31 January 2011

Graduate on time: See your advisor regularly

This one goes out to our currently enrolled students:

The Star-Ledger reported this weekend on the relatively low 4-year graduation rates at many of the schools in New Jersey.  As the article points out, one of the many reasons is difficulty in getting into required classes.  One of the best ways to avoid this is to meet with you advisor regularly. S/he knows how to plan ahead, some times multiples semesters in advance of the problem, to avoid getting stuck.  

28 January 2011

Grand Challenges for GIScience?

In response to a call from NSF May Yuan, the new president of UCGIS, has written an open response on the Grand Challenges of GIScience over the next 10 years. All told, 100 were submitted.

27 January 2011

Snow Day: Public Processes

Today, despite relatively poor attendance, we talked about some different forms of participation.  Examples that Steiner mentions include:

We also talked about trying to figure out the "problem" with complicated situation after watching this short video:

Sandy River Flood from alexandra erickson on Vimeo.

24 January 2011

Intersting conference: Space and Flows

SPACE AND FLOWS: AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON URBAN AND EXTRAURBAN STUDIES
Monash University Prato Centre
Prato, Tuscany, Italy
17-18 November 2011
http://spacesandflows.com/conference-2011/

Following the success of our 2010 conference at the University of California, Los Angeles the 2011 Spaces and Flows Conference will take place in Prato, Italy. Prato is located in the Tuscany region of Italy, a short train ride from Florence and close to the Florence airport. Prato has yet to be transformed by mass tourism, even though it is in a beautifully preserved Italian Renaissance city. Historically home to a thriving textile industry, Prato has seen an influx of immigrant workers in the last 20 years. This juxtaposition of the local-historical with the global-hypermodern makes Prato an excellent location to discuss human spatial conditions in global flows.

This conference aims to critically engage contemporary spatial, social, ideological, and political transformations in a transitional world. In a process-oriented world of movement, the global north and global south now simultaneously converge and diverge in a dialectic that shapes and transforms cities, suburbs , and rural areas. This conference addresses the nature and mapping of these forces and the dynamics that propel these changes. The conference also examines and defines the myriad of different spaces that make up our contemporary world, including urban, edgeurban, de-urban, micro-urban, greenfield, and off-the-grid.

In addition to plenary presentations, the Spaces and Flows Conference includes parallel presentations by practitioners, teachers, and researchers. We invite you to respond to the conference Call-for-Papers. Presenters may submit their written papers for publication in the peer reviewed 'Spaces and Flows: An International Journal on Urban and Extraurban Studies'. If you are unable to attend the conference in person virtual registrations are also available which allow you to submit a paper for referring and possible publication. You also have the ability to upload your presentation to the Space and Flows YouTube playlist. Please sign up for our monthly newsletter http://spacesandflows.com/ideas/newsletter, and join us on Facebook and Twitter.

The deadline for the next round in the call for papers (a title and short abstract) is 17 February 2011. Future deadlines will be announced on the conference website after this date. Proposals are reviewed within two weeks of submission. Full details of the conference, including an online proposal submission form, may be found at the conference website: http://spacesandflows.com/conference-2011/ .

GIS keeps growing

A new report out last week shows how quickly the GIS economy keeps growing, even in down times. The head reads "GIS/Geospatial sales up 10.3% to US$4.4 billion Growth forecast to top 8.3% in 2011" but the content gives some real insight. It isn't just the recent growth, but the future growth in apps, imagery, phone apps, and enhanced uses of geospatially enabled CAD.

Lecture: Paul Keyes, 'Estates at Alpine, Alpine NJ"

LA Spring Lecture Series presents Paul Keyes

Wednesday, 1/26 at 4:00 pm,
Cook/Douglas Lecture Hall

Estates at Alpine, Alpine NJ

The Estates at Alpine Development is a subdivision of the 60-acre estate formerly owned by Dr. Henry Clay Frick. The developer, Richard Kurtz, purchased the estate for $58 Million and subdivided the property into individual parcels leaving the original estate on 20 acres. The first home in the development was constructed on speculation and is on the market for $68 million.

Paul Keyes Associates designed and styled the development entrance as well as the landscape and gardens for the primary residence. I also managed the installation and construction of our design work which included locally mined hand carved granite walls, custom iron gates and lights, granite paving and mature plantings. Richard was extremely passionate and involved with the design and details. It was another great opportunity to work closely with a fun client and the results were spectacular. I’ve always said that my best ideas come from my clients and this is certainly a prime example.

Paul Keyes  graduated from Rutgers University in 1989 with a B.S. in Environmental Planning and Design and a minor in Ornamental Horticulture. Paul continued his education by Graduating from Montclair State University with a M.A. in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Education.Paul established Paul Keyes Associates in 1996.

For more information see: http://www.paulkeyes.com/index.html

22 January 2011

Atlantic Crossing on WNYC

Rutgers had a nice showing on Leonard Lopate Friday, with Scott Glenn and Dana Seidel talking about the new movie abut the Atlantic Crossing. 

21 January 2011

Arcosanti

A couple years ago I finally got to visit the formerly futuristic commune-like Arcosanti.  This is Paolo Soleri's dream of how we could build future cities, although it was also a living experiment in how to incrementally advance the forms and ideas of a such a place as a self-sustaining community.  And since it was in the desert of Arizona, sustainability is especially difficult.  My visit was limited to an hour or two, so I was interested in reading someone else's account of a recent visit in PlaNetizen


20 January 2011

Talk on Changing Land Use Rules

Wednesday morning (the 23rd) the Hunterdon County Planning Board is hosting an early morning talk on the changes in the timing rules in New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law.  This "coffee with the County" event should have some pretty serious discussion of a topic that may sound minor but has the potential to alter day-to-day planning in New Jersey.

Quote of the Day

"Nature abhors a straight line"

- Capability Brown

A new memorial

The new Rosie the Riveter Memorial has opened in Richmond, CA.

18 January 2011

Great project site

The web site is up for Holly Nelson's Senior Studio investigating the Salt River Bay on the island St. Croix, VI.  The representations of the site include creative studies of both the land and people:




But it also includes more spatially explicit studies of the site.

And soon it will include the final design the students presented to the National Park Service and partner institutions.

17 January 2011

Another great MLK Day link

The City Fix talks today about Public Transportation as a Civil Right.

Rev Martin Luther King Jr Day

This video of the I Have a Dream speech includes not only one of the great American speeches, but some compelling shots of the areas around the Lincoln Memorial.




The work at the MLK Memorial site continues, so you might want to check out this virtual tour:

12 January 2011

11 January 2011

Jack Dangermond at TED

Since there aren't many Landscape Architects talking at TED, we are extra excited to see GIS and LA represented in Jack Dangermond's TED Talk on GeoDesign. Go team!

10 January 2011

Job in upstate New York

Introduction
ORI – Organic Recycling Inc was established in 1985. Its business can divided into 2 aspects 1) Compost project management and 2) One stop horticultural supply centers that offer bulk mulch, compost, topsoil and other landscape needs, a wholesale stone and pavers center and wholesale nursery. ORI is an MBE.
In the east coast we have 2 Supply Center – 1) Orangeburg NY (30 Acres) and 2) Goshen,NY which is 85 Acres.

POSITION AVAILABLE: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER- ORGANIC RECYCLING INC

1) DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
a) Qualified Landscape Architect or Agronomist
b) One to three years work experience within the horticulture/plants industry. Some knowledge of plants and landscape construction preferred.
c) Trainable Person:
i) Capable and motivated to learn the ORI business approach and products
ii) Self motivated and confident type of personality
iii) Capable of undertaking a project on his own with reference and parameters provided.
iv) Capable of professional presentation
d) Experience in marketing in the NY Metropolitan Area
2) GOAL
• Increase customer base (increase ORI’s off-site business development/sales effort and increase ORI’s geographical territory)
• Implement and maintain a consistent customer service program
• Support sales effort of Division Managers.
3) RESPONSIBILITY AND TASK
Increasing ORI Customer Base - Landscape Architects, Property Developers and Property Development Contractors State authorities (e.g. NYSDOT, NYC Agencies, NJSDOT) and Municipal Departments (e.g. DPW, Parks Dept etc.) by

• Develop awareness of ORI Products and Services targeting
• Determining contact person(s) for these target customers
• Contacting these target customers:
a) via post-card/email for initial awareness
b) via telephone requesting for personal appointment to presentation and to drop-off ORI “Products & Service Manual”. Develop “Power-point” presentation
c) Presentation booths at appropriate trade shows e.g. Landscape Architect Association Annual Conference ADPW Trade Show

* Acquire knowledge of ORI’s existing customers
* To get ORI Products and Services specified in plans
* General Marketing activities
* Develop market intelligence e.g. competitors, new projects, customer feedback, new products, price changes, changes in market conditions etc. Monitor specific competitors/vendors for business development purposes
* Monitor listing of projects etc. from permit listing Service Company.
* Business Development via Web-Site. Organize and maintain internet and usps mailing list for the above described category of customers.
* Participate in Trade Shows. Develop a list if target trade shows.
* Assist with Advertisement and Promotions Program(s)
* Assist with ongoing Monthly Product Sales Program
* Assist with customer loyalty program
* Special Sales Events at the ORI Sales Centers.
* Customer Service Program:
o To develop a customer service program in coordination/consultation with Division Managers.
o Customer Service Program provides for scheduled and consistent business contacts (telephone calls/visits) with existing and potential customers
o Customer Service Program commences after the Training Period and the initial launch of the program to increase ORI’s customer base.
* Assist Division Managers with sales closings (once initial business development task have been implemented).

Please fax resume to Organic Recycling Inc at 845-398-1017 or email to hr@organicrecycling.com

06 January 2011

Blue Ridge Parkway documentary

For those in the NY area, you'll want to set your DVRs to record this weekend's showing The Blue Ridge Parkway: A Long and Winding Road.  It looks like it might really probe more into the land owners who lost their land so the road could be built.  It will show at 9pm on Saturday (Jan 8th) on WLIW.  Just another example of ow TV can help you learn.  (h/t Puk)

04 January 2011

NPS LA Office

 Shenandoah National Park has a visitors center exhibit showing a typical Landscape Architect's Office from back in the earlier days of the park.  It includes a plan of a stopover along the beautifully designed Skyline Drive.

Not only does the exhibit include some drawings, but it also includes this mark up of a photograph.  It really shows how seriously the landscape architects were thinking about the impacts and aesthetics of what turned out to be one of America's great scenic drives.
Of course, details matter too...

 And the tools of the trade have changed a bit since then.

Accurate to the period?  Maybe.  But necessary?  Not really.

 

Best post-industrial proposal of the year?

Not really a year-end wrap-up, but Charles Jenks' artistic use of a slag heap is one of the more unique post-industrial projects that has been proposed in recent memory.