A website for Garden and Nature lovers! http://www.gardeningcare.co.nr http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:59:41 -0300 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:07:35 -0300 FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.0) unlicensed version http://www.feedforall.com Landscape architects make critical contributions to the built environment An economy in the doldrums might be disappointing for many, but landscape architects see an upside because more affluent people are taking time to enjoy their homes. "The middle class too have more time on their hands and a hobby like landscaping is not expensive while also helping reduce stress," says Winyu Charoensantiphap, a project manager with the design firm Woods Bagot in Bangkok. Another benefit of the slowing economic pace is that consumers get better deals because contractors have less work on their hands, say Mr Winyu and Woods Bagot landscape architect Rittikorn Ornsomkrit. What hurts landscape architects, though, is that Thai people often consider the profession just one step up from gardening. In fact, landscape architects and urban planners have a major influence on the built environment we see, complementing the work of architects. "There are people who studied planning and they can work out the master plan from one aspect but landscape architects can also work it out from another aspect," Mr Rittikorn says. The master plan determines the roadway, the general contour and division of housing plots in a project, among other key elements. Mr Rittikorn draws attention to hotels that need the skills of landscape architects to address many concerns such as what the walk from the car park to the lobby is going to be like, what view the lobby will have, how maintenance and service can be done as discreetly as possible, and even where is the laundry to be collected. "Also such things like how steep a gradient should be so that food carried on a trolley doesn't spill." Experienced developers are beginning to realise the difference that input by landscape architects can make to a project. Some new players also are astute enough to realise the competitive benefits of having a design edge. "Consumers are also smarter and more sophisticated today, they stay in better hotels and they understand what a good product is. This makes it difficult to palm off something shoddy," says Mr Rittikorn. Looking at Bangkok's numerous condominiums, the two professionals note that developers are learning the hard way that if they focus too heavily on saleable area they might have difficulty selling the units because buyers don't just want a unit to live in, they also want good quality of life. Mr Winyu advises buyers to look not just at a building's shape but also to study details such as how the overall architectural plan has been worked out and whether the common facilities are located in a poor position that cannot be sold, because sometimes developers do this. "Or if it is a house, how have they positioned it? Does it make the best use of a favourable environment and is there enough light?" Mr Rittikorn has observed that when buyers are shown both the overall plan and that of the individual home, they tend to focus less on the bigger picture, in which details such as roadway schemes can contribute to a good community. In order to prevent problems, such as the view of an expensive condo unit being blocked by another high-rise, buyers should investigate the neighbourhood and try to find out about future development plants. Also while some people consider a good view all-important, Woods Bagot notes that some people would rather have a good breeze, which might mean choosing a different side of a building. Even if another skyscraper is permanently blocking a gorgeous view, landscape tricks can help to a certain extent. One way is to shut out an unattractive corner that disturbs the occupant, and the other is to look in and not out, turning the balcony into a focal point and not the external view. Artfully placed screens and plants also help give privacy in congested inner zones of the city. The Woods Bagot architects also urge people to improve the external areas of their houses or condominiums as a vital step toward improving the landscape. "On a bigger scale it would be at the community level, people in our soi _ have we collectively done anything, have we collectively decided to paint our houses?" Mr Winyu asks. A key problem in urban areas is the tendency to cover every space with concrete, which reduces greenery but also generates heat, leading to more air-conditioner use, Mr Rittikorn says. Even though the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) has planted trees along many key roads, the results are not always attractive, the architects say. The trees are often planted just behind drains with electrical cables above them, resulting in stunted growth. Many officials, Mr Winyu believes, still treat landscaping as a garnish, something to be done to impress visiting dignitaries, and only in the areas they will see, in order to keep costs down. "And then there is corruption. If a 100-baht budget reaches them to improve the streetscape, only 50 is actually left to buy trees. This is a tangled problem; they should focus more on self-sufficiency and quality of life." Also, as new roads are continuously being built, the streetscape of older roads where traffic flow is now lighter could be vastly improved. Something else that has been taught in universities for 20 years but has yet to be implemented in Bangkok is the improvement of the vast areas under expressways. These could be beautified by growing plants that can thrive in the shade and also turned into children's playgrounds or leisure areas, an approach used successfully in Japan. Source: Bangkok Post http://gardeningcare.110mb.com/news/news23.php 7C6BFB3F-13EE-40F1-8AF6-E3B1EB71FA62 Sun, 25 Mar 2007 20:07:35 -0300