Category Archives: urbanism

Entrevista: Ecología, ética, diseño y resiliencia en la arquitectura paisajista

Entrevista a José Juan Terrasa por Angélica Dávila, candidata al grado M.L.A. en la Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico. La entrevista se realizó el 8 de abril de 2025 en las oficinas de Marvel, en Santurce, Puerto Rico.

Human Culture and Nature: Making the Relationship Work

Based on a lecture given at CAAPPR on 13 April 2022, as part of the celebration of World Landscape Architecture Month. Culture and nature have been portrayed as contradictory or in conflict throughout many expressions of the Western tradition. From biblical literature to Christian theology to Moby Dick to La Charca, this conflict between natureContinue reading “Human Culture and Nature: Making the Relationship Work”

En memoria de Thomas S. Marvel Jova, arquitecto

Para la Dedicatoria de la 38va Asamblea y Convención del Colegio de Arquitectos y Arquitectos Paisajistas de Puerto Rico, 10-11 de junio de 2016, Hotel El Conquistador, Fajardo, Puerto Rico Thomas S. Marvel Jova nació y se crió en medio de los famosos paisajes del Valle del Río Hudson, en el Estado de Nueva York. Continue reading “En memoria de Thomas S. Marvel Jova, arquitecto”

Recommended Species for Green Infrastructure in the Caribbean

The work described herein produced a list of 87 species recommended for use in the design of rain gardens, bioswales, and bioretention cells in the Caribbean Islands. Plant palette selection for green infrastructure projects in the world tropics is an area of ongoing research that still needs significant work.  Recommended technical specifications for the soils,Continue reading “Recommended Species for Green Infrastructure in the Caribbean”

Nature working for the city: Perspectives on ecological urbanism

Landscape architecture as an occupation, and later as a profession, has only 300 years of history; as a particular human activity, though, it essentially dates back to the emergence of humanity itself.  This activity of human beings – to change their environment for their own survival, prosperity and enjoyment – definitely predates the construction ofContinue reading “Nature working for the city: Perspectives on ecological urbanism”

Molecular Landscape Architecture (Paisajismo Molecular)

To Richard T. T. Forman, with great admiration and respect. Even though during the last 200 years the visual aspects of the design and construction of landscape have predominated, that definitively had not been the case during the rest of human history. Landscape has a utilitarian dimension that, while not completely absent at any timeContinue reading “Molecular Landscape Architecture (Paisajismo Molecular)”

Flashback to Fields Point

From the bluff, the landscape was impressive….  The field was textured by the presence of mounds, as in a landfill….  And these tombs of culture marched on to the sea beyond, holding inside them the discarded carcasses of useless things….  The traces and scars of human culture over the face of the Earth…. the indelibleContinue reading “Flashback to Fields Point”