Landscape Urbanism

This modern period, computer architecture gives attention not only on creating new designs on buildings and structures but on reinventing the environment as well by taming the nature and aestheticizing them for mans map and pleasure. Architects understand arts and environmental c are which they formed together to reflect a culture and history in the midst of modernization and industrialization. This is because people begun to reject the complexity of urban life and the consequence of globose capitalism.Landscape urbanism is one area of architecture which becomes significant in the overall formation of a buildings construction. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, defined embellish urbanism as a theory of urbanism arguing that landscape is more capable of organizing the urban center and enhancing the urban experience. Its purpose is to create an environment for human to enjoy, live and employ thus making the urban center or urban distinct from rural areas. This invention was elaborated by Charles Waldheim in his book in which he stated that landscape urbanism is the union of landscape with urbanism which promises new relational and systematic workings crossways territories of vast scale and scope, situating the parts in relation to the whole (p. 33). In his explanation, he emphasized that the concept lies on mobilizing the new ecologies of our future metropolitan regions (p. 33). Ad Graafland, Leslie Jaye Kavanaugh and George Baird on the other ha nd, described the margin as a strategy that the overlaying of bionomical and urban strategies can offer a means by which projects may create new systems of interconnected networks that complement the existing structures (p. 585).Thus, landscape urbanism is integration in the architectural design of the evocative power of landscape and the principles of ecology it is a celebration of diversity or urban life by discovering and articulating the aesthetic appreciation and expression of urban life. It is indeed sustainability that is taking place in a metropolis in a technical way by giving it a showcase in between buildings and ordinary places.Why Landscape Urbanism Emerged in ArchitectureThe discipline of landscape urbanism according to Charles Waldheim has emerged from landscape architecture but with greater consideration of ethnical and historical as well as natural and ecological (p. 127). Waldheim strongly pointed aside that it has emerged from architecture because, the concept of landscape urbanism lies strongly on one function of architecture as a device in urban transformation (p. 127).Landscape urbanism has come out from the very root of landscape architecture according to Richard Weller is relatively ineffectual in reshaping the world and seems nonetheless theoretically conform and worthy in its aspiration (p. 71), because of the influence of capitalism and conventional hegemony of engineering and architecture. In the like way, Weller believed that landscape urbanism alo ne could prepare and practically capable of collapsing the divide between planning and design (p. 71).Igor Marjanovic, Lesley Naa Norle Lokko clearly pointed out that landscape urbanism is distinct from landscape architecture in a way that the former is not traditional and it even looks at the contemporary city and its problems and tries to define the possible contributions that architects can make (p. 24). Urbanism looks at the city and responds to aspect of popular culture while architecture proposes big structures derived from everyday consumer culture these two work hand in hand for one goal which, the tension is on aesthetic and position of public places within community for human comfort that feed human spirit.Comparison and Contrast between the leafy vegetable de la Villette and Downsview placeThe two considered great models in terms of landscape urbanism are the set de la Villette by Bernard Tschumi and Downsview commonalty by Bruce Mau.Heather Stimmier-Hall narrated t hat La Villette was built in an abandoned quarrysite or dump area and at the same time slaughterhouses. The park which was designed by Bernard Tschumi, was redeveloped and opened in 1986 as a modern city park in Paris dedicated to science, arts and entertainment (p. 96). In the description made by Stimmier-Hall, Parc de la Villette does not have gates or walls it has mini-forests, bamboo groves and vast lawn in its seventy acres of land. In that vast of land, it has numerous museums, concert halls and whimsical playground. At the entrance of the science and technology museum was the sphere La Geode Cinema that mirrors the green grass and blue skies. The author added that Parc de la Villette has all there is to see and do (p. 96).Downsview Park on the other hand, is a former Canadian military base at the jointure end of Toronto, Canada since 1929 and in 1996, it was closed for renovation. Downsview Park is approximately 586 acres or 237 hectares that is underutilized tract of land. With the initiative of its provoke company, it became very important place in the heart of Toronto. It is committed to sustain education and community ripening and awareness by offering venues for backyard birds, eco-footprints, butterfly landing, tree city, natural habitats and wildlife, history and walking tours. Both children and adults are accommodated in this place for special civic activities (Parc Downsview Park). Downsview Park is committed as a unique inexpert greenspace, a safe and peaceful place, developed according to the principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability, for Canadian to enjoy in all seasons (Parc Downsview Park).These two great and beautiful parks were both renovated from once unproductive and underutilized ground. Both won the awards for being the largest park that give emphasis on green open space for appreciation of nature though domesticated. These two parks serve same purposes which are to house special and big events from cultural to sports. Both have museums and landscape designs.On the other hand, they differ in many ways. (1) First, they differ in emphasis in aesthetical concept. Downsview Park promotes the social and natural histories that supports natural ecology it does not intent to transmute the site but simply to inaugurate the transformation of it (Van Alen Institute). Parc de la Villettes design suggests the conventional design of a park designed to express the fact that it is artificial and domesticated (Berman, 1999), meaning it has a haulage of man-made design to make it beautiful. (2) Downsview Park retains the old military buildings which are kept for special uses such as for cultural, recreational and community while Park de la Villette is a total renovation of a place in which the relics of the old place cannot be seen in the place. (3) Park de la Villette is completely constructed and Downsview Park is set for further development which will last after many more years. (4)Lastly, Park d e la Villette is privately owned while Downsview Park is government owned and controlled yet self-supporting.Work CitedBerman, Jay 1999. Le Parc de la Villette, Paris. http//www.galinsky.com/buildings/villette/Downsview Park International Design Competition, Van Alen Institute. http//www.vanalen.org/exhibits/downsview.htmGraafland, A., Jaye Kayanaugh, L. and Baird, G. 2006. Crossover Architecture, Urbanism, Technology. Netherlands 010 Publishers.Gauzin-Muller, Dominique, 2004. Sustainable Architecture and Urbanism Concepts, Technologies, Examples.Landscape Urbanism. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_urbanismMarjanovic, I. and Norle Lokko, L. 2003. The Portfolio An Architecture scholarly persons Handbook. Elsevier Ltd.Stimmer-Hall, Heather, 2004. Adventure Guide. England Hunter Publishing, Inc. Waldheim, Charles, 2006. The Landscape Urbanism Reader. USA Princeton Architectural Press Making it a Reality. Parc Downsview Park Inc. (PDP). Canada, 20 05/http//www.yorku.ca/mclaughlin/documents/downsviewpark.pdf