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Interview with Gayle Souter-Brown

Our first update of IFLA 2018 is an exclusive interview with Gayle Souter-Brown. Gayle is Principal of Greenstone Design UK & doctoral candidate at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), landscape architect, writer and researcher.  This interview will share her experiences in the social, economic, and environmental benefits of developing green space for health and well being,

For more information on IFLA 2018, click here: http://neurolandscape.org/2018/07/13/ifla-world-congress-singapore-2018/

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NeuroLandscape @ IFLA World Congress

Yesterday marks the end of the 2 day IFLA World Congress 2018.

Here at NeuroLandscape, we can't wait to update everyone with all the exciting events that happened over the 2 days. There will be more detailed spotlights in the weeks to come, but here is a quick glimpse of NeuroLandscape @IFLA.

The IFLA Congress venue was truly impressive this year, acomodated almost entire top floor of Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Center. Invited keynote speakers   included Minister of National Development, Mr. Lawrence Wong and even Prof. Timothy Beatley,  researcher and writer who first introduced the green urbanism concept and introduced the biophilic cities network. He stressed the importance of LIVING IN NATURE for health, instead of just visiting the nature from time to time.

The following session was lead by  Dr Cheong Koon Hean, the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Housing & Development Board (HDB) announcing the updated Biophillic Town Framework. In many ways, the Biophillic Town Framework is especially critical of an achievement to us .  At times, it can be easy to question ourselves. While members of NeuroLandscape were directly involved in its inception, the significance of HDB adopting this framework is far greater than just that.  This is absolute proof of the value of our research and the potential of a better tomorrow that it can bring. It shows that we are not alone in what we strive to do.

Interview with Gayle Souter - Brown

Gayle is a Principle  of Greenstone Design UK & Ecological Victoria, landscape architect, writer and researcher. She is one of our esteemed Advisory Board Members. Be sure to check out our exclusive interview with her as she shares her extensive insight with us!

Living Landscape and Brain Reactions
Prof. Chang, Chun-Yen from Taiwan National University, "Healthy Landscapes Healthy People's Lab" shares his current research interests in this special interview brought to you by Nicolas Escoffier. Coming up soon on out youtube channel!

 

Student Competition and Design Award

Dr. Agnieszka O. Guizzo had the privilege of being one of the design facilitators for this student design competition.  Below is a picture of her taking a group photo with one of the student teams. The students were greatly intrigued by the idea of contemplative landscapes and even incorporated it into their design!

The IFLA World Congress 2018 concluded with a Paper Presentation Session. Dr. Agnieszka O. Guizzo, joined by several other presenters like Prof. Liao Kuei-Hsien, they shared their findings with an attentive crowd and ended the day with a fruitful discussion.  More details about Dr. Agnieszka O. Guizzo's Window View and the Brain and Prof. Liao Kuei-Hsien's Landscape Design with Ecosystem services in High Density Cities will be coming soon.

 

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IFLA World Congress Singapore 2018

Next week, from 18th to the 21st of July, The International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) is returning to Singapore for the 2nd time to host the prestigious IFLA World Congress. The IFLA World Congress prides itself as the key contributor in landscape architectures, developing attractive, livable, equitable, and sustainable environments of the future. Many of its project revolve around the themes of: Biophilic City, Smart Nation, and Future Resilience.

 

But who are the IFLA? 

The International Federation of Landscape Architects, also known as IFLA is an international body spanning across 4 regions of the world: Africa, America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. Their vision is to spearhead the development of global sustainability in living environment by landscaping architecture.  And this year the main conference thenes ate Biophilic City, Smart Nation, and Future Resilience. There is going to be an entire presentation session on “Greenery and Health” too!

As such, it is our pleasure to announce that NeuroLandscape ‘s President Dr. Agnieszka Olszewska-Guizzo will be presenting the study: WINDOW VIEW  &  BRAIN:  Can Floor Level and Amount of Green within the View Have an Effect on Our Well-Being?”  on 19th July at 5pm (Venue: Biophilic Room, Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, 1 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018971)

Come say hi : )

 

http://iflaonline.org/

http://www.ifla2018.com/

 

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Virtual Reality Applications

Virtual Reality (VR) has long been a subject of interest for many to be the next phase of immersive entertainment. While many see it as an unnecessary gimmick, VR was never just a fad.  With history dating as early as the 1860’s, VR has time and time again resurfaced more advanced and more capable.

In 2016, IKEA took their furniture experience a step further  with Virtual Reality Kitchens.  This  effectively means that anyone can sample countless different iterations of their own kitchen. This could allow customers to make well informed decisions before they make their purchasers. Yet, this application is not limited to kitchens only. With the application of VR, it is possible to recreate many external events indoors, including contemplative landscapes. While current capabilities may not be fully optimized, the potential for VR to recreate the theraputic experiences of contemplative landscapes is a exploration worth investing in.

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EKLIPSE Expert meeting, London

This is an interview with three members of EKLIPSE project talking about the latest Expert Group meeting in London which brought us closer to the final output of a project related to answering the question on which types and components of urban green and blue spaces have significant influence on human mental health and well-being.

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A Place for Yourself Everywhere.

Research has proven that time alone in outdoor nature is beneficial for our mental and physical health.  One of the Contemplative Landscape characteristics is the “sense of solitude” that one can experience when immersed in the landscape.

Yet, the urban high stress pace of life “enjoyed” by many across the globe makes finding such a spot difficult. While it is common for cities to increase their foliage, it is often hard to measure how effective their efforts are.

However, here at NeuroLandscape, our research allows up to strive further in incorporate nature into our own everyday surroundings. Creating a seamless experience that can be enjoyed by all who inhabit the same space.

You can also assess the link from here: https://www.universal-sci.com/headlines/2018/6/9/-spending-time-alone-in-nature-is-good-for-your-mental-and-emotional-health

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Hidden in Plain Sight

Urban landscape surrounding most of us nowadays, offers more than just the face value that we see. Urban ecosystem services are presenting terrific potentials for the growing communities. Landscape design for health and well-being goes hand in hand with the design for fresh produce and urban farming opportunities. 

There is plenty evidence to show this dynamics. In this TED talk, we show an example from Detroit,  Devita Davison from FOODLAB Detroit brings viewers on a 12 min tour on how the city's weakness can become its future. We are so into discovering such transformative opportunities!

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Park Prescriptions Programs

The lovely video about Park Prescriptions program in USA. Such programs are emerging also in other countries like in UK and Singapore.

Fill Your Prescription: Find a Park Near You!

Park Prescription programs are designed to strengthen the connection between healthcare, parks, and public lands to improve the physical and mental health of individuals and communities. Learn more about Park Prescription programs and Healthy Parks Healthy People: Bay Area by attending Park Prescription Day on Sunday, April 23 – a nationwide celebration!#ParkRx #HPHPBayArea

Posted by Healthy Parks Healthy People: Bay Area on Thursday, 6 April 2017

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Healthy landscapes | UNISCAPE International Conference

"Assessing Relevant Knowledge Related to the Types and Characteristics of Urban Green & Blue Spaces Having a Significant Impact on Human Mental health and Well-being" to be presented at Healthy landscapes | UNISCAPE International Conference in Bologna (6-8 June) by Eklipse: Knowledge and Learning Mechanism on Biodiversity

While participating in the Eklipse project we are looking forward to its results: the first Systematic Review on the types and components of urban green landscapes to have a positive impact on mental health. This SR will pinpoint the most urgent research questions to answer in the area!

Healthy landscapes | UNISCAPE International Conference