Landscape Architecture by Tamara Urben-Imbeault
Extensive research was conducted to plan the meadow, to help ensure its success and longevity throughout the coming years. Native Ontario plants, local pollinators, suggested meadow species as well as tried and true methods of site preparation were the focus of this research. The City of Toronto Pollinator Protection Strategy served as our first jumping off point, followed by the Environment Canada research guideline Planting The Seed.
Consequently, a number of factors informed the overall planting strategy of the meadow. Plant selection and placement was determined by a combination of flower colour, bloom time, moisture tolerance, sun requirements, winter interest and height aesthetics. The functional role of the individual species within the meadow also influenced the design as the successional stage, and placement of core meadow species were considered with great intention. Furthermore, three drumlins were incorporated into the design, providing subtle undulations in the topography. These features underpinned the framework of the design, in addition to considerations of the needs of the intended pollinators within their new urban habitat.
For more information, please visit http://terraplan.ca/blog/tla-meadow/
This board details the concept planting design, which emphasized pollinator species, species native to Southern Ontario, and species shown to benefit endangered or threatened species of pollinators. The plants are arranged by colour into different “bands” similarly to the colour bands seen in Holland on Tulip farms. These bands are meant to disappear over time, as the plants mature and spread.
The concept design is to enhance the landscape at an existing commercial office building, by creating a pollinator meadow, and enhancing existing seating options for employees of the company.
The rendered plan shows the plants in the pollinator meadow are arranged by colour into different “bands” similarly to the colour bands seen in Holland on Tulip farms. These bands are meant to disappear over time, as the plants mature and spread.
Existing site condition before enhancement.
Planting design
Planting design needs to be thought of in elevation as well as in plan.
Design concept presentation. On the right is the original iteration of this concept which was presented along with another concept. This winning concept was then developed further as seen in the boards on the left, which can be seen in detail at the beginning of this gallery.
Refined planting and grading design, which ended up being used for construction. There was a lot of on-site collaboration with the construction team.
Construction begins!
Rough grading
Plants going in!
Happy clients on opening day.
Approximately 3 months of growth. The cover crop is doing marvellously and the plants that were planting at container size are maturing nicely.
A bumble bee enjoying the Lobelia
A monarch on a Sunflower. Photo by Tammy Monroe.
Bumble Bee on the Coreopsis
Four months of growth
Owners performing some much needed maintenance.
Some of the owners are better at supervising, others at telling great stories.
Six months after planting. What a wonderful first season.
This Heath Aster is incredible!
Sign installation. Design by others. Vinyl graphic by Tamara Urben-Imbeault
Sign design by others.
The tubes will have informative inserts placed inside them about the plants that are currently in bloom in the meadow, providing some insight into the plants, why they were chosen and for whom.
Fall bulb planting. Photo by Chieu-Anh LeVan.
Bee hotel for solitary bees
Frosted Yarrow
Winter blanket
The project is certified!
The gateway feature at Downsview Park was created to provide visitors with a beautiful and inviting entry way from the corner of Sheppard Ave and Keele St. in Toronto, Ontario.
My role in the project was to create renderings for community consultations and help refine the design through 3D modelling and construction drawings.
Unless otherwise stated, design is by others.
This rendering of the gateway from the intersection of Keele and Sheppard was created using Rhino, Sketch Up, and Photoshop and shows an existing tree to be maintained, and the complete re-design of the entry way, featuring a new canopy structure, more accessible walkways, new benches, planting and signage.
Strong curvilinear forms inspired from the shape of a leaf were used to design the plaza. The planting is arranged to accentuate these curves.
An accessible entrance is now the main entrance to the space, with a secondary stairway entrance provided further North of the intersection.
This sketch model by others was presented to me to translate into a digital 3D model using Rhino, in order to facilitate refining the design and coordination with consultants.
The Rhino model, shown here, was sent to various consultants, including Structural Engineers and Fabricators to bring the design to a buildable conclusion, seen below.
Image courtesy of StudioTLA/Terraplan Landscape Architects.
The client desired a larger sign to face the intersection (vehicular scale), so I created the design for this sign in Rhino. A few iterations were considered and this one was selected.
The sign is a large cor-ten sheet that wraps around the back of a dry stacked wall. The letters are individually cut pieces of stainless steel that are pinned in place.
Image courtesy of StudioTLA/Terraplan Landscape Architects.
This smaller sign was designed with pedestrian speed in mind, and lights up at night. The leaf motif floating down the side of the sign is the same shape as the canopy feature.
This smaller sign was designed to be a more responsive to the pedestrian experience, and lights up at night. The leaf motif floating down the side of the sign is the same shape as the canopy feature.
Image courtesy of StudioTLA/Terraplan Landscape Architects.
The client desired a Yukon Gold Rush themed landscape for a new rollercoaster opening in May 2019. I developed the design, and led the design team through the creation of a detailed 3D model to showcase the idea. All conceptual design by Tamara Urben-Imbeault, construction and construction coordination by others.
This subtle and unobtrusive design creates a physical timeline that reveals the historic significance of the site and surrounding area. While the pump house remains mostly untouched, the rail line that once ran parallel to the Red River has long since been removed and forgotten. The Time Track is a set of clues on the ground plane that reference a set of past events and link to a digital archive. Mist and light are propelled from between the components representing rails adding a vertical element and acting as a visual cue to people walking by. The mist is activated by motion and a timer that is set to a regular interval.
While the James Avenue Pumping Station is an iconic building on Waterfront Drive, the existing gravel surface in front is used as a thoroughfare for pedestrian traffic and a parking lot. Existing desire lines reveal movement through the site which this cool garden ties into through a railroad style switching station.
The Time Track is designed to encourage leisurely strolling across the site with an added layer of thought.
Created in conjunction with Kristin Szuminsky for Storefront MB's Cool Garden Design Competition 2016.
This practicum work is a reference for vertical gardeners in cold climates. Winnipeg, Manitoba is explored, however findings may be applied to other cities in similar climates. First, the history of vertical gardening is discussed, then the types of vertical gardens currently on the market are described. These can be classified into two categories: soil bearing or non-soil bearing. Most designs are modular pre-planted systems that can be attached to any wall, as long as it satisfies the structural requirements recommended by the manufacturer. The benefits of vertical gardening have been shown to be rather extensive, covering a wide range of areas. Aesthetic improvement, reduction of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, improvement of air quality, stormwater absorption, noise reduction, native habitat integration, reduction of heating and cooling costs for buildings, food production, marketing, and biophilia are all benefits explored in detail. Difficulties associated with vertical gardening are discussed, specifically the lack of knowledge and awareness of vertical gardens, lack of empirical evidence (or missing details in existing research), overall cost and lack of financial incentives, lack of industry codes, and various associated risks. Design framework exists within microclimate conditions unique to vertical gardens, as well as neighbourhood and regional (micro)climates. Theories relating to the study of green walls covered include the human ecosystem model, urban reconciliation ecology, habitat templating, the urban cliff hypothesis, and wall ecology. Suitable habitat templates identified for vertical gardens in Winnipeg are cliffs, sand dunes, alvars, mixed grass prairie and prairie potholes. Design parameters to be followed for vertical garden design in Winnipeg are to ensure that lightweight materials are used, to provide insulation to protect plants from sudden temperature changes, to choose plants that grow in the region and are adapted to grow in areas with limited soil, increased wind, varying degrees of sunlight (depending on orientation), and increased pollution and salt spray depending on location.
Full document available to view or download here.
The design is the result of folded planes that protrude at different distances in response to the length of plant roots that will grow in each section. The plants are selected from habitat templates that have similar characteristics to their corresponding position on the wall.
Wrapping the garden may not be necessary during the winter, but further study is required before it can be determined. This rendering shows how a simple tarp wrap could add a much needed splash of colour to a grey Winnipeg winter.
Utilising a habitat templating approach, the garden includes plants from four main habtitats: Sand dunes, cliffs, mixed grass prairie/alvar and prairie potholes. Each habitat template is located the wall micro-climate most similar to their native micro-climate. The selection of habitat templates reflect the microclimatic conditions of an exterior vertical garden. The planting plan is a selection of plants from each of these communities, arranged according to their specific moisture, sun, and shelter requirements.
Locations were selected based on a high degree of visibility to people living and visiting downtown, proximity to rapid transit, proximity to special attractions, isolation from wind, and good solar exposure.
Wind analysis was performed on the study area to determine which of the west facing facades would be most protected from excessive winds. Shown above is the result of simulations run at a 12 metre height.
The facades highlighted above are the optimal facades to host vertical gardens because of their isolation from wind, good solar exposure, and availability of unoccupied vertical space (eg. few or no windows, doors and other openings).
Green roofs and facades share many of the same characteristics. These include but are not limited to: limited soil, limited moisture, increased sun and wind exposure. Because of these factors, hardy plant types required; plants with shallow root systems, drought tolerance, and pollution tolerance (depending on location) are some of the most important characteristics required for urban gardens.
Irrigation for the gardens is rainwater collected from the roof of City Place and stored in cisterns in the 3rd floor mechanical rooms. Water will circulate through the garden and be pumped back into the cisterns for filtering and recirculation. This will lighten peak stormwater runoff in the City Place block, hopefully lessening the amount of raw waste-water overflow dumped into our rivers each year from the combined sewer system.
A series of cliff studies were undertaken in different parts of Canada. This face is used for recreational rock climbing. Analysis shows a vast difference in species diversity and coverage between areas where climbing occurs and areas where it does not.
Location: Lily Pond Rockwall, Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba
Location: Hull, Quebec
Location: Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba
Location: Nepean Point, Ottawa, Ontario
Location: Major's Hill Park, Ottawa, Ontario
Location: Major's Hill Park, Ottawa, Ontario
The evolution of vertical gardening began with vines and espaliers and has continued to evolve through time, waxing and waning in popularity through time.
Full document available to view or download here.
Conceived as a theoretical project for the final Landscape Architecture studio at the University of Manitoba, this project was explored in multiple scales. From a regional strategy, to site scale, and finally to detail scale, the project was envisioned to fit into the character of the City of Victoria, and fit their mandate for public art, and integrate into the existing network of half block pedestrian walkways.
The Fisgard Art Park creates a link that is currently missing between the downtown commercial district and historic Chinatown. The space is by definition a mid block walkway - its main purpose is to bring people from Pandora Avenue to the heart of Chinatown on Fisgard Street.
Fisgard Art Park offers more than just a fun short cut. By showcasing art from local Canadian artists nestled in a a Garry Oak Woodland, the park has a simple elegance, designed for people to stop and relax in one of the neighbouring cafes, or admire to the art. The Gary Oak Woodland is a plant community that is in danger of disappearing from the West coast forever. Through informative plaques, the park would incite more awareness in the public of this beautiful community.
Meadows planted with Gary Oak trees line the park, creating frames for sculptures sprinkled throughout the park. Furniture and lighting is integrated and aesthetically minimal so as not to distract from the art. The Fisgard Art Park acts as a transition zone between downtown Victoria and its historic Chinatown, incorporating large pathways and various Chinese elements, such as a reflecting pool.
The design incorporates elements from neighbouring sites and existing conditions on the site. The main feature of the park is a series of rows of meadows with large Gary Oak trees, various native flowers and sculptures located throughout. Other elements include a fountain, an outdoor cafe patio, and a pathway to the neighbouring historically significant Fan Tan Alley.
Sections show the park with young trees (bottom) and with fully mature trees (top). Silva cells are utilised, providing each tree with ample root space.
From Pandora Ave to the South, and Fisgard Street to the North, this section highlights mature trees lining the length of the park.
Different elements of the park are broken down here in an exploded plan. Red brick, formerly housed on site, is utilised as "connection pavers" (shown second from the bottom) creating a visual connection through the park and across Pandora Ave to the red brick-clad Market Square currently operating across the street.
The reflecting pool shown on the left will contain only a couple centimetres of water. Water elements are important in Chinese garden design, so this feature is located in a prominent location next to preserved the historic facade.
Gary Oak Woodland is the most diverse ecosystem in BC, and is home to many threatened or at-risk species. Plants chosen for the meadow include showy and fragrant flowers.
Connecting the park to the historic mid-block alley way is a small path lined with movable tables and chairs. Ahead to the left in the image is the reflecting pool. As a tourist attraction, the Fan Tan Alley connection will bring significant traffic through the park. Note the guiding red brick pavers which lead from Market Square (south of the site) through the park.
Lined with Cor-Ten steel, slightly raised meadow gardens frame large Gary Oak Trees, creating an inviting canopy. Granite bench slabs are laid over the Cor-Ten, and lit from below the slab, creating a simple yet elegant seating area. Vibrant colours in vegetation make the area especially attractive.
The Fisgard Art Park design strives to combine an enjoyable pedestrian connection with the Chinese influence of Chinatown and art, through the City of Victoria's mandate for public art.
At the time of the conception of the project, this was the view along Pandora Avenue, a main arterial street in downtown Victoria, connecting the downtown to Victoria West via the Johnson bridge. The site for the Fisgard Art Park is shown in red, and includes a historic facade in the farthest south-east corner (shown here towards the middle of the image).
Analysis ranking pedestrian pathways in the urban core, undertaken in a manor similar to Space Syntax, developed by Bill Hillier.
Red represents heavy use routes that are direct and easily navigable, orange is heavy-medium use, yellow is medium use that is less direct and less obvious, green is medium-low use, and blue depicts the lowest use, mostly short cuts and areas used primarily by locals.
The Fisgard Art Park site is shown in red.
Solid lines delineate main routes, while dashed lines represent secondary routes. Pedestrian routes are shown in purple, and cycling routes in green.
The City of Victoria wishes to install more public art in the downtown. Shown in yellow are proposed civic nodes, proposed public art locations shown in pink. The red rectangle is the chosen site for the Fisgard Art Park. Nodes are buffered by 10 minute walk zones.
Conceived as a project for the University of Manitoba's landscape architecture regional studio, the inter-modal port project is an example of how landscape ecology principles can help inform the way a development is organized. Looking back on the analysis performed of the site earlier in the term, I was able to combine many of the economic aspects of site selection, together with the ecological principles of patches and corridors. The port will build greater landscape connectivity and increase species flow around the airport, by introducing native plant species around the western side of the port. It is through this integration that we can help mitigate negative urban effects like the Urban Heat Island phenomena, pollution, storm water runoff, and reduced heating and cooling costs. The potential for this new form to also carry a recreational program is heightened by this approach. A destination created through the marriage of the port and recreational programs will make the industrial port condition not only the first of its kind to adhere to landscape ecological principles, but also a first class destination for residents around the city and world.
Located in the area north west of the Winnipeg International Airport, existing Oak and Aspen stands provide valuable landscape amenity in the area. In this concept, existing stands are maintained and enhanced, providing a corridor for species movement around (instead of through) the airport, depicted here by a circular brushstroke. Meanwhile, industrial uses (depicted by ink blots) fill spaces in between stands. These industrial uses include but are not limited to the inter-modal port that CentrePort Canada plans to build.
The inter-modal port includes direct access to and from runways at the Winnipeg International Airport. A secondary large runway (planned for construction in 2020) has been factored into the design of the site. Closest to the runways are airplane cargo depots where goods can be unloaded and brought to the train yard beside or loaded on to trucks. All cargo zones are privately controlled via secure entry points on a single ring road. West of the train yard is an industrial complex with large warehouses, and various office buildings. This area is integrated through the use of a green roof network, which extends from one roof to another, providing recreational space for workers and the public.
Cargo containers, represented here by maroon squares would flow seamlessly from airplane to trains or continue to trucks. The flow of good is efficient and fast, while above it all exists a landscaped oasis for people to enjoy.
L-R: Yellow shows air cargo area, orange is train oriented development, red is the trucking industry. Green shows existing (dark) and proposed (light) vegetative spaces. Purple rectangles delineate phasing (dark first to light later). Light purple shows the green roof network that acts as an elevated park network. Green buildings show relative heights (with special restrictions in place for Airport Vicinity Zoning, and more restrictions closer to runways). Blue shows the overall site drainage.
Roof gardens provide an amenity space for office workers and the general public.
The air cargo area will integrate seamlessly with existing conditions at the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.
Train company stakeholders BNSF, CN and CP will share access to the Inter-Modal Port rail yard.
The main trucking route is lowered to dampen noise and reduce stopping frequency.
Roof gardens will feature lookouts for people to observe daily operations in the cargo areas from a safe distance.
Estimated species flow through the western side of Winnipeg, based on site size, relative ecosystem health and plant cover composition. Dark green represents healthiest vegetative patches, while red represents those overrun with invasive species and/or small in native species diversity or health. Existing patches to the west of the airport are a few of the healthiest areas on the western side of the city and therefore effort should be made to preserve and rehabilitate them.
Building heights will vary allowing for spatial diversity on the site.
At the furthest westmost side of the site, an Aspen grove will be planted. The site will be graded to accept drainage from the Inter-Modal Port.
Aerial view showing green roof network in office/industrial area, with ring roads and train cargo zone at the top of the image.
Showing connected green roof gardens leading through the entire site to lookouts over the cargo area.
This project was done as a detailed design in conjunction with an arboretum master plan for SMARTPark. The site is currently known as the U Lot at the University of Manitoba.
The goal of the design was to create a demonstration piece of how bioswales and permeable paving could help make parking lots more people-friendly environments, and help hopefully minimize many issues facing urban areas today such as pollution and water management. The occurrence of bioswales at regular intervals would collect and filter runoff while also providing habitats for smaller birds and butterflies. The project also emphasizes plants as elements for wayfinding.
Through the use of specific ornamental shrubs with contrasting leaf and bark colours, different zones of the parking lot are differentiated, to aid with wayfinding. A 6 metre pedestrian corridor runs diagonally through the parking lot and over the swales to connect SMARTPark to the University.
The Visitor Center for the University will share its entrance with a crowd of ornamental shrubs with shelf-like tiers of different varieties all rising gradually towards the entrance. The effect will be similar to that of an amphitheatre, with the building as the stage and the shrubs as members of the audience.
Cars will park around alternating landscaped island types. Bioswales will be planted to aid in stormwater retention and snow storage, while islands with colourful shrubs aid to orient car owners through zone delineation by vegetation colour.
Red walkways link diagonally across the parking lot, while different colours of vegetation help to orient drivers as to which row they are parked in. The University visitors centre (bottom right) hosts an ornamental shrub amphitheatre.
Bioswales will be graded towards the northern pond. Plant species in the south will be most drought tolerant, while plants in the north will be drought and flood tolerant species. The retention pond at the furthest northern edge will hold and filter run off from the parking lot.
Ornamental shrub reverse amphitheatre integrates the Visitor's Centre into the arboretum master plan for SMART Park. An existing Elm allée is maintained, shown on the right hand side of the section above.
A metal grate pathway will allow pedestrians to walk on top of the northern retention pond.
Glimpses of dormant plants will provide visual interest during the winter.
Shrubs and trees will be planted individually, while bioswales will be planted sparsely with plugs, and seeded. Plant foliage and bark colours and textures have been chosen carefully to delineate zones within the parking lot.
Different species and ecosystems will be assembled in a patchwork quilt over the SMART Park site, which will continue to build office spaces throughout the coming years. Arboretum programming will flow in between and around office buildings, further integrating University functions to SMART Park operations.
Integrated into an overall arboretum program in SMART Park at the University of Manitoba, the demonstration parking lot occupies the upper right hand corner of the plan above.
Campaign poster to be posted in storefront windows of buildings for lease. Created while at the West End BIZ.
Campaign poster to be posted in storefront windows of buildings for lease. Created while at the West End BIZ.
Campaign poster to be posted in storefront windows of buildings for lease. Created while at the West End BIZ.
Poster proposal for Loll Designs site furniture. Created while at the West End BIZ. Site design and planning by other.
Bulky Waste awareness campaign. Created while at the West End BIZ.
Created for Functional Transit Winnipeg.
Promotional handout created while at the West End BIZ.
Promotional handout created while at the West End BIZ.
Created while at the West End BIZ.
Restaurant tour ad created while at the West End BIZ.
Fall/Winter 2015 Newsletter created while at the West End BIZ.
Fall/Winter 2015 Newsletter created while at the West End BIZ.
Created for Functional Transit Winnipeg
Conceived for Brigitta Urben, fine artist and ceramicist.
An assignment for a Theory of Landscape Architecture class, the objective of the assignment was to visually represent an author of your choosing. This digital collage is inspired by of the novels of Douglas Coupland.
This work creates an ambiance of Vancouver culture viewed through the literature of Douglas Coupland. Coupland is the author of many novels, including JPod, Generation X and Life After God whose title is shown here on a billboard. The tone is dystopic, showing the overriding influence of companies and consumer culture over the city. Each building reflection is composed of refuse (tires, Tim Horton's cups, etc) representing society's tendancy to use and immediately discard objects without thought.
Finding and capturing inspiration around the world.
Ginko Petrified Forest State Park
Wake by Richard Serra
Purge by Buster Simpson
Lipstick Forest by Claude Cormier and Associates.
Fun fact: Buckminster Fuller and I share a birthday.
Detailed for a project in the Niagara region, to be built in 2019.
Concrete Seatwall designed for a park in the GTA. This design utilizes a Landscape Forms bench, sunken to maintain a consistent top height throughout the seatwall.
This detail marries together tree planting, a tree guard, hammock and tree grate in a rubberized surface. Each of the pieces are custom designed, to be manufactured by a local fabricator. Designed for a park to be built in the GTA.
