portfolio
Landscape architecture and garden design
Molly Kumer
Molly Kumer date of birth: 19.06.1978 address: TBILISIJSKA 40 1000 LJUBLJANA SLOVENIA phone: ++386 51 362 333 e-mail: kumer.mojca@gmail.com
My name is Molly and this portfolio is the result of the past 8 years of learning, creativity, and growth, my pride and joy. Also my blood, sweat, and tears. A few sleepless nights thrown in for good measure. I was fortunate enough to have had worked for two different landscape architecture studios, starting at the Institute for Integrated Development and Environment Domzale and only a year later continuing my professional growth with Studio AKKA. This amazing team has shared their knowlege, teckniques, and aproaches for the past 7 years and still continues to inspire and teach me daily. Studio AKKA focuses mostly on landscape and urban design for public clients, but does not shy away from private gardens either. Projects range from town planning to parks and gardens, from playgrounds to town squares and historic renovations, regardless of scale and type of interventions. The past years have tought me a trasury worth of knowledge in all fields, computer programme use, skill in building models, practical understanding of the translation of drawings into the reality of land forms, paving, plant choice, retaining walls, and garden furniture. While I cherish and am greatful for the experience and knowlege, I have also come to the realisation that my curiosity, joy, and interest lies in the smaller scale of private projects. I enjoy being involved in the creation of something personal, connecting a home with it’s immediate surrounding, the intimacy of a private garden.
portfolio directory 1
Street corridor on Dunajska road
2
SVIZ
3
Architect Plečnik’s garden - reconstruction
4
Social and work activities center for the disabled
5
Public bathing area Fiesa
6
Kindergarten playground renovation
7
Student campus Koper
8
Celovška residential neighbourhood
9
Sports park Stožice - playground
10
Črnuče residential neighbourhood
11
Private garden Hrovača
12
Private garden 09-05
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High-school Ravne grounds
14
Football association of Slovenia Brdo pri Kranju
15
Nordic center Planica: mountain stream
Street corridor on Dunajska road Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2008 - 2010 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, u.d.i.k.a., Luka Javornik, u.d.i.k.a., ZaĹĄ Brezar, Mojca Kumer, u.d.i.k.a.
master plan
1
The design deals with the problem of protecting the pedestrian from harmful impact of traffic, thus enabling the more complex use of street space. Proposal for Dunajska 2 respects the future redesign of the whole Dunajska road corridor. Trees are located at the edge of the road, underplanted with a strip of shrubbery. Pedestrian corridor is wider. An undulating line of seating elements is put in the middle of the corridor, defining a functional zone as a boundary between private and public, concentrating activity in the middle, and setting free the outer and the inner zone for communication.
Dunajska road cross section
detail: cast concrete seating elements
Dunajska road virtual to reality
SVIZ Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2009 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Mojca Kumer
master plan
2
In this minute garden belonging to the headquarters of Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Slovenia our aim was to create an ever changing abstract pattern of ground cover, easy to maintain, winter hardy, and heat resistant.
SVIZ
ARCHITECT PLEČNIK’S GARDEN - RENOVATION Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2009 - 2015 authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Mojca Kumer, Eva Zupan
garden master plan
shadow view of the garden and house
3
Conservationist renovation of Plečnik’s garden where the aim was to recreate a concept established by Plečnik himself. He saw his garden as a creative polygon, a harmony between man made and natural. - A pergola accents the longitudinal axis of the garden; - the brick wall serves as an exibition area for Plečnik’s cast concrete elements, reminding us of his habit of saving and whenever possible reusing surplus elements from his construction sites; - the beehive, bees being an inspiration to the architect, restored to a pristine condition, stands as witness to Plečnik’s almost regimental work habits; - the tradition of renting out the vegetable garden patch has been kept alive since the architect moved in the house in 1920’s.
PLEČNIK’S GARDEN
details for the cast concrete and wooden parts of the pergola and their assembly
PLEČNIK’S GARDEN the renovated garden today
SOCIAL AND WORK ACTIVITIES CENTER FOR THE DISABLED Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2010 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Mojca Kumer, Luka Javornik
model of roofed storage and activities area - foam board - wooden skewer sticks
view of roofed storage and activities area
view of green border with rest niches
4
Social and work activities for the disabled Toncka Hocevar is a well functioning facility that only needed an update of the small garden that surrounds the facility itself. The objective was to give the residents defined areas for socialising, work activities, and rest, all connected with a path that can be easily manged whatever the disability a particular resident had. We created a long pergola-like structure that serves as dining and work activities area and also houses a kennel for the therapy dog, and a storage unit for garden tools. The thickly planted garden border is shaped into niches with benches for resting or spending time with visitors or therapists.
CENTER FOR THE DISABLED garden plan
CENTER FOR THE DISABLED renderings
PUBLIC BATHING AREA FIESA Fiesa, Slovenia national competition, 1st prize Studio AKKA, 2010 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Mojca Kumer, Ana Tepina, Luka Javornik, Miha Slekovec, ZaĹĄ Brezar, Martina Tepina
illustrative master plan
5
This little sliver of Slovenian coast is one of the few places where a sweet water lake is found in the imediate vicinity of a salt water body, separated only by a narow strip of land. The proposed plan extends the beach into which runs a path from a nerby town, thus connecting the two water bodies with a single light surface. The landscape and volume of the camping grounds connect through support walls onto which buildings are leaning, designed in a toned down architectural design. This way the wall is a connecting element hemming the area while at the same time creating a discrete dividing line between cultural and natural.
FIESA plan of the area - traffic and interest points A
B
cross section A
cross section B
FIESA 3D views
LEDINA KINDERGARDEN PLAYGROUND RENOVATION Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2009 - 2011 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Mojca Kumer, Gaja TtrbiĹžan, Luka Javornik Show at DKAS exibition Landscapes, Ljubljana 2010, Ethnographic museum
model - foam board - craft paper - textile mesh - cardboard
6
This playground spans over several two which created several chalenges as well as opportunities in the design process. The playground is divided into several areas of soft and hard surfaces: gently ondulating grass, gravel, sand, asfalt, and polytan. The trees on the edges provide shade while the area by the main building is shaded with the aid of a UV resistant army masking net. Play equipment includes structures for climbing, sliding, crawling, digging, and several ways of incorporating water into the play and learning. The asfalt surface is shaped into a cycling lane for learning traffic rules while also rapresenting a large canvas for chalk art.
LEDINA playground master plan
LEDINA playful moments
STUDENT CAMPUS KOPER Koper, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2009 - 2011 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Mojca Kumer, Luka Javornik
campus master plan
7
The plan for the student campus focuses on an open area amidst the university buildings, forming a square with alleys connecting the square with the outside space. Planting follows the ortagonal design and is executed in a raster in the paving.
CAMPUS KOPER In the narow spaces between buildings the green islands are lifted off the ground in round container-like concrete stuctures with seating on the rim. These containers are planted with small, multi-stemmed trees and a herbacious layer of ground cover. These island are designed as rest points for students on breaks or after class, the trees provide shade on warmer days while the robust herbacious layer offers an additinal surface for sitting or even lying down. The ground cover consists of a selection of hardy and resiliant herbs like creeping thyme, dwarf variety of mint, and simmilar that emmit a pleasant aroma upon touch.
detail: green island cross section
detail: green island plan
CAMPUS KOPER The plan for the student campus also includes an open air study room or chill out area. It is situated on a roof terrace of one of the faculty buildings. The space is articulated with large outdoor furniture and containers for climbing plants, small trees, perenials, and herbs. The climbers create a strong vertical element, covering the steel cables and the roof structure with shade providing greenery. roof terrace: front view
roof terrace: plan
CAMPUS KOPER
roof terrace - detail: plant containers
layer of mulched bark metal rod container steel cable Trachelospermum jasminoides
roof terrace: plant selection
drainage layer
Ligustrum lucidum Mentha crispa ‘Strawberry’ anchoring system Platypus growing substrate
Mentha sp. Teucrium fruticans Lavandula angustifolia
CELOVŠKA PARTNERSHIP Ljubljana, Slovenia National competition 2011, acknowledgment Studio AKKA authors: prof. Ana Kučan, dr. Tatjana Capuder, Zaš Brezar Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Ana Tepina, Miha Slekovec,
8
The spatial design for the degraded part of Ljubljana along the Celovška road comes from two starting points: 1. in the context of the entire city Celovška road represents one of the constitutive veins through which the city spreads outwards. The spatial design recommends the redisign of this city axis into a city-shaping element, i.e. a boulevard, with a city-shaping profile along the entire length. 2. in the past, before the succesive construction of the late 20th century, there was farmland on both sides of the Celovška road. The spatial design of the area suggests intertwining both of the above starting points while at the same time looks to the conceptual idea of the greek polis as the ideal: public life is equaly intended for all the cityzens of the area. The green open spaces are embedded in a broader picture of the city system. The main park axis lies in the N-S direction with the connecting surfaces following the E-W direction serve mainly as a recreational coridors. The green belts along the main roads serve as ecological coridors, since the resence of traffic diminishes their attraction for recreational purposes.
CELOVĹ KA PARTNERSHIP model - foam board - paper - craft paper - plexi glass
PARK STOŽICE - PLAYGROUND Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2010 authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Ana tepina
9
The playground is part of a large sports park in Ljubljana, where all the main sports events are held. The area is fenced off from the rest of the park, providing containment and security for children and enclosed in a cool embrace of a lush green border. The playground consists of two main areas: area for young children (up to 6 yrs old) and an area for kids age 6 to 15 yrs. The two areas are connected by two terrain modulations: a large concrete bowl-like structure and a grassy slope, both apropriate for use by both age groups of children. The concrete bowl is nestled in a larger concrete structure, a climbing wall with different inclinations of it’s walls, so it can be used for climbing (at it’s steepest side it has climbing holds), runing, crawling, sliding and rolling down it’s sides safely. The grass surface is equipped for less adrenalin filled activities, has two slides leaning on one of it’s sides and some climbing ropes to incorporate excersize for additional muscle groups.
playground area
The playground is equipped with a variety of play equipment, structures and surfaces that provide a wide span of recreational activities apropriate for all age groups and types of activities: demanding fisical activities like the climbing wall and a complex structure of wooden trunks, classic playground equippment like swings, carusels, and also caters to the more creative and exploratiry mind with musical instruments, willow evergrowing mistery tunnels, etc. The two entrances to the playground are designed as nodes between the playground and park. Both entrance points are equipped with concrete seating, a drinking fountain and rubbish bins. The resting areas are all located under the canopy of trees, thus providing protection from the hot summer Sun and also creating an entry motif. Both entry points are connected with a concrete surface, that also facilitates access for the disabled.
STOŽICE playground master plan
STOŽICE rendering
RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD ČRNUČE
10
Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2010
Landscape for residential area in Črnuče is envisioned as a translation of the idea of a garden into the space between densly bult residential buildings.
authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Zaš Brezar
Landscape design aims at creating unfolding spaces that offer shelter and can be used by all age groups of residents. Buildings are hence set into »green islands« of groundcover plants, lined out by low retaining walls thus defining a clear divide between the public and the private. Bays of gravel and grass line up the undulating areas of pavement enabling intimacy as well as supporting informal socialization. Distribution of benches, tables and chairs equally in shady and sunny locations support this idea, including positions from which views open to the neighbouring pond. Light transparent crowns of robinia and sorbus curtain direct views between the apartments. Small leaves allow sunlight to touch the ground and provide enough light also to the apartments facing north. Horizontal layering of planting and its fine granulation make the space look larger than it really is while the softness of curvilinear structure alludes to cosiness and domesticity. Design aims to make clear its reference to the garden, the refugee, stimulate relaxed use of space, encourage socializing and thus strengthen social ties among the residents.
detail: retaining wall with planting
detail: rest area with bench
ČRNUČE master plan
ČRNUČE
3D visualisation
PRIVATE GARDEN HROVAČA Hrovača, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2011 - 2013 authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer
11
This garden is situated in a small village in the rural part of Slovenia, the house being part of several other already renovated buildings in the near vicinity. The project included a complete renovation of the house and designig a garden that would stay true to a traditional structure of a rustic farmhouse garden. Followeing those guidelines we aimed to create a simple space, with accents on heirloom fruit baring trees and only an occasional old variety frowering shrub. The entrance to the garden is flanked by a row of one of the most typical pear trees followed by a modern take of a traditional vine supporting structure. Rows of peonies and currants hide the top part of an underground gas tank, while behind the barn hide a traditional fenced herb and flower garden and the jewel of every homestead, an apple and plum tree orchard.
HROVAÄŒA model - foam board - craft paper - clear plastic sheet - lime tree seeds
HROVAÄŒA a young garden with much growing and maturing yet to do
PRIVATE GARDEN 09-05 Ljubljana, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2009 - 2012 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Ana Tepina
garden master plan
cross section
12
This garden follows a gentle slope rolling away from a family hose on the edge of a forest. The garden design takes advantage of the terrain, creating spaces for social activities like a fun evening at the fire pit, areas for quiet reflection with enchanting views of the surrounding landscape, and poinst for appretiation of the beauty of the ever changing shape and color of nature. While the terrace closest to the house is a meticulously kept lawn, the lower terraces further down the slope only get mown occasionaly, mostly flowing with tall grasses and wild flowers of an unkempt meadow. The plants chosen were mostly wild species for soft merging of a cultivated space and wild growing forest.
GARDEN 09-05 a much loved and enjoyed family space
PUBLIC HIGH-SCHOOL RAVNE GROUNDS Ravne na Koroškem, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2012 - 2014 authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Zaš Brezar
13
The landscape design of the area is part of a larger school and recreational center area. The design derives it’s characteristics from the form of the new school building while also taking into consideration the natural conditions of the terrain: the rising terrain behind the school, the edge of the forest, and a pond. The large paved area infront of the new building connects to the sports buidings in the West via a paved path, that leads over the side of the pond. There are two tribunes, a larger one, enclosed in an atrium, for school events and open air lectures, and a second, smaller one offering a chill out area for the kids to enjoy.
RAVNE the school and it’s new, fresh grounds just befor the opening.
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF SLOVENIA HEADQUARTERS Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2012 - 2015 authors: prof. Ana Kučan, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Zaš Brezar
14
The placement of the football headquarters takes into consideration the quality of park design and, as far as circumstances permit, exploiting it for a programme and design upgrade. An important design and conceptual starting point is the heritage of the landscape garden that gave the local area it’s character. Historicly park Brdo has served as a center for protocol events and accomodated guests of the state and it still holds it’s image and importance following it’s function. The Football association is placed in the West part of the park, once a farm land (ferme orneé), and it still maintains it’s original spatial ratios between open flat land and the volume of the forest, such as found in documents from the 18th century.
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION master plan
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION still in the process
NORDIC CENTER PLANICA MANAGEMENT OF THE MOUNTAIN STREAM Planica, Slovenia Studio AKKA, 2012 - 2014 authors: prof. Ana KuÄ?an, Luka Javornik, Mojca Kumer, Miha Slekovec, ZaĹĄ Brezar
15
As Planica is set at the forefoot of the largest protected area in Slovenia and forms one of the most exciting entryways to the Triglav National Park, large sport facilities take their own stand. Design is based on the profound relation between architecture, the constructed site, and the natural setting. The precise design of topography, the systematic reduction of material, bold shapes and clear geometrical forms, all lines itself with the monumental silhouette of the mountains and the calmness of the pines and beech forest.
master plan of the entire project with position of the stream riverbed
PLANICA The Nordic Centre at Planica is an intervention into the magnificent Alpine frame and it’s symbolic charge, which renders all excessive design absurd. Design follows technical and organizational requirements of a large sport facility thus revealing the new character of the space. It stands in contrast to the natural dynamics of the surrounding mountainous landscape and creates an organized, functional and technically flawless counterpart that is perfected by the logic of engineering.
master plan of the cast concrete walls of the stream
PLANICA model of the valley throught which the stream flows - cardboard
PLANICA from drawing to reality in the overwhelming scale of open space