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It is the last full moon of the year and moonlight captivates. Silver shadows on our snow-covered garden. Last night, I could read the words on a page! 2019 has been quite a year to reflect upon… In some ways the agony and the ecstasy - I send my love upwards as my father passed away in January. His kindness, generosity of spirit and steadfastness are missed, yet his tenets live on in all of our family. To quote his favourite poet Robert W Service:
Our breath is brief, and being so,
let’s make our heaven here below,
And lavish kindness as we go.
Much has progressed: our Canadian office moves to new digs in Dundas, Ontario and we move forward to add new staff. Our US office remains. Our ongoing intent is to uplift and create landscapes of meaning that reflect the people who live there, who work there and play there. I am so grateful to our clients for the wonderful projects and places we work in. And for the people who contribute to our projects - architects, collaborators, engineers, artists, contractors and so many more that move ideas into reality, thank you.
Looking forward to 2020, VBD will be entering our 24th year of creating gardens and landscapes that inspire. And it is shaping up to be a terrific next 12 months. Stay tuned!
Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday,
All best,
Virginia |
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The Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize
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We were thrilled by the September 30th announcement by The Cultural Landscape Foundation of the establishment of the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize, the first and only prize in landscape architecture to include a US$100,000 monetary award. Conferred biennially beginning in 2021, the Oberlander Prize will also feature two years of related public engagement activities to honor a living practitioner, collaborative, or team for their creative, courageous, and visionary work in the field of landscape architecture.
The official video tribute announcing the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize can be viewed online: View on YouTube here. The official press release can be also viewed online: Announces Cornelia Hahn Oberlander Is the Namesake of the New International Landscape Architecture Prize.
Architecture critic and author Paul Goldberger gave a rousing address to an audience gathered at the Canadian Consulate in New York City on October 1, 2019, when the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize was officially announced to the world.
Golberger remarked:
"Landscape, to Cornelia Oberlander, is not a medicine you apply to architecture to make it better, but an integral part of the art of building, the art of making places. She has always known that landscape is a discipline that speaks to all that goes into the making of the cityscape, and of the deep and essential connections between landscape and cityscape—that landscape needs cityscape, that cityscape needs landscape. So as we celebrate Cornelia Hahn Oberlander’s remarkable career with this prize, the Cultural Landscape Foundation is also making a statement about the essential interrelationship of landscape and cityscape, of town and country, of rus in urbe."
Please read Paul Goldberger's complete remarks at "Goldberger’s Keynote Strikes Perfect Chord for New Oberlander Prize".
The 100 Women Campaign took shape as word quietly spread that pioneering practitioner Cornelia Hahn Oberlander would be the namesake of The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s recently established international landscape architecture prize. The news was met with universal approval, with women in the field especially enthusiastic. Virginia Burt has pledged to become a member of this exclusive group of women to support Cornelia and the prize.
Please help support the Oberlander Prize. There are three ways to support with your tax-deductible donation: Donate Via the Website, Download Pledge Form, or Join the 100 Women Campaign.
Please read the related articles online:
New York Times Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/02/arts/design/Cornelia-Hahn-Oberlander-landscape-prize.html
The Toronto Star Article: Vancouver landscape architect recognized as namesake of $100K international prize.
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OCASLA Honor Award For Morgan's Garden Master Plan
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We are honored and humbled to be among the award winners at the Ohio Chapter ASLA. Virginia Burt Designs received an Honor Award for Morgan’s Garden Master Plan in Communications + Research. Congratulations and thank you to the VBD team especially intern Emily Thorpe for all of her research and graphic skills. Way to go Team!!!
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Itabashi Garden Continues to Delight
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Photo Credit: Virginia Burt
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As the seasons have passed, a number of highlights keep happening at the Itabashi garden. A wonderful rainbow and pink sky uplift an October morning (pictured above). Then a short four weeks later, our first snowfall (pictured below). Tonight the garden is finally wrapped up and put to bed.
The Consul-General of Japan, Takako Ito continues to be a supporter of the garden:
“such a facility, which conveys true and authentic Japanese culture while at the same time symbolizes the goodwill between the people of Japan and Canada is truly rare in Ontario...”
Photo Right: Consul-General of Japan, Takako Ito with Virginia Burt at the recent Kyogen performance at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.
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Photo Credit: Chuck Morris
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Photo Credit: Steve Crainford
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Royal Botanical Gardens Presentation to Volunteers
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On October 28th Virginia spoke to the volunteer team at the Royal Botanical Gardens.
"We were so inspired by your presentation at RBG yesterday evening that the first order of business today was to visit the garden. Even as winter approaches it looks lovely. My wife and I will be returning regularly to follow the seasons and the maturation of the design. As a result we have been galvanized to revise our own front garden!"
~Attendee
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Garden Design Master Class, 100 Lessons from the World’s Finest Designers on the Art of the Garden
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At last! Virginia contributed her lesson on winter garden "Bones" (or structure) to this book, Garden Design Master Class with editor Carl Dellatore. It will be released March 24, 2020. We are honoured to be included among such august company!
Pre-order through Amazon.
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Bernar Venet, A Chance Meeting
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During our recent and fabulous trip to Provence this past September, happenstance handed us the highlight! As we drove to a favourite winery, I noticed a hedge with a Coreten steel sculpture standing behind. Immediately I said “Pull over, I’ve seen a sculpture like that…” One of my dear friends and clients, Bob Roth, had considered adding a Venet sculpture to his collection approximately 12 years ago. We drove around to a solid reinforced gate as I quickly confirmed that Venet was the same artist. In true reclusive fashion, the website was discouraging… "Please don’t call, don’t email, we only do tours booked months in advance" etc. Well fortified with rosé after a typical Provence lunch, I decided to take some photos through the hedge on our return trip. This began a cascade of events and a long story including a service man, a chance opening of the main gate, gesticulating with my poor high school French, and in the end, resulting in a wonderful tour through Venet's private sculpture garden featuring both Bernar’s work and other sculptures by the likes of James Turrell, Sol LeWitt, Frank Stella, Donald Judd, Carl Andre, among others.
and then the finale: meeting the charming Bernar himself as he arrived home after a trip to Los Angeles. He was generous and delightful, ensuring we departed with signed books and a great story to tell. Needless to say we hope to return and experience his upcoming installation an opening of the largest sculpture in the world called Arc Majeur in Belgium, 2020.
His philosophy
Known as a conceptual artist, Bernar’s work continues to evolve and in different mediums - from sculpture, painting, photography to film, dance and music composition. He is best known for his work based in the concepts of disorder, instability and uncertainty resulting in such renowned huge coreten steel sculptures including Indeterminate lines, Arcs, Angles and Straight lines sculptures.
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Landscape Paysages Summer 2019 Issue Spotlights Hunting Valley Residence
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Virginia Burt Designs has been spotlighted in the summer 2019 edition of Landscape Paysages (excellence, vol 21, no 2), the magazine of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects.
The article showcases the award-winning Hunting Valley Residence in Hunting Valley, Ohio. The country estate won the CSLA 2019 National Award for Hunting Valley Residence: Classical Stewardship.
Formed by an original Abram Garfield designed house, the courtyard is a classic example of a positive outdoor space. The 1929 summer house was built for one of the daughters of Samuel A. Mather, a forefather of Cleveland’s industrial boom.
The article can be read online, see the summer 2019 edition of Landscape Paysages, click here. Please view more images and details of the Country Estate on our website: Country Estate.
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New Canadian VBD Office space!
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Yes we are growing up and moving to a new office space in Dundas, Ontario! Just in time to say thank you to 20 years at Cedar Springs Road and now onwards to a new chapter!
Our new address:
Virginia Burt Designs, Inc. Landscape Architects,
55 Head Street, Suite 203,
Dundas, Ontario L9H 3H8
Our Canadian phone number remains the same. Office: 905-331-8375
Toll free: 1-888-339-3031. Our USA office and number remain the same Toll free: 1-888-339-3031.
PLEASE NOTE: In lieu of sending holiday cards and gifts, Virginia Burt Designs has made donations to the following organizations:
Burlington Food Bank
Cleveland Museum of Art
Nature Conservancy of Canada
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Blessings to all for a happy and healthy 2020.
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VBD CANADA (NEW!)
55 Head Street, Suite 203
Dundas, Ontario
L9H 3H8
O. 905.331.8375
TF. 1.888.339.3031
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VBD USA
30195 Chagrin Blvd. Suite 210N
Pepper Pike, OHIO
44124
O. 216.816.6400
TF. 1.888.339.3031
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