Learning environments are constantly evolving to stay in stride with the world around us. The factors that influence how and where we choose to educate our future generation are many. With the pace of the world’s technological innovation, and the increasing level of convenience and distraction it provides, there is a realistic concern that people, kids especially, risk losing a tangible connection and respect for the natural world. As a landscape architect, being asked to shape an educational environment, the first responsibility is to create a healthy, safe and inspirational setting. Secondly, it is an opportunity to bring the natural world out of the background, and back into focus in a fun and inspiring way.
The design was a public service project to demonstrate a pilot landscape initiative on a small part of otherwise, a large lake named Rabindra Sarobar at Kolkata, India. The lake plaza was designed for an area spanning about 25,000 sq. mts. as a pilot project, which had to be further extended by the government. This being an ecological reserve it was imperative to develop an idea that was sustainable. The focus was to sensitively design a park with the use of natural and re-usable locally available materials, enhance the recreational areas, and provide manifold options for the young and old to sit, relax, play and be one with nature.
Laure Aubert is a landscape architect working in Germany who attended the 2011 IFLA Congress in Zurich. Laure interviewed various Congress attendees which we will feature over the next two weeks.
Why was it important for you to attend the IFLA Congress?
The importance of attending the IFLA World Congress in Zürich relies in the biggest event of our profession that gathers professionals from all over the globe, with different backgrounds, different cultures, but at the same time connected by only one thing: the profession. I think these events are really important, for one hand to learn something new and to see what exciting has been done over the last years in the field, for other hand to reunite with friends and colleagues. In Zurich, I especially enjoyed the amazing organization, the wide range of events and above all, to see lots of students. That gives me some trust that our profession will continue to exist and develop in the future.
‘TinyTaxonomy’ was selected for the 11thedition of the International Garden Festival held at Les Jardins Metis, in Quebec, Canada.A jury selected the project as one of 3 from among the 276 proposals received for the 2010 competition from designers in 34 countries. Over its first ten editions the Festival has constructed and exhibited more than 100 temporary gardens by over 300 designers from around the world.
The International Horticultural Expo in Xian, China opened on 28th April. The Garden of 10,000 bridges by West 8 is complete along with many other display gardens.
Gardens are telling stories; they are poetry and have a narrative. Our garden represents the human life, the path of people’s lifetime. This path is a path of uncertainty and burden. Many bridges over troubled water. The garden design takes this path of life as a meandering, winding road – continuous and like a labyrinth. The path through nature takes you over 10000 bridges.
