3 AWESOME REASONS WHY:
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE IS IMPORTANT
Landscape architecture is of great importance in the sustainability of our environment and the health of its inhabitants. Plants and animals are protected and encouraged to thrive in diversely designed habitations and green environments. Humans also benefit from tree planting and landscaping by the environment's abilities to clean the air, filter the carbon dioxide, catch the dust, shade from radiation, dilution of stormwater, beautification of the environment and best of all the cooling of our climate.
Here are 3 of the best reasons why landscape architecture is so important.
1. RESTORATION OF LANDSCAPES & CREATION OF HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS
BEFORE
The Cheonggyecheon River restoration in Seoul, South Korea, is a perfect example of landscape architecture and urban design working to reduce the environmental impact busy cities make on the landscape and their inhabitants. The river, once unused and polluted and located under 14 lanes of freeway through the busy capital city of South Korea, now provides so much more for the health and lifestyle of its occupants. The restoration has created a green corridor offering an aesthetic pathway following the river with an avenue of trees lining its banks. Not only has it beautified the city but it hosts entertainment and places for exercise and meditation and of course provides homes for all kinds of animals.
AFTER
2. COOLING SUBURBIA
Find below some interesting articles about grey and green suburbs and how a lack of trees exacerbates extreme heat effects. Without enough trees shading city streets, temperatures can be as much as 10C hotter making some suburbs impossible to live in. One of the main reasons you'll find this heat disparity is due to of all things homeowners knocking down trees to put a pool in to make their homes cooler. Landscape architecture can encourage more planting through landsape design when designing for new developments and restoration of old ones.
A new report released by lead author, Prof Hurley, RMIT and Greener Spaces Better Places, a government, academia and horticulture industry initiative that looks at the benefits of greening cities, examined tree cover across hundreds of Australian local government areas (LGAs). Find on the report's website,
www.greenerspacesbetterplaces.com.au informative guides (for example:
How to grow an urban forest)
to assist you in greening your home and community. Another website feature shows you how the tree cover is faring in your area by inserting your postcode:
Greener Spaces Better Places: How green is your postcode.
Heat map of Fairfield in western Sydney compared to birds eye image showing parts of the LGA where heat is far above mean.
Picture: Green Spaces Better Places/Google Maps.Source:Supplied
For more information on cooling our environment, check out these articles:
How to grow an urban forest:
Green Spaces Better Places
Lack of trees exacerbates extreme heat effects in Australian suburbs - news.com.au - Benedict Brook
3. INTERACTIVE PLAY, LEARNING & RECREATION
AB Paterson early childhood centre - designed by Byrns Lardner
Which other professions allow you to make such a major positive influence in peoples' lives by designing exciting and interactive spaces that offer parks and playgrounds, exercise equipment, pools, learning experiences and connectivity with community and nature?
The Gardens by the Bay in Singapore demonstrate the affirmative effects of great landscape design. Providing entertainment and learning experiences about nature through programmes and workshops whilst also offering spaces for social interaction and exercise, this park is now a highly desirable tourism destination for locals and international travellers.
Looking down onto Supertree Grove, Cloud Forest, Flower Dome and Singapore Flyer at Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.
