The Estonian Landscape Architects' Union (EMAL) has announced the nominees for the 2024 annual awards, also acknowledging the Estonian University of Life Sciences campus project. A total of 19 projects were submitted for this year's competition, evaluated by a jury consisting of landscape architects and a landscape ecologist.
The jury highlighted the diversity of the projects, creative solutions, and their contributions to increasing biodiversity and climate resilience. "We are very pleased with the variety, diversity, and quality of the projects. This shows that society increasingly values high-level landscape architecture and the work of landscape architects. It's great to see different solutions that all help make the landscape richer in biodiversity and more climate-resilient, as well as create playfulness and unite communities. Based on the projects, it can be said that the will is important—even with very little, great things can be done. It can also be said that an informed client is very important for the success of the outcome," described jury chair Kristiina Kupper.
The Estonian University of Life Sciences campus project received recognition as an excellent example of an innovative approach to landscape architecture. Authors Johanna Etverk, Siim-Robin Noorem, Kaur Teras, Adeele Lepik, Erlend Ergma, Liisa Marie Luide, Cristin Aring, Angela Tohv, Kärt Nurme, Yvet Maxine Kopti, Simona Saalsimona, and Desiree Laanemets represent a collective of young landscape architects whose collaboration resulted in a modern and environmentally sustainable campus development.
Students from the Estonian Landscape Architecture Students' Society described the project as an initiative to enliven the university campus, resulting in the creation of several pleasant recreational areas. The opening event of the recognized project took place on September 11, aiming to introduce the new atmosphere created on campus, which is based on the principles of tactical urbanism.
Read the longer post by the Estonian Landscape Architects' Union here! (in Estonian)