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On February 7th, the winners and finalists for Competition 13 of the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) awards were announced at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Over 20,000 entries were received from amateur and professional photographers all over the world. The winner of £7,500 and the title of Overall Winner is Albert Ceolan of South Tyrol, Italy. “Over the last few years, IGPOTY has been a source of inspiration for me as well as a great pleasure for the eyes and the soul. The thought that one of my images will be shown as overall winner in these mythical gardens fills me with enthusiasm and pride,” said Ceolan when his was given the news.
“Albert has documented a scene which is simultaneously shocking as it is well composed. The photo cleverly shows both the destruction and the remaining trees symbolising hope. IGPOTY introduced the new category ‘Plants & Planet’ for this very reason to stimulate discussion and arouse awareness of changing global weather and our current climate emergency. By running this category – IGPOTY entrants helped to plant 78 new trees via WeForest in the Brazil project, which focuses on reconnecting remaining patches of the Atlantic forest through forest corridors so that wildlife can continue to reproduce and thrive,” said Tyrone McGlinchey, the competitions Head Judge.
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| This year, IGPOTY introduced a new photo project, ‘Square Crop,’ along with a new main category ‘Plants & Planet.’ Image above is ‘Autumn Fragility’ by Jane Simmonds. |
IGPOTY was established in 2007 and is now one of the world’s most renowned photography competitions. Winning entries are exhibited around the United Kingdom, Europe, and the world. As always, it was difficult to choose only 15 photos to display on DPReview. All winners, finalists, and commended entries across the 9 categories and 4 photo projects of this competition can be viewed here.
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About this photo: This photograph documents the natural destruction of pine forest by storm ‘Vaia’ in late October 2018. Wind speeds peaked at over 120mph, which led to the felling of over 14 million trees and claimed 17 human lives. In the background stands the magnificent Mount Catinaccio, bearing witness to the storm at just under 3,000 metres high.
Location: The Dolomites, South Tyrol, Italy
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About this photo: Scarborough Art Gallery was reflected in the garden’s fish pond, which created an intriguing mix of hard and fluid surfaces and various textures, overlaid by the shapes of pondweed and fishes.
Location: Scarborough Art Gallery, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
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About this photo: I used a scanning electron microscope to produce this detailed abstract view of a Tragopogon porrifolius seed. To gain the abstract element I used advanced filters and applied false colours.
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
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About this photo: Echinacea ‘Salsa Red’ were the brilliant red stars of this beautiful summer palette of colours taken at the gardens of the New Forest Lavender Farm. I captured a double exposure to soften the grasses and create an evocative botanical daydream.
Location: New Forest Lavender Farm, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
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About this photo: Fujian Province is home to many tea plantations, this one looked even more amazing with its colours and patterns from a bird’s-eye view, which I achieved using my drone.
Location: Fujian Province, China
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About this photo: The light of dawn on the horizon was enough to make the burnt autumn colour of the Larix (larch) trees in the North Cascades Mountains glow.
Location: North Cascades National Park, Washington, United States
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About this photo: In this vast desert landscape the sharp shards of the mountains contrasted wonderfully with the yellow and green hues of the foliage below.
Location: Salta Province, Argentina
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About this photo: The sunset gave its parting burst over Seattle illuminating the highways and making the intertwined trees and foliage glow across the city.
Location: Seattle, Washington, United States
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About this photo: This amazing individual specimen of Xanthorrhoea (grass tree) is endemic to the harsh conditions in South Australia. I chose to create a panoramic image to incorporate more of the landscape and emphasise the connection between every plant and our planet.
Location: Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, South Australia, Australia
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About this photo: I captured this photograph last summer at BUGA (Federal German Garden Show) in Heilbronn.
There was almost 40 hectares of wasteland between the old course of the River Neckar and the canal which have been redesigned using every type of gardening skill.
I was very impressed by these beautiful backlit flowerbeds, interplanted with tactile grasses, that poured out the scent of summer.
Location: Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
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About this photo: A stately Taxodium distichum (swamp cypress) tree stood at home on a calm, autumn afternoon in the wetlands surrounded by a ring of their characteristic roots or as I like to call them – knees above water.
Location: Louisiana, United States
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About this photo: The Napahai Nature Reserve, which at an altitude of around 3,300 metres above sea level, is a winter resting spot for tens of thousands of migratory birds as well as a summer pasture for herdsmen.
It was Spring when I captured this pastoral scene full of colourful wildflowers, shapes and textures.
Location: Mountains in Diqing, Yunnan, China
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About this photo: I captured a long exposure on this picturesque coastline, with wild Echium anchored on the clifftop in the foreground, and the sea beyond was foaming around the unique rock formations.
Location: Playa de la Arnía, Cantabria, Spain
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About this photo: I captured a chance morning meeting between these two Aporia crataegi (black veined white butterflies) as they perched on a flower head of Dianthus carthusianorum subsp. sanguineus.
Location: Pazin, Istria, Croatia
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About this photo: For such a tiny spider in the garden, every raindrop became a giant obstacle as it continued its journey along this blade of grass.
Location: Milan, Italy
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| ‘Fireworks’ by Jill Welham | IGPOTY |
The winning photographs from the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition 12 have been announced, with the top prize going to photographer Jill Welham of North Yorkshire, England for the above photograph titled ‘Fireworks’ that was submitted under the Abstract category.
Passionate about the cyanotype print process, ‘Fireworks’ showcases the details of three Allium heads created using a wet cyanotype process.
‘This image of three Allium heads was created using a technique known as wet cyanotype. Two chemicals, ammonium citrate and potassium ferricyanide, are mixed together to create a photosensitive solution which is painted onto the surface of watercolour paper and left to dry,’ says Welham in the image’s description. ‘This process needs to be conducted away from UV light, and once dry the paper must be kept in a light-proof bag until it is used.‘
In addition to Welham’s photograph, we’ve rounded up the remaining dozen winners from each of the remaining twelve categories. The winning photographs were narrowed down from more than 19,000 entries from over 50 countries.
The IGPOTY Competition 13 contest is already taking submissions. You can find out more information and submit your work on the IGPOTY website.
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| ‘Bressingham Gardens in Autumn’ by Richard Bloom | IGPOTY |
‘Bressingham Gardens in Autumn’ by Richard Bloom | IGPOTY
1st Place in Beautiful Gardens
Norfolk, England, UK
Glorious early morning sun bathed TheSummer Garden at Bressingham in rich, warming light. Ornamental grasses are featured with swathes of Aster and Rudbeckia.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon 16-35mm lens, 1/4sec at f/16, ISO 100. Tripod, cable release, polarising filter, neutral density graduated filter.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Farewell’ by Andrea Pozzi | IGPOTY |
‘Farewell’ by Andrea Pozzi | IGPOTY
1st Place in Breathing Spaces
Torres del Paine National Park,Patagonia,Chile
The sun had already risen and the dawn had been incredible. Wandering through the vegetation, however, I realised that the essence of the territory was only revealing itself in that moment. The extraordinary colours of the sunrise had dissolved, leaving behind a unique intimate feeling amongst one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on Earth.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 6D, Canon 24-70mm lens, 1.3sec at f/13, ISO 200. Tripod, neutral density graduated filter, polarising filter.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Lost in the Lush Beauty’ by Vincenzo Di Nuzzo | IGPOTY |
‘Lost in the Lush Beauty’ by Vincenzo Di Nuzzo | IGPOTY
1st Place in Captured at Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, England, UK
Opening the door of the Palm House at Kew is like entering a hidden paradise. It never fails to amaze me how fascinated and stunned I become in the presence of such natural beauty. I took this photograph whilst my friend was having a similar reaction to the sheer scale and abundance of lush tropical plants.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, Canon 24-105mm lens, 1/60sec at f/8, ISO 400. Post-capture: basic image management
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| ‘Cork Oak’ by Scott Simpson | IGPOTY |
1st Place in European Garden Photography Award
Gazebo Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain
There cannot be too many gardens in Europe that combinecork oaks (Quercus suber) with manicured gardens. I was commissioned to photograph such a place at a luxury real estate property in Andalucía. The garden had the added bonus of a raised gazebo, which was nestled amongst the mature cork oaks.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 7D, Canon 70-200mm lens, 1/30sec at f/13, ISO 100. Tripod.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Greenbelt’ by Halu Chow | IGPOTY |
‘Greenbelt’ by Halu Chow | IGPOTY
1st Place in Greening the City
Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
I used infrared to precisely define the exact locations of plant life around the city, highlighting the scale and proximity of their presence. It is easy to forget the intimacy and importance of this relationship.
Gear/Settings: Canon IXUS860 IS, Canon 28-105mmlens, 1/100sec at f/2.8, ISO 100.Infrared converted camera.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Tropical Wonderland’ by Jocelyn Horsfall | IGPOTY |
‘Tropical Wonderland’ by Jocelyn Horsfall | IGPOTY
1st Place: Portfolios, Abstract Views
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, England, UK
The magical, dreamlike effect of infrared was the perfect way to express the mystery and exotic intrigue of the Palm House at Kew Gardens. I captured a selection of different plants and foliage to feature across the portfolio in order to show the subtle variety of textures and forms within this tropical paradise. Together the images vividly demonstrate the sense of lushness and tranquillity that the space provides.
Gear/Settings: Fujifilm X-E1, Fujifilm 14mm lens + Fujifilm 18-55mm lens + Fujifilm 18-135mm lens, 1/750sec to 1/125sec at f/7.1 to f/13, ISO 500 to ISO 800. Infrared converted camera.
Post-capture: colour tones matched across portfolio, Topaz filter, basic image management.
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| ‘Lotus Tango’ by Kathleen Furey | IGPOTY |
‘Lotus Tango’ by Kathleen Furey | IGPOTY
1st Place in The Beauty of Plants
Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Washington D.C., USA
There are many stages of lotus growth on display at theAquatic Gardens, but to come across two twisted dancing stems of Nelumbo nuciferawas unexpected and quite magical.
Gear/Settings: Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, Olympus 14-150mm lens, 1/320sec at f/5.3, ISO 200.
Post-capture: basic image management
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| ‘Colourful Fields’ by Suwandi Chandra | IGPOTY |
‘Colourful Fields’ by Suwandi Chandra | IGPOTY
1st Place in The Bountiful Earth
Sembalun Lawang, Lombok, Indonesia
I hiked to the top of Pergasingan Hill early in the morning to catch the sunrise. The view was amazing as it overlooked the rolling hills opposite and Sembalun village below. Since most of the people here are farmers, they transform the valley floor into a patchwork of agriculture, growing rice, vegetables and even strawberries.
Gear/Settings: Pentax K-3, Pentax 16-50mm lens, 1/2sec at f/8, ISO 100. Tripod, neutral density graduated filter.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘View Over Trauttmansdorff’ by Harry Tremp | IGPOTY |
‘View Over Trauttmansdorff’ by Harry Tremp | IGPOTY
1st Place in The Spirit of Trauttmansdorff, a special award that celebrates the unique character and beauty of The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castlein Merano, South Tyrol, Italy.
The golden hour was just approaching when I captured this view of Trauttmansdorff in October, the green of the deciduous trees just starting to begin their autumn transformation.
Gear/Settings: Sony ?7R Mark III, Sony 24-105mm lens, 1/50sec at f/13, ISO 400.
Post-capture: basic image management
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| ‘Misty Bayou’ by Roberto Marchegiani | IGPOTY |
‘Misty Bayou’ by Roberto Marchegiani | IGPOTY
1st Place in Trees, Woods & Forests
Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana, USA
The Louisiana wetlands are a giant tangle of canals, swamps and forests of palm and cypress trees that encompass the great Mississippi estuary. Populated by numerous snakes, alligators, birds and venomous spiders, the often-hostile environment is capable of stunning beauty. Every day at dawn and dusk we motored out on a small swamp boat –the only way to get around the bayou –looking for the best light and conditions. A fog finally descended around a singular majestic cypress (Taxodium), framed by the other trees and adorned with Spanish moss.
Gear/Settings: Nikon D850, Nikon 70-200mm lens,1/50sec at f/7.1, ISO 64.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Mount Rainier in the Mist’ by Robert Gibbons | IGPOTY |
‘Mount Rainier in the Mist’ by Robert Gibbons | IGPOTY
1st Place in Wildflower Landscapes
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, USA
I came across a spectacular array of summer alpine flowers on Mazama Ridge, including Castilleja, Lupinusand Anemone occidentalis, all adding character and texture to the scene as if by design.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon 24mm tilt-shift lens, 1/13sec at f/20, ISO 200. Tripod.
Post-capture: basic image management
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| ‘Starlings’ by Jonathan Need | IGPOTY |
‘Starlings’ by Jonathan Need | IGPOTY
1st Place in Wildlife in the Garden
Snowdonia National Park, Wales, UK
A heavy snowfall brought a lot of hungry birds to my garden feeder. This old nearby tap provided a convenient resting place for this trio of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) while they waited for their turn to feed.
Gear/Settings: Nikon D3S, Sigma 500mm lens, 1/500sec at f/5, ISO 800. Tripod.
Post-capture: basic image management.
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| ‘Ladies of the Meadow’ by Jake Kneale | IGPOTY |
‘Ladies of the Meadow’ by Jake Kneale | IGPOTY
1st Place in Young Garden Photographer of the Year
Wiltshire, England, UK
The rising sun backlit this group of lady’s smock (Cardamine pratensis) in a Wiltshire meadow.I used the aperture to turn the water droplets into beautiful bokeh and created a smooth, clean and glistening background.
Gear/Settings: Canon EOS 7D, Canon 70-200mm lens, 1/160sec at f/7.1, ISO 100.
Post-capture: basic image management.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]
An extensive living facade system in Bogota, Columbia, represents growth in the right direction, away from unrealistic tree-covered skyscrapers toward more sustainable and useful vertical greenery.
The Santalaia building has plants spanning over 30,000 square meters of its surface area, able to produce oxygen for over 3,000 people annually (and filter tons of heavy metals, harmful gases and other airborne particulates). Paisajismo Urbano installed this specific system, developed by Ignacio Solano.
The recent trend (in renderings and to some extent reality) of putting trees onto tall towers is problematic from engineering and ecological standpoints. “Intensive” greenery requires thicker layers of soil and more complex systems for watering, maintenance and structural support. “Extensive” greenery, by contrast, provides many of the same benefits with lower cost and less wasted energy.
Many architects are naturally tempted to place trees on buildings, which do have a few functional advantages (like providing shade and making for nice-looking renderings). Still, building residents as well as the public would be better served in most cases by systems like this one. Even then, it is important to determine in advance what the goals and intended benefits are, since any green installation is complex and requires ongoing support.
[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]
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[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]
Seeming like a ghostly image of structures long gone overlaid onto the current reality, these wire mesh architectural creations arch over 75,000 square feet of event space in Abu Dhabi. The way the mesh shifts between transparency and opacity depending on how it’s layered, paired with its grid pattern, gives it the look of a light-based projection, yet it’s physical and three-dimensional, crafted in full-scale skeletal form to suggest structures rather than bring them to fruition.
Artist Edoardo Tresoldi previously resurrected an ancient church in Puglia, Italy that had been destroyed by earthquakes in the 13th century right where it once stood, allowing visitors to get a sense of how the structure interacts with the site before and after its demise. This time, Tresoldi sculpts a whole series of architectural sculptures, along with flying birds and cubes that hang suspended in midair.
The Abu Dhabi installation acts as a decorative tableau for a royal event attended by 1,900 guests from all over the Middle East, and took three months to complete, representing the artist’s first time creating a large installation for an indoor space. After the event, some of the structures will be moved and reassembled in public places across the UAE capital, including museums, parks and universities.
Many of these forms are reminiscent of previous Tresoldi works, including an archway used on a fashion runway, and a caged bird. Tresoldi creates figurative wire mesh sculptures, as well. You can see the evolution of his process at his Behance profile.
[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]
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[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]
It has been a challenging few weeks for architect Thomas Heatherwick, whose proposals for elevated green urban spaces in both London and New York City face uncertain futures. While the specifics vary, there may be lessons for elevated parks that spans both cases — and if these fail to move forward, it could spell the end of a decade-long trend for lofted public parks.
The Garden Bridge project in London has long been criticized based on its cost and officials are getting serious about making sure the investment (especially tax dollars) will pay off. The design has been touted as a kind of High Line Park for England’s capital, but unlike the High Line it is a brand new construction project (not adaptive reuse) and not positioned to revitalize areas of its city.
At the heart of the issue, unsurprisingly, is money: an initial projection of £60,000,000 has blossomed into an estimated cost of around £200,000,000. Shockingly, even cancelling the project now would result in a bill of over £40,000,000, despite the fact that construction has not even started. While £70,000,000 in private funding was secured at the outset, the rest would have to be covered by taxpayer money, which is less than popular with the public. As of now, the mayor’s financial inquiry has resulted in a recommendation to scrap the project.
According to a governmental report on the project, “Decisions on the Garden Bridge were driven by electoral cycles rather than value for money,. From its inception when there was confusion as to its purpose, through a weak business case that was constructed after contracts had been let and money had been spent, little regard has been had to value for money.” It is unclear whether the project is stalled or slated for abandonment, but it looks unlikely to proceed at this point.
Meanwhile, across the pond, Heatherwick’s proposed Pier 55 project (images by Luxigon), an elevated park stretching out over the water next to Manhattan, is also stalled out, at least for now. Its permit was recently revoked in part based on environmental studies that concluded it would disrupt local marine habitats. There are also concerns that it will block views along the waterfront.
The 10,000-square-foot, $ 200,000,000 park was designed to replace a disused pier in the heart of New York City, but once again it lacks some of the conditions that made the High Line a viable solution, particularly its lack of reuse. Perhaps the elevated parks trend is coming to an end, or (more likely): it is too often pitched as a solution, even in cases where there is no obvious problem to be solved.
[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Cities & Urbanism. ]
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[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]
A makeshift wooden walkway winds along a strand-lit and tree-lined path between dunes, creating a surreal environment within the context of this historic church.
Set in a religious space in Toulouse, this strange journey is punctuated by small vignettes that speak to the history of the place. In addition to physical installations and visuals, the space features a soundscape of whispered voices playing in the background and array of carefully generated aromas.
Along their way through the sandscape, visitors will find a full campsite nestled in the low hills as well as other small shelters with pots, pans, bedding and fireplaces – temporary and nomadic signals juxtaposed with a sturdy historical structure.
The materials date from various ages, including modern plastics as well as ancient-looking tents of rough-hewn wood and fabric. The end result fits the artist’s aim of “creating a timeless experience outside known references.”
Nor is the experience entirely static – live persons add dynamism to the mix. Artist Hans Op De Beeck “has staged a number of serene figures that quietly perform mundane, everyday acts. From time to time, these silent live performers offer tea to visitors.”
“Overall, the ‘Garden of Whispers’ incorporates a range of historical, religious and mythological references, yet most importantly, aims to offer a profound experience of the present, regardless of explicit references.” The temporary installation will be open to the public through this November.
[ By WebUrbanist in Art & Installation & Sound. ]
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[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]
As robotic cars take to the streets, designers are beginning to see possibilities for urban mobility that go beyond human and cargo transport. What if plants, for instance, could be moved around automatically, seeking out sun, filtering dirty air and providing fresh greens within cities?
Inspired by Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic domes and Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth, the Interactive Architecture Lab at the University College London has designed and built Hortum Machina B (the last letter short for Bucky).
An aluminum core houses the technology’s robotics, monitoring plants on the periphery and changing rotation and position to accommodate their needs. On-board water storage supplies moisture for growth while the ball stays in motion.
This novel mobile ecosystem is solar-powered, so its search for sunlight fuels not only the plants on board but the system itself. With efficient water reclamation, the garden could stay on the move indefinitely.
The internal computer system not only keeps the plants healthy but serve as part of a larger set of smart-city initiatives. For instance, sensors can detect and seek out areas with poor air quality, letting the plants provide filtration on demand.
The sphere could also roll itself through urban food deserts, allowing people to pick edibles as it winds its way through a city. Of course, this shape may not be the most efficient manifestation of the idea, but as a conceptual model could inspire similar and more sustainable typologies.
Presumably, in a future world of autonomous vehicles, there will be both mechanisms and space to accommodate driverless gardens as well as cars. Freed-up streets could be used to transport all kinds of things, not just conventional goods and people but also micro-ecosystems and other stuff we have yet to think of. For now the, the robotic garden has been tested in London and remains prototype. It might not be as productive per square foot of space as many new urban farm designs, but perhaps it makes up in novelty and mobility what it lacks in terms of strict productivity.
[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]
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[ By SA Rogers in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]
Stairs spiral up to the sky in strange configurations, going nowhere, in a tangle of surrealist sculptural structures in a Mexican jungle. Why is this series of concrete wonders hidden within the lush vegetation of Xilitlha, and who put it there? The answer lies within the mind of Edward James, a 20th century art collector described by Salvador Dali as “crazier than all the Surrealists together.” If Dali is calling you crazy, that probably says something, and photos of James’ creations reveal a visionary thinker on par with the artists he so admired.
James, a poet and well-to-do heir who was once painted by René Magritte, was a passionate and early supporter of Surrealism, sponsoring Salvador Dali in a crucial early period of his career during which he produced some of his most valuable works. A 1978 documentary called “The Secret Life of Edward James” shows off some of his personal art collection, as well as his quirky refurbishment of Monkton House, a small 20th century house plastered with surreal interior designs. He was certainly an interesting character, which explains how Las Pozas came about.
Built more than 2,000 feet above sea level about seven hours (drive) north of Mexico City, ‘Las Pozas’ was named for the natural pools and waterfalls that characterize the site. James saw it as the ideal romantic spot for his vision of a “Garden of Eden set up.” Between 1949 and 1984, he built dozens of towering concrete structures around the pools, each of them given names like “The House on Three Floors Which Will in Fact Have Five or Four or Six,” and “The House with a Roof Like a Whale.”
The sculptures were conceived by James and his guide Plutarco Gastélum, who helped him scout the site, after his living orchid garden decades in the making was destroyed by a blizzard. The concrete ‘flowers’ would be everlasting, much hardier than anything organic he could grow. It took a crew of about 150 people to build them all. It cost more than $ 5 million to construct, a sum James raised by selling his collection of Surrealist art at auction.
After James’ death in 1984, Las Pozas was opened to the public, and it’s know owned by Fondo Xilitlha, a foundation overseeing its preservation and restoration.
Top photo: Wikimedia Commons; all other photos: Victor DeLaqua, Julia Faveri and Herbert Loureiro/ArchDaily
[ By SA Rogers in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]
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[ By WebUrbanist in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]
The Forbidden City in Beijing, China, is one of the most-visited landmarks in the world, but now its secret garden, closed to the public for close to a century, is scheduled to open its gates.
Built in the 15th Century, the Forbidden City was a center of power for hundreds of years, a vast and sprawling complex of residential, cultural and political spaces. While tourists are welcome to explore much of the complex, the Secret Garden within its walls was shut off from view after the last emperor was deposed.
Current conservation efforts are underway, aimed at making the space historically accurate down to the last detail. For better and worse, the Secret Garden has been largely untouched for hundreds of years, closed off and left theoretically intact but also subject to decay. The first stage of the project was completed in 2008, and the final phases are scheduled to finish by 2020, at which time visitors will be able to enter once more.
More details from Hyperallergic: “The Qianlong Garden Conservation Project is a joint initiative between the Palace Museum, which manages the Forbidden City, and the World Monuments Fund (WMF). Last month WMF Senior Advisor Henry Ng discussed the project’s progress at a gathering of WMF’s Moai Circle at the bar Lumos. ‘Many of the threads were lost for how this place was built,” he explained, adding that the major challenge is retrieving traditional Chinese crafts that vanished in the country’s 20th-century cultural upheaval.’” (images via Si Bing/Palace Museum, the Palace Museum/World Monuments Fund and David Stanley via Inhabitat).
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[ By WebUrbanist in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]
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