May 30 2016, 10.18 AM IST || Pocket News Alert
Strategic landscaping is the hall mark of a classy project. A beautiful landscape not only adds lung space to an apartment complex but also lends beauty and grace to a development. Kannan S, Principal Landscape Architect, Design Milieu speaks about the challenges faced by landscaping trends in the city.
1. What are some of the main challenges faced in landscaping these days?
Water being a precious commodity these days, developing a sustainable landscape is the key challenge. Landscape architects now use trees that require very less water to flourish, and those that can manage without irrigation after 4 years of planting.
2. Is climate change affecting landscaping efforts?
Everyone is generally aware that cities are becoming warmer by the day. The Bangalore of today when compared to 10 years ago has a very different climate all together. Design approach in landscaping today is evolving to be more scientific and meaningful and to be sustainable. Extensive use of lawns and exotic plants is irresponsible under current circumstances.
The idea of a sustainable and native landscape with lots of local tree species will actually help in ameliorating the local micro-climate. The temperature within this development can be made 4-5 degrees lesser than the ambient surrounding temperature, by the extensive tree planting we take up for a project.
3. Are there any interesting trends in landscaping that are coming up?
Driven by present day urban challenges, like water scarcity, pollution, in terms of excessive carbon emission and suspended particulate matter in the atmosphere, landscape design is being taken up as a very serious design intervention, than just being cosmetic in nature. The present trend in landscape design, is to evolve ecologically sustainable, meaningful and usable landscapes that are low on water demand and easy in terms of maintenance. Increased tree cover with native species is being sought after nowadays, over extensive patches of lawn or shrubbery, to derive maximum ecological and environmental benefits.
4. Could you please provide the case study of a beautifully done landscape project?.
Vaishnavi Gardenia from the Vaishnavi Group is a beautifully landscaped project where the landscape is contoured. Gardenia was conceived not to be just an ornamental showpiece, in terms of flowering shrubs or greenery. We have taken an ecological approach, with the emphasis on a lot of native tree species. Flowering trees that add color to the project have been placed only where necessary. Most of the design features revolve around trees in clusters or grids.