Landscape Architecture

Recent recipient of the ASLA's Gold Medal, landscape architect Laurie Olin shares some interesting opinions on his distinguished career, landscape urbanism, and the state of public space.

June 21, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Anne Marie Chaker reports on the emergence of the "shared backyard," in which a surprising number of neighbors are combining resources to create bigger gardens and more space to entertain.

June 15, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal

"Currently in its greatest period of park expansion since the 1930s," New York City has shown a remarkable commitment to expanding its open spaces, but finding the resources to maintain them is another issue entirely, explains Caitlin Blanchfield.

June 15, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Though "generally cited as an example of all the things you don’t want a city to be," Karrie Jacobs finds reason to believe that Texas's third largest city has taken to heart the "country’s newfound passion for all things urban."

June 12, 2012 - Metropolis

Can Jersey City duplicate the success of NYC's High Line? If they can get through the litigation, it could happen in the the form of The Embankment, a relic railroad running above an historic neighborhood. A preservation group leads the effort.

June 10, 2012 - WNYC

Rather than turn its back of the remnants of the industry that made and unmade this quintessential steel town, Bethlehem is rethinking its identity with the abandoned steel plant turned cultural magnet as its centerpiece, writes Tom Stoelker.

June 8, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

Svante Myrick, Ithaca's youngest-ever mayor, is leading the way in transforming how the city thinks about transportation and land use, and he's starting with his own front yard, reports Sarah Laskow.

May 31, 2012 - Grist

In a new book out this week, Michelle Obama explores the lessons she's learned while cultivating the First Garden, which has blossomed into a nationwide anti-obesity campaign, writes Marian Burros.

May 30, 2012 - The New York Times

A new study published in the June issue of Landscape and Urban Planning intends to settle once and for all the debate about whether urban trees provide a deterrent or inducement for crime, writes Eric Jaffe.

May 30, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Lisa W. Foderaro reports on a new deal that enables adaptive reuse of historic structures and commercial development at Brooklyn Bridge Park, and ends a long-simmering dispute.

May 30, 2012 - New York Times

Tim De Chant compares satellite images of neighborhoods from cities around the world to see if inequality is manifest in the patterns of the landscape. The differences are striking.

May 27, 2012 - Per Square Mile

A new book by trained architect-turned photographer/pilot Alex MacLean captures the ironically suburban trappings of New York City's hidden rooftop world. Web Urbanist author Delana pens a review.

May 25, 2012 - Web Urbanist

The Grid solicited ideas from some of Toronto's smartest people for how to make the city better, no matter what the cost or feasibility. David Topping and Katie Underwood deliver the inventive results.

May 24, 2012 - The Grid

A new tool for assessing the quality of the park systems in America's cities was unveiled this week by The Trust for Public Land. Ryan Donahue delivers the rankings.

May 24, 2012 - City Parks Blog

The Department of Defense has released new guidelines encouraging mixed-use, compact, walkable development throughout the nation's military bases, Sean Reilly reports.

May 23, 2012 - USA Today

Kathryn Shattuck reports on the fight to save downtown Minneapolis's decaying Peavey Plaza, which was recognized as one of the nation’s most significant examples of landscape architecture merely 13 years ago.

May 21, 2012 - The New York Times

Will French takes a look at the success of Birmingham's downtown revitalization, which – in the absence of a waterfront – embraced its historic railroads, instead.

May 16, 2012 - Urban Land

It sounds like the plot out of a bad B movie, but to the families of those killed and injured by falling limbs and branches from trees in New York's parks and public spaces, it's a real-life horror story that raises questions of municipal liability.

May 16, 2012 - The New York Times

Our annual list of the 10 best planning, design, and development websites represents some of the top online resources for news, information and research on the built environment.

May 15, 2012 - Abhijeet Chavan

As it wraps up the first stage of a community planning progress, Alan G. Brake checks in on the latest designs for Chicago's answer to the High Line.

May 14, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper