Taking the Time to See
A Journey in Perimetric Landscapes
This project site is the perimeter landscape of Winnipeg. The goal was to minimalistically develop a way to entice passerbies into the city landscapes and bring city dwellers along larger green networks that are often missed but just outside their back-doors.
“The space in question for this design studio is the ‘Perimetric Landscape’ around Winnipeg, where countryside has retreated and the city has not yet arrived. The studio will examine the rural/urban (urban) landscape along Winnipeg’s Perimeter Highway with particular focus on the city’s entrances and transitions…Tree sanctuaries are an integral part of all concepts…By carrying out minimal, yet powerful and space shaping interventions in the existing landscape, it is possible to develop a robust framework that offers a future urban open-space culture.”
[Excerpt from the Brief]
Phase 1:
Discovering
The group was assigned the east perimeter of Winnipeg to explore in order to discover a site of focus for a tree sanctuary design intervention. Through the process of driving along the east perimeter and discovering the space, the group created a poem which began to articulate the experience that the group had while exploring the perimeter.
Taking the Time To See
Sometimes, when we see the Manitoba prairie in the mind’s eye,
we think flat, monotonous, daunting,
This idea is symbolic, only telling one perception of what is really there,
And then,
Driving down the East Perimeter of Winnipeg,
Exploring the prairie landscape,
seeing more than just an idea...
Long stretches of prairie landscape,
The daylight sky beaming, a blustering, windy day, the vast, pastel blue sky,
the stark contrasting line cuts between land and sky,
you feel like you’re on the edge of the earth,
a place of wonder,
if you only take the time to see...
Tucked behind yards, under roads, veiled by trees,
The little river that meanders through the city...
Phase 2:
Discovered
Inventing, Communicating:
The Seine River Gem
Sometimes, when we see the Manitoba prairie in the mind’s eye, we think flat, monotonous, daunting,
This idea is symbolic, only telling one perception
of what is really there,
And then,
Driving down the East Perimeter of Winnipeg,
Exploring the prairie landscape,
seeing more than just an idea,
Long stretches of prairie landscape,
The daylight sky beaming, a blustering, windy day, the vast, pastel blue sky,
the stark contrasting line cuts between
land and sky, you feel like you’re
on the edge of the earth,
As you drive by, the Seine River plaza
entices the passerby...
The unusual conditions of
stairs, drop, slope,
meadow, wetland,
Through this guiding space,
one may become aware,
of the Seine River gem,
Sometimes, what we can’t see at first,
Will reveal itself, if we are patient,
take time, to open our eyes
and be present,
to the unexpected.
Adventures await.