Landscape is Amanda: Eco Build 2011

Eco Build, a wonderful melting pot of ideas, concepts and objects exhibited and presented for the curious to see. Many interesting things were on display and I was very sad to not be able to see every single stall in detail as I had spent most of my time in the seminars.

It was a pleasure hearing Professor Antje Stokman speak about the various case studies she had participated in. The main question she asks herself per project is: is it a productive landscape? And if not, how can it be? I find it quite important to ask ourselves these questions since green systems, biodiversity and a connection with nature are no longer a luxury but a necessity.

View of the various stalls.

This giant pink floating sculpture symbolises the 'hidden' water that we consume found within our day to day lives be it vehicles, clothes and even food. It is time for a behavioural change regarding out water footprint, according to The Perfumed Garden.

Dr Kayvan Karimi then educated us about the importance of space syntax. This was more of an advertisement for a program he had created that calculates the most accessible to the least accessible roads in any city, and then ranges the colours from dark red (very accessible) to dark blue (least).

This looks like a really badly made collage but is actually a real photo of a city.

Henry Shaftoe was another interesting lecturer who had quite a strong animosity towards landscapes designed using private geometry and mathmatical games. He claims that they may look fantastic on plan but have no value in real life and will end up being deserted. Thames Barrier Park was one of the many examples shown.

A picture capturing a perfect example of how current designs don't seem to care about the people supposed to be using them. It seems that placing public furniture in urban spaces are more for the ease of maintenance rather than ease of use.