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Landscape Architects Meet in India02-20-07 | News

Landscape Architects Meet in India




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Diane Menzies of Christchurch, New Zealand, took up her two-year post as president of the International Federation of Landscape Architects at the ASLA?EUR??,,????'???s annual meeting in Minneapolis, Minn. in October. IFLA president Menzies attended another international gathering of landscape architects in Pune, India this February.
Photo: nzila.co.nz







The Indian province of Pune is located on the country?EUR??,,????'???s west coast and includes the world economic powerhouse of Mumbai. Landscape architects from across the region gathered here recently to discuss public spaces.
Photo: Koda


Landscape architects from around the world gathered in Pune, India this February to discuss public space design. The conference was organized by the Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA) along with the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA).

The theme was Public Spaces: Experiences and Expressions.

Role of Public Spaces

The conference examined the role of public spaces, especially the open spaces in the city.

?EUR??,,????'??More than actual design of open space?EUR??,,????'??? the vital issues are perhaps more basic,?EUR??,,????'?? said Mohammad Shaheer, a senior landscape architect from New Delhi. ?EUR??,,????'??For example, there is the question of city planning and within it, the role assigned to public space, or open space for that matter is it a statistical exercise, so many square meters per person to be provided? Or, is it about ?EUR??,,????'??beautification,?EUR??,,????'??? with the accompanying ?EUR??,,????'??uglification?EUR??,,????'??? that is more often than not the result??EUR??,,????'??

IFLA?EUR??,,????'???s Menzies Attends

Dr Diane Menzies, President, IFLA from New Zealand, felt that there should be a system for private developers to develop these open spaces and these should be for the public use not to be fenced in. She had travelled throughout Pune on her way to Shaniwar Wada on a heritage walk arranged as part of the conference.

Professor Tong Mahn Ahn from Korea said that Pune had many opportunities to create and utilise open spaces; all you need is an active and a positive approach towards the work. He was immensely pleased to see restoration work on the Shaniwar Wada by architect Kiran Kalamdani.

?EUR??,,????'??Successful development models for public space will have to depend on sound incentives, both economic and social, for local stakeholders as well as development authorities and municipal bodies; design comes later,?EUR??,,????'?? pointed out Professor Shaheer.

Another hot topic was the extent to which open space systems are used to give shape to any city or town planning exercise. We commonly perceive roads as connecting, and open space as a ?EUR??,,????'??dividing?EUR??,,????'?? element, a gap, a buffer. But really, roads divide and landscape connects, he pointed out. It can be designed to do this in a very conscious, emphatic way so that people on foot, and children can use the city more easily, not just cars.

Source: The Economic Times (India)

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