Oficinaa, the firm of Silvia Benedito (assistant professor in landscape architecture) and Alexander Häusler (MArch II ’04), is featured in Landscape Architecture Frontiers with the design for “Lichtung.” The project is the first step in the new 12 km Donau-loop, a design concept to re-link the city and its residents with its river.
Implemented in August of 2013, the pathway sits along an existing floodplain forest, and is organized by a series of horizontal and vertical clearings (Lichtungen). Each clearing creates a visual connection between the dyke and urban edge with the river while amplifying a particular quality of the forest, such as humidity, shade, sound, scent and light. Large-scale concrete benches, molded to resemble large tree stumps, provide users with the opportunity to sit and rest while experiencing the new reclaimed landscape.
Landscape Architecture Frontiers is based in Beijing. Chief editor for the bi-monthly publication is Kongjian Yu (visiting professor of landscape architecture and DDes ’95).