Award-winning landscape architectural firm Nelson Byrd Woltz achieves beautification and excellence through ecological revitalization, indigenous design, integrity of historical intent, and stewardship of space hallmarks the Memorial Park Conservancy prioritized for Memorial Parks Long-Range Master Plan. It is precisely this synergy of approach and vision that made Nelson Byrd Woltz the perfect partner for planning Memorial Parks sustainable future.

Need for a Master Design Plan for Memorial Park evolved naturally from collective concerns by the City of Houston, The Uptown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) #16, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, along with the Memorial Park Conservancy. Issues ranged from reforestation, traffic, accessibility, and ecological decline to a need for a way to address growth, improve facilities, and achieve balance for the park as a recreational and environmental asset.

It is very exciting to have Thomas Woltz design the blueprint for the future of Memorial Park, said Mayor Annise D. Parker. His vision, innovation, and influence will render a healthier, more bountiful public amenity for Houstonians near term, and provide a rich, lasting legacy for future generations. Equally as exciting, we hope every Houstonian will be engaged in the process.

The Memorial Park Conservancy secured approval from the Houston Parks and Recreation Department in 2012 to lay the groundwork and embarked on a lengthy research and interview process for the selection of a landscape architect to develop the Long-Range Master Plan. In May 2013, the Uptown TIRZ boundary was expanded to include Memorial Park, which provided much needed financial support.

The selection of Nelson Byrd Woltz not only ensures a healthy, sustainable future for Memorial Park, but also through ecological and landscape transformation, designed with robust public input, can exponentially elevate its asset significance for generations to come.

In 2011, as we began developing a long-term forestry management plan for Memorial Park we experienced a historic drought, said Joe Turner, director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. This drought was the driving force behind the need for a new master plan for the park. We look forward to a plan that will steward one of Houstons most beloved parks while it addresses the changing environmental conditions and the needs of the daily users.

Already Houstons largest urban-center park and a sentimental favorite for millions of Houstonians, Memorial Park encompasses 1,500 acres that attracts 4 million residents each year. Some 10,000 visitors use the parks Seymour Leiberman Exer-Trail daily, the premier running facility in the city. A highly regarded 18-hole golf course, active tennis, swimming, cycling, bird watching, and fitness facilities are accentuated by the parks wooded character, which has been devastatingly damaged by drought and human interaction.

Nelson Byrd Woltz has the extensive experience in ecological restoration we desire, explained Memorial Park Conservancy chair Jim Porter. The sheer beauty of their work masterfully triggers a cascade of positive ecological benefits, where depleted landscapes are brought back to life using native plants and the resurgence of local animals. This expertise is precisely what Memorial Park needs and deserves.

Firm owner Thomas L. Woltz is widely considered the rising star in landscape architecture. The New York School of Interior Design recently awarded him the inaugural Thomas N. Armstrong III Award in Landscape Design. In 2011, he was invested into the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Council of Fellows, one of the highest honors achieved in the profession. Woltz creates models of biodiversity and sustainability, replete with beauty, form, and function, recognized by more than 80 national, regional, and international awards.

This is a rare opportunity to set Memorial Park on a more resilient course; to ensure its longevity for the thousands of people using it every day; to create a rich and varied ecosystem further enhancing the experience of the park for its many users; and to envision and articulate the critical balance between intense and active use and preservation, said Thomas L. Woltz, owner of Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects. It is time to celebrate and embrace the unique ecology of southeast Texas and the natural and cultural history of the park. With the help of Houstonians we can create a beautiful and enduring park for tomorrow and for future generations.

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Nelson Byrd Woltz firm creating Memorial Park Master Plan; open house for comment is April 16

Dr.Ali Kemal Arkun #39;s Portfolio - Senior Landscape Architect and Urban Designer
After I graduated from Turkish Education Association Ankara College in 1996, I attended Bilkent University. I graduated at the top of my class with a 3.70 / 4.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average...

By: DrAli Kemal Arkun

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Dr.Ali Kemal Arkun's Portfolio - Senior Landscape Architect and Urban Designer - Video

Designing a consilient life: Story Musgrave at TEDxWellesleyCollege
Story Musgrave was born on a dairy farm in Stockbridge, MA. He was in the forests alone at 3, floated his homebuilt rafts on rivers and rode combines by 5, drove trucks and tractors at 10,...

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Designing a consilient life: Story Musgrave at TEDxWellesleyCollege - Video

American Society of Landscape Architects logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Society of Landscape Architects)

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Society of Landscape Architects is launching two new educational resources that will help young people and teachers explore the landscape architecture professiona newly redesigned Career Discovery website and the new Tools for Teachers. The launch is part of ASLA's outreach for National Landscape Architecture Month in April.

The Career Discovery website, aimed at students in middle school and high school, explains what a landscape architect does and how to become one. With a background that features the evolution of Columbus Circle in New York City from sketch to reality, the website shows how landscape architects creatively solve complex urban and environmental issues through design. Columbus Circle was redesigned by OLIN, a landscape architecture firm, and received a 2006 ASLA Honor Award in the General Design category.

The website also includes two videos"Personal Paths" and "Why Become a Landscape Architect?"featuring landscape architects and designers on why landscape architecture is the perfect career for art- and science-oriented students.

Tools for Teachers is a new education hub for K-12 teachers. It is loaded with fun, free classroom activities that will inspire lesson plans and start classroom dialogues about landscape architecture. It includes links to all of ASLA's educational resources, including:

"Students need to know at an earlier age why landscape architecture is a fun, rewarding, and important career that helps communities become great places to live," said Mark A. Focht, FASLA, president of ASLA and first deputy commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. "Our educational and career discovery resources will help them and their teachers get excited about what we do and why it matters."

"We invite students and their teachers and families to check out our resources and learn more about the landscape architecture profession," said Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA, the executive vice president and CEO of ASLA. "Landscape architects draw upon their knowledge of the environment, science, and art to design outdoor environments and related green infrastructure, such as plazas, campuses, parks, playgrounds, streetscapes, and residential properties. Their work is everywhere."

These resources are an opportunity for students to explore landscape architecture, a career they may not have heard much about, and learn the pathways of becoming a landscape architect.

Note: Media are welcome to download the "Personal Paths" and "Why Become a Landscape Architect?" videos from Vimeo as long as they are unedited and ASLA is given credit. For more information, please contact Karen Grajales.

About the American Society of Landscape ArchitectsFounded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape architects, representing more than 15,000 members in 49 professional chapters and 72 student chapters. Members of the Society use the "ASLA" suffix after their names to denote membership and their commitment to the highest ethical standards of the profession. The Society's mission is to advance landscape architecture through advocacy, communication, education and fellowship. Learn more about landscape architecture online at http://www.asla.org.

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American Society of Landscape Architects Launches New Educational Resources for K-12 Teachers and Students

by Eve Sonary Heng, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on April 9, 2014, Wednesday

KUCHING: The Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (Ilam) and the International Federation of Landscape Architects (Ifla) Asia Pacific will be holding an international event in conjunction with Architect Month and the Ifla 2014 Asia Pacific Congress from April 28 to 30 here.

This is the first time that Malaysia as a whole and particularly Sarawak play host to the international congress, revealed Ilam president Mohd Fadrillah Mohd Taib.

The event, which will be held at the Pullman Hotel Kuching is themed a Greener Tomorrow which I feel is related to our Sarawak culture, natural resources, and green technology.

The theme means more than just plants and nature; it encompasses the methodology and finding of best practice in handling the environment and improving living conditions, he told the press yesterday.

We plan to look at sustainable, economic, value added benefits for communities in totality and at causing less environmental impact and providing more energy efficient management strategies, he added.

With these principles as guide, he said delegates will delve into sub-themes namely Greener Technology, Greener Tourism and Greener Heritage. On who should attend the congress, he replied they could be policy makers, engineers, planners, architects, developers and contractors, and others including nursery owners, green technology product manufacturers, government agencies, local governments, tour operators, hotel and resort owners, foresters, researchers as well as educators.

The congress will showcase some of the best sustainable technology and research knowledge which takes into consideration natural and cultural context.

He said in conjunction with the Ifla 2014 Asia Pacific Congress, fringe activities will also be held, including International Student Charrette from April 25 to 27, Ifla Asia Pacific Regional Council Meeting on April 27, Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards and Ilam Gala Night on April 29, Spouse Programme on April 28 and 29 and Technical Visits on April 30.

He explained that at the moment, 160 students from six countries (Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand) have registered for the International Student Charrette, which will be held at the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV).

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Sarawak to host international landscaping congress

Local landscape architects tour Ft. Monroe to learn about the areas that are being considered for new landscaping.

HAMPTON With a master plan in place, Fort Monroe officials are looking for a landscape architect firm with experience creating public trails, who can create programs for green areas and who have worked on other National Park Service sites.

Experience riding a bicycle isn't required, but it's recommended.

Fort Monroe officials gave prospective bidders a 90-minute bike tour of the 565-acre property Wednesday afternoon. The Fort Monroe Authority is seeking landscape architects to take the property's master plan and create programs and activities within existing spaces on under-utilized sites.

Keith Oliver, a principal at Norfolk-based InSites Landscape Architecture, said he visited Fort Monroe as a child, but never had the opportunity to ride around the property on a bicycle.

He was among the 31 prospective bidders for the project to sign in at the gathering.

"It really is a ground-breaking project to work on," Oliver said. "I don't know of anything like it around here."

Fort Monroe Authority Executive Director Glenn Oder said the winning firm must be within a day's drive of the property, which excluded Sasaki Associates, the Boston-based company that created the fort's master plan.

"This is going to be an interactive relationship with the Fort Monroe staff," Oder said. "The further away you are, the more challenging it becomes."

The entrance is one of the sites authority officials believe is vital to create an impression on residents and visitors.

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Candidates for Fort Monroe landscape architect firm take bicycle tour | With Video

Why Become a Landscape Architect?
Landscape architects and designers explain why landscape architecture might be the perfect profession for you.

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Why Become a Landscape Architect? - Video

Day in the Life: Landscape Architect
Janice Nicol, landscape architect at The Office of Cheryl Barton, an award-winning firm in San Francisco, shares the importance of creative expression and pa...

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Day in the Life: Landscape Architect - Video

Chesterland, OH (PRWEB) April 01, 2014

Exscape Designs has welcomed Michael Beightol, Landscape Architect and Project Manager, to their team of talented professionals. Beightol is a registered Landscape Architect with the state of Ohio as well as a LEED accredited professional. He received his degree from Penn State University in 2002 and has since been practicing landscape and urban design in and around the Cleveland area. Beightol has worked with civil engineering, architecture and planning firms, and most recently spent time with a construction subcontractor specializing in commercial finishes, demolition, and masonry restoration.

Michael brings with him many years of experience and a unique design style that I know will add value to our clients through our in-depth creative planning process and sound landscape design processes, said company owner and president, Bill Dysert, CLT. Michael is also unique in that he has a background not only in creative design and urban planning but also brings real construction experience. When selecting a design-build firm, we have found our clients are really looking for the best team that they can trust to not only design but to execute at a very high level with extreme attention to fine details and Michaels personality, skills, and abilities will be a great addition to our team in our constant pursuit for excellence.

Beightol looks forward to working with the Exscape team as well as the companys clients. I hope to be able to contribute my skills and experiences to further enhance the already high-quality product of Exscape Designs, Beightol said. I hope to be an integral part of the team through design and implementation and I look forward to helping clients build the best solutions for their properties. Im really excited to join Bill and his team and I look forward to the work ahead.

For more information on Exscape Designs or to schedule an interview with Bill Dysert or Michael Beightol, call 440.332.4198 or email info(at)exscapedesigns(dot)com.

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Exscape Designs Welcomes Newest Team Member

George London and Moses Cook had worked comprehensively at Burghley in the late 1600s and their extensive formal gardens and avenues can be seen around the house and the parkland. The parkland would most likely have been wood pastures at that time, used for grazing and timber. It was dissected by more than 20 radiating avenues and formal vistas. This type of axial formalism was predominant in Englands large Renaissance gardens, where designers such as London and Henry Wise drew inspiration from the formal French gardens of Andr Le Ntre, who designed the landscape for Versailles.

These gardens required colossal quantities of labour and this, no doubt, had a big influence on their removal.

Brown, having risen meteorically from being an apprentice/under-gardener at a modest estate, was renowned for his nature as God intended it style, which involved removing unsightly buildings (often including houses), formal gardens and arable fields to create his minimalist natural landscapes. His designs allowed for sporting pursuits and were easier to maintain.

At Burghley, Brown proved he was more than just a designer, solving the serious drainage issues in and around the house by creating the large serpentine lake, The New River, which now divides the Middle Park from the Lower Park adjacent to the house. These damp problems were due to a fault line that naturally occurs there where the blue clay and limestone meet. Browns proposals were typically radical.

All of the avenues except two (North Avenue and Queen Annes Avenue) were either clear-felled or had large chunks of them removed. The formal gardens around the house were swept away. Brown was also responsible for alterations to the house and other architectural elements.

Chatsworth: another of Brown's great gardens (ALAMY)

Looking at what he created today illustrates his genius and strengths in many fields aside from aesthetics. Browns knowledge of drainage and soil types was one of his outstanding attributes.

Peter Glassey, the current head of forestry, park and gardens at Burghley, says that several different tree species were used according to the local soil type, indicating an intimate knowledge of soils and what suits them. For instance, Brown planted oaks near the natural spring line (where the clay and limestone meet) where the soil is heavier; elsewhere sweet chestnut is used on the lighter, freer-draining soils with body.

Presumably Brown gleaned much of this knowledge from locals who worked with the land, knew areas intimately and had picked up information from their forebears. Brown also supervised the work. His success was due to his ability as a contractor in seeing the work through to its conclusion. Not only did he have shrewd observational powers and artistic skills but he was a great businessman and worked tremendously hard. He was skilled in planting, building dams and, of course, earth moving. Teams of his men would work to his designs.

Inevitably, sometimes things on site went wrong, with several commissions taking place at once in different parts of the country. But Browns repeated visits ensured that they were usually sorted out.

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Burghley House: restoring the vision of Capability Brown