International Symposium on Garden Architecture

public spots on private plots

International Symposium on Garden Architecture
September 27th, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Loisium Hotel, Langenlois, Austria
The symposium brings publicity to private outdoor spaces, raising questions such as, what makes a garden a garden? What are the new challenges and opportunities for gardens in a changing living environment? The spotlight is on gardens as places of experimentation, as spaces for the exploratory design and analysis of ecology, architecture, lifestyles, public and private space. The topics discussed include contemporary aesthetic and cultural strategies in garden design and landscape architecture, as well as new developments in the fields of technology, design, science and art.

The speakers at the symposium are internationally renowned landscape architects, designers and architects, and also serve as the expert jury for the competition best private plots 08 – Die besten Gärten 2008.

Jury and speakers
Jane Amidon (USA) – landscape architecture
Petra Blaisse (Netherlands) – design
Erik Dhont (Belgium) – landscape architecture
Edouard François (France) – architecture
The jury is joined by landscape architect Jane Bihr-de Salis (Switzerland), the winner of “best private plots 07”.

The participation fee for the symposium is EUR 50.00, and registration is required at www.privateplots.at/en/registration.html, info@privateplots.at.


best private plots 08 – Die besten Gärten 2008
Award Ceremony for the International Competition
September 27th, 2008, 7:00 p.m., Langenlois, Austria
The competition focuses on gardens as places of innovation, as spaces for creativity and action, as contemporary links between architecture and landscapes. The jury takes into account the interplay between gardens, buildings and landscapes, the design of boundaries and transitions, the artistic and conceptual quality of the design, and the use of plants and materials. The awards in the international competition for garden architecture recognize outstanding achievements in the design of private outdoor spaces and gardens. The prize money is EUR 15,000.00, and the prize will be awarded after the symposium by Lower Austrian Provincial Councilor Wolfgang Sobotka. Registration is required at www.privateplots.at/en/registration.html. The nominees for best private plots 08 – die besten Gärten 2008 will be published on our website as of July 30th, 2008. The final jury session will take place on September 26th, 2008, in Langenlois.

Catalog and Exhibition
The bilingual catalog Internationale Beispiele zu Gartenarchitektur: best private plots 08 – Die besten Gärten 2008, which features essays by Peter Zöch (TOPOS) and contributions by the jury members introducing the outdoor spaces and gardens nominated, will be presented at the award ceremony. The catalogs for 2006 and 2007 can be ordered at www.privateplots.at/en/catalogue.html. The nominated projects will be shown in an exhibition from September to October 2008.

Team and Awarding Authority
The “private plots & public spots” team consists of landscape architect Karin Standler and architect Robert Froschauer, with contributions by cultural theorist Gisela Steinlechner. The awarding authority, the Lower Austrian government agency “Association for Quality of Life” (Verein für Lebensqualität des Landes Niederösterreich), is to thank for enabling us to combine an international expert debate with a competition.