Oral Abstract Details

Author(s):
Sean O Surla

Affiliation:
ASLA

Presentation Type:
Oral

Topic Area:
Ecosystem impacts on human communities (e.g., human health, economic well-being, political action)

Abstract Text:
How can an understanding of landscape systems give form to architecture? In natural systems nothing is wasted, everything is interconnected and self-sufficient simultaneously. How can we model our buildings after nature? Three natural systems are key components to modeling nature: water, vegetation and energy. The landscapes that we have constructed for cars exemplify the problems we have ecologically. Cars are major producers of greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. Highways and parking lots denude the vegetative habitat and lead to excessive water runoff polluting watersheds. The Park Park project is a mixed use parking facility and shops which incorporates the natural systems of water, energy and vegetation. Park Park puts the paradise back into the pavement.