The researchers say increasing urban tree coverage to 30% could reduce temperatures by approximately 0.4%, which could reduce heat-related deaths by 39.5% according to the study’s modelling.
Lead author, Tamara Iungman, says, “We already know that high temperatures in urban environments are associated with negative health outcomes, such as cardiorespiratory failure, hospital admission, and premature death.”
Her team wants to influence policymakers to make cities greener, “more sustainable, resilient and healthy.”
Co-author Mark Nieuwenhuijsen says, “Planting more trees in cities should be prioritised because it brings a huge range of health benefits beyond reducing heat-related deaths, including reducing cardiovascular disease, dementia and poor mental health.”
The research was recently covered by Rachel Hall in The Guardian.
President of ASLA Emily O’Mahoney, FASLA, said the designation will be an additional tool in helping decision-makers appreciate “the rigour this discipline demands.”
“Landscape architects have incredible responsibility for the health, safety and well-being of communities which is why it’s imperative for landscape architects to continue to be licensed to practice,” she said.
Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Gary Hilderbrand, FASLA, said the STEM designation “finally reflects” the reality of the discipline of landscape architecture.
“Our work is fully dependent on science and technology, from understanding soils at the level of microbial interactions and nutrient exchanges, which keep our urban canopy alive, to coastal adaptations informed by continuously evolving climate data.
“This new designation brings with it greater opportunities for students and graduates throughout the United States and beyond to become leaders in the field.”
University of Melbourne Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Margaret Grose, challenged in a Landscape Australia article whether the reclassification benefits the industry and its professionals.
Gross expresses concern that prospective students might be deterred from pursuing landscape architecture under the STEM umbrella due to their past experiences with science subjects.
“In landscape architecture we teach and use science very differently from science faculty courses, often involving history, art, and all visual forms of communication of ideas, among others,” she notes.
Furthermore, she fears that landscape architecture students might mistakenly see themselves as scientists, rather than designers who play an important role in balancing competing pressures.
Gross comments, “The US seems to be grappling with an identity issue. While the ASLA document does mention design (on page 7), it emphasises math more heavily. Is ASLA striving for more prestige, funding, or recognition?”
“Landscape architecture can do what STEM disciplines do not do – it can design with imagination, daring and flair. It can create the unexpected, the idiosyncratic and the beautiful.”
Street Furniture Australia and US partner Spruce & Gander in March hosted landscape architects from California and Texas on a visit to Sydney to experience a factory tour, site visits and a new product launch. The American landscape architects represented MJS Landscape Architecture, RHAA Landscape Architecture + Planning, TBG Partners, Avid Trails and Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Over a week-long trip the guests were treated to famous sights of Sydney including the iconic Bondi Beach, a harbour cruise and dining at top restaurants in urban Surry Hills and the new Barangaroo precinct. Travelling to Regents Park in Western Sydney, they toured the Street Furniture Australia factory to see first-hand how products are designed, made and shipped all over the world. This included meeting the production team, industrial designers and engineers. …
Melissa Gerke, our Communications and Education Specialist, is bringing a fun, interactive and informative presentation about our carbon neutral journey and latest products to customers in cities around Australia and in the US. In 30 minutes (plus Q&A) we will explore materials and finishes, touch and feel samples, and bond with your colleagues over delicious treats. There will also be a mystery prize for a lucky winner (optional). 2024 cities and dates include: Select from three catering options (optional): To book, contact Melissa Gerke mgerke@streetfurniture.com
Successful products are often followed by copycats. Over the past year we have become aware of an increase in reproductions of the Linea range attempting to create a similar aesthetic at a lower price. This can compromise the overall durability and environmental credentials of projects being delivered, affect ongoing maintenance requirements, and in some instances pose a risk of injury to the public. The design of Linea is deceptively simple while delivering exceptional attention to detail. Details matter not only for beauty, but also for providing durability, and safety, that will last decades. Linea strictly uses the highest quality and sustainable materials, has passed rigorous strength tests, and is designed for longevity, with easily replaceable parts. The product range is the result of hundreds of hours of research and development …
Designing Streets for Kids A study on designing streets for children of all ages and their changing needs, Designing Streets for Kids, has been published by the US-based Global Designing Cities Initiative and National Association of City Transportation Officials. The guide outlines “best practices, programs, strategies and policies” for creating safe, enjoyable and inspiring street spaces for children and their carers. It looks at streets that are “safe and healthy, comfortable and convenient, inspirational and educational – streets that better serve everyone.” Global Designing Cities Initiative permanent chair, Janette Sadik-Khan, writes, “This guide integrates the best of what works in different countries and cultural contexts to create universal principles for streets based on their most vulnerable users.” She says, “If you design a street that works for kids, you design …
ABC Radio: Advocating for gender sensitive urban design What makes a safer city, especially for our most vulnerable? OCULUS Associate Director Claire Martin recently joined Nicole Kalms from XYX Lab to discuss Gender Sensitive Urban Design (GSUD) on ABC Radio in The Conversation Hour. Oculus writes, “we focus on designing places that are sustainable, equitable, inclusive, accessible and safe for everyone, in particular women, girls, gender diverse people and other vulnerable people. “When we understand the lived experience of the people we’re designing for, we can bring a more empathetic approach to design.” ABC Radio host Rachel Hunt talked about safety not only being about design but also how we interact with each other. Claire Martin said, “It is about the community being involved with the process, the engagement, surveys …
Australian cities urged to go vertical and multidimensional: Australian cities should look to Hong Kong as a model for creating more diverse, vibrant and sustainable urban environments, according to a place branding expert. Tom Oliver Payne, Place Strategy Director at Hoyne, a place branding and property marketing agency, visited Hong Kong in 2023 and was impressed by the city’s vertical landscape. “Hong Kong is a city that defies gravity and logic. It is a city that celebrates verticality and multidimensionality. It is a city that uses every inch of available space to create different layers of activity, such as rooftop gardens, sky bridges, elevated walkways, underground malls and public transport networks,” he said. He contrasted this with Sydney, Australia, where he lives and works, and where he sees a lack …
