Episode 23

Designing Public Space: Social Forums and Sustainable Materials for Public Landscapes

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Sustainability is a pressing priority for landscape architects in both its social and material aspects. The rise of low-carbon materials and focus on building vibrant communities are driving demand for innovative parks and outdoor spaces. Today, landscape architects face both an increased urgency and opportunity to create more engaging spaces that provide meaningful experiences for the communities they serve. Join Trading Notes for a lively conversation with Vestre’s Commercial Director – Americas Kristoffer Vestre, Christine Ten Eyck of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, & Isabel Castilla of Field Operations, moderated by AN’s executive editor Jack Murphy. They will discuss how to design successful outdoor spaces that create energizing places of gathering, recreation, and play.

Learning Objectives

• Learn what components go into making a healthy, creative, attractive public space
• Understanding how durability of site furnishings contributes to high-design spaces
• Understand the primary factors for specifying public furniture.
• Learn key differences in materials. Why these materials matter, what makes them unique, and the ability to make better design choices as it relates to their sustainable characteristics.
• Discover new functional solutions for high-design public spaces

Moderator: Jack Murphy

Christine Ten Eyck

President, Landscape Architect

Ten Eyck Landscape Architects, Inc.

Christine Ten Eyck

Founding Principal Christine Ten Eyck is a key collaborator in the design and management of all projects, infusing the studio’s broad range of work with a sensitivity to place and passion for human and ecological well-being.

Kristoffer Vestre

Chairman

Vestre

Kristoffer Vestre

Kristoffer Vestre serves as Chairman and Director of Americas at Vestre, a leader in innovative and sustainable site furniture that fosters a sense of community. Since 1947, Vestre has created social meeting places for millions worldwide, from Times Square in New York City to Kings Cross in London and Aker Brygge in Oslo. Two years ago, Vestre opened its newest factory, The Plus, designed by BIG and certified BREEAM Outstanding. This year, Vestre introduced TELLUS, its first bench made from fossil-free steel, marking a significant milestone in minimizing its carbon footprint.

Isabel Castilla

Associate Partner

Field Operations

Isabel Castilla

Isabel is an associate partner at Field Operations where she has been practicing landscape architecture for over 17 years. She is also the landscape architect member of the New York City Public Design Commission. Educated in both architecture and landscape architecture, Isabel brings exceptional attention to design creativity, detailing, and construction implementation. Fully bilingual in Spanish and English, Isabel is a strong communicator with deep experience leading extensive public engagement efforts and complex multi-agency approvals for large and transformative public realm projects. She has led the design and implementation of notable projects including various phases of New York’s High Line; Dallas’ West End Square; the renovation of the historic Lincoln Road District in Miami Beach; and the master plan and implementation of various phases of The Underline in Miami.

Jack Murphy

Executive Editor

The Architect’s Newspaper

Jack Murphy

Jack Murphy is Executive Editor of The Architect’s Newspaper. Previously he was Editor of Cite: The Architecture and Design Review of Houston and an adjunct professor at the University of Houston. His writing has appeared in Architectural Record, Dwell, The Architect’s Newspaper, Texas Architect, Places, Cite, PLAT, Paprika!, the SF Gate, the Houston Chronicle, and the New York Review of Architecture, among other publications. He received an Honorable Mention for the Pierre Vago Journalism Award 2020 from the International Committee of Architecture Critics. He earned degrees in architecture from MIT and Rice University and contributed to award-winning architectural practices in Texas, New York, and Massachusetts.