Eucalyptus textures

 

I am sharing here some of my pictures of Eucalyptus trees. I have fascination for them and I love the textures of the leaves hanging above the lake and adding lots of textures and complex patterns in the landscape. I take the pictures in different seasons so you can see the colors vary from the yellow to green and black. The lake changes as well and sometimes it is light blue, blue, dark green, and bright light green in Summer. 

So, there are always the same trees in an altered landscape.

Lovely shadows play.

I also like to walk on the crunchy leaves, feel them under my feet. 

All pictures credit to Myriam Mahiques, personal archives. Huntington Beach Central Park.

Mirrored and immersive landscapes

 

Photo credit: Adrien Williams

One of the many challenges we have when we design a house is the settlement on the lot, the impact the house will produce, if it is an object of art, or a place for human living where function prevails, or if there is a balance between beauty, form and function. 

Nature and landscape in relationship with architecture must be carefully considered. I am sharing here this project "Forest Glamp" Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Canada, by Bourgeois / Lechasseur architects, from V2.com. The pure geometric architectural form is embedded in nature, just by using mirror glass. See how beautifully the trees and grass are reflecting on the facades, there is no perception of the hard geometry. At least on two sides.

The landscape visually penetrates the interior space

Photo credit: Adrien Williams

The front facade is resolved with a design more aligned with an entrance from  a suburban street. The street is not seen but I'm assuming it's there.

Photo credit: Adrien Williams

See how the cabin is elevated from the ground, giving it an ethereal perception.

Photo credit: Adrien Williams

A fantastic example of mirroring landscape (orchids indeed) and enhanced by an immersive experience is this exhibition of 13,000 living orchids at teamLab Planets Museum. From the CNN article written by Dan Hodge and Amanda Sealy:

"The exhibit comes into its own when you halt in the center of the space, the floating plants slowly closing in around you. Enveloped by a mirrored floor, light pouring from the ceiling, the plants' aromas and composer Hideaki Takahashi's otherworldly soundscape, it's a satisfying -- and almost hallucinogenic -- assault on the senses. "Floating Flower Garden; Flowers and I are of the Same Root, the Garden and I are One" is on show at teamLab Planets, a Tokyo museum featuring nine absorbing works that encourage visitors to become one with the art. The installation will remain open until the end of 2022."

This is what I call "Inbuilt Landscape", where we actively interact with plants, flowers, they surround us with textures, fragrance, spatiality........

Photo credit teamLab Planets

The orchids that do not need soil, grow along almost invisible wires

Photo credit teamlab Planets

Another example: the reflected ceiling of Heito 1909. Photo downloaded from Dezeen

"The project by ECG International Landscape Consultants transforms the site on both sides of Snake Creek into a public space that combines natural environments with the preservation of the factory's ruins. The park is shortlisted in the landscape project category of Dezeen Awards 2021, alongside a tranquil garden designed for a property development in Danyang, China, and a playful park in Beijing featuring large pipes that contain walkways and bridges."

Keep on reading: 

https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/04/heito-1909-landscaped-park-former-sugar-factory/

Combination of materials in hardscape

I've been walking around this building in Downtown Seattle, WA, and paying attention to the plaza design, which I like so much. It has an eclectic solution, with the contemporary deconstructed steel statues against the classical masonry facade and the ceramic plants pots with a traditional design. 

The seats are Minimalist, in iron and wood, the pure lines following the floor lines, in a game of orthogonality. 

The lines of the building facades are somehow reflected on the floor geometry.

And all this hardscape is perforated with trees, and eventually some planters. The green is the only strong color here. All textures are contrasting in their variety, while the colors are matching.

The day was cold and rainy but in any other occasion I would have taken a rest to enjoy the plaza.

All pictures taken by Myriam Mahiques, October 2021. Personal archives.

 

Water features at the Forest Pavilion- The Forestias

 

The Canopy Walk

The name of this blog is related to the landscape that is part of oneself, nature and mankind becoming one, feeling nature inside us.

This project by Foster and Partners expresses very well the idea of "Inbuilt Landscape". From v2.com:

"The Forestias is one of the largest property development projects in Thailand. The highlight of the project is a 48,000 square meter of urban forest at the center of The Forestias, connecting all developments within the site to create a healthier and happier living for all residents. The Forest Pavilion is located in The Forestias, which currently functions as the sales gallery, and will be converted into The Forestias Ecosystem Learning Center for sharing knowledge of forest ecosystem, and be a hub of residence society for joyful moments. it is also an entrance gateway to the broad forest zone of The Forestias, providing a prototype of living with nature. Our commitment is to support happiness and wellness of the users and create an immersive experience of living with nature, which achieved by utilizing the research as design strategies."

Nature Walk

My emphasis is on the water features, with a contemporary design, but still as a reminiscence of rocks and waterfalls. I like to see how children could play in this immersive proposal.

This one reminds me as a child, playing inside the arroyos of Cordoba, Argentina, and looking for colorful rocks and stones. I would have selected the color of real stones and mica brightness under the sun. 

The 5 meter waterfall

All pictures and citation paragraph from V2.com 

https://www.v2com-newswire.com/en/newsroom/press-kits/4015-02/forest-pavilion-the-forestias

Landscape Design with stage, payground and bar area

 

This is a preliminary project, currently under revision. It consists of widening an existing path, create a playground with a play house, design a stage for a young singer under an existing Pepper tree and in continuation of a landing, informally locate the spectators and finally design a bar with a rest area. 

One of the conditions was that the lot, which is sloping down with a difference of 7' in level, would be divided in flat terraces. No foundation is possible here because most part of this area is Public Works easement. In consequence, we have worked with portable decks that could easily be removed in case underground repairs were needed.

A transition space leading to the bar is achieved with high cylinder cactus planters on stone or ground cover straight areas alternating with portable decks. The end of the perspective is a sitting area on gravel and the bar next to an existing tree plus a decorative flowering tree behind.

Some side bushes are existing, others are proposed.

The hard lines of the added geometry is designed in contrast with the winding path. To make it wider, an edge with decorative stone was added.

The preliminary floor plan and cross section is partially shown here, in order to protect the privacy of the client. The job site is in Southern California.

The Royal Poinciana or Flame tree

 

The Royal Poinciana or Flame tree is such a beautiful ornamental element in a green garden. The red flowers create such a contrast, as seen in the pictures, one feels invited to be around or below the red tree. I took these pictures in last July, at the Fullerton Arboretum, California. All pictures from my personal archives, 2021.

From Wikipedia: 

"Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae, subfamily Caesalpinioideae native to Madagascar. It is noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of orange-red flowers over summer. In many tropical parts of the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name royal poinciana, flamboyant, flame of the forest, or flame tree (one of several species given this name)."

Keep on reading: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delonix_regia

Rocks of the Secret Garden

 

I'm sharing here some rocks arrangements in our local Secret Garden, of the Huntington Beach Central Park. All done by volunteers.

The first picture, this is like a river of rocks, though I have never seen it flooded it is a beautiful organic design.

On a more typical design, the flat rocks are located as paths edges. It is interesting to see how the plants invade the path at the intersection. Flat rocks piled up together are creating a planter at the end of the perspective.

In the last two pictures above, we see the river rocks scattered in a more casual design. When the Pinwheel flowers are in full bloom, the planters look really beautiful and of course, full of butterflies.  

All pictures belong to Myriam Mahiques, from my personal archives, June 2021.