Art meets architecture meets horticulture - check out these original and inventive landscape designs for both public and private spaces.
Here we've selected several of the most original and inventive examples of landscape design from across the world for your inspiration, from urban to suburban, public spaces to private residences.
A unique melting pot of art, architecture and horticulture, landscape design is a design and art tradition in its own right, and a continuing source of amazing visual concepts and ideas. Landscape design focuses on both the integrated master landscape planning of a property and the specific garden design of landscape elements and plants within it. So here are our favourites - enjoy!
This gorgeously execution 3D visualisation of an impeccable and art deco landscape design was created by Polish designer Michal Nowak. The horizontal aspect flows throughout each aspect of the house, from the floor to the ceiling.
Two young artists quit their jobs to build this glass house for a mere $500. Photographer Nick Olson, 27, who works with old-fashioned labor-intensive photographic processes, and designer Lilah Horwitz, 23, who makes 'site-specific clothing,' met at an artist’s residency in Pennsylvania.
These artists studios are part of an inspiring project made by a Fogo Island native to help attract more people to the island. Fogo Island is a small island next to a big island in the northern Atlantic ocean. Take a look at photographer Alex Strohl's website for more photos.
Polish designer Michal Nowak creates another stunning 3D visualisation with this design for the 'Crown House'. The razor sharp edges and beautiful execution make this a landscape design to marvel at. If only we could spend a night or two here!
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A beautifully designed bridge from Italian designer Dimitri Waltritsch
Italian creator Dimitri Waltritsch says, "Constructing a gate to a residential complex might be considered a privilege for an architect, as it allows him to get in touch with the most intimate side of people’s everyday life. The entrance will warmly receive the people back home, and bless them before they leave for their daily activities in the world."
Tranquill and extremely modernist, A-cero presents one of its last projects in single family houses in Marbella. The design aimed to adapt the house to the environment and achieve excellent views of the Mediterranean Sea. Gorgeous in every way.
07. BUGA 05 Playground
A brand new world for imaginative children
This playground designed by Rainer Schmidt Landschaftsarchitekten had us gawping in awe. The playful exterior allows children to explore and imagine new worlds, whilst not being inhabited by large structures or dangerous playground equipment.
08. Sue Dobias Garden
This landscape design is all about the shapes and curves
This beautiful garden is also known as Sue Dubois garden is located in London. The garden was designed by the famous garden designer Joe Swift, who also presents the BBC programme Gardener's World. This landscape design also features in his book The Plant Room.
09. Shinnyo-do Zen Garden
A family affair for this zen garden design
A modern Zen Garden at Shinnyo-do in Kyoto, Japan designed by Chisao Shigemori, who also happens to be the grandchild of famous garden designer, Mirei Shigemori. Striking landscape design seems to run in this family!
10. Garden of Louis XIV
This is stunning landscape design has stood the test of time
The garden of Louis XIV in Versailles, France is probably one of the world's most famous gardens. Built for Louis XIV and designed by Andre Le Notre it's a landscape design classic that ticks all the right boxes. Stunning and timeless.
These two projects promise to transform a neglected area of Santa Monica
In Santa Monica, California, two major construction projects are underway. The new seven-acre new Tongva Park, Ken Genser Square, and adjacent streetscapes will provide a pivotal link between the Civic Centre and its major cultural, natural, and economic assets.
The new project will reconnect the northern and southern sections of the city
The site will reconnect the northern and southern portions of the City that have been bisected by the freeway. Frederick Fisher and Partners, Buro Happold, Fluidity Design Consultants, Horton Lees Brogden, Perry & Associates, Greenlee and Associates and Merry Norris Contemporary Art have all collaborated on the project.
We'd love to see this redesign for Athens to be put into practice
We love these designs from Madrid-based studio abmarquitectos, part of a second stage competition proposal to restyle the Greek capital.
The designs are based on classic Greek themes and sustainable design
Its landscape designs are based on the classic themes of Greek culture - including the arts around Omonias Square, democracy around the Parliament building, and philosophy around the university - with Green thinking and the principles of sustainable design running through the project.
While entering the courtyard of Hotelschool in Amsterdam you find yourself wondering around Daan Roosegaarde’s latest project Boo. These 6m high pillars of light and sound are Roosegaarde’s latest illusive landscape of light.
The project is brings the influence of Asia to Amsterdam
'Boo' is inspired by the connection between Europe and Asia. The 'zen garden from Asia' is dominated by huge pillars of interactive LED light. While walking through the poles, the sound of enhanced crickets surrounds the visitor and one can see the green lights challenging them to interact.
The park descends 40 feet from the city to the water
The design creates a continuous constructed landscape for art, forms an uninterrupted Z-shaped "green" platform, and descends 40 feet from the city to the water, capitalizing on views of the skyline and Elliot Bay and rising over the existing infrastructure to reconnect the urban core to the revitalized waterfront.
Olin's redesign was based on concentric rings of movement and light
Columbus Circle, named after Christopher Columbus, is a major landmark and point of attraction in Manhattan, and the point from which all official distances from New York City are measured.
The idea was to make the circle feel like the centre of the universe
The most redesign, by Olin, was the recipient of the 2006 American Society of Landscape Architects' General Design Award Of Honor. It was based on concentric rings of movement and light, to elicit the feeling that the circle is not only the centre of the city, but the center of the universe.
Vollaerszwart harnessed the power of typography for this amazing landscape design
Netherlands based studio Vollaerszwart produced this innovative typographical landscape design. This vegetal space is an original social space that's sure to push boundaries and offer a unique experience to visitors.
The design pushes boundaries in terms of social space
Diller Scofido + Renfro brought organic elements into the heart of NYC with this design
This beautiful and original park was designed by Diller Scofido + Renfro in New York City. The built-in and elevated park offers an original and futuristic perspective on the city bringing vegetal and organic elements into the core of the city.
The elevated park offers a unique perspective on the Big Apple
This titled garden/park looks fairly conventional close up...
Another breathtaking, dynamic and original creation from by Diller Scofido + Renfro Studios. This tilted garden/park space gives visitors a unique experience of the city.
... but zoom out and its originality is breathtaking
Austria-based designer Chris Precht took inspiration from traditional south Asian calligraphy to propose this incredibly inspiring design for the entrance to a myrtle garden in the Chinese city of Xiangyiang. An innovative structure suitable for a multi-purpose space.
The design reinvents the gate as an architectural typology underlining the connecting characteristics of a former dividing element
This "Gondola housing" project explores the meaning of urban space as a commodity
New York based designer John Becker designed this beautifully complex urban space. The futuristic transporting theme is an inspiring example of the extent to which ideas can be pushed, and put into practice in the near future.
The idea is a practical separation of space and utilities for efficient use of structure
Hazem Treasure created this design for a desert city
Once an architect, now a designer, Egyptian Hazem Treasure of Antbrush Communication came up with this labyrinth like design for an online contest by SIMENS to design a city in the desert. A beautiful and origianal application of Eastern design principles.
The labyrinth-like concept is an original application of Eastern design principles
This innovative design space makes the most of its surroundings
Italian design house Bamboo Studio came up with this innovative in-earth design space for a work currently in progress. The hidden house makes the most of its surroundings and becomes an integral part of this beautiful landscape.
This environmental learning centre takes organic shapes as its inspiration
Connor Nicholas created this organically shaped and inspiring design for an environmental learning centre. With its nature-inspired shapes, each classroom is specifically designed for its function.
The design of each classroom is based on natural elements
This innovative design focuses on space and energy saving
Mette Kirk is a landscape designer and architect based in Denmark. This innovative design focuses on creating sustainable and energy saving space. A unique roof tilting design saves on both energy and space, as well as being aesthetically unique.
The unique roof tilting design saves energy in an aesthetically pleasing way
The library is a transformative environment that pulls visitors into a unique landscape
Hong Kong has always been a source of great innovation in terms of design and advanced technology. This library, a competition proposal by 10 Design, plays with unique shapes, offering a futuristic experience to audiences.
The building weaves into the ground creating a series of courtyards and topographic undulations
The tower gently sits on a circular, slightly recessed garden from which emerges a grass-covered podium containing the children’s library and the conference space
The French based designers worked on creating this unique design for a vertical tower in Zaabeel park, Dubai, focused on sustainability and ecological restraints. The design by Mekene Architecture harnesses nature’s visual inspiration to create this oversized plant-like building.
This tower mixes various references to the history and culture of the city of Dubaï with a strong concern for sustainability into a coherent structure
Stephen Tamiesie proposes this very refined and minimalist design focusing on suburban landscapes in Arizona. The calculated positioning of each element create a subtle and clean space.
We thought neighbourhoods like these only existed in Edward Scissorhands!
The building design carves out a generous naturally lit open public space in between the massive closed and artificially lit gallery spaces.
Olso based design studio Various Architects designed this multi-facility space which is sure to inspire the museum's content with its organic and generous movement within the shape, favouring light and space with a very modern approach.
The music centre is a cubic, irregular, folded-like structure near Krakow Centre
This originally shaped music centre based in Poland is brought to you by the Offtrip collective. Aimed to celebrate music, this irregular structure offers not only this but facilitates for shopping centres and commerce equally.
The square design combines modern and traditional influences
Barcelona offers a variety of beautiful landscape designs both modern and more traditional approaches recognised work wide. Another example of the vegetal influence, this was the creation of New York based Italo-Argentinean architect Georgina.
It's another example of the vegetal influence in public space design
A mass of prisms are scattered across the green areas of the Bulebel industrial estate
An innovative approach to enhancing a brand image through the use of amazing landscape design is what Malta based designers JEMS have proposed with the Bulebel Monument design working with metal material and prism forms.
Scandinavian-influenced rooftop garden has subtle beauty
Evan Lai Landscape Design was asked to design a rooftop of a gritty East Village town house in New York City. The client, who is of Scandinavian descent, was looking for a refined garden that did not compromise functionality. The garden is defined by a neutral stone with cement finish, but is brought to life by green-tinted resin panels.
Green theme brings a tranquil environment to the mayhem of NYC's East Village
Stephanie Reed created this beautiful landscape design for a house in Los Osos
This beautiful residence in Los Osos was designed by Stephanie Reed, working with a beautifully composed placement with the plants used. A carefully consideration of colours in perfect harmony with the use of different matters within the landscape such as rock and soil.
The colours within the landscape work in perfect harmony with each other
The goals for Kim Residence were to improve kerb appeal and access to the rear yard
Another design by Reed, this more simplistic approach harnesses the beauty of nature and the use of plants to great effect. Surrounding the house in vegetation creates a wild yet creative feel through the texture and colour choices made.
This wedding pavilion was constructed in the forest of Almere
Overtreders W is a Netherlands based collective awarded for many urban landscape designs specialising in installation pieces. This specific example is an original and temporary wedding installation, with a very minimal design and use of material as well as form.
The wedding couple enters the pavilion via the catwalk and gets married on the stage
Have you seen an amazing landscape design? Let us know about it in the comments!
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Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. Author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine. Today, he is a regular contributor to Creative Bloq and its sister sites Digital Camera World, T3.com and Tech Radar. He also writes for Creative Boom and works on content marketing projects.
