Top-10 Viewed Landscape Architectural-Related Articles on


Jan. to Oct. 22, 2014 - 1,384,205 Page Views!
The Landscape Communications website www.landscapeonline.com is a repository for all the monthly articles and news published in Landscape Architect and Specifier News (LASN) magazine, and Landscape Contractor DBM (Design Build Maintain Supply) magazine, plus all the news that appears in the Landscape Online Weekly newsletter.
This feature presents the Top-10 landscape architectural-related articles, features and news that visitors to www.landscapeonline.com clicked on. Because the website is an archive of current and past features, articles and news, some of the most popular articles are from previous years.

Isamu Noguchi's Playground Designs
September 2004, LASN
by Leslie McGuire, LASN Editor

Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) was a visionary sculptor and landscape garden designer whose innovative playgrounds and playground equipment designs are a fusion of earth sculpture and interactive play. Noguchi viewed the Earth as the original sculpture medium. He felt the ground embodied the spirit of creativity that inspired early humans, and suggested a way for them to get control of their spiritual existence. In other words, to arrange your inner landscape you must sculpt your outer landscape.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/7115

Kansas Bill Redefines Architecture, Engineering and Landscape Architecture
July 2014, LASN
by Steve Kelly, LASN Editor

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, a Republican, signed Senate Bill 349 into law on April 18, 2014. The bill, which went into effect July 1, updates the state's licensing statutes for architects, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors, and geologists.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19364

Retaining Walls: Brands, Styles and Options Add Up
October 2006, LASN
by Erik Skindrud, LASN Regional Editor

The development of interlocking concrete retaining wall units has led to an expanded number of options for landscape architects and engineers. That's the good news. On the other hand, more education is required to stay abreast of the options and reinforcement systems available. Most retaining wall products use anchoring systems that differ considerably. Learning more about what's out there is a necessary first step to choosing wisely when it comes to wall units for a specific project, budget and site.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/7993

Generation Speed: Part 1: Graphics
December 2008, LASN Tech Column
by Ashley Calabria, LASN Technology Editor

One of the major differences between professionals and students is in taking full advantage of new technologies. Resources are becoming more available as our dependence on computer graphics increases, but with the hectic pace of the profession, using free or new resources is often too time-consuming to locate. Students, however, find ways to get results that are nontraditional, using freebies, joining social/networking groups or by trial and error. This series of articles highlight online resources gathered from students and seen at conferences. There is no doubt that today's students have been appropriately labeled ''Generation Speed.''
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/11432

Smothers Park & Owensboro Riverfront Redevelopment
March 2013, LASN
Landscape Architecture by EDSA

The redevelopment of the riverfront in Owensboro, Kentucky, has brought nearly $70 million in additions and improvements to the area since planning began in 2001, and more than $1 billion in new developments to the area. The latest feature is Smothers Park, a five-block area that features a custom and fully accessible playground, multiple fountains, water features and a veteran's memorial. The splash pad includes two-dozen water jets over 2,315 square feet of safety surfacing.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/17615

Landscape Design for the Modern, Minimalist Home
January 2004, LASN
by Steve Kelly, LASN Editor

The architectural design of the Emerson residence in the Westwood-Century City area of West Los Angeles is M & M, not sugar coated, but modern and minimalist. The landscape architecture is by R. Michael Schneider, principal and founder of Orange Street Studio, Los Angeles. From the street you see framed between two palms geometric cubes (shell stone walls) of beige, white and planes of teal (or is that light green?). The first impression is adobe architecture transmogrified. It has a modern but not a hi-tech look. It's sculptured and all horizontal and vertical planes, but the colors and plantings evoke a warm and welcome southwest feel.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/4078

Playground Adventure: Family Sports Park, O'Fallon, Illinois
September 2013, LASN
by Daniel Bockert, ASLA, RLA; Principal, Planning Design Studio

The play area and splash pad at Family Sports Park in O'Fallon, Ill., has been a signature community destination since opening in 2012. Designed by Planning Design Studio (PDS), the two-acre adventure play area is located within a 200-acre sports park in O'Fallon, located about 20 minutes east of St. Louis. The site provides an oasis of play activities for all ages, kids and adults.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/7993

Forsyth School's Creative Outdoors
June 2008, LASN
by Steve Kelly, LASN Editor

Forsyth School is a private elementary school located in the urban mix of St. Louis, Missouri. SWT Design led the design team in comprehensive master planning, including site inventory and analysis, conceptual master planning, design development, cost estimating, graphic support for fundraising, value engineering, construction documentation, construction observation, field design and modifications.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/10706

National Landscape Architecture Design Award Goes to Margie Ruddick, ASLA
June 2013, LASN
by Steve Kelly, LASN Editor

The National Design Awards from the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum were launched at the White House in 2000 as an official project of the White House Millennium Council. Today, Cooper-Hewitt has10 jury-selected award categories, including landscape architecture. The 2013 recipient in the landscape architecture category was Margie Ruddick, ASLA, of Margie Ruddick Landscape Planning Design www.margieruddick.com in Philadelphia (2007-present).
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/17813

Landscape Giants Brickman and ValleyCrest Will Merge
July 2014, LASN
by Steve Kelly, LASN Editor

Well, the rumor is confirmed: The Brickman Group and ValleyCrest Companies announced May 21, 2014 they have entered into a "definitive merger agreement." Brickman and ValleyCrest are both leaders in the landscape industry, and have complementary services, capabilities and geographic reach. Following the transaction close, Andrew Kerin, CEO of Brickman, will be the CEO of the new company; Roger Zino, CEO of ValleyCrest will be vice chairman. The companies will continue to maintain their primary locations. ValleyCrest is headquartered in Calabasas, Calif., and Brickman in Rockville, Md.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19308

Jan. to Oct. 22, 2014 - 1,384,205 Page Views!

By the numbers . . . 60,000+ - unique visits every month
163,000+ - vendor profile views
125,000+ - product searches a year
9,400+ - product profiles in 446 searchable categories
27,000+ - vendors
15,000 - editorial articles
100s of industry associations and calendar events



Readers of LASN Magazine

• 42,679 Total Distribution
• 21,462 Licensed Landscape Architects
• 32,192 Receive the Print Magazine
• 10,487 Receive the Digital Magazine

• 86.6% of LASN's readership are RLAs or commercial specifiers, 71% of which are not ASLA members.
• 84.3% of LASN readers have been in the industry for at least 11 years.
• 48.8% of LASN readers are licensed in more than one state.
• 20.4% of LASN readers are in firms with gross annual revenues of more than $10 million.
• 97.7% of LASN readers use the magazine as a product resource.

Top 10 Product Category Searches
(80,646 individual product searches within these categories)

1. Installation Equipment - 13,504
2. Computer Software/Hardware - 13,225
3. Business Services - 13,140
4. Erosion Control - 12,906
5. Maintenance Equipment - 12,814
6. Lighting/Electrical - 3,471
7. Pavers, Masonry, Blocks & Rocks - 3,037
8. Site Amenities/Furnishings - 2,613
9. Outdoor Living - 2,535
10. Park & Recreation - 2,137



Top 10 Viewed Vendor Profiles
(Total Views: 167,906)

1. SnowBear - 3,392
2. Ventrac Venture Products, Inc. - 3,299
3. Pavestone - 2,223
4. Stone Age Manufacturing, Inc. - 2,179
5. Superior Controls Co., Inc. - 2,108
6. Pave Tech, Inc. - 2,096
7. Vista Professional Outdoor Lighting - 1,901
8. Trellis Structures - 1,640
9. Illusions Vinyl Fence - 1,574
10. Stepstone, Inc. - 1,430



Top 10 Clicked on Banners
(14,583 Page Views)

1. Zeager Bros.
2. XL Group
3. Wolverine Products
4. Pine Hall Brick
5. Stotz Equipment
6. Architectural Pottery
7. Turf Diagnostics & Design, Inc.
8. Tensar International Corporation
9. Horizon Distributors
10. Pavestone



Top 10 Association Searches


1. American Fence Association (AFA)
americanfenceassociation.com
2. National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA)
masverde.us
3. American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA)
abpa.org
4. Irrigation Association (IA)
irrigation.com
5. Irrigation Association of New Jersey (IANJ)
ianj.com
6. Landscape Ontario
horttrades.com
7. Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI)
icpi.org
8. The Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB)
clarb.org
9. Association of Compost Producers
healthysoil.org
10. Oklahoma Nursery and Landscape Association, Inc. (ONLA)
oknla.org

Top-10 Landscape Architectural-Related Articles/News on the

Newsletter in 2014

Landscape Communications, the parent company of LASN, sends out a weekly newsletter (LO Weekly) of news, columns, features and product information. The electronic newsletter goes to more than 50,000 landscape professionals, including 25,101 landscape architects and designers. Here are the Top-10 landscape architectural articles viewed on LO Weekly from January to October 23, 2014. There was a total of 1,384,205 page views.

Kansas Bill Redefines Architecture, Engineering and Landscape Architecture
June 10th Newsletter

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (Rep.) signed Senate Bill 349 into law on April 18, 2014. The bill, which took effect July 1, updated the state's licensing statutes for architects, engineers, landscape architects, surveyors, and geologists. Important update: Steve Winslow, president of the Prairie Gateway Chapter, told LASN there is new legislation, written with the input of a landscape architect, that he expects will pass in the spring to give LAs a greater scope of practice in Kansas than ever before.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19364

Landscape Giants Brickman and ValleyCrest Will Merge
June 3rd Newsletter

The biggest rumor in the landscape industry this year was that CEO Michael Dell of Dell was "likely" to sell ValleyCrest (owned under MSD Capital Dell Inc.) to KKR's Brickman unit. The price mentioned was "about $1 billion." The rumor was confirmed May 21, 2014 when The Brickman Group and ValleyCrest Companies announced they had entered into a "definitive merger agreement." Brickman and ValleyCrest are both leaders in the landscape industry, and have complementary services, capabilities and geographic reach. The rendering is from ValleyCrest Design Group's participation in an international design competition for a 600-hectare exposition site for the 2014 Qingdao World Horticultural Expo in Shadong, China.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19308

Higher Odds for El Niño in 2014
June 17th Newsletter

Predictions for an El Niño event occurring this year continue to climb according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In March the NOAA put the chance of such an event at 50 percent, but they recently made available a report that raised the odds to 70 percent during the Northern Hemisphere summer and 80 percent during the fall and winter. Update: The Climate Prediction Center has since lowered the chance for El Niño this season to a 58 percent likelihood.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19377

ASLA Announces 2014 ASLA Class of Fellows!
July 1st Newsletter

The American Society of Landscape Architects has named 32 members to its prestigious Council of Fellows. The new 2014 Class of Fellows will receive their medals and be formally inducted on Sunday, Nov. 23 during the ASLA Council of Fellows Investiture Dinner at the Hyatt Regency in Denver. The "Fellow" designation is conferred on ASLA members in recognition of exceptional career accomplishments. ASLA recognizes their accomplishments under one of three categories: body of work, leadership and management, or knowledge and service to the profession.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19415

Ohio Senate Votes to Nix LEED in the Buckeye State
March 18th Newsletter

The Ohio Senate has passed bill (SCR No. 25) http://tinyurl.com/pf2b55r to end LEED in Ohio. The bill contends LEED v4 "fails to conform to recognized voluntary standard development procedures, including but not limited to American National Standards Institute procedures, and fails to base environmental and health criteria on risk assessment methodology." Ohio leads the country in LEED-certified public schools (120). Ohio will continue to incorporate energy efficiency and sustainable design into approved school projects "through the use of alternative green building rating systems, codes, and standards other than LEED v4."
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19041

Supreme Court Weights in on Former Railroad Right-of Way
March 25th Newsletter

A 21-mile bike trail in Medicine Bow National Forest, Wyoming, is interrupted by a half-mile section of land granted to a Wyoming family that includes a former railroad right-of-way corridor. The family sued the Forest Service to keep the bike path off their land. On March 10, 2014, in Marvin Brandt Revocable Trust v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of of the land owner, ruling that when a railroad abandons a right-of-way, the easement disappears, and the land owner "regains unburdened use of the land."
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19050

The "Trail to Heaven"
February 4th Newsletter

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Navy built a radio communication station on a 2,800-foot peak above the Haiku Valley on the windward side of Oahu. The route to the station, the Haiku Trail, was closed to the public in June 1987. Some people still trek up the 30-degree slopes via steel galvanized steps to Puu Keahiakahoe peak, but it's "illegal trespass."
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/18873

Priciest Listed U.S. Residence Is a Bargain at...
January 14th Newsletter

This Greenwich, Conn., 13, 500-sq. ft. French-Renaissance mansion on 50 acres on Long Island Sound was built in 1896, the year William McKinley was elected president, and the year Wilhelm Rontgen discovered x-rays. The home, which has about a mile of Atlantic Ocean frontage, is now publicly listed for sale for the first time in more than a century. It's up for grabs for a mere $190 million.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/18786

Supreme Court Declines to Rule on L.A. Stormwater Pollution Case
May 20th Newsletter

On Aug. 8, 2013, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Los Angeles held L.A. County and the County Flood Control District responsible for millions of gallons of polluted stormwater discharged into the L.A. River (pictured) and San Gabriel River every year. On May 5, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the long-standing battle.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/19267

Tree Planting Servitudes--Buck Abbey, ASLA, Abbey Associates Landscape Architecture
December 10th, 2013 Newsletter

The Land Trust Alliance www.landtrustalliance.org has long used the tool of conservation easements to protect unique natural resources. A conservation easement (or conservation restriction), explains the Land Trust Alliance, is a legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of the land in order to protect its conservation values.
Online Article: landscapeonline.com/research/article/18668