I found this cool article on Landscape Architect Ken Smith by Fast Company via ARCH//LAND Not often we see Landscape architects elevated to opinion leasders of what they like and do -so here goes to Landscape Architecture stardom – enjoy the 5 minutes of fame ( AndtyWharhol) before Bin Laden’s death controversy overtakes us completely!
Photograph by Dean Kaufman
Ken Smith is not one to blend in. The New York — based designer moves beyond earth and stone in his work, often employing surprising elements such as bright synthetic flowers and plastic rocks. “Landscapes are made up of all sorts of synthetic things, and most people try to hide it,” he says. “I don’t.”
1. PLASTIC ROCK
Pieces like this hollow rock, which Smith is proposing for a roof garden atop a new Conrad hotel in New York’s Financial District, make sculptural statements while sidestepping weight restrictions. ($131, lowes.com)
2. MODEL OFF-HIGHWAY TRUCK
Smith’s business-card holder is a model of a Caterpillar truck normally reserved for earth-moving jobs. “I’m always pushing things around, so this appeals to me.” ($69, shopcaterpillar.com)
3. REFERENCE BOOK
“The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces, by William H. Whyte, is insightful about how people use spaces,” he says. “It’s something I’ve always carried as an agenda — to have socially good public spaces.” ($35, amazon.com)
4. HOTEL NOTEPADS
“I was never good at carrying a sketchbook — I’d just lose it,” he says. “These hotel pads are great. I make lists, notes, and small sketches — and they remind me of a great trip.”
5. GANESHA SOUVENIR
Smith bought this figurine from an airport gift shop while on a project in Mumbai. “I’m a bit of a crow, and like buying little things,” he says, adding that he also collects garden gnomes for inspiration.
6. TUMI TRAVEL BAG
“This bag has seen well over 800,000 airplane miles,” says Smith. He uses it for essentials — pens, camera, laptop, sleep mask, sunglasses, Band-Aids, and aspirin. ($165 and up,tumi.com)
7. SALT CRYSTALS
When Smith was invited to lecture at Utah State University, he accepted with one condition: “They had to take me to Spiral Jetty,” the 1970 land artwork by Robert Smithson. He recovered these salt crystals from a nearby puddle.
8. MEMENTO
On his desk, Smith keeps a photo from a meeting with the late landscape architect Lawrence Halprin, in the Donnell Garden in Sonoma. “He made a commitment to the renewal of cities,” Smith says. “He was a mentor.”
A version of this article appears in the April 2011 issue of Fast Company.
Urban Choreography 