Portfolio in english_Ines Casanova _January 2016 by Inés Casanova Silva

Landscaping Portfolio

Ines Casanova

Introduction

Table of contents

Curriculum Vitae 4 Professional Works

8 Terrace - Asian Garden 12 Agricultural Training Center 16 Bromelias Wall 20 Merida’s Cablecar New System 22 Tecnoconsult New Headquarters 36 Shopping Center MetCenter 42 SAI Pavilion - Green Cover 50

The purpose of this Portfolio is to present a select compilation of landscape architecture works I´ve done in the last 12 years, in professional and academic activities, in design competitions, and in artistic works done during workshops and courses.

Terrace - Garden Penthouse

The portfolio is divided in four parts: professional work, academic work, art contests and art work, all related to the field of landscaping. All the works reflect passion for landscape theme at multiple scales and from transdisciplinary visions: architectural, urbanistic, ecological, geographical, theoretical, historical and artistic. The professional work and design competitions, constructed or not constructed, have been developed as the Architect Leader and in Team Work, above all, with Jose Enrique Blanco from “Taller Integral del Paisaje” and Elisa Silva from “Enlace Arquitectura”. The academic works are those performed as undergraduate student of Architecture at the UCV (only the final thesis presented) and as a student of the Masters of Landscape Architecture at the UPC, in the design workshops and the final thesis. Finally, it seemed relevant to show some of my artistic work, made for art courses in Paris, France and the Costa Brava, Spain.

54 Brion Square Renovation 60

Ecological Assessment - Arashi Boutique Hotel

Competitions

66 El Avila Observatory-Pavilions: “a mountain of looks” 70 “Puerto Azul” Beach Club

La Carlota Park: “Pista Viva” 74 Maracay Metropolitan Park: Ecopark

Academic Works

90 Vegetation System - Studio Design 96 Public Space - Studio Design 100 Lansdscape Remaking: International Studio Design 106 Final Thesis - Architecture Professional Degree

108 110 Final Thesis - Master in Landscape Architecture 114 Tourism and Territory - Studio Design Water System - Studio Design

Art Works Summer Course of Drawing & Painting, Beaux Arts

128

Summer Workshop: “Art, knowledge and reality” 136

Curriculum Vitae Summary

Work Experience

Teaching Experience

Assistant Architect

Lead Landscape Architect January 2010 –present

Professor of the Department of Environmental Conditioning. School of Architecture Carlos Raul Villanueva (EACRV). Faculty of Architecture & Urbanism (FAU) – Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV).

Sep - Nov 2015

Public Spaces at the Slums “Juan Moreno”, El Consejo. Edo. Aragua. Client: Fundación Santa Teresa. Mediator: Tracing Public Space, Ana Vargas.

Jan - May 2009

Rehabilitation Project of the “Sabana Grande” Boulevard. Pavement and Drainage.Position: Assistant Architect. Enlace Arquitectura. Principal Architect Elisa Silva. Caracas.

Sept 2014 - Feb 2015

Tecnoconsult´s New Headquarters, Caracas.Client: Tecnoconsult. Architects “Centímetro 2”´s Office (Stefan Gzyl, Manuela Falcón).

Oct 2006 - Feb 2008

March - Aug 2014

Terrace garden in an Apartment at the Residence La Vista. Urbanization Alto Prado, Caracas. Client: Architect. Mariana Dioguardi.

Urban Planning Department- BCQ Architects. Barcelona, Spain. Position: Assistant Architect / Assistant Urban Planner. Estudi Ruralia, Regional Planning, Urbanism and Landscape.

Sep 2006

Mar 2013 - Mar 2014

Merida´s Cable Car New System, Merida State. Venezuela, Client: Architect Werner Moser Ventel - Ministry of Tourism.

Graduate Internship at Agence Ter, Paris, France. Landscape Architecture. Lead Landscape Architect: Henry Bava.Position: Assistant Landscape Architect.

Nov 2004 - Dec 2005

Work of reconstruction of the Simon Bolivar University, Litoral Campus, Position: Assistant Architect. Department of Constructions Projects. Constructora H.A.G. C.A. Caracas. (Principal: Eng. Humberto Altuve Godoy C.A.) Vargas State.

Jan - Mar 2004

Architecture and Enviromental Planning. Position: Landscape Architect’s Assistant. Undergraduate Internship at Tabora + Tabora + Blanco TTB & Associates C. A. Caracas. Landscape Lead Architects: Fernando Tábora, Andrés Tábora & J. Enrique Blanco.

Undergraduate Studies: Core course: Human Settlements. Elective course: “Invisible Landscapes”. Elective course: “Urban Landscape”. Study Case: Landscapes of Caracas”. Landscape Architecture Graduate Studies: Core course: Theory and practice in Landscape Architecture.

2008

Master in Landscape Architecture Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC), Barcelona.

2004

Professional Degree Architecture UniversidadCentral de Venezuela (UCV), Caracas.

2001-2002

University Exchange Program École d´Architecture Paris Val-de-Seine. Paris, France.

100%

75%

Aug 2015

Fulbright Faculty Development Program Scholarship for 2016-2018 (2 years Master Program). (LASPAU-administered scholarship).

Nov 2014

Metropolitan Park of the city of Maracay, (Winning Proposal). Category: None Constructed Projects. Biennale of Architecture in Venezuela, 2014. Organized by School of Architects of Venezuela (CAV). With J.E. Blanco, E. Silva.

July 2012

Lenguague Skills

English

Farmers Training Center, El Tigre, Monagas State, Venezuela. Client: Architect. PHD Miguel Fernandez, Tragaluz Architects Office.

April - Sept 2012

Pent House Garden in Residence Tuscany, Urbanization Los Palos Grandes, Caracas. 2012. Client: Andrés Casanova.

Grants and Awards

Education

Spanish

Mar - May 2012

French

50%

“Ideas for the Green Park La Carlota” , “Alive Track, La Carlota Park” (One of the Three Winning Proposals for the first phase of the Competition). Metropolitan Municipality of Caracas. Project . With the E. Silva and L. Robleto.

July 2010

Transformation of the Maracay Metropolitan Park (Winning proposal )in a sustainable park. Organized by Aragua Government & Inparques Institute. With J. Enrique Blanco and Elisa Silva. Maracay, Aragua State. Venezuela.

July 2009

Contest “100 Ideas for the Avila Mountain” (Best 10 Award-winning ideas) . Metropolitan Municipality of Caracas. Idea: “A mountain of views”.

Assistant Landscape Architect in Taller Integral del Paisaje Sep - Nov 2015

Brion Square three planting, Urbanization Chacaito, Caracas. Client: Chacao´s Municipality. Mediator: Micucci Architects Associates.

May - Sep 2011

Rehabilitation of the Slums of the Morán Neighborhood (project), Caracas. Client: Corporación Andina de Fomento CAF. Mediator: Arch. Elisa Silva, Enlace Arquitectura.

May - Nov 2011

Met Center, (Pre-project) Rental Space Metropolitan University, UNIMET, Ccs. Client: Constructor Tántalo. Mediator: Architect Elisa Silva, Enlace Arquitectura.

July 2010 - Mar 2011

Development of Environmental Polices for Responsible Building in Chacao Municipality. Client: Local Develop and Planning Comity. Chacao Municipality.

Program Skills Autodesk 3dStudio

Autodesk Autocad

Adobe Photoshop Adobe Indesign Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Ilustrator Adobe Premiere

Landscaping Works

Professional Work

9 Landscaping Works

T errace-Garden Penthouse Res. Tuscany. Urb. Los Palos Grandes Caracas, Venezuela Landscape Architecture: Inés Casanova Client: Andrés Casanova (2012)

The landscape design’s challenge was the attractive location of the place: a terrace of a Pent House situated in the Valley of Caracas with a beautiful view of the “El Avila” Mountain, to the north and a panoramic view of the city, to the south, with the tower of the “Santa Eduvigis” Church and the distant mountains on the horizon. It was clear that there were two visual highlights: the Avila and the City. The limitations were the situation of the garden at the roof and the eastward view of very tall buildings. Taking advantage of the beautiful visuals and based on the uses of contemplation, recreation, dining and services (spaces for grill) requested by the customer, the design consisted in the semi-covered terrace with a pergola to serve a dining outdoor grill, an area of wooden deck for sunbathing on long chairs, a space for free play -grass covered- for children, and in the north end, a small pool- jacuzzi with a waterfall, accompanied by a border of tropical vegetation. For each space a different materiality to identify each function is selected: Stone tile, wood, grass and blue ceramic.Likewise, all spaces were designed to enjoy the view of “El Avila”, including the orientation of the pool bench to sit overlooking the mountain with a small waterfall in the foreground.

plan / section 1

11 Landscaping Works

10 Eastward a row of planters with tall cycad palms over a bed of river rocks, they are organized to screen the visual to the east. With the same purpose the pergola, a light steel structure, covers the open dining room, folding down to provide an enclosure that separates the dining room from the visual to the tall buildings. In that sense, a poetic view from the dining room is being achieved, a sort of an Avila Frame, an apparent photographic portrait of the great mountain viewed from the table, from where there is also a view to the south part of the city.

project built view

Render view

project built view

Tropical vegetation accompanies this scene on the roof of the building, selecting a variety of tall and small palms, bromeliads and bushes of leaves and flowers in bright colors that together compose a panoramic terrace edge of lush tropical plants which make you feel in an oasis in the middle of the city. The arrangement of vegetation creates a kind of â&#x20AC;&#x153;frames of the viewsâ&#x20AC;?, placing the high plants in the edges, and the smaller plants in the middle, for achieving the Avila Mountain framed in the center. My role was to design the whole terrace, built elements and vegetation. I supervised the building and planting with a group of gardeners.

section 2

Render view

13 Landscaping Works

T errace- Asian Garden Res. La Vista Urb. Altoprado Caracas, Venezuela Landscape Architecture: Inés Casanova Architecture: Arq. Mariana Dioguardi (2013)

It is a garden of 130 square meters built on a shaky ground. The client wanted a garden with an Asian appearance design that retained a piece of sculpture of a Buddha that she had.A garden was designed with very green vegetation, with some plants that highlighted red as the red palm.They are plants that are used in Asian gardens like the “Black Olive” Tree (Bucida buceras), the red palm, the small papyrus, the small Japanese ophiopogon, among others. A sort of small Asian landscape is created with a reflecting pool, a fountain, a grass-covered area that ends with a railing that is hidden with a hedge of green leafy bushes. An existing tangerine tree is highlighted. The garden reinforces the visual into the valley of Caracas and the nearby hills; it incorporates a large existing pine in the foreground and resolves all blind walls that limit the garden with vegetation compositions.

plan of the project

15 Landscaping Works

In construction view 1

Built view with the green dracaenas as scuptures.

Built view 3

Build view 4

My role was to design the entire landscape vegetation with support of the architect Mariana Dioguardi, who designed the constructed works: pergola, fountain, path and floors. I was in charge of all the design and selection of the vegetation. Not only I designed, but also planted the garden with a group of gardeners, I had to coordinate and monitor their work. I coordinated the landscaping work, the purchase of plants and equipment and supervised on to the end.

perspective hand drawing 1

perspective hand drawing 2

17 Landscaping Works

Agricultural Training Center El Tigre, Anzoátegui, Venezuela Landscape Architecture: Inés Casanova Architecture: Arq. Miguel Fernández, Tragaluz estudio de arquitectura (2012)

farming education center

ubication plan- circle irrigation

It is an architectural complex located in an agricultural area in eastern Venezuela. The place where the project is located is a plain landscape characterized by elevated temperatures and aridity. The prevailing winds are from the east and the rains are scarce. Water can be found underground but it’s difficult to find it at surface. Something very interesting of this location to be highlighted is the agricultural plantation irrigation project in circles. This fact is used for the composition of the landscape project design. The idea was to design a landscape with masses of vegetation that would be consistent with the architectural complex designed by the Architect´s Office “Tragaluz“. My role was to design the entire vegetation proposal, consisting of an ecological vegetation border with waterbodies across the lower edge of the hill, a group of trees to provide shade to the arid place, especially along the would walk and open spaces, and a selection of little watering type of grasses to cover the slopes proposed by the architects. I also proposed a north pond to collect rainwater and produce a long wetland with phyto purifying function, and northwest, a large lagoon for irrigation purposes. The proposal is not built; it only reached an outline.

irrigation plan and views

19 Landscaping Works

Trinitaria

road and jogging track

green roofs

Eneceas y juncos

Pennisetum

Walking roads

project view 1

vegetation used in project

vegetation edge Lake (water recolection) Central square

swamp (irrigation zone)

project plan

terraces

project view 2

21 Landscaping Works

Bromelias Wall Urb. Alto Prado Caracas, Venezuela Landscape Architecture: InĂŠs Casanova Architecture: Arq. Mariana Dioguardi (2014)

It is a small landscaping project of some planters of an apartment. The planters had already been built and my work role was to select vegetation. A tropical vegetation design with palms and bromeliads was proposed. To emphasize the opposite dining room wall wooden-wall panels set with bromeliads of varying colors, was also proposed. My role was to design vegetation, planting and technically solve the installation of the vertical wall that uses fern trunks and hidden irrigation system.

project views

23 Landscaping Works

Merida´s Cable Car New System: Ascent Gardens

Merida, Venezuela Landscape Architecture: Inés Casanova Adviser: Jose Enrique Blanco (TIP) Architect Werner Moser Client: Ventel, Venezolana de Teleféricos (Venezuelan Cable Cars), Ministry of Tourism. (2013 - 2014) It’s a landscape project for the Mérida Cable Car and stations that is located in the ”Sierra Nevada National Park”. The Merida Cable Car has a lot of history, it was inaugurated in 1960 and it’s out of service since 2008. In 2010 began a modernization of all the Cable Car System, there’s a new architecture project and it was required a landscape project for the development of 13.482,67 m2 outside areas around the stations. The Mérida Cable Car has five stations: “Barinitas”, “La Montaña”, “La Aguada”, “Loma Redonda” and “Pico Espejo”. Each one of these have different characteristics in every aspect, architecture design, weather, vegetation and grounds; that have to be considered for the landscape project. The principal challenge was to study the local weather characteristic of each station to propose suitable vegetation to such weather conditions and a landscape design according to the constraints and opportunities of each thermal floor. The project design was inspired in the ascent rhythm and the sensation that produces every station (weather and latitude changes) for the visitors.

vegetation selection diagram

project diagrams

25 Landscaping Works

vegetation diagram

history photograph

site photographs

ubication plan

general concept

“Ascent Gardens” was the name that was given to the landscape project idea, its design consists in landscape interventions that announce the station arrival in addition to this, the project generates a chromatic visual game that reminds the cableway journey in the cabin. The principal conceptual elements that are in the idea are: “Nearness Gardens”, that are designed for being visualized when the cable cabin is getting near the station; and “Contemplation Gardens”, that are landscaping compositions designed for being visualized while walking in the inner walkways of the stations, these gardens are located in the interior open spaces and have more designed details than the nearness gardens. My role in this project was to analyze characteristics as weather, vegetation, wildlife of the place and to design the entire landscape project with suitable elements for every thermal floor.

climate diagram

proyect set up plan/mountain section

27 Landscaping Works

Barinitas Station

function diagram

view of the station

vegetation selection of the station

detail view of the station

station plan

station section

29 Landscaping Works

La Montana Station

function diagram

view of the station

vegetation selection of the station

detail view of the station

station plan

station section

31 Landscaping Works

La Aguada Station

function diagram

view of the station

vegetation selection of the station

vegetation references at the Meridan Andes, Apartadero

station plan

station section

33 Landscaping Works

Loma Redonda Station

function diagram

view of the station

vegetation selection of the station

local vegetation from the site

station plan

station section

35 Landscaping Works

Pico Espejo Station

function diagram

view of the station

station plan

terrace level plan

Tecnoconsult New Headquarters Caracas, Venezuela Architecture: “Centímetro 2” Architects (Stefan Gzyl, Manuela Falcón) Client: Tecnoconsult (September 2014 - February 2015)

presidential plan

The developing area of the landscape project is 1.500 m2, that´s designed after architect Stefan Gzil´s design and to integrate harmoniously its outside spaces, terraces, building entrance and corridors. To achieve this integration was necessary to analyze the place conditions as weather, grounds, vegetation, existent constructions and views. This is a homogeneous landscape project that uses the same elements in every floor, to unify them. The idea is to create pleasant open spaces for the companies new “Tecnoconsult Office Building” that satisfy the user’s necessities.

type level plan terrace level presidential level

The landscape design was inspired by the need to avoid unwanted visual and soften the harshness of the building. These limitations have become design opportunities: Vegetable Facades. My role in this project was to design the exterior areas of the building and the vegetation selection. This project hasn’t been fully constructed.

mezzanine level plan

type level mezzanine level acces level

acces level plan

Landscaping Works

39 Landscaping Works

access level section

terrace - dining area garden elevation

access level plan

vertical garden elevation

terrace - dining area garden views

41 Landscaping Works

terrace view 1

terrace level plan

vegetation used in project

terrace view 2

43 Landscaping Works

Shopping Center MetCenter Caracas, Venezuela Mediator: Architect Elisa Silva, Enlace Arquitectura. Client: Tántalo Construction Company (May - November 2011)

This is a landscape design for a shopping center in the Rental Area of the “Universidad Metropolitana” in Caracas, located in a large terrace surrounded by slopes. The architectural project was ready, when they hired the architecture firm “Enlace Arquitectura” to convert the proposal into a landscape and sustainable project. My role in this proposal was to design all the green spaces: the slopes, the patios and the selection of the proper vegetation. It was proposed a slope plant design of chromatic stripes of shrubs and grasses. The South Slope to be seen from the highway and the North Slope to be seen by pedestrians. It also was designed the open spaces of this building and of the existing postgraduate´s building, to create unity between the University and the new shopping center. A system of courtyards with the same aesthetic language tries to create a visual continuity between the spaces. A large tree that accompanies a central patio is preserved to give light and color to the space in the parking lot. Typical draft drawings that I do to illustrate the ideas can be seen in this work. This design was made with the advice of the engineer Blanco and the support of “Enlace Arquitectura” who made the photo-montages. This proposal took place only at the level of a preliminary project.

project hand drawings

45 Landscaping Works

north slope

North elevation

South elevation

south slope

access level plan

vegetation selection

47 Landscaping Works

North slope section

used vegetation

north slope drawing vieN

South slope section

South slope drawing view

used vegetation

49 Landscaping Works

8 2

7 2

11 6

3 2

University square plan

University square drawings

parking lot courtyard drawing 10

parking lot courtyard plan

51 Landscaping Works

SAI Pavilion – Green cover Site: SAI Salón de Arquitectura de Interiores, La Esmeralda, Caracas Landscape Architect: Taller Integral del Paisaje TIP (José Enrique Blanco + Inés Casanova) Architect: LABPROFAB (Alejandro Haiek) (2011) It consists of a pavilion or installation facility that was designed for the Hall of Interior Architecture SAI 2009. The theme of the exhibition was the Landscape Architecture, and therefore three offices of landscape architecture were selected to build three different landscape scenic pavilions to liven up the exhibition. The office “Taller Integral del Paisaje”, with whom I participated as co-author of the design, proposed a “green cover”. We designed a built- in sheet metal structure that could hold a green roof to plant ground covers. The original idea was to create a productive cover, namely a cover for seeding aromatic species. Finally, small shrubs of different colors were planted to achieve a chromatic design. My role was to select species and design the form and shape of the sheet with the support of the engineer Blanco and LABPROFAB Office, who was commissioned to design and build the metal structure.

green covert photograph

plan / section detail

53 Landscaping Works

green covert photographs

vegetation ideas

55 Landscaping Works

Ecological Assessment Arashi Hotel

Arashi, Aruba, Venezuela Team: Enlace Arquitectura + Inés Casanova Client: Private Investor (January - March 2013)

aruba ubication

8 1

1. Pandion haliaetus 2. Phalacocrorax brasilianus 3. Falco berigora 4. Pelecanus occidentalis 5. Loros 6. Dendroica petechia 7. Bubulcus ibis 8. Icterus icterus 9. Chlorostilbon mellisugus 10. Protonotaria citrea 11. Cacatua 12. Buho. Athene cunicularia

6 1 9

5 1 3 12

4 1 1

Aves

14 1

* *

17 1

13 1

13. Boa constrictor 14. Iguana 15. Burro salvaje 16. Ocelote 17. Serpiente de cascabel 18. Blauw kododo

Terrestres

My role in this assessment was to analyze the ecological variables: soils, topography, natural drainage, climate and above all the habitat: the local wildlife and vegetation. I made maps and sections of each of the variables to study the potential and limitations of the land to build a sustainable hotel and where to locate it. In this work I did diagrams and drawings that represent each of the variables. Finally, I proposed the ecological design criteria taking into account each of the variables, so to design with the nature of the site (existing topography and drainage, marine soil, the existing xerophytic vegetation) and proposing local trees to provide quality to interior and exterior spaces: shade, higher humidity and lower temperature.

20 1 19 1

Acuáticos

This proposal consisted of an Environmental Assessment and Guidelines of the Design of the Hotel Arashi in Aruba. The complete evaluation was conducted by the office “Enlace Arquitectura”. In teamwork, we developed the entire assessment of the ecological and socio-cultural factors of the land and surroundings, including the total island of Aruba, analyzing the environmental variables that may affect the feasibility and design of a boutique hotel for the place.

* 19. Tortuga Carey 20. Huso huso (caviar) 21. Strombus gigas 22. Corales

21 1

22 1

* Especies de fauna protegidas en Aruba. Convenio CITES.

Fauna Silvestre

Aruba ubication / wildlife diagram

57 existing vegetation Vegetación Silvestre Arboles

Arbustos

Zygophyllaceae

Cactaceaes

Landscaping Works

56 Vegetación Introducida Arboles

Palmas

Arbustos

Euphorbiaceae

Guayacan. Guaiacum officinale*

Pitahaya. Acanthocereus tetragonus

Guayacan. Guaiacum sanctum*

Tuna de vaca. Opuntia elatior

Variedad de familias

Cardón lanoso. Pilosocereus lanuginosus *

Coccoloba swartzii

Pichiguey. Melocactus macracanthusmacracanthus*

Candelabro. Euphorbia lactea *

Flamboyant. Delonix regia

Tuna brava. Opuntia wentiana *

Palitroque. Euphorbia tirucalli *

Clavellina. Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Tuna. Opuntia curassavica *

Orchidaceae

Amapola. Plumeria rubra

Guamacho. Pereskia guamacho*

Orquidea. Brassavola nodosa *

Cremón. Thespesia populnea

Cocotero. Cocos nucifera

ixora compacta. Ixora coccinia

Trinitaria. Bougainvillea

Palma datilera gigante.Phoenix dactylifera

Rosa de Berberia. Nerium oleander

Mangle blanco. Conocarpus erectus

Cardón dato. Ritterocereus griseus *

Palma datilera enana.Phoenix roebellini

Cardón blanco. Subpilocereus repandus *

Palma abanico. Pritchardia pacifica

Divi Divi. Caesalpinia coriaria

Acacia tortuosa

inserted vegetation

Vegetación Introducida

Vegetación Silvestre

existing vegetation plan

Arboles

Arbustos

Zygophyllaceae

Cactaceaes

Arboles Euphorbiaceae

Guayacan. Guaiacum officinale*

Pitahaya. Acanthocereus tetragonus

Guayacan. Guaiacum sanctum*

Tuna de vaca. Opuntia elatior

Variedad de familias

Cardón lanoso. Pilosocereus lanuginosus *

Coccoloba swartzii

Bursera bonairensis

Palmas

Arbustos

Especies de vegetación protegidas en Aruba. Convenio CITES.

Pichiguey. Melocactus macracanthusmacracanthus*

Candelabro. Euphorbia lactea *

Flamboyant. Delonix regia

Tuna brava. Opuntia wentiana *

Palitroque. Euphorbia tirucalli *

Clavellina. Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Tuna. Opuntia curassavica *

Orchidaceae

Amapola. Plumeria rubra

Guamacho. Pereskia guamacho*

Orquidea. Brassavola nodosa *

Cremón. Thespesia populnea

Cocotero. Cocos nucifera

ixora compacta. Ixora coccinia

Trinitaria. Bougainvillea

Palma datilera gigante.Phoenix dactylifera

Rosa de Berberia. Nerium oleander

Mangle blanco. Conocarpus erectus

Cardón dato. Ritterocereus griseus *

Palma datilera enana.Phoenix roebellini

Cardón blanco. Subpilocereus repandus *

Palma abanico. Pritchardia pacifica

Divi Divi. Caesalpinia coriaria

vegetation section diagram

vegetation and climate diagram Acacia tortuosa

59 Landscaping Works

water sistem plan

drenaje section diagram, hand drawing

water system section diagram

61 Landscaping Works

Brion Square Renovation Chacaíto, Caracas Lanscape Architecture: Ines Casanova Architecture and urbanism: Micucci Arquitectos Asociados (December 2011 - June 2012)

“Plaza Brion” (Brion Square) is a completely pedestrian public space, built, mostly extended over the“Estacion Metro Chacaito” (Chacaito Subway Station). It is a commercial area of great pedestrian flow and it´s conceived as the space that ends the “Sabana Grande” Boulevard, in its east end. The partial renovation of its tree planting and the introduction of new landscape elements reconfigure spatiality, aesthetics and functionality of the square, which will give a new image to this sector, which together with the architectural proposal will generate a Portal Square to the “Sabana Grande” Boulevard or an entrance to the Chacao Municipality, from the west of the city and a new facade to the Av. Francisco de Miranda. The principal challenge was to select vegetation that could be planted on the top of the subway station that´s under the boulevard, without affecting the slab. The principal role of the project is to cover the needs that the place demands: densify planting trees, generate vegetation boundaries for the square and provide shade for the pedestrians’ long walkways. project setup view

project diagram plan / project view

63 Landscaping Works

62 My role in this project was the assessment of existing vegetation and the arborization (tree planting) design of the square. This work was done in conjunction with the engineer JosĂŠ Enrique Blanco.

Section 1

landscaping plan

Section 2

Competitions

67 Landscaping Works

“Puerto Azul” Beach Club Vargas, Venezuela Team: Elisa Silva + Inés Casanova (2008)

This project was a design competition to offer the opportunity of transforming the “Puerto Azul” Beach Club, affected by the landslide of Vargas on 1999 and make it a more pleasant space for users. The club is composed of a series of connected would walks with spaces defined by their activities, shadows and vegetation. The main idea of the project is to continue the existent structure of walkways to the studied area and generate new spaces, according activities that are needed as a picnic zone, a kid’s park, an amphitheater, and a volleyball and football fields among others. An important proposal of the design is a walkway that goes along the limiting wall with the “Naiguata” River. This residual and forgotten space will be transformed in the principal north- south axis that communicates the new proposed spaces with the tennis and football fields that are in the south edge of the club. This axis is made with a vegetation strategy and surfaces to generate shaded walkways and activities for the users. The Photomontages, the section and the aerial view were all carried out by me. project diagram

69 Landscaping Works

project view

project section and vegetation diagram

71 Landscaping Works

Avila Observatory Pavilions: “A Mountain of looks” Caracas, Venezuela Landscape Architect: Ines Casanova Organized by: Metropolitan Municipality of Caracas (2009) 1 A mountain of knowledge

2 A mountain of memories

3 A mountain of looks

For almost every corner of the valley of Caracas and from the hills, you can look at the Avila Mountain. We are used to look to this impressive mountain, but maybe we do not take time to contemplate or to appreciate in detail its scenic qualities. The landscape of the Avila Mountain has been seen from the sea, from the port, from the city and from its roadways, which were the obligatory way every traveler and abroad or foreign visitor who wanted to go to the Capital City must transit. These cruises among the mountain were inspiration for many artists. With this project, the idea is to invite citizens to continue contemplating and continue inspiring artistic testimony trough the Avila Mountain. The proposal, whose slogan is “A mountain of views” pretends to place “pavilionsviewpoints” roving or ephemeral in different places in the valley of Caracas, from which you can enjoy a privileged view of the Avila, whose functions are to promote cultural activity on the subject of The Avila, from different uses: expository, informative and recreational. idea drawing

In this project I did everything on my own, my own diagrams, drawings, writings and design.

project competition sheets

73 Landscaping Works

project drawings

project sections

project views

75 Landscaping Works

La Carlota Park:“Pista Viva” Second place

Caracas, Venezuela Team: Enlace Arquitectura + Inés Casanova + Leonardo Robleto (2012)

It is a contest that offers the opportunity to participate in the urban development of Caracas through the incorporation of a new public space, transforming “La Carlota” military airport in a Metropolitan park that connects to the East Park (“Parque del Este”). With this action the needs presented by the city of increasing its public space areas in Caracas can be attended, because currently there is a lack of these recreation areas. The proposal has three main ideas; the first one is the comprehension of Caracas as a system of interconnected public spaces with recreational areas, green corridors that allow to organize and to guarantee a better pedestrian mobility. The second is the social and programmatic organization of the public space nodes, where “La Carlota” would be the initial center for the incorporation of these ideas in other public spaces. The last one is the importance of incorporating the 104 hectares of land in progressive stages in time for its construction. The existing landing track is taken and used in the proposal as the key element for the organization of the rest of the project; lakes, streams, vegetation and many other spaces are built around it. project view

vegetation diagram and ubication

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connection urban plan with other public spaces of the city

urban green open spaces plan

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78 New bridges and vehicular roads are created to integrate the park with the rest of the city and improve north- south connections that are one of the biggest problems of the city of Caracas. This proposal was made together with the office â&#x20AC;&#x153;Enlace Arquitecturaâ&#x20AC;?. My role was to design especially the plant layout of the park in conjunction with the green arbor corridors, the proposed green areas system and the urban connections with the park, the analysis and the proposal of the habitat and vegetation selection and the water system: streams, drainage and irrigation. I realized the plant layout, the photomontages and the sections in Photoshop.

wildlife corridors diagrams

vegetation selection plan

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project view 1

section 1

project view 2

vegetation corridors diagram/ section 2

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sheet 1

sheet 2

sheet 5

sheet 3

sheet 4

sheet 6 final posters for the competition

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Maracay Metropolitan Park: Eco Park. First place Maracay, Venezuela Team: Enlace Arquitectura + Inés Casanova + José Enrique Blanco (2010)

The Ecopark consists of ecological and sports areas, aimed for environmental education, recreation and sports. With a sense of social and environmental responsibility, a new category of mixed uses urban park is proposed: sport areas, ecological and free use areas, this kind of park it’s called ECOPARK: Ecological Sporting Aragua Park. The Maracay River is the main inspiration behind the proposal. The incorporation of the River within the park boundaries arises in support of the conservation of water resources , which is running out worldwide , to sensitize the visitor and make this river bank space an ecological area of interpretation of nature , biodiversity and fragility: revaluing its character of Biological Corridor, at the same time demonstrating how we can recover, through appropriate technologies, a resource that can achieve sustainable development and ensure quality of live for future generations . The ECOPARK includes an open museum of sustainability that exposes how works the water, energy and residues systems. Creating the ECOPARK arises from the idea of making Maracay an example of a green and sustainable city, rescuing the historic garden city icon. project diagrams

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86 This proposal was made in union with the engineer José Enrique Blanco and the office “Enlace Arquitectura”. My role was to design the plant layout of the whole park and surroundings areas, generate the analysis of the variables and the proposed habitat and vegetation.

water masses sections

open museum of sustainability: views, plan and diagrams

project section

project general plan

vegetation selection and ubication diagrams

project spaces views

project section

Academic works

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Final Thesis - Architecture Professional Degree Degree: Architecture (5-year professional program) University: Universidad Central de Venezuela Professor: Alessandro Famiglietti Course: Studio Design 10 (2004)

When analyzing the different categories of public spaces in the city of Caracas and seeing the continued degradation of these “gaps in the city”, lead to further exploring and proposing possible actions to be performed at different scales to revalue and activate these spaces. Between the types of public spaces, the Metropolitan Park is the most significant, for having greater areal extent and for being the most visible separator in the city, although paradoxically for other cities it can be the major connector. So with these arguments it was decided to direct the work field to metropolitan parks in Caracas, choosing to work with three important parks. The selection is: “El Parque del Oeste” (West Park),”El Parque Los Caobos” (Los Caobos Park) and “El Parque del Este” (East Park).

Study Model of the project

Five types of operations are proposed to strengthen the presence of the public park in the city: 1. Reticle 2. Access 3. Outline 4. Borders/limits 5. Connections After performing the analysis in the three selected parks, The ”Parque del Este” (East Park) was chosen to develop the operations mentioned above.

Public spaces system in caracas plan

Del Oeste Park

connection plans

project college view

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Los Caobos Park

project model

connections plan

project models

project connection view

project sections

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El este Park

connection plan

project views

project model

project diagrams

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Vegetation System - Studio Design Degree: Master in Landscape Architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Professors: Joseph Mascaro, Anna Zahonero, Manuel Ruisanchez, Pepa Morán, Martí Boada. (2006)

During the workshop of Landscape Design entitled “Green Systems: from the Urban Green to the Natural Spaces”, which forms the Master Program, three different design exercises were conducted with different design study situations, with emphasis on vegetation management.Among the exercises, I have selected two of them located in the surroundings of Barcelona, both in natural areas in current transformation process of urban and territorial dynamics. The first exercise, exercising with the “Collserola” Natural Park, conducted in group, a set of new walkways was proposed for the access from the Railway Station Park to the Information Center House (“Casa Verdaguer”), located at the top of a forested hill. The limitations of the proposal were to resolve: the walkways, ramps and stairs on a steep terrain, to reach from the foot of the hill all the way to the top. Along the walkway it was proposed benches, viewpoints to take advantage of the visual and for the route a contemplation path accompanied by local vegetation: species of trees, shrubs and grasses for the slopes and would walk borders. In this work I made watercolor paintings to represent the bucolic and contemplative character of the proposed perspectives. exersice 2 diagrams

Collserola Natural Park

El Garraf Natural Park

Exercise 1

Exercise 2

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The other exercise,also performed in group,the“disturbances” were studied on the “El Garraf” Natural Park, specifically the negative effects of high-voltage electrical lines on landscape. The challenge of this proposal was achieving mitigating of fire through proposed vegetation. My role in this work was to propose an agricultural intervention, with flower borders, below the electrical infrastructure.

Project section

Project plan

Project water color drawings

Project plan

Project view

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Public Space - Studio Design Degree: Master in landscape architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Professor: Jordi Bellmunt (2007)

During the Studio Design, three exercises were performed at different scales and urban situations in Barcelona. In the first exercise we worked on the edge of a river as a public space, in the second we worked on an urban square and on the last, we analyzed a very large urban area to create a linear park on the train tracks. Below are images of two of the exercises I’ve chosen. The first was an exercise of Renewal of the “La Castilla” Square, located in the “Raval” district, an area of historical value for Barcelona. We analyzed the existing square and proposed a new design. The Plaza is located in the street “Taillers” one of the main streets connecting “El Raval” with “Las Ramblas” and the “Gothic Quarter”. The existing square was divided, hampered and without identity. The design concept is to create a new square of spatial continuity for various uses: for mobility or for living space, organized with specific elements inspired by the rhythm of the facade of the existing church, which has a portico of arcades. In this sense, the church is seen as the backdrop of the square, visually integrating it to the square. The Design also proposes to strengthen the character of the street pedestrian corridor through rhythm and perspective. In this exercise I did all the work: analysis, study sketches, the plant layout design and the perspectives prospects.

La Sagrera Lineal Park general plan and diagram

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Castilla Square Exercise 1

project perspective

project plan

analyses drawings of the current site

project views

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La Sagrera Park Exercise 2

project plan

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104 The second exercise is the design of the Linear Park “La Sagrera”, based on a real situation exercise. A linear park that connects the Suburbs “Saint Marti” and “Saint Andreu” was proposed. This park is built on the great roof of the railway. The park proposes areas for recreation and contemplation and a system of transversal and longitudinal pedestrian connectors on a dynamic setoff relief that creates some kind of hills along the spaces. On these hills happen to appear walkways and footbridges. The shape and arrangement of the longitudinal would walks attempt to connect the most important landmarks and attractions located throughout the park, north and south, as a “magnet”, bringing all the walkways to these locations. This work was a team, but I happened to make the studio mock model and the final mock model, the layout plant design and the conceptual idea in teamwork.

project model photografs

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Lansdscape Remaking: International Studio Design Degree: Master in landscape architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Professor: Henri Bava, Agence Ter (June 2006)

During this short design workshop we had the opportunity to have Professor Henri Bava, from the Architects´ Office “Agence Ter” in Paris, as our most important guest at the workshop. The theme was the landscape renovation and urban renewal of a degraded area of the city:The suburb “La Catalana”,on the riverbank of the“Besos”River in Barcelona. We analyzed the informal sector and proposed a new organic urban reticle with a walkway system that organized large green areas containing groups of buildings, recreational and productive areas, for communities, namely a proposal where the landscaping and urbanism are combined in a single idea of a city. This proposal was made in groups of 2 students, and I got to do the mock-up model and the plant layout design of the urban complex.

Model of the project

diagrams / project plan

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Tourism and Territory - Studio Design Cap de Creus Tourism Master Plan Degree: Master in landscape architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Professor: Maria Goula (2006-2007)

The sector of the economy has unavoidable relationship with the landscape. In this design workshop entitled “tourism: new uses for old territories” we studied the different economic activities of a territory characterized by massive tourism, especially of sun and beach, usually associated with speculation and resource exploitation. The recent awareness of sustainable management and the emerging sensitivity for the landscape grows progressively, topics on this activity, making clear the need to invent alternative models of territorial management, assigning to reassess the role of tourism on damaged environments. The area studied was the “Cap de Creus” on the Costa Brava. The exercise was a management proposal, planning and design of a multi-scale project, exploring the process of building the image of the tourism areas using instruments as landscape ecology, cultural geography, and theory of landscape and of perception. We rehearsed alternative fabrics and innovative tourism products. After thoroughly analyzing the territory, environmental factors and socio-cultural aspects, we proposed a Management Plan of the Territory, based on the concept of “landscape planning” where all tourism activities, production and hotel supply were organized according to the “water landscapes” of the territory.

project diagrams

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Water System - Studio Design Llobregat Agrarian River Park Degree: Master in landscape architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Proffesors:Enric Battle, Victor Tenez (2007)

Coastal systems and the edges of rivers and streams, especially in regions such as the Mediterranean, are part of the specific subject of landscaping with more prospects for the future. In this workshop we developed a project of an agricultural park on the edge of the “Llobregat” River, south of Barcelona, to restore the water system in a degraded agricultural area, restore productive activities, taking advantage of the natural drainage for irrigation and rehabilitation of the riverbank and river front landscapes. The workshop focused on the study of those areas where runoff from the territory plays an important role in the landscape. The agricultural park that was proposed is a system of tiered terraces that are losing altitude, from the village to the river. A road at high altitude connects all the spaces, as a “speck” to protect from flooding. The park uses the waters of a stream coming down from the mountain to the river to go watering all the terraces. This park offers the opportunity to visit the production areas as contemplation and teaching areas. As we approach the river, landscape becomes more natural, coming to the last terraces which can be flooded by the river and are covered by riparian vegetation (flood sheets). general plan

project vegetation ubication diagram

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112 In this teamwork I worked on the analysis, organization and plant layout design of the park, and did all the sections in Photoshop and AutoCAD.

analysis diagrams

project sections

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Final Thesis - Master in Landscape Architecture Historic Landscapes of Venezuela´s Coast. Cocoa’s Cultural Landscape: Exploring and Protecting Chuao’s Historic Plantations. Degree: Master in landscape architecture University: Universidad Politecnica de Cataluna Proffesor: 2008

In the final thesis that I prepared for the Masters of Landscape Architecture at the UPC, I studied the theme of “historic landscapes” of the Venezuelan coast, studying the case of “Chuao’s Cocoa Hacienda Landscape”. The Venezuelan landscape is strongly marked by the colonial era, but on the other hand, still offers vast areas of lush nature, almost intact. Five historic landscapes of the Venezuelan coast were studied to put forward its defense and preservation as heritage assets testimonies of human activity on the territory. The “historic landscapes” according to Javier Maderuelo are “... those places that have been the scene of events ... that may help explain the events of history and serve to evoke or for an emotional spring.” In the thesis I studied five cases of historic landscapes expressing the culture of different historical moments as the explorations, travels, territorial defense, lifestyles or activities. Namely, are “documents” that testify Hispanic activity in Venezuela: the meeting of Two Worlds, the explorations, Conquest and Colonization. Study Model of the project

Venezuela Landscapes diagrams

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History images

The case study was developed in the thesis of the coastal landscape of the Valley of Chuao and colonial hacienda, as representing the cocoa monoculture agricultural landscape. The landscape of Chuao, among other coastal valleys cultivated during the colonial period, represents the transcendence of cultural economic activity of Cocoa, a single case of traditional resource management practice, cocoa and landscape is conceived as a record of the Indigenous, Spanish and African culture interaction through the hacienda, as slavery and miscegenation. This research allowed me to meet all the elements of the historic landscape of Chuao and propose strategies for their improvement as a Cultural Landscape (World Heritage).

The selected landscapes for study

site geographic situation