Sustaining Nature and Natural Processes in Ultra-Urban Environments
On April 16 the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) and DeepRoot co-hosted a conversation and charrette at the SvR offices in Seattle. The theme was “Cities need nature, and nature needs cities: How and where do you struggle to bring nature to the built environment?” The goal was to better understand the opportunities and challenges to integrating nature into cities at every stage in the process, from conception and design to construction and maintenance.
The 20 attendees were a diverse cross-section of landscape architects, engineers, arborists, and academics. The rich discussion delved into places that are problematic for ‘normal nature’, such as streetscapes, on structure, plazas, and transit. By examining what it takes to sustain natural processes in these highly-urbanized environments, the conversation went beyond the concerns of any one discipline and into the broader realm of what makes for the most successful public spaces.
DeepRoot is working to put together several videos and blog posts based on the day’s discussion. The first one on the history of the word “parking” will be available soon. Stay tuned for more over the coming weeks!
[6/1 UPDATE] The first products are now available:
- When “Parking” Meant “Space for Trees” [Blog post]
- “Cities Are a Lot Like Forests” - Perspectives on Designing with Nature [Video]
