Which Landscape Design Software is Best?

Article by Win Phyo We investigate which landscape design software should be on your radar if you want to use the best program out there. Are you a techy person, interested in using design software? Want to stay on top of the landscape architecture game? Here at LAN (Landscape Architects Network), we have offered several articles that dive deeply into this subject: Ashley Penn has given us the essential guide to a range of landscape design software options to suit any budget and writer Paul McAtomney has also given the low-down on some of the top 3D modeling software. The following list is of the top landscape design software programs that you should definitely be using or at least trying out throughout your student life and professional career. We will take you through the best options, used by some of the top companies, from initial line drawings to renderings to making final edits and finally, the layout.

The Best Landscape Design Software

1. Vectorworks Landmark

There has always been a debate between the preference of using Vectorworks or AutoCAD. If you have used both, you can let us know what you think of the two options. Vectorworks may not be the industry standard but it has been growing in popularity in many landscape companies. This is due to its versatility and ease of use, which allows you to work in 2D and 3D, as well as having industry-specific features like a parking tool or even its own plant database. If you try this out, you won’t be missing out as there are options to import and export drawings from other programs such as AutoCAD, SketchUp and 3ds Max. 

2. AutoCAD

Let’s start off with landscape design software that has never left the top trending list: AutoCAD. We have all used AutoCAD from our beginner student years, right through into our professional careers. It is a versatile program that can be used as a stepping-stone to 3D modeling software like SketchUp. In fact, transporting AutoCAD line drawings into SketchUp to produce simple and quick 3D models has always been a dependable and efficient technique. 

3. Sketchup

Sketchup is another one of the popular and useful tools that has been used worldwide in many design professions including landscape architecture, since it came out in 2000. It is a versatile 3D modeling landscape design software with many plug-ins that allow its users to turn their initial simple 3D models into cool, crazy and beautiful works of art. 

4. Adobe Illustrator

Adobe has brought out many software options that are great for the landscape profession. Adobe Illustrator is a great one for line works; for example, you can easily edit the separate lines on a PDF drawing, which you import into the program, as well as exporting it for other programs like AutoCAD. Likewise, you can make beautiful diagrams, maps and other graphics such as infographics using this program.

5. Lumion

Widely used in some of the larger multi-disciplinary firms, Lumion is a popular program amongst architects. It is also becoming commonly recognized in the landscape architecture world as a 3D rendering program that is easy to learn, whilst producing fantastic results. You can check out this article that explains how this landscape design software can help bring your design ideas to life. 

6. Autodesk Revit

Revit is still relatively uncommon in some of the smaller firms but the bigger multi-disciplinary firms are using the software as the popularity of BIM (Building Information Modeling) increases. The software is not tailored particularly well for our industry but it can be used to create great terrain models or detail works. It allows the flexibility of working in plans, sections and 3D visuals all in one go and can provide more information than AutoCAD. If you are interested, there are many tutorials that can get you started.

7. Rhino

Rhino is part AutoCAD, part 3D modeling and part illustrator software that can be used to create beautiful line work for quick 3D graphics. With an even cleaner finish than SketchUp, there are many tutorials out there that can give you the tools you need to achieve a clean 3D model. 

8. Adobe Photoshop

What would we do without Adobe Photoshop? This is another versatile and high-quality-image producing software that is used by many landscape architects. From an amateur to a pro user, there are many tutorials that allow you to create sleek renderings. Indeed, this program is a popular choice to make final renderings and touch-ups.

9. Adobe InDesign

As part of the Adobe software range, Adobe InDesign has been a true classic, a reliable “go-to” program that commonly used for laying out projects. From booklets to large presentation sheets, we have yet to find something else that achieves the same outcome as elegantly as InDesign. It is also an easy software to learn.

10. Autodesk 3ds Max

3ds Max is used in the industry to produce professional and realistic 3D renderings and animations. It is one of the more challenging programs to master but it is a highly regarded landscape design software. Although it is a high-end product that is mainly used in professional environments, for the techy landscape architects out there, it is a worthwhile program to learn.

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Mega Foodwalk - Landscape Collaboration in Thailand

Mega Food Walk is an extended semi-outdoor expansion zone at Mega Bangna. The project teams completed the expansion project near the end of 2017 in a collaborative effort of design and engineering that contains an enjoyable landscape courtyard with a relaxing amphitheater and experiential boardwalk that brings visitors into a vibrant F&B commercial space and through interactive landscape features within a comfortable micro-climate. The microclimate within Mega Food walk is controlled by the integration of landscape design and innovative engineering resulting in a waterscape that is a successful catalyst of activities, where adults can enjoy the atmosphere while children line up for the interactive water features.

The water features are also used as a cooling system by circulating cold water generated from solar-powered chillers. The cool water flows along various features in the landscape, as the changing physical form of meandering flows, ripples, and cascades of water deliver unique forms of water splash and an evaporative cooling effect at each bend. In addition, concealed jet fans create a breezy airflow which distributes cool moisture from the water features’ surface. As a result, the microclimate is adjusted to an ideal human comfort zone while also providing added moisture for plants to grow.

An integrated cooling system provides additional benefits to the space by controlling the humidity and temperature at an ideal temperature for growth of a softscape scenery inspired by the Scandinavian forests of Småland, Sweden. The designed ‘forest’ uses a softscape palette of plants indigenous to a sub-tropical to a tropical climate, including finely textured ferns and moss, to create a unique commercial landscape that blends the surrounding restaurants with natural greenery. User-based landscape design creates a new way to experience both the landscape and shops that are located at different levels. The lower level is dropped to create a sunken plaza space for various events.

Amphitheater seating with genuine wood finish provides cozy spectator seating throughout the day and night, but more importantly, serves as generous crowd access to the lower level plaza from the higher main entrance level of the mall. The pathways are friendly to all users with gentle slopes that are handicap accessible. The experiential boardwalk that floats above the water features and traverses through the forest green is intersected by crossing granite stone pathways and giant slate slabs stacked to display the contrast in form and color of the refined and unrefined material.

The landscape design is a very interactive and experiential space that encourages visitors to be in contact with its material design. A major highlight of interactive design can be seen with the water levers made of stainless steel. The handles of the levers were specifically designed for users to feel the cool rush of water carried through the thermally conductive pipes. The landscape for Mega Food Walk attracts its visitors throughout the site, including the dancing fountain plaza at one terminus of the site extension. The expansion zone represents a marrying of different disciplines to create a unique commercial experience that engages at nearly every corner and path. 

archdaily

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The architectural work of wooden houses

The architectural work of wooden houses

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What is Construction Project Management?

When you’re managing a construction project, it helps to understand the methods and activities of construction project management. Construction projects are highly structured endeavors with a lot of moving parts and people, and there are a wide variety of types of construction projects. There are also multiple phases to manage in every construction project, from design to planning to scheduling to the build itself.

IJC AROMA

Construction project management requires technique and tools in order to be successful. In this growing field, it’s important to keep up with your management skills to stay competitive. So, whether you’re already familiar with managing construction projects or are just exploring the field, our quick guide has all the answers you need.

In brief, construction project management is the process of managing construction projects. But when you’re talking about managing a construction project in comparison to other types of projects, the distinction is mostly that construction is mission-based. That means that the project’s organization ends with the end of the project build.

While generally project management is defined as managing resources over the life cycle of a project through various tools and methodologies to control scope, cost, time, quality, etc, when working in the construction industry your outlook must be broader. It usually includes a wider variety of constraints to consider specific to design, build and construction projects, and can interact with a variety of different disciplines in the lifetime of a project, from architecture to engineering to public works to city planning.

There are a variety of different types of construction projects, depending on the different construction sectors. There are two sectors in construction: residential and commercial. Depending on the sector, there can be up to four different types of projects:

• Residential home building and renovation
• Heavy industrial construction
• Commercial and institutional construction
• Engineering construction

That means there are a wide variety of types of construction projects that require construction management in order to be successful. Construction management might be required for a simple home to a large bridge, from engineering a dam build to an airport seismic retrofit project. Construction project manager, then, manage the beginning and end of a project build, often managing on-site to ensure the safe, successful construction.

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Retour à L’École: A Barcelona French School Gets a Contemporary Classmate

Spanish architecture firm b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos designs a modern addition to Lycée Français Maternelle, a Barcelona French school, that adds ample outdoor space, new classrooms and a splash of colour.

In Barcelona, pre-school students at Lycée Français Maternelle, an international French school, have something exciting to return to: a bright contemporary addition by Madrid / Barcelona architecture firm b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos.

Founded in 1924, the school is operated by the Agency for French Education Abroad. As the institution grew, it struggled to accommodate its rising number of students – and like many schools, relied on temporary buildings to supplement the original academic facilities. So it elected to build a more permanent solution, and the new kid in class is a 3,400-square-metre addition that, in dialogue with the pre-existing buildings, creates an ample courtyard.

Recess, we imagine, became a lot more fun.

From afar, the curvilinear building is defined by a colourful slatted envelope, which runs around the new building’s perimeter. The steel slats were chosen for their efficiency and durability – they provide insulation and protection from the sun. But, as the firm notes, it also adds an element of playfulness. “The chromatic and proportional [elements of the envelope] are the result of a useful and continuous dialogue with the client, who have a clear will of including colour in the project,” says the firm.

The steel envelope sits atop thermowood cladding by Lunawood, which adds dimensional stability, all-weather resistance and thermal insulation to the building.

The addition’s squircular form was a nod to Lycée Français Maternelle’s original building. All the classrooms are now contained in the new building – the original early 20th-century villa is now used for administration, a media library (above) and music facilities – which gestures to its neighbour with a ground-level porch and second-storey bridge.

For b720, establishing this relationship was important, but adding contemporaneity was also a priority. “The formal resolution of the new building evokes the volumetric shapes of the villas through the rounding of its corners establishing a formal relationship without necessarily subordinating itself to a historicist imitation,” the firm says.

b720, whose three-person design team consists of Peco Mulet, Gemma Ojea, Javier Artieda, responded to the site’s irregular, sloping shape by creating a four-level building with ample outdoor spaces and shading from the elements. A basement area, visible at the image atop this page, creates an outdoor waiting area for families and children.

A set of stairs (or ramp) rises to its ground level, which lines the playground / garden area with light-filled classrooms. From here, the building steps back, simultaneously creating shaded areas on the ground level and a generous terrace on the second storey. The final two storeys contain classrooms, with the building topping out with a rooftop garden. In the project drawings above, the rooftop is demarcated for study of flora and fauna – depicted adorably with a snail.

Inside, the bold oranges and yellows of Lycée Français Maternelle’s steel envelope are repeated, ensuring visual consistency. These colours can be found in flooring and wayfinding elements; the pale Lunawood palette is repeated here, too, in the building’s ceilings, which are lit by LED strips.

The result, the firm says, is a “visual and programmatic relationship” that pays homage to site’s history – while infusing a liberal amount of pre-school playfulness. Welcome back, students.

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Why do we need Investment Consultancy Services

Normally Investment consultancy companies will be fallen into four main categories: Financial planner, Money managers, Financial advisors, and Registered representatives.

An investment consultancy services provide various kind of services to their investors, including product investments, advisory assistant, and planning. With the help from Investment consultancy companies, it will be easier for investors to achieve their financial goals and also fulfill their needs because all the hard works on planning and building strategies will be taken care of by the agency.

Investment Consultancy companies are very helpful for investors

1. How does it work?

An Investment Consultancy company will work closely with their clients in order to create an investment strategy and build up a long-term working relationship with their investors. Their role is to monitor the investments from clients in an Active way and frequently working with clients as the financial objectives of each company is always change from time to time in order to match their targets. Investment consultancy companies mostly receive their payment through charging fees, sometime might be included with a commission.

2. What kind of Qualifications and Licensing are required for an Investment Consultancy company?

Normally in the US, most of Investment Consultancy companies are licensed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), this is an independent 3rd party. However, all processes and activities are still being under the monitoring of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Investment Consultancy companies will normally hire their agents who have a background in finance, accounting, business, etc.

3. How do we categorize Investment Consultancy companies?

Normally Investment consultancy companies will be fallen into four main categories: Financial planner, Money managers, Financial advisors, and Registered representatives. 

Here are the details about their functionalities:

• Financial planner: Investment consultancy companies who only assist their clients to manage personal finances, no further assist outside finance will be provided by them. To be qualified as a Financial Planner, you will need to acquire a few certificates like Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), etc.

• Money managers: this is another type of Investment consultancy company; they are the ones who make investment decisions on behalf of their clients. Money managers are normally referred to as buy-side firms who work for asset fund managers, or management firms, or investment funds.

• Financial advisors: An Investment consultancy company who provide both general and personalized financial advice. Normally they have Series 65 or 66 license and they get their reward through charging fees.

• Registered representatives: A company who earn money via commission. They are hired to sell insurance products stocks, investments, etc. Legal registered representatives are normally holding a Series 6 or Series 7 license.

4. So how to choose a correct Investment consultancy company?

Before deciding to hire a service from an Investment Consultancy company, here are few things that you will need to do:

• Perform a research about the Investment Consultancy company that you’re about to hire. 
• Are they under any business investigation at the moment? Any criminal record?
• Do they have all the required licenses/ certificates? 
• Conduct a meeting with them, face to face, explain your plan and try to see if they understand all of your financial goals or not. 
• Do remember to discuss about fees and commissions.

Summary: 

Investment Consultancy company provides financial services that might be very useful for investors, help them to achieve their goals and profits faster and more efficient. We hope our article today will give you some ideas for your future investment plans.

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Architecture is the science of creating the extraordinary out of the ordinary

Inside the installation, which Bjarke Ingels and his firm created for the 2016 Serpentine pavilion, are 10 stunning models of the Danish firm’s completed and upcoming projects around the world.

“Architecture is the science of creating the extraordinary out of the ordinary,” says Bjarke Ingels. The Danish architect is in Toronto to officially open Unzipped, the installation his firm, BIG, created for the 2016 Serpentine Pavilion. The installation’s patron is Ian Gillespie and Westbank, the developer behind BIG’s King Street West condo project, called Westbank King Street. It was recently given the green light to be constructed on the same site as the installation.

And so, the opening of Unzipped coincides with the excitement surrounding the possibilities that have been unleashed with Westbank King Street, which is destined to permanently transform the face of King Street West and raise the bar for condo development across the city. And although Unzipped is temporary (it will be open until November, then tour New York, Shanghai and Seattle before taking up a permanent spot in front of another Westbank project in Vancouver), it speaks to BIG’s ambition to inspire at every scale of architecture.

Assembled with 1,800 fibreglass frames, the installation was designed for prefabrication. “We really thought of it as a piece of furniture. Essentially, it’s a shelf pulled apart, unzipped to create this space within it,” Ingels explains. He was informed by the work of the Uruguayan engineer Eladio Dieste, who made stable structures with undulating walls. While the construction of the space is rational and premeditated, its modularity is what makes it take on different appearances from whichever way you view it – seeming flat and rectangular face on, bulging and multiplanar from an oblique angle, opaque or transparent in various directions. This is what Ingels means about the ordinary becoming extraordinary.

But the aesthetic of the piece also speaks to a recurring theme in Ingels’ work – the particular shape of the square tube as a central idea that can be seen in 8 House, Vancouver House and the upcoming Westbank King Street, which is premised on Moshe Safdie’s iconic Habitat 67 in Montreal (and is a joint venture by Westbank and Allied). It will be integrated into King Street West – a strip with a fascinating mix of laneways, back lots, secret throughways and gardens – as a dynamic, multi-peak, pixelated mass. And it will bring trees into the vertical dimension. Ingels spent time with Stefano Boeri to explore the Italian architect’s paradigm-shifting Bosco Verticale towers in Milan, and in his own projects, from 8 House in Copehagen to an upcoming Singapore development with Carlo Ratti, he has also introduced plant life into big projects.

“As an architect, you have certain things you return to because you’re not done with them yet. It’s not a lack of imagination – there’s more to be discovered. Eventually, you do get satiated, but in that process you will have noticed other paths you can spend more energy on exploring,” Ingels says. Plus, he’s intent on making the idea of the home legible in all of his residential projects. “Rather than making an arbitrary architecture – rather than try to hide that we’re making homes – let’s make it about the homes. For a Vancouver House or King Street resident, you’ll be able to say, I’m not just some random co-ordinate box, I’m that home with that tree.”

Ian Gillespie, who is working with Ingels on nine collaborations since their relationship began in 2010 with Vancouver House, concurs. “As urbanization accelerates,” he asks, “how do you create the conditions for people to have this individuality? King Street does that really well.

Ingels connects the work he’s doing in the residential realm with his most exciting public projects under way. These include the Amager Bakke power plant in Copenhagen, which doubles as a ski slope, and the revitalization of New York’s coastline, which he’s christened Humanhatten. Beyond their landmarks, Ingels argues, cities should also inspire with the “ordinary” places we inhabit on a daily basis, from our homes to our utilities.

“We’re interested in taking all the things that have been strictly ‘utility’ and discarded and integrating them as a part of our world. To re-explore the potential of these formerly purely utilitarian projects that occupy a lot of resources and real estate and to see if we can impregnate these programs with positive social benefits – what we call social infrastructure.”

To truly understand the scope of this ambition, the exhibition inside Unzipped, featuring 10 fantastic projects, is the first step.

AZURE MAGAZINE

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