Friday, October 30, 2009

bridges eh - spanning canadian waters part 2

conceptual design competition - st. patricks bridge, calgary

CMLC [Calgary Municipal Land Corporation ] has been charged with the responsibility of implementing public infrastructure improvements that will be the catalyst for private and public sector development in the Rivers District with a focus on East Village. The design and construction of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge - St. Patrick’s Bridge - is an important component of the infrastructure improvements in the Rivers District. CMLC has initiated a competitive process for the conceptual design of the pedestrian/bicycle bridge which crosses the Bow River and provides crucial links between the communities on the north and south of its banks with city attractions, amenities and pathway systems." Source: Nicolas Marier

There were 35 submissions, here are my top 5.

RFR (Paris, France) and Halsall (Calgary)











ARUP North America Ltd. (San Francisco, CA) and Kasian architecture and Interior Design and Planning ltd. (Calgary)







Endres Ware (Berkley, CA) and Amman & Whitney









ARUP with Falco Schmitt Architects (London, UK)






thank you to my mate Andrew G at
DeJong Design Associates Ltd. for forwarding me the competition details.
see below for the proposal prepared by DeJong + KTA Structural Engineers (Calgary)









For a closer look at all 35 submissions please visit the
Calgary Municipal Land Corporation

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Leona Drive - A Public Access + LOT Project

While reading Saturday's Globe and Mail I spotted this article and thought it warranted a closer look.

The Leona Drive project - An installation of site specific artwork in houses slated for Demolition.

"This landmark project brings together Canadian artists, high school students, developers, curious neighbours and local politicians to open up dialogue around urban planning and city life." via leonadrive.ca









images by Charla Jones via The Globe And Mail


The Leona Drive Project runs to Oct.31, open daily, 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. with artist talks each day at 1 and 6 p.m.
for a more in depth look at the project please visit leonadrive.ca
+ be sure to check out LOT Project + Public Access Collective

Thursday, October 22, 2009

New York City Parks in Use, 1912 by Charles Downing Lay

Charles Downing Lay (1877-1956) was the first student to receive a degree in Landscape Architecture at Harvard.

"The modern landscape park, as we know, is a result of modern urbanization and its immediate predecessor was the royal hunting park, which, gradually surrounded by an urban population, was gradually appropriated for its own uses. In this country where all is new the parks were created abruptly because it felt that some sight of rural scenery was necessary for dwellers in a large city." Lay, Excerpt from Charles Downing. "Park Design and the Preservation of the Park Idea." Landscape Architecture (January 1921, Vol. XI, no. 2) 76-83.



Thomas Jefferson Park, School Gardens 1912






Central Park, Skating Lake, 1912






Central Park, Concert on the Mall, 1912


Additional Central Park images created between 1880-1912


Central Park, plan (Olmsted Bros. Dec. 1901), Louisville, KY

F. Law Olmsted was also responsible for layout of the Uplands, Victoria BC.


Central Park, aerial view, New York, NY



Central Park, aerial view, looking south, New York, NY



Central Park, The Mall, New York, NY



Central Park, bridge, New York, NY



Central Park, ball field, New York, NY

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

contours + cross sections

Fondness for contour maps, sketching, and the discipline of Japanese design and architecture may be why I am so partial to these hand drawn prints by artist Momoko Sudo.