Recently, Oakland Local sought out five people with long histories in Oakland and asked them to share their thoughts about downtown Oaklands planning challenges and opportunities. (Read the companion piece here.)

For our completely unscientific survey, we talked to a preservationist, an architect, a landscape architect, a developer and a planner. It is impossible to represent the immense diversity of Oaklands population or even of the possibilities for downtown in the space we have for this article, so please take this as a small piece of a much bigger conversation.

Even among the five people who generously took the time to share their ideas with us, the range of different perspectives was impressive and, at times, surprising. Here are five challenges that came out of these conversations.

Frank Ogawa Plaza

Frank Ogawa Plaza, with abundant seating. Photo by Chris Pattillo.

I dont think its terrible, but I think it raises issues, said Naomi Schiff, a member of the board of the Oakland Heritage Alliance and a local business owner who has lived in Oakland since 1974, of the plaza that sits at the heard of downtown and fronts City Hall.

Closing the street was seen as essential for attracting investment, said Matthew Taecker, chair of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) regional and urban design committee. The consequence of that was that downtown lost a lot of its connectivity.

Occupy people were the only people that ever used that space, Schiff said. The encampments presence in the plaza showed that, all the politics aside, its an inviting space.

Chris Pattillo, chair of the Oakland Planning Commission and president of PGA Design, was part of the initial design team that developed the master plan for Frank Ogawa Plaza. To be really successful, any urban space needs three things: good design, maintenance and programming, she said. I think the overall design of Ogawa Plaza is a good design.

To have vibrant urban spaces, you have to work at it, Pattillo noted. You cant sit back and wait for something magical to happen.

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5 urban planning challenges for downtown Oakland

It put the Upper into the East Side. It prevented Fifth Avenue from becoming Wall Street. It made penthouse the most important word in real estate.

Lifted: A Cultural History of the Elevator byAndreas Bernard (New York University Press)

The elevator did more than make New York the city of skyscrapers, it changed the way we live, as German newspaper editor Andreas Bernard explains in Lifted.

The elevator played a role in the profound reorganization of the building, he writes. That means a shift from single-family houses and businesses to apartments and office buildings. Suddenly . . . it was possible to encounter strangers almost anywhere.

The elevator, in other words, made us more social even if that social interaction often involved muttered small talk and staring at doors. It also reinforced a social hierarchy; for while we rode the same elevators, those who rode higher lived above the fray. Elisha Graves Otis, who perfected the elevator in Yonkers, helped usher in terraces and corner offices, high-rise apartments and rooftop clubs.

So, what would New York be like without elevators? Besides a lot thinner, Bernard offers three things that changed thanks to Otis innovation.

Before the elevator, buildings in New York basically were limited to six stories because people wouldnt walk any higher. Even when the elevator raised the roof to 12 stories, developers faced a threat greater than technology snobbery.

Upper floors were seen as servants quarters or the attic apartments of the poor. Bernard quotes from Joseph Roths Hotel Savoy, whose main character stays in the unwanted upper floors. Those who lived on high were in the depths, buried in airy graves, and the graves were in layers above the comfortable rooms of the well nourished guests sitting down below, untroubled by the flimsy coffins overhead.

Even after elevator buildings began appearing in New York, it took years to convince tenants to live in the upper reaches. In the first commercial building with an elevator, the Equitable Life headquarters, the insurance company took the lower offices, while the eighth floor held the custodians apartment.

Even in 1884, when the Dakota opened on the Upper West Side (the first apartment building geared to the rich), it was assumed the wealthy would rather live closer to the ground.

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How elevators transformed NYCs social landscape

Landscape architects operate in much the same was as traditional architects. They are responsible for both the functional and aesthetic layout of a design. The principal difference is in the medium in which they work. Landscape architects use living canvases, such as grasses, flowers and trees, as well as traditional construction materials such as concrete to enhance and beautify outdoor spaces. Landscape architects design and plan out green spaces for a number of different clients. They can work on large-scale projects such as public use spaces like parks and recreational areas, as well as major commercial and industrial sites. In these instances, landscape architects often work closely with local government commissions and traditional architects when planning out the ideal landscape to enhance and complement the buildings they accompany. Landscape architects also work on smaller projects, such as private homes. In these instances, they will work closely with the homeowner to create a living landscape that suits the individual's personal taste.

Landscape architects are required to be registered in the state in which they practice. These registration requirements vary by location, but most require a degree as well as an exam for licensing. As the economy and housing market rebounds, the outlook for landscape architects is very promising. The market for these services is closely tied to the construction industry, as new construction requires the services of landscape architects to complement the aesthetics of the buildings being planned.

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Landscape Architect (US) Salary - PayScale

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior'sNational Park Service issued the following news release:

The "Monuments Men," the team of historians who protected monuments, artwork and other cultural treasures from the destruction of World War II and whose story is told in a major motion picture being released today, included among their ranks former and future employees of the National Park Service.

Denys P. "Peter" Myers, an architectural historian with the National Park Service'sHistoric American Buildings Survey, and Norman T. Newton, a landscape architect in what is now the Northeast Regional Office, were among the 350 men and women from 13 nations who volunteered for this dangerous service. Officially known as the military's Monument, Fine Arts and Archives section, the Monuments Men were museum directors, curators, art scholars and educators, artists, architects and archivists whose mission was to save as much of the greatest cultural and artistic achievements of Europe as possible from the destructive threat of war.

"The preservation of places and objects that represent our nation's culture and history is core to the mission of the National Park Service," said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. "We are proud that in a time of international crisis, men with the skills and expertise to preserve our nation's cultural heritage answered the call to ensure that these treasures from other nations would not be lost."

In all, the Monuments Men tracked, located, and ultimately returned more than 5 million artistic and cultural items stolen by Hitler and the Nazis. Their role in preserving cultural treasures was without precedent. In civilian life, many of these individuals played extraordinarily prominent roles with some of the greatest cultural and educational institutions in the United States.

Technician Fifth Grade Denys P. "Peter" Myers

Architectural historian Peter Myers served with the U.S. Army as a member of the Monument, Fine Arts and Archives program from 1943 until 1946. During that time, he participated in the recovery of art stolen by the Nazis, and aided in the remarkable salvage of the frescoes by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo at the Residenz Palace in Wurzburg, Germany.

In his post-war career, he worked for the National Park Service for 20 years, primarily with the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), a database of drawings, photographs and histories representing America's architectural heritage. He contributed the written historical data to more than a dozen surveys (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/related/?q=Myers%2C%20Denys%20Peter&fi=names&co=hh) during his career. Myers was also considered an authority on 19th-century gas lighting and authored Gas Lighting in America: A Pictorial Survey (http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/hcrs/myers/index.htm), 1815-1910 for the National Park Service in 1978.

Lt. Col. Norman Thomas Newton

Norman Newton served as an Associate Landscape Architect for the National Park Service from 1933 to 1939. During this time he designed the master plan for the Statue of Liberty and Bedloe's (today Liberty) Island, in which he called for the removal of old Army barracks and the creation of a formal design of lawns and walkways. Newton's objective of "a setting of appropriate well-ordered dignity" continued to dominate the development program even after his departure from the National Park Service in 1939, and his influence can be seen at the site to this day. Other projects Newton completed for the National Park Service included master plans for Saratoga National Historical Park and Salem Maritime National Historic Site.

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National Park Service Historians Among the 'Monuments Men' of World War II

Sustainabile Landscape Design: Landscape Locally with Jack Pizzo
Defining sustainability in a landscape context Sustainability by providence Discussion of the benefits from sustainable landscape design Applying sustainab...

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Sustainabile Landscape Design: Landscape Locally with Jack Pizzo - Video

Graduation / Landscape Architect Edinburgh University

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Graduation / Landscape Architect Edinburgh University - Video

PHS Green Room Host: Peg Prizer, Landscape Architect from Doylestown, PA
Peg Prizer Prizer Design Group Office 215-230-0900 http://www.prizerdesigngroup.com.

By: Peg Prizer

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PHS Green Room Host: Peg Prizer, Landscape Architect from Doylestown, PA - Video

Carpinteria, CA (PRWEB) February 05, 2014

Eye of the Day Garden Design Center, the leading importer of authentic European terra cotta, and Vecchio Trees, provider of fine specimens, are partnering to create a stunning entry garden at the Landscape Architects' Expo in Long Beach, California, on February 13th and 14th.

This partnership is part of an ongoing collaboration between the two companies, who together designed the entry garden at January's Landscape Industry Show at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

"This a huge opportunity for us to show our most important clients what we offer and how combining our two products together make for a powerful environment and design statement. The landscape design community will see first-hand the finest garden containers offered in the market today along with the most stunning display of olive trees available," says Eye of the Day owner Brent Freitas.

The Landscape Architects' Expo (LA Expo) is a regional trade show and educational conference at which landscape architects and designers can be educated, explore new products and technologies, and establish business relationships.

The expo will feature over 130 exhibitors, thousands of design elements, 7 major associations, nearly 30 seminars, a panel discussion by landscape firm MIG, the CLASS Fund Senior Student Showcase, as well as a charity reception that will benefit the Landscape Architecture Foundation and honor landscape architect leaders.

Admission to the exhibit hall is free with Pre-Registration, which can be accessed at LandscapeOnline.com via the LA expo homepage (http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/LASN-Expo/PR-1.php). All Pre-Registered attendees will receive their EXPRESS Badge in the mail prior to the expo.

For more information about Eye of the Day Garden Center and to browse the website, visit eyeofthedaygdc.com.

About Eye of the Day Garden Design Center Eye of the Day Garden Design Center is a retail showroom featuring more than an acre of high quality garden products, including Italian terra cotta pottery and fountains, Greek terra cotta and French Anduze pottery, as well as products from Americas oldest pottery manufactures Gladding McBean, EOTD also carries premier concrete garden pottery and statuary manufacturers. Eye of the Day is a leading importer of fine European garden dcor, and caters to private consumers, as well as landscape and design professionals around the world.

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Eye of the Day Garden Design Center Announces Participation at Landscape Architects' Expo

Louis Benech has designed gardens across the world. (Photos by Eric Sander / Courtesy of Louis Benech)

STOCKBRIDGE -- For world-renowned landscape architect Louis Benech, designing a garden is more a science than an art.

"Gardening is said to be an art, but I think there is no way I am an artist," Benech said in a recent telephone interview from his Paris office. "Artists are more free." Designing a garden "is too technical to be an art."

Finding that balance between freedom and responsibility in garden design will be the topic of Benech's lecture at Monument Mountain High School on Saturday, Feb. 8. Benech will speak at the Berkshire Botanical Garden's winter lecture, which is expected to draw more than 400 guests.

A reception will follow, where Benech will sign copies of "Twelve French Gardens" a book by author Eric Jansen and photographer Eric Sander, which shows some of his work.

Benech is known for his work on more than 300 public and private gardens across the globe, including the historic Tuileries Gardens and the Elysee Palace Gardens, both in Paris, Pavlovsk's rose pavilion in St. Petersburg and the Gardens of the Archilleion in Corfu.

"I am very happy when the garden is gentle enough that somebody is not thinking that someone is working there," Benech said . "I am not into the vision of exotic-looking gardens."

Benech is currently working at the Palace of Versailles on a contemporary garden for the Water Grove Theatre.

In his speech, Benech will share the methods and attitudes to adopt when approaching a garden, whether it is located in France or abroad, historical or untouched by history, with a view to restoration or to pure creation.

"We are very, very lucky to have him and we are honored he has chosen to come and speak," said BBG Communications Manager Brian Cruey. "Louis brings a great mix of new and old. He is considered very fashion-forward in the world of gardening, but still traditional," he said.

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Louis Benech, Designer of the Tuileries Gardens, to give Berkshire Botanical Garden's winter lecture in Great Barrington

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Newswise The Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) program has certified landscapes at a federal courthouse in New Mexico, a Washington, D.C. elementary school, a campus plaza in Washington, D.C., and an urban plaza in Washington state.

The four projects certified by the nations most comprehensive rating system for sustainable landscapes are at: Albuquerques Pete V. Domenici U.S. Courthouse, which received a two star certification; Brent Elementary School in Washington D.C., which received one star; Square 80 Plaza at The George Washington University, also in D.C. with one star; and East Bay Public Plaza in Olympia, Washington, with one star.

The SITES program is a collaboration of the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center of The University of Texas at Austin, and the United States Botanic Garden. The program was created to fill a critical need for a comprehensive set of guidelines and a system for recognizing sustainable landscapes based on their planning, design, construction and intended maintenance. This voluntary national rating system and set of performance benchmarks can be applied to projects of all sizes and on sites with or without buildings.

"It is exciting to see a growing number of projects across the country that have applied an integrative design process to meet rigorous sustainability guidelines, while finding ways to address urgent environmental and social challenges," said SITES Program Director Danielle Pieranunzi, who is based at the Wildflower Center. We are thrilled to certify these four new projects that truly exemplify the breadth of approaches to sustainable site design and development.

The newly certified projects applied the 2009 SITES Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks and met the requirements for pilot certification. There are now 30 landscape projects at universities, businesses and public spaces that have achieved this recognition. The SITES rating system was created by dozens of the countrys leading sustainability experts, scientists and design professionals.

The four newly certified projects each incorporate sustainable features that were evaluated using a rating system with certification levels of one to four stars. These landscape projects include the following sustainable features:

Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse Sustainable Landscape Renovation, Two Stars, Rios Clementi Hale Studios, Albuquerque, N.M. This federal courthouse is the first project constructed by the General Services Administration to achieve SITES certification. Originally constructed in 1998, the underutilized hardscaped plazas, overwatered lawns and faulty water feature of the existing courthouse exemplified resource inefficiency, disconnection from its environment, and distance from the public. The landscape renovation reconceives the site as a cohesive park-like landscape rooted within the rich cultural, climatic and hydrological fabric of the Rio Grande Basin. Innovative strategies include the selective removal and re-use of excess concrete paving to create seat wall terraces which direct site storm water into a series of native habitat rain gardens. The project creates a bold landscape and dignified setting for court operations while enhancing the efficiency and sustainable operations through improved water management, decreased energy use and increased urban habitat.

Brent Elementary Schoolyard Greening, One Star, Sustainable Life Designs, Washington, D.C. Located five blocks from the nations Capitol, this greyfield site with asphalt dominated grounds was transformed into a sustainable landscape that educates students, parents, and neighborhood residents about green infrastructure. Improvements include the removal of 1,600 square feet of asphalt and the installation of pollinator gardens, stormwater management features, new play equipment, and 7,000 square feet of outdoor classrooms to enhance outdoor play and learning that were achieved through numerous volunteer hours. The stormwater management features include a rain garden, rain barrel, and bio-retention swale. A formerly trash-strewn space behind the school building is now an urban canyon" that helps manage stormwater and provides native habitat.

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Four Landscape Projects Bring Total to 30 Certified by National Sustainability Rating System