Landscape Architecture Projects Recognized

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently announced the recipients of its 2008 Professional Awards. The jury considered over 500 entries and selected 29 projects to receive awards.

The winning projects are a mix of commercial, institutional, and residential landscape projects. They include:
General Design Category
Award of Excellence: The Lurie Garden, Millenium Park in Chicago
Honors: Boston Children's Museum in Boston; Walden Studios in Alexander Valley, CA; Lost Dog Wash Trailhead in Scottsdale, AZ; Fountain Promenade at Chapultepec Park in Mexico City, Mexico; Lagoon Park in Santa Barbara, CA; Washington Monument in Washington, DC; James Clarkson Environmental Discovery Center in White Lake Township, MI; and Gannett/USA Today Headquarters in McLean, VA

These projects and the other winners can be viewed at: http://asla.org/awards/2008/08winners/

“These awards represent the pinnacle of design achievement by the world’s leading landscape architects,” said ASLA’s President, Perry Howard, FASLA. The awards will be presented on October 6 at the ASLA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia at a ceremony sponsored by Landscape Forms.

WEIRD WEDNESDAY: Earth Day Goes to the Worms, So What?

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) announced winners of the 2008 national Professional Awards on April 15 in Washington, D.C. Culver City-based ah'bé landscape architects was selected for an Honor Award in Communications for the short film So What?, which chronicles the planning and implementation of an art installation composed of 2/3 ton of paper waste generated by the firm over a 12-week period.

The film, which was hailed by the professional awards jury as "an incredible message that speaks beautifully to designers and the public about an important issue, was produced by firm president Calvin Abe, FASLA, and created and directed in-house by Evan Mather, an award-winning filmmaker and landscape architect who has a unique insight into the design process and the core issues raised in ah'bé's recent series of art installations.

"The basic premise of the film, and indeed of the installation itself, is that the term 'sustainability' has been overused to the point of becoming meaningless, and that it is time to reflect on the true meaning of the word," says Abe. "The firm created towers of shredded paper that were exhibited at a local gallery space in the form of a reconstructed forest to create a provocative statement on the nature of sustainability. By manifesting the concept of sustainability in a uniquely entertaining fashion, the film seeks to educate viewers and spur them to action.

The film, which follows the project from start to finish, when the "trees" were fed to worms to create compost, forces viewers to confront the impact even small businesses have on the environment. As the narrator informs us, American companies produce enough paper every day to circle the globe.

According to Abe, the impact of the installations has been surprising: while many viewers were amazed or amused, most expressed a profound sadness at witnessing the quantity of paper generated by a small company in such a short period of time. "These installations are not only temporary 'gardens,' but awakenings."

Plan a Spring Garden Makeover Now for Big Summer Savings

Water costs continue to rise. However, smart landscape design and simple watering habits can significantly reduce utility bills. By planning now, facility managers can save hundreds of dollars and thousands of gallons of water this summer. The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends the following steps for a water-saving garden makeover:

Start Early. Plan ahead so that all new plantings take place in the spring. It keeps you out of the summer heat and plants require much less water to get situated compared to the warmer months.

Go Native. When deciding what to install, consider native and drought resistant plants. They typically require less maintenance and little watering once established (sometimes none at all!).

Must Mulch. Use compost when planting and cover the area with mulch afterwards. Compost helps keep the water by the plant’s roots and mulch prevents evaporation. Make sure to leave some space around the base of each plant and resist creating mulch mounds around plants and trees.

Less Lawn. Consider replacing grass with an attractive groundcover which is drought resistant, covers a large area, and requires zero mowing.

Super Soak. Up to a third of all water from sprinklers can evaporate during the heat of the day. Instead, give your plants fewer, heavy soakings. If you must use sprinklers, only use them in the morning.

Grey is Good. Recapturing grey water or rainwater can provide a free source of garden irrigation. These systems can be easily installed and even incorporated into irrigation systems.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip irrigation systems water plants right at the root and serve as an efficient alternative to sprinkler systems. Be sure to get a timer for maximum effectiveness.