See www.groundmag.ca to download articles and share content on social media.
See www.groundmag.ca for a digital, searchable, archival database, listing all articles, authors, subjects, key words, etc. published in Ground over the years.
2024-2025 OALA Governing Council
President Stefan Fediuk
Vice President Aaron Hirota
Treasurer Cameron Smith
Secretary Justin Whalen
Past President Steve Barnhart
Councillors
Matthew Campbell Paul Marsala Matt Perotto
Intern Councillor—Senior Sujana Devabhaktuni
Intern Councillor—Junior Steven Shuttle
Lay Councillor Karen Liu
Appointed Educator
University of Guelph Afshin Ashari
Appointed Educator
University of Toronto
Elise Shelley
University of Guelph
Student Representative Adrienne Kou
University of Toronto
Student Representative Guiliana Costanzo
OALA Staff
Executive Director Aina Budrevics
Registrar Ingrid Little
Coordinator Olivia Godas
Membership Services Administrator Angie Anselmo
About
Ground: Landscape Architect Quarterly is published by Ontario Association of Landscape Architects and provides an open forum for the exchange of ideas and information related to the profession of landscape architecture. Letters to the editor, article proposals, and feedback are encouraged. For submission guidelines, contact Ground at magazine@oala.ca. Ground reserves the right to edit all submissions. The views expressed in the magazine are those of the writers and not necessarily the views of OALA and its Governing Council.
Upcoming Issues of Ground
Ground 67 (Fall) Intelligence
Ground 68 (Winter) Rufugia
Deadline for editorial proposals
Now seeking submissions at magazine@oala.ca
Deadline for advertising space reservations: October 14, 2024
Ground 69 (Spring) Chirp
Deadline for editorial proposals
Now seeking submissions at magazine@oala.ca
Advertising space reservation open
About OALA
The Ontario Association of Landscape Architects works to promote and advance the profession of landscape architecture and maintain standards of professional practice consistent with the public interest. OALA promotes public understanding of the profession and the advancement of the practice of landscape architecture. In support of the improvement and/or conservation of the natural, cultural, social and built environments, OALA undertakes activities including promotion to governments, professionals and developers of the standards and benefits of landscape architecture.
Needs You
Ground relies on OALA members, people from related professions, and those simply passionate about landscapes.
If you would like to contribute in any form, whether it’s writing, photography, or participating as a member of our Editorial Board, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at magazine@oala.ca
Ground Magazine represents the work of many passionate volunteers. If that sounds like you, come join the team!
You do not need to be an OALA member or landscape architect to contribute to either the Editorial Board or the magazine, and anyone who expresses interest will be seriously considered.
03/ Up Front Information on the ground
Joy:
06/ Discovering Joy in the Public Realm
TEXT BY MAAJA EICHFUSS, OALA AND ANDREA MANTIN, OALA
08/ Round Table Delighting in Landscape: the playfulness, surprise, rule-bending, and even risk of joyful spaces
MODERATED BY ERIC KLAVER, OALA
16/ Flexible Features: pop-ups, pilots, and versatile spaces
TEXT BY SHAHRZAD NEZAFATI, OALA
18/ CSLA Awards
26/ Striving for Joy Through Belonging OALA’s New Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
TEXT BY MARK HILLMER, OALA, GAIL SHILLINGFORD AND ZARA BROWN, OALA
28/ Book Corner Reconnecting with Our Love of Landscape Architecture
TEXT BY CLARA KWON, OALA-INACTIVE
30/ Notes A miscellany of news and events
42/ Artifact
Bigwind Lake: a modern conservation case study
TEXT BY GLYN BOWERMAN
President’s Message
Many of us hope life slows down in the summer months, offering a welcome change from the usual hustle and bustle. The longer days and warmer weather bring us a bounty of fresh seasonal produce to satisfy our taste buds, and the lush beauty of the landscapes that surround us instills a sense of peace and relaxation. Summer is a moment to reconnect with all the things that bring us joy.
In May, over 20 OALA members and Councillors gathered at Queen’s Park for the MPP-Landscape Architect Spring Breakfast. The event was our most successful yet, and included remarks from Brian Saunderson, MPP (Simcoe Grey); Kristyn Wong-Tam, MPP (Toronto Centre); Mary-Margaret McMahon, MPP (Beaches–East York); and Mike Schreiner, MPP (Guelph). The OALA continues to work closely with MPP Saunderson, who serves as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Attorney General and has been given responsibility for the Practice Act file. Regular meetings and events such as the breakfast have helped move us significantly closer to our goal of achieving a Landscape Architects Practice Act.
In this issue, you will read about the CSLA 2024 Awards of Excellence, recognizing multiple OALA members for their outstanding accomplishments in landscape architecture. These projects and exemplary individuals illustrate the range of what landscape architects do and how they help shape our communities.
As we transition into the fall, OALA is excited to host our annual conference in Niagara Falls on October 17 and 18. This year’s theme, Ripple Effect, will explore how all actions, no matter how small, can have great and lasting impacts on the well-being of our communities. Attendees can expect 1.5 days of thought-provoking presentations, tours, networking, and a not-to-be-missed OALA awards reception at the Niagara Power Station.
I want to wish everyone a healthy and safe end to their summer, and I look forward to connecting with you all during the conference in October.
STEFAN FEDIUK
OALA PRESIDENT PRESIDENT@OALA.CA
Editorial Board Message
For our summer theme, the Editorial Board chose Joy. Not only do we believe this is a good fit for the feeling of summer, it has also been a bit of a Board favourite for some time—often making the shortlist during our annual theme selection.
In this Summer 2024 issue, we present stories that aim to inspire optimism, happiness, and uplift our spirits. With so many challenging social, economic, and environmental issues being the focus of a number of past Ground Magazine issues, we wanted a bit of a reprieve from the heaviness and show lighter side of our profession and celebrate the strides we are taking to improve ourselves and our world.
In this issue we have a very special round table discussion, devised and moderated by one of Ground’s former board chairs: Eric Klaver. We knew Eric would be the right fit for this discussion, as he was a driving force behind the introduction of Joy as a potential magazine theme during his tenure. The discussion is a fascinating narrative around finding joy in our work, injecting joy into our designs, and understanding joy as an emotion and how it can be triggered.
There are two other feature articles in this issue that consider the activation of public spaces from different perspectives, but both with the intention of infusing more energy and joy into underutilized spaces. I highly recommend them both.
We also have an entry from OALA’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee as an introduction to the background of why the committee was formed and some of the benefits of pursuing the work. We hope it inspires you to get involved and connect with the committee.
As always, our Board members and contributors enjoyed putting this issue together, however, it takes a lot of hard work by dedicated volunteers to bring each issue to life. The magazine is constantly in need of your help. Ground is a platform to celebrate all the wonderful, dynamic aspects of our profession and work. We need our members to participate and share their voices, thoughts, and aspirations for our future. I urge you all to consider what you can do to support your magazine through volunteering to moderate a round table, or submitting a pitch to the Editor at the address below. We look forward to hearing from you for future issues!
MARK HILLMER CHAIR, EDITORIAL BOARD MAGAZINE@OALA.CA
Up Front: Information on the Ground
WAYFINDING qr codes
From restaurant menus to social media, QR codes are ubiquitous in a world where the boundaries between digital and reality are becoming increasingly blurred. While parks and trails are often seen as escapes from the city and electronic distractions, we are starting to see technology like QR codes incorporated in the outdoors. Is this a sign of an oncoming AI-digital apocalypse, or can QR codes be useful tools for landscape designers, managers, and users alike?
01/ A QR code with information about the type of tree, China.
IMAGE/ Jennifer Wan
02/ Wayfinding and QR code on the G2G trail.
IMAGE/ Ryan De Jong
During our thesis year both Ryan and I (Jennifer) used “wandering,” a method that involves walking through the landscape and making observations, as part of our research. During this process, we began to see QR codes pop up in public spaces, locally and abroad. They are being used in landscapes to help with wayfinding, provide trail information and stories, and everything in-between. Compared to large signs, they are low-cost tools being used to enrich and improve experiences outside. Here are some innovative outdoor QR code examples we found in our travels and research:
While biking along the popular Guelph-toGoderich (G2G) trail, I (Ryan) came across a marker sign with a QR code at each
03-05/ More QR codes in China.
IMAGES/ Jennifer Wan
06-08/ More QR codes in China.
IMAGES/ Jennifer Wan
kilometre. To help with wayfinding, the codes link to an interactive map which lets users know exactly where they are on the 132-kilometre trail. Additionally, there is information available about the individual stakeholders who have adopted each specific kilometre of the trail, and the stewardship groups that maintain it.
Notably, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) partnered with Avenza maps to help trail users with wayfinding and educate about and mark areas of interest. In order to be environmentally conscious, many organizations are moving towards distributing maps via QR codes to prevent litter on their lands. As Avenza has stated, “We don’t always have the capacity to print and install updated trail maps with every small change that happens with the trail network. We are excited that the QR codes will provide direct links to TRCA’s maps for the most current trail network.”
During my research trip to China, I (Jennifer) saw that municipal park groups are using QR codes to share information about trees. In Lotus Mountain Park in Shenzhen, each tree has a small tag with a QR code. Scanning it leads to a park app with information about the tree species, size, health, and location.
In Beijing’s Round City—a historical site and public park—old trees have a tag with the species and age written on it. Scanning the QR code brings you to a municipal website that provides information about the size, growth habits, management group, and history and
mobile device to scan the trees’ codes. The scan directs users to a website to learn interesting facts about that tree and its species.
cultural value of the tree. One particular tree I scanned is an approximately 850-year-old whitebark pine. Only after scanning the QR code did I learn it is known as the “White-robed General,” an ancient tree present in imperial history and Chinese literature!
More locally, in the Toronto-Etobicoke Humber arboretum, retired teachers are using QR codes to encourage children and families to explore and learn about trees. This self-guided nature walk is called “Treecaching,” and trail users can download a free QR reader on any
Overall, QR codes are being used to create new opportunities for education and convenience in public spaces, but they also present unique challenges. Because of its reliance on mobile devices with internet connections, they are less accessible to those without devices or who do not know how to scan them. Additionally, some may be concerned that increasing the use of cellphones outdoors detract from the outdoor experience. As technology continues to integrate with our natural environments, it is crucial for designers to balance these innovations with attention to accessibility and nature.
The examples we have come across can serve as inspiration to help with wayfinding and providing information to enrich one’s experience in the landscape, rather than detract from it. As we enter further into the digital realm, QR codes, like a bend in a trail, can invite us to explore the unknown and go a little further.
TEXT/ RYAN DE JONG IS A DESIGNER FOR REEP GREEN SOLUTIONS AND GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER.
JENNIFER WAN IS A RECENT LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE GRADUATE AND DESIGNER BASED IN TORONTO AND GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER
Community is created in the public realm: streets, paths, parks, squares, ravines, waterfront, and other open spaces all support civic life. These spaces provide the canvas for daily social interactions, opportunities for community expression, and a connection to nature. As Toronto continues to grow at an unprecedented speed, these spaces become increasingly important to the high quality of life Torontonians value.
With the current rate of population growth, there is a need to improve and expand the public realm. Doing so can be challenging, with high land prices and limited available property, so taking the approach of re-imagining and leveraging existing public spaces (in other words, making them work harder) is crucial to ensuring a continued high quality of life for future generations.
The City of Toronto has a variety of integrated programs that improve the public realm. Two such programs are the Civic Improvements program and the Percent for Public Art program.
The Civic Improvements program augments planned capital construction of roads, bridges, parks, and plazas through public realm improvements that fulfill City of Toronto policies including the Official Plan, Secondary Plans, and Urban Design Guidelines. This modest but high value-added program takes a city-wide approach to maximize the quality of place and space. The program partners with various delivery divisions throughout the city as well as agencies like the Toronto Public Library and Toronto Community Housing to enhance the adjacent public spaces.
The Civic Improvements program takes a focused approach to combating climate change. This is done through rethinking the way we use hardscape by including green infrastructure elements such as permeable paving, bioswales, and tree and pollinator planting. Nearly 20 years ago, the City of Toronto pioneered the use of soil cells with a street tree planting initiative on the Queensway. The project included long-term monitoring and laid the foundation for testing new techniques in Civic Improvement projects. Emerging TEXT
For example, the Glen Road Pedestrian Bridge and Tunnel Replacement project upgrades areas around the bridge by redesigning public space on either end of the Rosedale Valley Ravine, creating a sense of destination and place with elevated hardscaping and expanded planting. Public art by Inuit artist Couzyn Van Heuvelen explores the themes of migration and travel with elements anchoring the new public plaza at the Sherbourne subway entry, and that continues through the widened pedestrian tunnel under Bloor Street East. The replaced pedestrian bridge connects the two vibrant communities of North St. James Town and Rosedale and includes an accessible pathway that enhances the view across the bridge, pedestrian-scaled lighting, and a safety barrier to preserve views into the ravine. Additionally, the Upper Highland Creek Trail and Access network is an example of multi-divisional coordination to implement City planning policies, as well as the Cycling Network Plan and Ravine Strategy, while providing public access to nature and ravine connectivity. The project connects the Gatineau Trail with Morningside Park in Scarborough with a trilogy of 30 metre-long pedestrian bridges that crisscross Upper Highland Creek within the ravine as part of the Pan-Am Path.
techniques and best practices are piloted through select initiatives to explore new technologies on a smaller scale. This approach facilitates innovative ways for water absorption into the sewer system, such as using permeable asphalt or pavers to test absorption rates into adjacent bioswales, and experimenting with planting techniques such as the Miyawaki Method, which encourages native species planted at a density that mimics a natural forested area.
Public realm improvements, both large and small, bring joy to communities. These improvements include creating new spaces through intersection redesign, adding shade and pollinator habitats with new trees or installing thoughtful public art installations.
Similarly, the Percent for Public Art Program is an important initiative aimed at integrating art into the fabric of the public realm. The program mandates that a portion of funds negotiated based on the land value for many private and municipal development projects be allocated to public art. This ensures that, as the city grows and evolves, artistic expression remains an integral part of its landscape.
Through this program, the City of Toronto has transformed public and private spaces into dynamic galleries, showcasing a diverse range of artwork that reflects the city’s cultural richness and creativity. From sculptures and murals to interactive installations, these pieces not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of Toronto but also foster civic engagement and pride. Moreover, the program has provided numerous avenues for artists to develop their professional careers through highprofile public commissions. The Percent for Public Art Program stands as a testament to
the City of Toronto’s commitment to cultural enrichment and the belief in the power of art to inspire, provoke, and unite.
The Toronto Public Art Commission, administered by the City of Toronto, consists of citizen volunteers from diverse fields—including artists, architects, legal experts, and community members with expertise in art. The Commission guides public art projects and policies, advising the City on fair, equitable, and professional protocols for commissioning public art and evaluating developers’ public art plans.
In 2020, the City developed the Toronto Public Art Strategy, which outlines a comprehensive 10-year plan aimed at strengthening the City’s commitment to public art. This strategy articulates a vision to propel public art forward throughout Toronto, seeking to amplify the influence of the City’s public art initiatives for the betterment of both residents and visitors.
The integration of public art into every neighbourhood, not solely confined to downtown areas, is a crucial aspect of fostering community identity and cultural vibrancy. By dispersing artistic installations throughout various neighbourhoods, cities can ensure equitable access to creative expression and cultural enrichment for all residents. Implementing initiatives such as community-specific public art projects can empower local artists and residents to contribute to the enhancement and revitalization of their surroundings. Whether it’s encountering a thoughtprovoking sculpture in an unexpected location or stumbling upon a hidden gem of artwork integrated into the built form, these unexpected encounters spark joy
and curiosity, turning ordinary spaces into memorable experiences.
As the Civic Improvements and the Percent for Public Art programs continue to shape Toronto’s public and private spaces, they offer tangible features that engage the senses and enrich daily experiences. In this ever-changing civic landscape, these initiatives ensure Toronto remains a dynamic and vibrant city for generations to come.
01/ Raindrop Plaza, Coxwell Avenue and Dundas Street East. Consultant: Schollen & Company Inc. with Dan Bergeron, mural artist, RV Anderson Consultants Ltd.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of the City of Toronto
02/ Back to Front by Jason Bruges Studio. 300 Front Street West, Toronto, 2014.
IMAGE/ James Medcraft
03/ Upper Highland Creek PanAm Path Connections, Upper Highland Creek. Consultant: Aquafor Beech Limited, PlanMac Engineering Inc. Terraproble Inc., Victor Ford and Associates.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of the City of Toronto
04/ Ossington BIA Parkette Improvements, Foxley Avenue and Ossington. Consultant: Forest and Field Landscape Architecture with Philip Cote, artist.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of the City of Toronto
05/ Bobber Plaza, Canoe Landing Park, Concord City Place, Toronto, 2009. Artist: Douglas Coupland.
IMAGE/ Paul Orenstein
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK OUT: HTTPS://WWW.TORONTO.CA/SERVICES-PAYMENTS/STREETSPARKING-TRANSPORTATION/ENHANCING-OUR-STREETSAND-PUBLIC-REALM/CIVIC-IMPROVEMENT-PROGRAM-2/ AND HTTPS://WWW.TORONTO.CA/CITY-GOVERNMENT/ PLANNING-DEVELOPMENT/OFFICIAL-PLAN-GUIDELINES/ DESIGN-GUIDELINES/PERCENT-FOR-PUBLIC-ART-INVENTORY/ BIOS/ MAAJA EICHFUSS, OALA, CSLA, IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WHO HAS WORKED IN BOTH THE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN CANADA AND THE US. SHE CURRENTLY MANAGES THE CITY OF TORONTO’S CIVIC IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE PUBLIC REALM. ANDREA MANTIN, OALA, CSLA, IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WITH 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE WORKING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. PRIOR TO STUDYING LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, ANDREA WORKED AS A VISUAL ARTIST, CURATOR AND EXHIBITION DESIGNER. SHE IS THE MANAGER OF PUBLIC ART FOR THE URBAN DESIGN DIVISION AT THE CITY OF TORONTO.
MODERATED BY ERIC KLAVER, OALA
BIOS/ GERARDO PAEZ ALONSO, OALA, CSLA, IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE LEAD AT SVN. HE IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED WITH THE PUBLIC REALM DESIGN COORDINATION AND PARKLAND DEDICATION STRATEGIES FOR TRANSITORIENTED COMMUNITIES ALONG THE ONTARIO LINE. HE ALSO CHAMPIONS OPEN SPACE PLANNING FOR THE TORONTO RAIL DECK RESET, SEVERAL MASTERPLANS, AND REVITALIZATION PROJECTS ACROSS CANADA AND MEXICO. HE HAS A GRADUATE DEGREE IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO AND UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE IN ARCHITECTURE FROM THE UNIVERSIDAD DE LAS AMÉRICAS - PUEBLA IN MEXICO.
SOURAV BISWAS IS A LANDSCAPE PLANNER AND SPATIAL ANALYST WITH 13+ YEARS EXPERIENCE IN URBAN PLANNING, CLIMATE ADAPTATION, TERRITORIAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY, BLUE ECONOMY, RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LEVERAGING NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AT SITE AND METROPOLITAN SCALES.
CHRISTINE MCLAREN IS AN AWARD-WINNING JOURNALIST AND EDITOR. SHE WAS THE FOUNDING EDITOR OF REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL—AN ONLINE MAGAZINE LAUNCHED BY TALKING HEADS FRONTMAN DAVID BYRNE. SHE CO-FOUNDED THE SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM ORGANIZATION DISCOURSE MEDIA. AND SHE WAS LEAD RESEARCHER ON THE BOOK HAPPY CITY: TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES THROUGH URBAN DESIGN BY CHARLES MONTGOMERY.
JANELLE ZWART, CPSI, IS A PLAYGROUND DESIGNER AND PROJECT MANAGER AT EARTHSCAPE PLAY. SHE IS AN OALA INTERN (ASSOCIATE), AND SHE HOLDS AN ADVANCED DIPLOMA IN INTERIOR DESIGN (HONS) FROM GEORGIAN COLLEGE OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY AND A CERTIFICATE IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN FROM RYERSON UNIVERSITY.
ERIC KLAVER, OALA, CSLA, IS PROJECT MANAGER WITH PARKS PLANNING AT THE CITY OF VAUGHAN. PREVIOUSLY, HE WAS PARTNER AND SENIOR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AT PLANT ARCHITECT INC. HE IS ALSO THE FORMER GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD CHAIR AND FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE MAGAZINE.
Eric Klaver: How important is joy in what you do and where do you find it in your life and career?
Gerardo Paez Alonso: Moving from Mexico to Toronto to do a Master’s degree illuminated how different our cultures are. Regarding joy, it’s an internal thing influenced by externalities. Canada is all about nature: as green as you can ever want. Mexico, on the other side, there’s a lot of green around, but if you go to the core of the cities, many have this very historic Spanish court in the downtown areas. There’s not a lot of green, but there’s a lot of joy within these hardscape plazas, with large trees here and there to provide shade. But life is lived on the streets and it is the culture that makes it enjoyable. There’s joy that comes out of how people actually occupy the spaces. That is more of a frequent thing in Mexico than in Canada. Canada has beautiful design and green space, but it’s all about business, because everyone is busy and just going from A to B. They are focused on tasks, and then they can relax. In Mexico, people will stop and recollect their thoughts. But we have the opportunity as designers to influence that kind of culture in our interventions.
02-03/ Street life in
IMAGES/ Gerardo Paez Alonso
Janelle Zwart: Playgrounds obviously tend to be joyful spaces. They have their own tiny culture within the park. There’s an invitation for playfulness there, both on the part of children, obviously, but also with parents and caregivers. Playgrounds are an invitation to not take ourselves so seriously, have fun for fun’s sake, and not feel like you need to be productive before giving yourself permission to enjoy something. Joyful moments happen freely on the playground and it’s always exciting when aspects of that pop up in other areas of the landscape.
Christine McLaren: There was a great article in The Atlantic in 2022 called “Why Do Rich People Love Quiet? The Sound of Gentrification is Silence.” It was about the kind of things allowed to happen in public space, who’s allowed to use that space, and what kind of activities are acceptable there. That can be problematic. And I love the
idea that—rather than just focusing on design—the culture, policy, and programming is ultimately what fosters joy. In Vancouver, the most joy I find in the city is when it is removing barriers to use, allowing informality, and loosening up a bit about the way we’re allowed to use space. Take drinking regulations in parks: it’s not even necessarily the ability to consume alcohol, it’s more about loosening the idea that we need tight controls on how space is used, enjoyed, and celebrated.
Sourav Biswas: When I came to the United States, my first destination was Austin, Texas for undergrad. Having grown up in Calcutta and Kuwait, cultural differences are very perceptible anytime you come to a new city. I’m not sure if design or something else really explains whether a city knows how to enjoy spaces or not. When I went to Boston for my Master’s, I noticed that City regulates public living differently compared to Austin, and both are very different from how people engage with the public realm basically anywhere in Europe. You definitely see more
01/ Mexico City, 2016.
IMAGE/ Helene Iardas
Mexico.
children in the cities of Europe than you do in North America. I think that makes a difference. But there are also differences in the ease with which people occupy plazas and dwell in parks more casually. Boston started shifting its personality towards open spaces around COVID. The pandemic allowed people to slow down and actually use the outdoors, as the only place where you could socialize. There was a cultural change, even if nothing changed in the design: people reclaimed spaces in different ways. And then some cities just have that personality because the framework exists. New York City, even before COVID, started removing cars from streets and having the culture of block parties, because the streets are on a grid, which is very flexible, and closing down one part of the block doesn’t shut down the city. You spontaneously turn every weekend into a gathering that doesn’t require a lot of planning.
But I started wondering whether design, no matter how small, can encourage or
04-05/ Street life in Mexico.
IMAGES/ Gerardo Paez Alonso
06/ Mexico City, 2016.
IMAGE/ Helene Iardas
07/ Street life in Mexico.
IMAGE/ Gerardo Paez Alonso
change dominant cultures of how people explore their own public spaces—outside of playgrounds where there’s permission given, but only for very specific age groups. No one’s made playgrounds for adults, so where do adults find joy or give themselves permission to experience it in public— besides going out for a night of drinking or celebrating a sports win. A friend of mine in architecture school started a project called the Red Swing Project in Austin as a studio provocation. I was an enthusiastic supporter and brought it to India. The idea was to take some climbing rope and a plank of wood painted red and just hang a swing in a place that has nothing to do with a playground from a tree by the sidewalk or under a bridge, and just observe what people do. How quickly will adults take a swing just because it’s there?
In many places the swings quickly became a gathering spot. In many cases, depending on how regulated the public environment was for liability purposes,
they were taken down just as quickly. We found certain places are so highly policed the police took the swings down. But it depended on the city. We went to New Orleans a year after Katrina, and they had a lot more to look after than swings. Those swings lasted a really long time.
But the culture of a place like Austin, which wasn’t that liberal about open space, changed because of the appearance of this random swing. And then when we took it to India and found amazing places to put the swings. India was too hyperdense for us to find big enough trees or unoccupied spaces at first. But we did find opportunities: hanging them from a bridge over an unused railway track by a slum. As long as the swing was there, the kids had an amazing time, but the police came and took it down. In other places, it wasn’t the police, it was just people who wanted the wood and rope. But, while it lasted, it gave everyone a very simple object to reconsider what they could do in their own space.
That’s stuck with me: there’s things design can do—and it doesn’t have to be that complicated—to bring out that universal inner child. Our urban environments and cultures push us into certain ways of being, but it’s possible to break out.
EK: Risk is something that, within urban design, municipalities try to avoid. We don’t build risky behavior into our designs, because insurance providers dissuade us. But we recently completed a playground for the Jackman Junior Public School here in Toronto, and they actually wanted us to challenge the children with a slightly riskier type of playground that promotes development. Janelle, in your own designs, how do you assess that kind of risk or make sure things are joyful and playful while navigating risk factors?
JZ: We run into this all the time, and we’re huge proponents of risky play, because it really is important for development. It’s also just more fun. If the playground’s not risky enough, kids aren’t going to play on it or lose interest. For example, the local park in our neighborhood is a 5-to-12 play structure. It’s a typical steel
08/ Glass City Metropark, Toledo, Ohio.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of Earthscape
09/ A splash pad outside the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre, Toronto. Image title: Regent Park.
IMAGE/ Rolf Dietrich Brecher, courtesy of Flickr, creative commons license: https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
11/ Presidio Tunnel Tops Outpost Playground, San Francisco, California.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of Earthscape
and plastic structure with a little four-foot slide and a bridge that leads you up to a higher, twirly slide and some different accessories coming off it. My daughter is six-and-a-half, so she’s just on the lower end of the intended age range, but she’s already climbing all over the roof of the structure. She’s climbing on the outside of the railing with just her feet on the platform so that she can get to the top of the monkey bars and scale them that way. It shows kids are going to seek out risk no matter what. So, as a playground
designer or a city, you have a decision to make: are you going to build the thrill of risk into the playground design or not? If not, kids are going to seek out risk in other ways.
There are safety standards we have to adhere to—very dimensional standards all play equipment in Canada must comply with. That ensures there aren’t hazards like protruding pieces of hardware your clothing might get caught on and cause strangulation, or
maximum distances you’re allowed to provide an opening where a child might fall onto an outside surface. From that perspective, we work on mitigating the hazard while still encouraging risk. And there are a few different areas we can provide risky play in. One is play at heights. Tall towers are a great example, where you might provide an enclosed tower with, say, four platforms, and the tallest platform is 18 feet high. Kids get a sense of being up really high and it feels dangerous, but, from a hazard perspective, it’s pretty safe. Things where they can move fast is another area. Things where they can feel like they’re lost or hidden, even though they’re not really. We try to provide enclosed spaces to some degree, while being mindful that cities are not always fans of enclosed spaces in parks because they create other challenges with park users. But wherever we can we provide little nooks and crannies where kids can feel like they’re hiding from mom and dad, or play games of hide and seek.
EK: Joy seems to be akin to almost an abandonment of concern: this is such a great thing, I’m experiencing something wonderful, I’m almost unconcerned about anything else happening right now. Could you describe a joyful experience? What are the qualities and characteristics needed to feel that?
JZ: Thrill, connection with other people, lightheartedness, curiosity, and spontaneity.
GPA: On the other hand, there’s also the joy of just being able to move from point A to point B in a safe manner. In Vancouver, when you’re cycling, you feel so comfortable. I’ve been a couple of times for work and to visit family and it’s amazing to know you’re on the right path, and you have the route to get where you’re going. When I was living in Etobicoke and I cycled downtown for my commute in the morning, there was a sense I accomplished something and connected with nature just going to work. In Mexico City, that ain’t going to happen. People who cycle there are warriors. There’s no enjoyment. How we use spaces differs from one country versus the other and, again, that has to do with the culture. The culture in Canada is about environment and making sure we have spaces that allow us to enjoy our beautiful natural landscapes.
CM: It’s great to talk about joy. It’s also really important to realize we are living in an incredibly difficult time, where people are stressed about major things with massive implications for all of us. There is a difference between joy and something like “subjective well-being,” which is the scientific term we use for happiness. When we speak about joy, we often speak about moments, versus a deeper sense of well-being and safety. Working in solutions journalism helps me understand that things can and actually are getting better in places. And I say this as a journalist who has contributed as much to the problem as anyone else—the news generally does not reflect the full state of the world. It has a negative bias. That’s okay, that’s its job, but it does give us a sense
that things are worse than they are, and it doesn’t empower us or our public officials with the information we/they need in order to improve things. Stories about solutions genuinely help ground me and make me feel joy. They give permission to feel joy, instead of sinking back into fear. There is sometimes a fear of engaging too much in joy—like we need to be on high alert all the time. But in areas like landscape, we are really seizing opportunities to solve problems. And knowing that brings a different kind of joy, calm, and safety that extends beyond just the moment.
SB: I became invested in the idea of happiness in undergad: what it means and its different forms. Happiness as a state of mind requires things like stability, security, and community. And many cities in the developing world don’t provide that. The happiest cities and countries have guaranteed basic rights and welfare. There are counterarguments that those societies have moderate expectations on what we need to be happy, but you need that base. Many cities that are struggling, rapidly growing, and unplanned don’t have it. Your commutes are probably long because you haven’t figured out housing next to where people need to work. Or you don’t have enough open spaces to take time between your workspace and home—there’s no third space. These issues are not beyond the scope of landscape architects. In India, just reclaiming part of the public realm by making systemic improvements increases the level of happiness. I have the agenda of joy because I think it’s important. In India, it’s becoming the norm that everyone’s spending two to four hours commuting to and from work, or they don’t have full-day weekends, or kids don’t have anywhere to go. It’s either too polluted or too hot, or the playgrounds are too dangerous or, conversely, just not very challenging.
In a lot of our work, we get a foot in the door through the rubric of climate adaptation. We are designing an open space that will also have stormwater absorption where we bring in rainwater from catchment areas. We are also recharging the aquifers in the City of Chennai where, just three years ago, they struggled with a big drought, then a
big flood, and the cycle keeps repeating. There’s a lot of interest in the public sector to invest in infrastructure that alleviates that. So we, as landscape architects, are working with ecologists and hydrologists to design this infrastructure. But, because I believe in joy and happiness, we designed the social infrastructure around that hydrological infrastructure. We received funding from the Disaster Management Authority grant to do this open space because we quantified how it helps with floods and other things. Now this neighbourhood has a quality open space it lacked. We’re able to convince people at local levels that you can do a lot with parks—it can help with your flood, drought, and heat issues, but you can also make them fun social spaces.
EK: It seems to be important for the landscape architect to back-end the joy into projects. Because I’ve never seen an RFP that said, “And it has to be joyful.” There are all sorts of requirements, but joy and happiness don’t seem to factor in.
Playgrounds seem to be the natural thing that we come up with. In fact, one project I was working on, we
were replacing a child’s splash pad, and we’re saying, “I think we should replace it and everyone should enjoy it. It should be for all ages, something everyone can enjoy, and central to the park, as opposed to something off to the side that kids enjoy.” And it kind of befuddled people. They said, “No, you need the children over here and the adults over here.” But I think there’s a chance overlap. The mix of ages and people interacting is important to bringing joy to a space.
Incidentally, splash pads in Toronto are part of the heat relief network. So, while they’re generally only encouraged for children to use, paradoxically, they’re also promoted as a last source of relief in extreme heat events in the city.
EK: Exactly. They’re necessary for all ages. And I’m wondering if any of you have particular projects where you kind of snuck joy into it as an aspect of more serious parts of the work? A kind of “serious joy?”
GPA: At SvN, we had a chance to work for Durham Region on the Meadoway active transportation trail. The extension of the Scarborough Meadoway in Toronto goes 30 kilometres into Durham Region. This was a visioning study to understand how transregional connectivity can not only promote commuting on a macro scale, but also create gateways and spaces where people can interact within their own region.
This project involves four municipalities, bridging the urban and suburban, and there are opportunities to create joy for each diverse community along the corridor. What happens in between your commutes? What happens during the weekends where everyone can come just to connect to all the regional parks and conservation areas nearby? There are about 26 creeks along the way. So there’s many opportunities for creating joyful moments with a very serious planning approach. This is where landscape architects are in an advantageous practice: we go from the macro into everyday intervention opportunities to create joy and experiences.
JZ: Sourav’s example of the swings got me thinking about how great it is when a space invites users to do something that would usually be forbidden. There’s a bit of tantalizing subversiveness in a tiny,
unexpected invitation to break the rules in some way, even if it’s not harmful or dangerous. Inviting that in a playful way makes spaces memorable. It can also lead to interactions between people that wouldn’t otherwise happen. If two people happen upon that swing at the same time and they’re both surprised by it, what’s the interaction that happens when, otherwise, they might not even have glanced at each
other? There’s a project we have at Glass City Metro Park in Toledo where breaking away from subservience was part of the design: there’s a tube slide set in between two towers, and the designer intentionally placed climbing holds on the outside of the tube. At a playground, you often hear parents saying, “Don’t climb up the slide.” That’s something people just seem to have adopted as an etiquette rule. But we thought, “Well, what if we do the opposite and encourage kids to climb up the slide instead?” It creates this beautiful moment where you’re climbing up, which is fun in and of itself, and you hear another child go down the inside of the tube below.
SB: It’s important we curate programming in the spaces that we design. Even if you didn’t design those spaces, we should think about how to do it in the streetscapes in general. Because some of my best moments in New Orleans were when they
closed down the entire neighbourhood street and set up long tables for a crawfish boil. It brought the entire community together and turned a normal street into a community space. Creativity can be about how you, at least temporarily, create opportunities for unusual interactions or things that provoke you. Working with artists, or community organizers, or using the seasonal programming budget for a park can be subversive and go a long way.
CM: The fear of mess is the problem. In Berlin, there was a program someone created as a lab called “Berlin is Ugly and it’s Good That Way,” which played on a quote from the mayor at one point. It was about how the brilliance of Berlin is in its messiness, in its the plastic chairs people drag out into the street and just leave there for everyone to use and hang out in parks, it’s in the mess and informality and the fact nothing is too well managed or maintained. Letting go and taking the restraints off a little bit and almost allowing our cities let themselves go a bit is okay sometimes. The messiness is good. Embrace it!
GPA: Where there’s perhaps not a spark of embedded joy within the design, the people bring that joy with them, right? They start bringing their own chairs to the park, or toys to the sandbox. They’re bringing everything they want to make that space part of their life. Dufferin Grove Park in Toronto is one of the most grassroots parks around. People from the community are always there. There’s a pizza oven, and a culture that everyone is part of one big family. Perhaps, as landscape architects, we can infuse our projects with opportunities to create these moments of joy. And then you leave room for people to inhabit and take over a space and make it their own.
Joy in action on a small and personal scale can inject quality into the fabric of our cities and involves the renegotiation of our social perspectives and the alteration of our infrastructure.
The pandemic underscored the value of outdoor spaces tremendously, highlighting not only their general importance but the particular importance of flexible outdoor areas. It emphasized how these spaces contribute to our overall well-being and enjoyment of life.
For landscape architects within a multidisciplinary design team, there are many possible approaches to design flexible outdoor spaces with joy in mind.
movement of urban design in the 1960s, especially with the advent of Jane Jacobs’ theories about the vitality of cities. Jacobs emphasized that a city’s streets and squares should be versatile and capable of adapting to various uses depending on the needs of the population.
Flexible outdoor spaces have numerous benefits. Primarily, they promote better resource use by allowing spaces to serve multiple purposes. They encourage creativity and community engagement, since people are invited to participate in defining how the spaces are used. This can also foster a greater sense of community ownership and belonging and therefore the collective experience of joy.
Finally, it is noteworthy that passive flexible placemaking also supports
cities and communities.
Placemaking is a people-centred approach to the design of public spaces that looks to capitalize on the local community’s assets, potential, and aspirations. Placemaking improves the functionality, aesthetics, and social engagement of spaces, creating public areas that promote health, happiness, and well-being.
Pop-up architecture and its temporary nature offers a platform for experimentation, allowing designers to test new concepts and ideas. Pop-up installations can be used to activate underused spaces, create excitement, attract audiences, or serve temporary functions such as festivals, markets, and exhibitions.
01/ Swing Time at Lawn on D, Boston, September 2015.
IMAGE/ Leslee_atFlickr, courtesy of Flickr, creative commons license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/2.0/
02/ Rabbits Galore, The Lawn on D, Boston, July 2015.
IMAGE/ Leslee_atFlickr, courtesy of Flickr, creative commons license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/2.0/
These three concepts can interact in numerous ways to create beneficial outcomes for cities and communities. Landscape architecture can use principles of placemaking to design spaces that reflect and support the needs and identities of the specific communities they serve. These spaces are often characterized by natural elements, such as plantings and water features, that enhance local biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
Both landscape architecture and placemaking can utilize pop-up architecture to test new ideas, revitalize underutilized spaces, and engage communities. For example, a temporary pop-up park could be used to test whether a site is suitable or popular enough to warrant a more permanent park installation.
Pop-up architecture can also be used to generate interest and excitement about a future permanent development. It can give the community a sample of what to expect, allowing them to provide feedback that can inform the final design.
Interim landscapes provide an excellent canvas for flexible outdoor spaces, which can bring joy, excitement, and a sense of discovery to community spaces. Pop-up interventions and flexible spaces don’t just add something new to look at; they also provoke interaction, conversation,
and engagement, fostering a sense of community integral to human happiness.
Interim landscapes can foster joy through elements of surprise, creativity, interactive experiences, community engagement, and nature integration. These components can serve as ingredients to design permanent joyful outdoor spaces.
Numerous projects worldwide have transitioned from temporary installations to permanent features, driven by the demands of the community. Take, for example, The Lawn on D in Boston. Initially, this space was conceived as a temporary recreational facility until concrete development plans were established. However, the popularity of The Lawn on D, with its community events, swings, games, and light installation, led to its transition into a cherished permanent fixture for the city.
In essence, the joy derives from the fusion of design and the element of surprise inherent in pop-up experiences, the engagement with the community, and the ability to transform ordinary, passive, or interim landscapes into vibrant, active, and joyful spaces.
Designing flexible outdoor spaces is a crucial aspect of urban planning that fosters joy, unity, creativity, and resilience. Such spaces adapt to changing needs: as cities evolve, they intertwine principles of landscape architecture, placemaking, and pop-up architecture, transitioning from passive to vibrant landscapes. As seen in successes like The Lawn on D in Boston, the transformative power of community-bolstered needs can turn fleeting structures into enduring spaces that infuse joy and enrich urban life. Ultimately, flexible placemaking isn’t just about constructing a physical space, but nurturing community spirit, stimulating collective creativity, and fostering a sense of belonging and joy within our everchanging urban landscapes.
CSLA AWARDS
Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Awards of Excellence— Ontario Region
The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects Awards of Excellence are given for outstanding accomplishment in landscape architecture. Congratulations to the following OALA members whose projects received awards.
Project Name:
Promenade Samuel-De ChamplainPhase 3 (Québec, QC)
Consultant:
Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker
Contact:
Lucie Bibeau, OALA
Category:
Large-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (over 5 ha)
Project Description:
The mission of Phase 3 of the Samuelde Champlain Promenade was to restore the St. Lawrence River to the people. The transformation of the highway into an urban boulevard and the relocation of the railway allowed for the creation of a recreational and cultural park, fostering active mobility along a 2.5-kilometre stretch by the river. The project also provided an opportunity to restore biodiversity by planting 1,055 trees, 28,950 shrubs, and 117,000 native herbaceous plants.
01-05/ Promenade Samuel de Champlain – Phase 3 (Quebec, QC).
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker
06-12/ Promenade Samuel de Champlain – Phase 3 (Quebec, QC).
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker
Project Name:
Parc Rosemont (Montréal, QC)
Consultant:
Projet Paysage Inc.
Contact:
Serge Gallant, OALA
Category:
Medium-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (1 to 5 ha)
Project Description:
Rosemont Park has transformed into a natural ecosystem. Development objectives were optimizing the park's accessibility, offering a green oasis with varied seasonal activities, and fostering rich biodiversity while preserving and adding to the existing tree canopy. The square is accessible via two entrances and features bicycle racks and urban furniture, a water fountain, wooden play areas and aquatic facilities to encourage movement, and “La Clairière,” with its clover canopy, offers a multi-use area for sport, recreation, and rest.
13-18/ Parc Rosemont, Montréal, QC.
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and Projet Paysage Inc.
Project Name:
North Strathcona County Regional Park
Master Plan (Strathcona County, AB)
Consultant: O2
Contact: Matt Williams, OALA
Category:
Planning and Analysis | Large-Scale Design
Project Description:
Strathcona County will embark on a transformative venture with the development of a regional park along the North Saskatchewan River. This project will rejuvenate a 290-acre brownfield into a regenerative park over the next 15 years. The process was a catalyst to advance reconciliation with Indigenous communities. Key features include a diverse wetland habitat, beaches and launch points, a central gathering place, a central lawn space, and trails connecting to the larger regional system.
19-25/ North Strathcona County Regional Park Master Plan, Sherwood Park, AB.
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and O2
Project Name:
Sheffield Park (Coquitlam, BC)
Consultant: space2place design inc.
Contact:
Jeff Cutler, OALA and Somaye Hooshmand
Category: Small-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (up to 1 ha)
Project Description:
Sheffield Park uses the site’s challenging terrain to create a diversity of experiences for users of all ages and abilities. Accessibility was a key driver of the design: the park is organized around integrated ramps that create a sense of place at the park’s centre. Malleable materials and water complement the terrain by promoting inquiry-based learning and play. It offers a diversity of programs and spaces for people of all abilities from the surrounding community.
26-32/ Sheffield Park, Coquitlam, BC.
Project Name:
Queen's Marque Public Realm (Halifax, NS)
Consultant:
Fathom Studio
Contact:
Devin Segal, OALA
Category:
Small-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (up to 1 ha)
Project Description:
The landscape of the Queen’s Marque Public Realm in downtown Halifax weaves among mixed-use buildings, contributing just under 100,000 square feet of public space along the historic harbour's edge. It unites buildings, wharves, streets, and interconnected plazas, creating a district for community activities. Granite “steps” respond to daily tide fluctuations and bring visitors in direct contact with the water. The Bosque Gallery adds trees to the parking garage roof and provides panoramic harbour views.
33-37/ Queen's Marque Public Realm, Halifax, NS. IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and Fathom Studio
Project Name:
Sheguiandah First Nation Community Court (Assiginack, ON)
Consultant:
ERA Architects & Emily Kewageshig
CSLA AWARDS
Contact: Rui Félix, OALA
Category:
Small-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (up to 1 ha)
Project Description:
This is a community-led project situated at the heart of the Sheguiandah First Nation on Manitoulin Island (Mnidoo Mnising). ERA Architects collaborated with Anishnaabe artist Emily Kewageshig in turning a deteriorated sports court into a dynamic place with basketball, skateboarding, seating, a fire pit zone, lighting, and new native plantings. The project was a partnership between Sheguiandah First Nation, NBA Canada, Toronto Raptors, MLSE Foundation, Ellis Don, and key project advisor United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising.
38-42/ Sheguiandah First Nation Community Court, Sheguiandah, ON.
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and ERA Architects
Project Name: Bow to Bluff (Calgary, AB) Consultant: O2 Contact: Matt Williams, OALA Category:
Small-Scale Public Landscapes Designed by a Landscape Architect (up to 1 ha)
Project Description: This community-led endeavour involved extensive and innovative engagement methods. The result is three small parks, stitched along the corridor by programming, storytelling, and a common design vocabulary. At the Bow end of the corridor, Bow Landing Park blends gathering spaces with community gardens and a skate park. Harvest Park provides a mid-corridor place with barbecues, harvest tables, ping-pong tables, and a bocce court. At the Bluff end, Play Park is equipped with a sandbox, toy box, and play structures.
43-49/ Bow to Bluff, Calgary, AB. IMAGES/ Courtesy of the CSLA and O2
Belonging is fundamental to the human condition. It is inherently tied to our fulfillment and happiness. Joy and love begin at the intersection of connection and acceptance when another person sees you for who you are, and vice versa. Mutual protection and support are other key aspects of belonging that enable you feel secure and to navigate life’s challenges.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) are pillars supporting the concept of belonging. When achieved, an individual is empowered to be their authentic self.
While the fight for justice and equality isn’t new, recent events have thrust it back into the forefront of conversation. In 2006, the Me Too movement exposed gender-based biases baked into society. In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd by police, we were forced to acknowledge systemic racebased discrimination pervades our culture. Today, we are seeing an unprecedented attack on the transgendered and LGBTQIA+ communities aiming to delegitimize them, spread misinformation, and attempt to turn public perception against them. However, there has been a larger shift in commitment to combat these injustices and embrace our differences.
Employers, corporations, governments, and other organizations are striving to create a greater sense of belonging among their staff, employees, or members. Many have turned to developing new J.E.D.I. committees, writing policies and action plans aimed at increasing belonging.
The OALA is committed to improving our organization and profession by breaking down systemic barriers. Since 2020, the OALA has partnered with the CSLA in assessing our practices and understanding our influence in fostering a greater sense of belonging among membership. In late 2023, OALA Council approved a permanent J.E.D.I. Committee with the mandate to oversee the implementation of an organizational plan and maintain accountability within the organization. This commitment is a first for the OALA and an important milestone on the long journey to true belonging.
Some members may not understand why our organization needs to concern ourselves with such things. We get it: these conversations can be uncomfortable. As the Landscape Architecture Foundation puts it: “Confronting the systemic inequities embedded into society and into the
TEXT BY MARK HILLMER, OALA, GAIL SHILLINGFORD AND ZARA BROWN, OALA
discipline of landscape architecture requires courage and patience.” The journey may be uncomfortable but, with prolonged engagement and a willingness to try, fail, learn, and retry, our organization can make positive and lasting change together.
The Landscape Architecture Foundation also offers the following consideration: “When landscape architects take active measures to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in our ranks, we increase the prevalence of those values out in the world, where people meet and interact in the built environment.” By committing to dismantling systemic barriers to entry, retention, and engagement within our profession, we strengthen our membership base, the benefits of which are felt by the clients and communities we serve.
As a profession that designs the built environment and consults with the public, by actively working to make our professional membership as diverse as the populations we serve, we can broaden the views we consider, resulting in more inclusive design solutions.
As landscape architects, it’s important we understand our role in fostering belonging in public space. References to our collective history are one aspect of developing connection to a place and the people who frequent it. One’s ability to locate themselves in the relative timeline of a place’s existence can foster connection to others through a shared understanding. This feeling can lead to a greater sense of belonging.
However, there is a movement reconsidering which public symbols, names, art, and monuments are exclusionary and undermine the sense of belonging some users feel in these spaces. As Jessica Arias writes for The McHarg Center: “It is easy to avoid reflecting on this representation
when public space is designed in a way that continually reinforces one’s belonging. Meanwhile, others are actively excluded; they do not have the same sentimental reaction to public artwork because they have always known it was not for them.” While the history of a site and significant events can be sources of inspiration in design narratives or even demand recognition through our public spaces, they may require sensitivity. Developing monuments with imagery that conveys hierarchical power dynamics such as historic colonists, soldiers brandishing implements of war, or religious symbols can have the effect (intended or not) of signaling to certain groups that this place is not for them.
Luckily, there are place-based and inclusive public monuments to learn from. Consider the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., or the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. They tend to employ a different visual language that moves away from recognizable figures and symbols to more abstract landscapebased representations of tragic events that aim for contemplation. When visiting these memorials, one can understand the importance of the place or event to the impacted community. This is another method of connecting through shared emotional understanding and empathy that helps us see one another as humans, strengthening our sense of belonging.
These concepts also apply to the design of public spaces. It’s important to recognize that all our choices, from where we draw physical connections to surrounding neighbourhood context, to furniture selection, either grant or deny certain users a sense of belonging. While we cannot be expected to instinctively
know when our unconscious biases are coming into play, by diversifying our team of colleagues and valuing their contributions we become more open to alternate experiences and more aware of how our biases shape the way we think and design. This gives us an opportunity to recognize our short-sighted narratives, and allows us to improve our designs and better communicate with the diverse populations we serve.
How does this bring us any closer to joy? Belonging breeds joy. As landscape architects in Ontario, we can positively influence the sense of belonging felt by members in our profession and by the public in the designs we create. The OALA has taken the first steps in recognizing this considerable role we play by striking a permanent J.E.D.I. Committee. As an organization, we are committed to improving the lives of all members within the organization and, by extension, foster deeper ties with the communities we design for. In time, when we have worked to diversify our membership and improve a shared sense of belonging, we will have the tools to bring our best selves to what we do.
The J.E.D.I. Committee invites you to join us on this journey: become involved, participate openly and wholeheartedly, and be patient with yourself and your colleagues. Together, we can truly achieve more.
01-05/ J.E.D.I. Committee social event in February 2024.
IMAGES/ Courtesy of the OALA J.E.D.I. Committee
06/ The 9/11 Memorial in New York City.
IMAGE/ Creative Commons, Adobe Stock
TEXT BY CLARA KWON, OALA-INACTIVE
Under the pressure of deadlines, budgets, and office politics, it can be easy to lose sight of why you decided to become a landscape architect in the first place. If you are seeking to reconnect with that place of enchantment that may have drawn you to the profession, Poignant Landscapes: Reflections on pain, beauty, belonging, and being human by Dr. Van Thi Diep might speak to you.
I came upon Diep’s work during the pandemic, a worldwide period of fear, grief, boredom, introspection, change, and transformation. She was one of the 2020 recipients of the Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation (LACF) grant. At that time, she was working on her PhD dissertation researching what a flourishing life and environment might mean to landscape architects. As a languishing landscape
01/ Cover art for Poignant Landscapes
IMAGE/ Courtesy of Van Thi Diep
02/ Farm house image from Poignant Landscapes.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of Van Thi Diep
03/ Mountain diagram from Poignant Landscapes.
IMAGE/ Courtesy of Van Thi Diep
architect myself on hiatus, recovering from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and having years ago been office colleagues with Diep, I was intrigued by her research. I followed the evolution of her work since then and this year she was awarded another LACF grant to research and interview women who have left landscape architecture.
Diep has herself left the profession and currently focuses on environmental philosophy, design, and forest therapy. On her website, she says: “Human experiences are always emplaced in a landscape. Therefore, to me, studying landscapes is also a part of disturbing existing narratives about our human existence. Through landscapes, we can evaluate our interpretations of nature and culture, consider the effect and limitations of language, acknowledge the reciprocity of life, and choose how to participate in the world.”
The book Poignant Landscapes is a slim volume of essays, poetry, and photographs where Diep shares her reflections and insights on landscape, what landscape means to her past research participants (all landscape architects), and how it can move and transform us. In the first section on the language of landscape and its limitations, she seeks a non-linguistic way to be in the world in order to feel whole again. For her, poignant landscapes offer an entry point to healing and being. During one of her interviews on poignant landscape
experiences, a research participant shared the experience of being trapped in rural Labrador for work during the September 11th terrorist attacks. Without access to communication or transportation home to loved ones, she found support from the local Indigenous community who not only took her in for the night but also walked hundreds of kilometres with her to the nearest port the next day. Diep writes, “The experience was described as poignant because within her dread was also love and compassion.” In these moments of pain, confusion, and vulnerability, it is possible to find an unexpected sense of home and belonging within an unfamiliar landscape.
In other sections of the book, Diep delves deeper into this liminal landscape of transformative healing. She reflects on East Asian and European traditions of landscape painting that depict mountains and sky where heaven and earth seem to meet. The best of these landscapes in Chinese tradition are called “human between immortal border” (人間仙境 rén jiān xiān jìng), which equates to “somewhere between the magical fairyland and the heavenly sublime” in Western culture. Diep draws parallels to Martin Heidegger’s fourfold interpretation of Being, where The Void sits at the centre of the axes of earth-sky and mortality-divinity. Heidegger likens The Void to a forest clearing—an empty space where one can view the forest. For Diep, The Void is a divine landscape embodied in our physical landscapes. These are places where, in the “emptiness,” one can find clarity and truth.
In the earlier section on language, Diep’s research participants share their frustrations with the inherent contradictions and ambiguity in the word “landscape” and how they entrap us in a nature-culture binary. The binary alludes to origin stories of being banished from “nature” and can be a self-fulfilling prophecy of feeling like one does not belong in “nature,” or one not at home with their self. Landscape spans both physical places and cultural meaning. Later in the chapter on painting, she revisits the word landscape as it’s composed in Chinese. “Wind scene” (風景fēng jǐng) is
landscape, while “mountain water picture” (山水畫shān shuǐ huà) is landscape painting. She says, “An embodied landscape is a view into the invisible, while the represented landscape is an image of the material.” The Chinese words for landscape and Heidegger’s interpretation of Being point to a deeper truth for Diep: that the landscapes of the forest clearing, the Void between earth-sky or mountainwater, and the seemingly empty wind scene are all places one can experience home and belonging. “The Void in our physical landscapes holds our existential presence in space and time while the Void in our psychological landscapes holds the oneness of our collective presence…”
With sensitivity and vulnerability, in Poignant Landscapes Diep examines narratives on belonging, self-actualization, and the profession of landscape architecture “whose role is to ‘make place’ in this world.” Diep writes, “This book is not intended for the intellectual. This book and whatever seeds of potential it carries are meant for the warrior with the courage to feel and the lover who is idealistic enough to surrender.” Simply yet deeply, the reader is invited to surrender to feelings and mystery in their experience of landscape. In our daily practice as landscape architects, this is often the last thing we are asked to do in a professional setting. However, Diep hopes that, by surrendering, we can allow ourselves to feel more fully the message of landscapes: that we all belong here and how tuning inwards might lead us to create landscapes of healing and belonging.
BIO/ CLARA KWON, PLA, OALA INACTIVE, CSLA, HAS PRACTICED ACROSS NORTH AMERICA AND LAST SERVED AS DIRECTOR OF PARKS DESIGN FOR THE CITY OF ATLANTA. SHE IS CURRENTLY ON PROFESSIONAL HIATUS AND NOW RESIDES IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA.
Notes: A Miscellany of News and Events
committees
Are you passionate about enhancing the role of landscape architects within municipal governments? The OALA's Municipal Outreach Committee (MOC) is seeking a volunteer to fill the role of Secretary. This role involves recording minutes at monthly remote meetings, with occasional in-person sessions, and playing a crucial part in raising the profile of landscape architecture in municipalities.
If you are interested in joining the committee as secretary, please submit a letter of interest and your CV to memberservices@ oala.ca. Applications will be reviewed by the Municipal Outreach Committee.
welcome
The OALA would like to extend a warm welcome to the newest member of the team: Olivia Godas. Olivia joins our staff as the new Coordinator of Sponsorship and Communications. Olivia comes with experience from an association management agency, assisting associations with various marketing and communication initiatives. We look forward to introducing her at the October 17-18, 2024 OALA Annual Conference in Niagara Falls.
pollinators
The City of Toronto is once again accepting grants for its PollinateTO program. Successful applicants can receive up to $5,000 for community-led initiatives that create or expand pollinator habitats within Toronto, but especially within Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. It's all part of the City's Pollinator Protection Strategy, and grants have been awarded since 2019. According to a City press release, Toronto is home to over 360 species fo bees, and more than 100 species of butterflies and other pollinators.
IMAGE/ accozzaglia dot ca, courtesy of Flickr, creative commons license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc-nd/2.0/
resources
The Ecological Design Lab website includes a number of resources you can use and share to help advocate for naturalized and/or habitat gardens.
You may be interested in the report published this summer: Bylaws for Biodiversity: Barriers and Opportunities for Naturalized Gardens on Private Property (A Review of Municipal Policies, Codes and Enforcement Practices in Canada). The report “examines the current public policy landscape in Canada with respect to biodiversity strategies and regulation of gardens and landscaping on private property through municipal codes and bylaws. A main objective of this project is to identify areas for improvement and to inform the development of a solutionsoriented toolkit to aid in the design of evidence-based and reproducible bylaw enforcement mechanisms.”
And, if you work for a municipality, there is a tool kit available entitled Bylaws for Biodiversity: Collaborative Toolkit for Municipalities. This resource is “intended to be used by enforcement officials to inform approaches to validating complaints pertaining to landscaping on private property, enabling them to identify and implement suitable courses of action, while ensuring their process is legally sound, reproducible, and respectful of individuals’ constitutional right to express their environmental beliefs.”
You can find both of these papers on www.ecologicaldesignlab.ca
bylaws
This summer, advocates including the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA), the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF), the David Suzuki Foundation (DSF), Toronto Metropolitan University's Ecological Design Lab, and author and former Ground Editor Lorraine Johnson penned an open letter calling on Canadian municipalities for “the reform of municipal bylaws to better support the development of habitat gardens that enrich our communities, improve quality of life, and contribute to ecological stewardship.”
Many municipalities in this country have outdated, largely aesthetic bylaws that actually prohibit growing the types of plants that provide sustainable habitats for pollinators. This group is advocating to change those bylaws, and educate bylaw enforcement officers about habit gardens and pollinator species.
Now, they are also hosting a national discussion about the issue:
Toronto has a new park in the Port Lands area. Leslie Lookout Park at 12 Leslie St., just north of the entrance to Tommy Thompson Park officially opened September 14th.
The new park was made possible by the City of Toronto and the CreateTO agency. It's a two-acre waterfront space on former industrial land and was designed by CCxA. It includes a public beach and great view of the shipping channel known as the Leslie Slip.
The whole Portlands area in Toronto, which for years has presented a pretty grim aspect of the city, is undergoing a massive facelift, with the even larger Port Lands redevelopment spearheaded by Waterfront Toronto set to open sometime next year.
“We would like to invite you to an upcoming national event, Bylaws for Biodiversity: Municipal Reform for Thriving Habitats. Hosted by the David Suzuki Foundation, this online discussion will provide an opportunity for municipal staff and elected officials to connect with one another, share experiences, and explore strategies for effective bylaw reform.”
This online event is November 21st at 3:30 p.m., eastern standard time, and you can register through the OALA website at: www.oala.ca/events/bylaws-forbiodiversity-municipal-reform-forthriving-habitats
04-06/ Leslie Lookout Park, Toronto.
IMAGES/ Courtesy of CreateTO and the City of Toronto
in memoriam
Neil sat me down at my parents’ dining room table and explained that “landscape architecture is great way to combine love of the outdoors with creating useful external spaces for people.” While that explanation may seem simplistic today, it gave me pause to and made me consider my own future possibilities.
dedication to community engagement and his proactive approach to addressing local needs. Neil remained at the Borough of York until 1998, when he was named Head of Urban Design for the East District within the newly amalgamated City of Toronto. Neil held this position with great pride until he retired in 2009.
The OALA is saddened to announce the death of Neil Z. Melman on July 26, 2024. Neil joined as a full member of the OALA in December 1973.
Neil Z. Melman, OALA – Retired. Aged 79 – Died July 26, 2024
Neil Z. Melman joined the OALA as a Full Member in December 1973. Through his career he worked as Senior Parks Planner for the Borough of York. In 1998, he took on the role of Program Coordinator – Urban Design for the newly amalgamated City of Toronto’s East District City, Planning and Urban Design Department. He retired from the City in 2009 and shifted to Full Member –Retired in 2018.
Below we share a tribute prepared by his brother-in-law and fellow OALA member David Jonas:
When I first met Neil, many years before he married my sister Ellen, he explained to me he was studying at university to become a landscape architect. I thought he was telling me about a gardening program. I was eleven years old in 1966, what did I know? 05
Neil was born and raised in Rochester, NY. He graduated from University of Syracuse School of Landscape Architecture in 1967. After graduating, Neil began his professional career working for the state government of New York in Buffalo, designing and beautifying state properties and parks. One of his early and defining accomplishments was being asked to submit a design for a fountain for downtown Buffalo. After reviewing many submissions, Neil’s design was chosen. It was known as the “Church Street Fountain.”
In 1970 Neil left his position to head the Landscape Architecture Department at Canon Design with offices in New York State. At this time, Neil chose to enlist in the US Army Reserve. This was at a time when young men were being drafted to serve the USA army ‘s participation in the Vietnam war. While in the reserves, Neil was still able to carry on with life and served locally on a part time basis, never having to go overseas, but serving faithfully.
In 1972, Neil and my sister moved to Toronto. Neil believed he had a lot to offer as a landscape architect and was hired by the former Borough of York. Although the York was the smallest municipal borough in the former Metro Toronto, it was way ahead of most other municipalities. In 1972, it had already hired one landscape architect and, with Neil's arrival as the Senior landscape architect, they now had two working to improve their Parks and Recreation department. Neil’s involvement with local issues, like the Cycling Museum, and his work with BIAs highlights his
Neil is still remembered as a professional that other professionals, including politicians, enjoyed meeting with at the municipality. Why? They all knew Neil was willing to work with you collaboratively. His role in shaping the East District's urban design and his collaborative nature made him a respected and valued professional in the field.
He will be sadly missed by many, including his wife, Ellen; his two children and four grandchildren; and by me: his brother in both profession and in life.
new members
Ontario Association of Landscape Architects is proud to recognize and welcome the following new members to the Association:
Joshua Black
Hanna Chung
James Corner
Dora Ding *
Michael Grove
Ziad Haddad
Han Huang *
Josh Brooks
Wes Kindree *
Tiago Medeiros
Orontes Mejia
Mengyi Zhang
Mathew Partridge *
Alon Schwartz *
Laxmi Shadija *
Andrew Taylor *
Victoria Ventzke *
Daniel Waters
Xinyi Zhao
Zhuofan Wan
Asterisk (*) denotes Full Members without the use of professional seal.
05/ Neil Z. Melman
IMAGE/ Courtesy of the OALA
Collaborate with us
Openspace Solutions has the widest range of achitecturally inspired play features for your next playground project. With hundreds of playground installations throughout Ontario.
Let your creative side shine and let’s design something unforgettable. Openspace Solutions understands what it takes to build long lasting play spaces that communities can enjoy for years to come. Representing the following partners.
A NEW DIMENSION OF FUN
Create a distinct landscape with PlayCubes® Sensory Additions! Visitors of all ages and ability levels can explore this collection of spinnable textures and engaging designs or experience the daring rush of the Mighty Descent—all through our signature PlayCubes structures.
As Ontario’s exclusive distributor of Playworld® products, New World Park Solutions is ready to bring inclusive play to your next project. Visit NewWorldParkSolutions.ca to learn more.
Ball Spin
Clicker Press
Bristle Brush
Embossed Spin
Spiral Spin Hammered Spin
Extraordinary for Landscape Architects
Solid Mobile Green Isle with Street Screen NEW
Love Tub CorTen
Block Seats Lava Grey (recycled plastic)
Lean Green Circular Skirt Benches NEW
Products: Rough&Ready Hug a Tubs & Shrubtubs Square
Project: Tower City Center, Downtown Cleveland (OH) Landscape Architect: MKSK
CLOUDBURST
case study
Ontario Parks boasts 115 fully-operating provincial parks for people to visit, camp, hike, and explore. And, if all goes to plan, it will have 116, with the addition of Bigwind Lake Provincial Park in 2026.
Bigwind Lake is already a non-operating provincial park just east of Bracebridge: meaning it is conserved land people can visit, but there are no staff, maintained facilities, or campsites. But plans are underway to make it a full-service provincial park, the first in 40 years, by adding permanent facilities, 25 cabins, and 250 camp sites.
The park itself is just under 5,000 acres, includes five named lakes, and provides protection for species such as the sugar maple, hemlock, and yellow birch, as well as swamps, marshes and meadows.
There has been pushback, however. Some residents are worried the switch to a fullservice park will draw too many people, boat traffic, and litter. Some advocates suggest the switch will ruin the ecological value of the park.
The public was invited to provide feedback this past spring. While it was originally announced construction would begin this fall, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks would not provide muskokaregion.com’s Brent Cooper with a firm start date.
Conservation requires careful balance. Ontario Parks has managed to leverage people’s interest in the natural environment as a way to preserve large swaths of it. Will a new full-service camping park help or hinder that mission? Bigwind Lake will provide a modern case study.
TEXT BY GLYN BOWERMAN
Hex™
UNIQUE. GEOMETRIC. DURABLE.
CREATE CAPTIVATING DESIGNS
The Hex™ paver o ers unique, geometric design possibilities that surpass those of traditional four-sided pavers. Its distinctive shape ensures incredible durability, capable of withstanding heavy loads, thus expanding its application opportunities from streetscapes and pedestrian plazas to any public realm.
Available in a variety of nishes and an extensive palette of colors, many with high SRI values ideal for sustainability e orts. Unlock boundless creative potential with the endless possibilities of the Hex™ paver.
