LAF eNewsletter
June 2015
In This Issue
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LAF Annual Benefit
Join us in Chicago on Fri, Nov 6 for awe-inspiring skyline views, great food, an open bar, and plenty of mingling with leaders from design practice, academia, and industry. Early Bird rate ends 7/17.  More
LAF on the Road

Orlando, FL
Jul 30-Aug 1

Landscape Performance Series

Canal Park

Washington D.C.

This  linear, three-block park sees heavy year-round use, provides 43 jobs, contributes to neighborhood revitalization, and offers a range of environmental benefits.

See Case Study Brief

 

Fast Fact Library

Recently-renovated parks saw a doubling in the number of visitors and a substantial increase in visitors' energy expended compared with parks that had not been renovated.

More Fast Facts

Special Thanks

Since 1998, AECOM has supported LAF through board service, intellectual capital, and financial investments. 

In addition to their financial support as an Annual Sponsor of the Landscape Performance Series, AECOM has provided in-kind graphic design services and had two firm leaders serve as President of the LAF Board of Directors in recent years.

"LandscapePerformance.org is a one-stop source of reliable resources and case studies for students of the digital age to start understanding benefits and methods to calculate outcomes."

-- Ellen Burke, PLA, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Think tech is only for building? Get ready. From the potential of Smart City technologies to the post-occupancy evaluation process, this month we share reflections from our program participants and partners who are working at the forefront of landscape performance assessment.

Barbara Deutsch

Executive Director

 

2015 Case Study Investigation (CSI) Reflections
From Illinois Prairies to Saudi Arabia
LAF's Case Study Investigation (CSI) program engages faculty, students, and practitioners to document the performance of exemplary landscape projects. This year's CSI teams have been hard at work gathering info and developing ways to quantify the benefits of projects that range from public gardens to the rehabilitation of a 120-km river corridor in Saudi Arabia. This month, the LAF Blog features updates on the research process from some of the student and faculty researchers who are leading the effort:
Embracing Connectivity in the Landscape
Technology for Social, Sustainable and Smart Cities 
Why do our cities not yet reflect the same type of digital connectivity and embrace of technology and data that our culture does? B uildings are becoming more intelligent, but our urban landscapes and public spaces have fallen behind. While t he outlook for the connected city of the future is bright, how we ultimately craft this new city will depend on how we bring technology and people together. The design community needs to play an integral role and should be a leader in bridging the gap between the physical and the digital in smarter, more social, and more sustainable cities of the future.

Urban Tree Performance
Tracking Growth and Health in Silva Cell Projects
In order to document the growth and performance of trees in Silva Cells, DeepRoot is undertaking a research/monitoring study of 10 projects across North America this summer. Each site visit will involve measurement, a visual evaluation, and photo documentation of trees. The data collected will increase understanding of what design and installation principles work best, and how (or whether) those vary by species, climate, etc.  The findings will be used to compile lessons and best practices for future Silva Cell projects and guide new product development in areas where it is most needed.

LAF is 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1966 with the mission to protect, improve, and enhance the environment by increasing our collective capacity to achieve sustainability through landscape architecture.

 

Learn about leaving a legacy by giving a gift that can provide benefits to you, your family, and LAF: www.lafoundation.org/legacy