, Spain. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Plaza De La Luna

Landscape Architecture: Brut Deluxe
Location: Madrid, Spain
Photos by Landezine cc, Miguel De Guzman (following photo)

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 19, 2009 at 9:27 pm, filed under Squares, on the spot and tagged Madrid, Public space, Spain. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Caixa Forum /Green wall

Green wall design: Patrick Blanc
Location: Madrid, Spain

Wall is 24 meters high, and contains 15000 plants of more than 250 species. Wall is a part of project Caixa Forum, designed by Swiss architecture practice Herzog & DeMeuron. Located next to Prado Museum, wall reflects Royal Botanical Garden across the street.

all photos by: Landezine cc

Caixa Forum Green Wall from landezine on Vimeo.

This entry was written by admin, posted on at 12:53 am, filed under Green roofs & walls, on the spot and tagged Madrid, Public space, Spain. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Igualada Cemetery / updated

Landscape and Architecture: Enric Mirrales and Carme Pinos.
Completion: 1994
all photos by: Landezine cc

I’ve already posted this project, but since i visited the site 2 days ago, i am updating the content a bit.

The Cemetery lies between the valley of river Riera de Odena and industrial part of town Igualada, 60km north from Barcelona. Cemetery reflects the characteristics of both typologies. The main area of the cemetery lies beneath the surroundings and puts a visitor on the same level with the dead, so one can see only stony walls, tombs and sky. Igualada cemetery represents surrounding landscape with form and choice of materials, which are harsh and rough. The idea of passing time is seen in patina of stone and concrete, rust of cor-ten and cracks on wooden railway sleepers.

Though materials are very harsh, the general feeling of the cemetery is everything but unpleasant, it is very calm and quiet, intimate, where one can easily remember and feel, without being disturbed.

Enric Mirrales died in July 2000 and is buried in Igualada. Walls around his tomb are filled with numerous positive memories and thoughts about him and his works.

entrance in the object

entrance in the cemetery, the path descents to a main area

It is obvious that these flower containers are not artist’s work and are there for security reasons.

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 17, 2009 at 12:00 pm, filed under Cemeteries / Memorials, on the spot and tagged Igualada, Spain. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

El Jardín Botánico de Barcelona

text via JBB: Barcelona’s new Botanical Garden was designed by an interdisciplinary team comprising the architects Carlos Ferrater and Josep Lluís Canosa, the landscape architect Bet Figueras, the horticulturalist Artur Bossy and the biologist Joan Pedrola. Two fundamental considerations were taken into account in creating the Garden:

Firstly, how the vegetation was to be structured. It was important to plan the layout according to geographic criteria, grouping the plants according to the world’s five Mediterranean regions. Within these regional groupings, moreover, the plants should be combined according to ecological affinity, that is to say, recreating landscapes as they are found in nature.

The second consideration involved creating a project in which the mountain itself provided the topographic conditions for establishing the different plant areas in the Garden. This entailed designing the network of paths around the natural relief and avoiding large earth moving operations as far as possible.

The result was a triangular-shaped network adapted to the available space and to the mountain slopes. This mesh of paths marked out the 71 spaces containing the principal plant communities found in Mediterranean climate regions all over the world.

all photos by: Landezine cc

JBB Jardin Botanico Barcelona from landezine on Vimeo.

This entry was written by admin, posted on at 2:05 am, filed under Gardens, Parks, on the spot and tagged Barcelona, Botanical Garden, Spain, Water. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Simcoe Wavedeck

Project: Toronto Central Waterfront / Simcoe Wavedeck
Landscape Architecture: West8 + DTAH (joint venture)
Location: Toronto, Canada
Design: 2007
Realisation: 2008 (Official Opening: June 12, 2009)
Size: 10.7m (length), 60m (width), total area = 650m2
Total budget: $ 6 Million (CAD)
Client: Waterfront Toronto
In association with: Halsall Associates, Schollen & Company, Mulvey + Banani, David Dennis Design
All credits and copyright of:
West 8 urban design & landscape architecture b.v.

The Simcoe WaveDeck, one of four uniquely Canadian wavedecks planned for the area, is as artistic as it is functional. Located just west of Simcoe Street at the water’s edge, the wooden wavedeck features an informal public amphitheatre-style space with impressive curves that soar as high as 2.6 metres above the lake. Inspired by the Canadian cottage experience and the shorelines of Ontario’s great lakes, the wavedeck is meant to give urban dwellers a feel for life at the lake. Providing access to Lake Ontario is a key priority for Waterfront Toronto.

Built in less than eight months, the Simcoe WaveDeck joins the Spadina WaveDeck which opened last year in creating more public space along one of the most heavily used parts of the Toronto shoreline. Construction of the third wavedeck at Rees Street is well underway and will open in August.

In addition to the installation of the wavedeck at Simcoe Street, construction activities included dockwall repairs, in-water fisheries habitat construction and landscape improvements.

The project is part of the first phase of implementation of a strategic masterplan for the Toronto Central Waterfront prepared by West 8 + DTAH. Some further information to understand Spadina WaveDeck in context:

The Toronto Central Waterfront, a 3.5km length of Lake Ontario in direct proximity to the downtown business district, is one of Toronto’s most valuable assets. Yet despite decades of planning and patchwork development projects, there is no coherent vision for linking the pieces into a greater whole – visually or physically. In this context, the fundamental objective of the project is to address this deficiency by creating a consistent and legible image for the Central Waterfront, in both architectural and functional terms.

West 8 urban design & landscape architecture, in joint venture with DTAH, prepared a comprehensive vision for the Central Waterfront that produced a powerful design language with the strength and simplicity to overcome the existing visual noise and create a sense of interconnectedness and identity. Connectivity between the vitality of the city and the lake and a continuous, publicly accessible waterfront are the plan’s priorities. The plan expresses a vision for the Central Waterfront that brings a sustainable, ecologically productive “green foot” to the rich culture of the metropolis. It suggests a new coherence and continuity along the waterfront produced by four seemingly simple gestures that create a new “Multiple Waterfront”: the Primary Waterfront – a continuous water’s edge promenade with a series of pedestrian bridges, the Secondary Waterfront – a recalibrated Queens Quay Boulevard with a new urban promenade and WavedDeck public spaces at the heads-of-slips, the Floating Waterfront - a series of floating elements that offer new boat moorings and public spaces in relation to the lake, and the Cultures of the City – connections from Toronto’s diverse neighborhoods towards the waterfront.

West 8 + DTAH are currently implementing the first phase of the strategic masterplan. With the completion of Spadina WaveDeck and recently Simcoe Wavedeck, construction is now underway on one more WaveDeck at Rees. The first in a series of timber pedestrian bridges will begin construction in spring 2009; new streetscapes, public realm and water’s edge promenades will follow thereafter. Articulating the point of contact between the city and its waterfront and providing continuous public access are key priorities.

KEY FACTS/

DIMENSION
10.7m (length), 60m (width), Total area = 650m2
The height of the deck above the water varies according to seasonal changes in water levels. Today the deck is approximately 2.6m above the lake at the centre crest and 1.2cm above the lake at the east and west sides. The wavedeck can accommodate up to 1500 people and structurally could hold the weight of a fire truck.

MATERIALS
The deck is made up of 3670 deck boards (3050 short deck boards and 620 long deck boards).
Two types of wood were used to build the deck: Ipe wood, a durable hardwood with an extended life-cycle of 40 years; and gluelam Coastal Yellow cedar, chosen for its water-repellent character.
Ipe wood was also used for the Spadina WaveDeck as well as Waterfront Toronto’s water’s edge improvement projects at York and John Quays. This helps provide a coherency and unified look for the central waterfront.
The steps are large gluelam Coastal Yellow Cedar timbers which were custom milled to accurate radii in order to obtain the playful undulating curves of the deck.
The wavedeck had to be structurally built to withstand the strong wave force of the lake and any ice shifting.

LIGHTING
The deck is lit from below using LED fixtures mounted to the timber structure to illuminate the water and cast a glow from beneath the deck.
The LED lights are highly-efficient with a 20-year life cycle.

BUDGET AND TIMING
The overall project cost (which includes design and construction) is expected to be about $6 million. This is significantly under the original budget estimate for the project.
Total construction costs will be approximately $5.5 million.
Construction began in October 2008 and was completed in less than 8 months, ahead of schedule.
Pile driving and dockwall rehabilitation commenced in November and continued through to January, followed by the installation of fish habitat. The primary steel beams were installed in March. Timber beams were installed in April over a period of two weeks. The timber decking and deck furniture such as railings and benches were installed over a two month period.

ACCESSIBILITY
The wavedeck is wheelchair accessible from all sides and includes a large barrier free zone at the east side of the deck. In addition, an accessible route between the two large swells in the deck leads users down toward the water.

DESIGN & USES
The wavedeck is a uniquely Canadian structure that exists nowhere else in the world. The design of the wavedeck was inspired by the shorelines of Ontario’s great lakes and the Canadian cottage experience. The geometry of the wavedeck’s impressive curves is unprecedented.
The wavedeck is an urban dock that is both a piece of art and a functional gathering space. It is a completely flexible structural space. The stairs act as an informal amphitheatre and the varying heights of the deck allow for different vantage points and ultimately different experiences with the lake.
The form allows people to interpret the space in many different ways – the large open space on the east side can serve as a gathering space during events or as a staging space for buskers and other performers. The steps can be used as seating while the two large swells feature slender stainless steel railings that follow the undulations of the waves in the deck. These railings which curve inward, are designed to differentiate the artistic portions of the deck from the public areas. They also help wandering visitors negotiate the slopes.
The 30 metre backless bench acts as an elegant barrier to the water while also providing seating for users of the space.

CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR
Somerville Construction, a privately owned Toronto based firm built both the Simcoe and Spadina WaveDecks and is currently finishing construction at the Rees WaveDeck. Somerville has extensive experience working on the waterfront and other unusual, one-of-a-kind, high-profile projects.

OPERATION OF THE WAVEDECKS
The City of Toronto is the owner of the Simcoe WaveDeck and the Parks Department will provide maintenance and operation of the public space.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
The wavedeck includes the creation of new fish habitat. Riverstone shoals, tree logs and embankments were installed to provide shelter and increased feeding and forging opportunities for lake fish. Aquatic Habitat Toronto, of which Waterfront Toronto is a partner, has won a Public Sector Quality Fair award for the aquatic habitat enhancement work being done on Toronto’s waterfront.

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 6, 2009 at 4:29 pm, filed under Parks, Playscapes, Waterfronts and tagged Canada, Toronto. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Sohlbergplassen viewpoint

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Landscape Architecture: Carl-Viggo Hølmebakk
Location: Atnasjön, Norway

Excerpt from: Carl-Viggo Hølmebakk (b. 1958) studied architecture in Oslo and at the Cooper Union in New York. He has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence and was a nominee for the Mies van der Rohe Award in 1996. He was awarded the Norwegian State Architecture Prize in 1998.

Hølmebakk is famous for his many, cleverly detailed, small-scale works such as a private library in a wooden cube, a workshop in a brick tower, or the viewpoint platforms on Sognefjell. Although modest in scale and design brief, these structures attest in their own way to Louis Kahn’s maxim what is has always been.

©Image credits: Jørn Hagen

©Image credits: Jarle Wæher

©Image credits: Jørn Hagen for Statens vegvesen

©Image credits: Jarle Wæher

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 4, 2009 at 8:54 pm, filed under Exstalations and tagged Norway, Viewpoint. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Grafenegg Pavilion

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‘A starship crash lands on an alien world called Eden…‘ (excerpt from a plot of ‘Eden’, a novel by Stanisław Lem).
__________________________________________________________________________

©Lukas Schaller

Basic data:

Architect: the next ENTERprise – e.j.fuchs | mth.harnoncourt
Landscaping: Land in Sicht, Thomas Proksch
Address: Grafenegg, Austria
Client: Grafenegg Kultur Betriebsges.m.b.H., St. Pölten, A
Competition: Feburary 2005
Completed in: June 2007
Team: Paul Vabitsch; Claudia Cavallar, Daniel Harrer, Waltraud Hoheneder, Marianna Milioni, Egon Niedertscheider, Hannes Oswald, Maja Ozvaldic
Structural engineering: Ingenieurteam GmbH Bergmeister, Josef Taferner, Jochen Ehmann
Acoustics: Müller-BBM GmbH, Prof. Karlheinz Müller
Lighting concept: Christian Ploderer, Ploderer & Partner, Wien, A

Excerpt from designer’s description:

The castle grounds of Grafenegg are almost 250 years old. Every period has left its traces, and this stylistic variety is one of the reasons for the park’s appeal. The area, with the castle and moat at its centre, has a size of approx. 31 ha. The park and its dendrological collection are open year round and are accessible from two main entrances on the West and East side. The open-air pavilion to be erected in the park is used as a stage during festival season in summer, and as an attraction for excursionists and flaneurs — similar to the gazebos in historical landscape gardens, which were designed as a destination or a stop-over on extended walks. Read More on thenextenterprise.at

Sources: MiesArch / Grafenegg.at / the next ENTERprise

©Lukas Schaller

©Lukas Schaller

©Lukas Schaller

©the next ENTERprise

©the next ENTERprise

©Philipp Horak

©Andreas Hofer

©Philipp Horak

©Philipp Horak

If you are in the mood for Rachmaninoff, please watch the following video of a concert at the site. There are some spectacular camera slides over the scene every now and then.

This entry was written by admin, posted on August 3, 2009 at 10:34 pm, filed under Parks and tagged Austria, Grafenegg, Pavilion, Public space. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.