To create a contemporary, safe, and unique entry "garden" that draws greater public use, as well as merely awareness from both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. The outdoor space needed to also serve as a seating/gathering area and "stage" for numerous art performance pieces and films.
| Location: | Ottawa, ON |
| Project Dates: | 2004 |
| Task: | A commission to design and fabricate a permanent landscape installation for a not-for-profit art gallery's courtyard in a dense, urban neighbourhood. |
Design Challenge:
Design Solution:
Durable, conventional materials are incorporated into the design in ways that become unexpected: oxidized steel sheets are arranged to retain onsite earth berms which alternately serve as seats and stages for outdoor performances; Astroturf, fixed to a chain-link fence, provides a backdrop "hedge" resembling the topiary of classical gardens, while concealing undesirable views; tall polycarbonate illuminated tubes create an urban orchard that provides a well-lit, safe environment while offering a signature landscape of light along the gallery's downtown street.