DESIGNING NORTHERN LANDSCAPES
The Northern Land Studio is dedicated to the research and design of sustainable and resilient landscapes in cold climate regions. Our work methodology is grounded in the understanding of the land processes, local realities and we constantly explore innovative solutions to serve our clients.
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Urban innovation
Accordion Streets
What if street elements could have tidal edges, expanding and shrinking in response to our needs?
During the 60's, succumbing to the rise of Automobile, streets became wider, taking over almost the entire road allowance. Late 90's and 2000's saw an increased demand for cycling lanes, and as a consequence, existing streets were adapted to make place for micro-mobility. During 2020, the need for wider sidewalks became stringent and streets were patched to accommodate the sudden, overwhelming pedestrian flow. The lesson here is bi-fold. On one hand, we must accept that our needs are changing and this change is a continuum in our lives. With this understanding, designing rigid, dedicated infrastructures that fail to adapt to our rapidly ever-changing needs, is no longer an option. Instead, we must design for CHANGE. Only by designing adaptable, responsive urban infrastructures can we be aligned with the evolving nature of our human race.
Accordion Streets is an innovative solution to street design by Northern Land Studio (2020)
For more about Accordion Streets, click here:
What if street elements could have tidal edges, expanding and shrinking in response to our needs?
During the 60's, succumbing to the rise of Automobile, streets became wider, taking over almost the entire road allowance. Late 90's and 2000's saw an increased demand for cycling lanes, and as a consequence, existing streets were adapted to make place for micro-mobility. During 2020, the need for wider sidewalks became stringent and streets were patched to accommodate the sudden, overwhelming pedestrian flow. The lesson here is bi-fold. On one hand, we must accept that our needs are changing and this change is a continuum in our lives. With this understanding, designing rigid, dedicated infrastructures that fail to adapt to our rapidly ever-changing needs, is no longer an option. Instead, we must design for CHANGE. Only by designing adaptable, responsive urban infrastructures can we be aligned with the evolving nature of our human race.
Accordion Streets is an innovative solution to street design by Northern Land Studio (2020)
For more about Accordion Streets, click here: