Botanical Gardens and Zoos: It is a special project for landscape architects to create species-appropriate habitats in what are usually confined spaces. Alterations and new facilities for animal exhibits conform to the latest scientific knowledge and meet educational requirements. Experiencing animals in their habitats and plant communities from distant world regions up close is meant to stimulate visitors’ awareness and interest in the preservation of natural ecosystems. Topos presents...
Botanical Garden Design: It’s about Plants and People
Botanical gardens are going through a period of change. Originally their design was driven by their plant collections, now they are becoming places of education, conservation and entertainment. The botanical garden is a place for people and plants with the visitor as guest, investor and partner in delivering the mission. Author: Maunder, Michael
Australian by Design
The Australian Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne, south of Melbourne, displays iconic Australian landscapes in a concept that reflects a country slowly letting go of its European roots and realising its potential. Author: Wintle, Sarah
Torqued Parterre
The Leventritt Garden at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, serves for a new collection of non-rosaceous shrubs and sun-loving vines. The new botanical display garden blends effortlessly into the historic park ensemble and the existing topography. Author: Hilderbrand, Gary
The Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca
Created by two artists and a biologist, a richly detailed garden within an ancient monastery showcases the diverse flora of the State of Oaxaca, and will become a key research site for botanical and ethnobotanical understanding. Author: Martínez, Desiree, de Ávila, Alejandro
Transformation of the Botanical Gardens of Medellín
The Jardín Botánico de Medellín in Colombia, named after natural scientist Joaquín Antonio Uribe, does not only represent a collection of local flora. The renovation, started in 2005, is a strategic urban project opening the garden to the city. Author: Hermelin Bravo, Nicolás
China’s Botanical Gardens
The boom in China has extended to botanical gardens. With rapid economic and urban development more cities are building new botanical gardens or regenerating existing ones. Increasing awareness of dwindling plant resources has given a new life to plant conservation, and aspects of education as well as recreation are now incorporated into the concepts. Author: Lin, Qing, Wang, Xiangrong
The Hengchun Tropical Botanical Gardens, Taiwan
A tropical oasis strives for international ecological awareness, through a master plan that calls for six educational themes. As construction begins, the Gardens hope to create evocative, experiential spaces not just plant collections. Author: Corner, James
Trends in Zoo Design: Changing Needs in Keeping Wild Animals
People visit zoos for an interesting animal experience in an enjoyable setting. Visitor expectations and behaviour vary from culture to culture and are changing due to education, technical innovations, time pressure and tourism. These and an increasing concern for animal welfare are today's driving forces in zoo design. Author: Fiby, Monika
Landscapes for Explorers
Zoos can no longer tempt visitors with the exoticism of individual animals. Nowadays the demand is to experience animals in natural-looking landscapes suggesting their places of origin. The model for the Kiwara Savannah at the Leipzig Zoo in Germany was the savannah where Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa meet. Author: Drecker, Peter
Zurich Zoo: New Habitats
The masterplan for the Zurich Zoo subdivides the site zoologically into the geographic zones of South America, Eurasia and Africa. There are various authentically reconstructed habitats within these zones. The goal is to offer visitors a place for recreation, while simultaneously encouraging a better understanding of nature. Author: Moll, Claudia
Paris-Vincennes: a Zoo on Several Levels
The once ground-breaking Zoo Paris-Vincennes is now in need of regeneration. The redevelopment is based on contemporary concepts that display the world's wildlife in biozones which are set in a complex constructed topography. Author: Nani , Jean-Christophe, Tanant, Bruno
Alice Springs Desert Park
An Australian wildlife park educates visitors on a grand scale, employing not just signs and text, but the real, intricate, evocative landscape of the desert Centre itself. Author: Green, Stuart
The Challenge of Designing Zoos
Planning zoo exhibits not only calls for the thorough knowledge of animals, their habits and their needs. It also requires taking the edutainment for visitors into account and finding design solutions allowing animals to be experienced as close up as possible. Four landscape architects report on their approaches
The Filled Void
In conjunction with an exhibition, the Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg in Germany created a Japanese Garden - a modern courtyard that draws on historical precedent. Author: Treib, Marc
Landscape Architecture in Thailand
Large infrastructure improvements in Bangkok and elsewhere offer exciting opportunities for landscape architects. But despite good educational programs, a professional organization, and governmental recognition, the number of landscape architects in Thailand remains small. Author: Aruninta, Ariya
