Landscape::: The Art of Jim Denevan

American sand artist Jim Denevan creates colossal geometric drawings etched into the sand freehand during the low tides. Often created with nothing more than a length of driftwood, Denevan has for nearly 20 years undertaken hundreds of unique sand drawings at beaches all around the world, however many last only only hours tide comes in.

competition ::: SLANT magazine

The July 2011 issue of SLANT magazine is launching a competition, open to all, to design a garden for a private residence. The house in question is not a real house, it has been designed specifically for this competition, and its location is not being specified. The “blanks” or “options” in the brief are deliberate, and the opportunity on offer to the entrants is that they can fill in the blanks in any way that they choose.

“It is a generic house and garden which could be almost anywhere in the world, and you are free to choose the country in which you would like this imaginary house and garden to be located.

To enter

landscape ::: SITIO

SITIO is a site-specific art project designed by Santiago Borja to sit alongside the famed modernist Villa Savoye in Poissy, France. SITIO plays with the argument developed by Adolf Max Vogt in his book Le Corbusier, The Noble Savage (2003), that traces the use of pilotis to childhood memories coloured by imagination and fantasy, rather than the logic often associated with Le Corbusier. More about the project and artist here

In other landscape news a new Public Park Opens In Montego Bay

Profile: Gustafson Guthrie Nichol

Named the 2011 Cooper-Hewitt’s National Design Awardee in Landscape Architecture, Gustafson Guthrie Nichol (GGN) is an international landscape architecture practice based in Seattle, Washington founded by Kathryn Gustafson, Jennifer Guthrie, and Shannon Nichol.

They have experience in designing landscapes that are widely varied in size, type and scale. The carefully crafted spaces are typically born of its context and express the sculptural qualities of the landscape whilst that offer moments of contemplation in intimate and tranquil settings. These spaces often reflect the professional backgrounds of the designers many trained in landscape, architecture, engineering, graphics, ecology, and other sciences.

Recent project include the Lurie Garden of Millennium Park in Chicago, the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, and the new Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Campus in Seattle.

landscape ::: Las Negras Waterfront

the Las Negras Waterfront in Cabo de Gata Natural Park, Almería, Spain designed by architect Jesús Torres García. The recently completed waterfront project is defined by benches that create movement in the landscape and wooden structures that frame vistas out to sea where. The palette of materials aims to anchor the work to its immediate context; the wood and raw concrete wall tie back to the community nearby.

landscape ::: New Intercontinental

Landscape Architect Thomas Balsley has recently completed a courtyard for the new Intercontinental Hotel in Times Square. The unique and private, 1,500 ft² vest-pocket landscape acts as a backdrop to the reception area peered through a window and evokes the tranquil sensibility of the rock karesansui gardens of Japan.

The courtyard for the Intercontinental is designed to oxygenate the hotel, both literally and figuratively. It offers a visual and spiritual retreat to the hotel’s travelers and guests as they retreat from the city’s bustle.

Thomas Balsley

Getier

Designed by Thomas Perz & Petrus Gartler, the bench gets its name for the animal-like features. Getier allows a diversity of interpretation, the solid chain is works both an anchor as well as a point of motion, creating multiple variation in their arrangements.

on the boards: Easy*Safe*Dry Trestles beach

An entry by architects Ko-La for the Architecture for Humanity sponsored Safe Trestles design competition. The contest asked designers to propose a more secure and less impacting means to access the coveted coast of the San Onofre State beach in California, considered one of the best places to surf and which attracts more than 100,000 people per annum.

landscape ::: Curtis Hixon Park

Designed by landscape architects Thomas Balsley Associates, the 9 acre Curtis Hixon Park is the promenade to the Tampa Museum of Art and Glazier Children’s Museum. Conceived as nucleus of the downtown waterfront revitalisation the park fuses recreation, urbanism, culture, heritage, and entertainment.