Living Systems: Innovative Materials and Technologies for Landscape Architecture

by Liat Margolis

Revolutionizing landscape architecture through the use of intelligent materials and technologiesLiving Systems surveys a wide array of innovative approaches to material technologies within the field of landscape architecture. The selected projects and materials exhibit a contemporary demand for technological landscapes and the collaboration between designers, engineers, scientists and ecologists. The book proposes a synthesis between technology and theory, focusing on growth, flow, metabolism, climate, and atmospheric phenomena.Projects and materials are cross-referenced according to performance criteria, processes, and properties. Each of the 36 international projects and 23 material technologies is presented with drawing details and construction photographs. Descriptions of key processes and adaptive qualities provide an analysis of the various complex systems featured, such as vertical growth structures, flood prevention, stormwater infiltration and erosion control.Projects featured include works by West8, GROSS.MAX, Weiss-Manfredi Architects, Field Operations, Kathryn Gustafson, and Vogt Landschaftarchitekten.

Genres: Landscape Architecture

191 pages, Hardcover

First published April 22, 2003

Reviews

[Hamilcar]

I was excited about this book from the first moment I heard about it. I ordered it immediately and read through it carefully, sometimes revisiting projects repeatedly. The book is essentially a collection of brief case-studies with a little bit of writing to pull them together. I particularly appreciated a project by Günther Vogt and one by Julie Bargmann, but there are a lot of great works here. A broad and overly simplified theme for the book is the technology and process of landscape in contemporary practice.

[Rachel Bayles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful overview of some innovative projects.