Asian landscape design moves up to the next level

From sustainable eco-initiatives to bold designs inspired by ancient local traditions, Asian landscapers are proving their worth

At their finest, landscape designers define spaces and create miniature worlds. While other architects mould in brick and steel and glass, these visionaries navigate a far trickier toolbox.

Their canvas evolves and shifts by the season, the hour, and the minute as their living medium withers, fades or flourishes. More than mere frameworks, their creations can leave an impression on a visitor that lingers long after departure.

The manicured gardens, dramatically lit sculptures, and spiralling staircases, characteristic of some of Asia’s most illustrious five-star resorts, and residences serve as a necessary visual bridge between man-made artifice and its natural or urban surroundings.

Innovative landscape design in Asia is hardly new; inhabitants of this continent have understood the vital role it plays for generations. Evidence of carefully composed landscapes can be found around some of Thailand’s earliest Lanna temples.

More: Zen and the art of landscape gardening

The Chinese concept of feng shui dictates how various natural and artificial elements should interact for the most harmonious final result. The name, which translates simply to “wind water,” fails to convey the weight that the idea expresses: that properly ordered landscape has the power to redirect life force and impact all beings that pass through it. Though the idea is thousands of years old, it continues to strongly influence architects today.

Similarly, artfully arranged rock gardens in Japan date back to the 6th century and the Heian period. Sparsely decorated, these gravel landscapes combed to resemble water ripples use the utmost precision to evoke a contemplative atmosphere.

Modern companies, such as SWA, still turn to these sanctuaries for inspiration. The architecture firm, whose offices extend from Shanghai to California, has used Japanese gardens to give a soothing energy to retirement homes in Kashiwa, Takarazuka and Yokohama.

In many respects, landscaping is a fundamentally human pastime that has evolved alongside our society. While the great architects and designers of the past sought dominion over the natural world, their contemporary brethren often seek to preserve it.

More: Two new architecture trends that you need to know about

Over the course of the last several centuries, Asian societies have developed in fits and spurts. Rice paddies and thick jungle have given way to some of the tallest skyscrapers and densest urban populations on the globe. As if seeking an antidote to all this accelerated industrialisation, designers often seek to incorporate greenery any way they can.

Much of the industry’s focus tends to centre on public and hospitality sectors. While it’s true that urban parks and five-star resorts do tend to sport the most flamboyant landscapes, many of the region’s top firms are conceiving of equally striking works for residential properties.

Here are some of the more compelling examples and the creative minds behind them.

COEN Design International

The Tree House, Singapore

Greenery is incorporated into every element of this award-winning addition to the upscale area of Chestnut Avenue, from the lush “sky terraces” to the vertical gardens — —proclaimed the world’s highest in 2014 by the Guinness Book of World Records lining the sides of the building. “It is a milestone project for COEN,” says managing director Ann Teo with pride. “We have created an iconic green wall that stamps its presence in the neighbourhood.”

SWA

Zobon City Villas, Shanghai

Few cities have transformed as rapidly as Shanghai, whose Pudong bank invites comparisons to Blade Runner and other glittering, dystopian visions of the future. In a sea of skyscrapers and neon-lit billboards, residents have begun to clamour for the kind of verdant spaces that are becoming increasingly scarce in contemporary Chinese mega-cities. “”Zobon City Villas is an innovative model for urban living in a city that continues to experience rapid growth,” says Gerdo Aquino, CEO and Principal.

More: These amazing grass armchairs will transform your landscape design

TROP

Quattro by Sansiri, Bangkok

“In designing Quattro, a new condominium in the middle of overcrowded Bangkok, the main idea was to respect the existing ‘residents,’ which are old giant rain trees, and to encourage the new residents to live with nature,” according tosays Pok Kobkongsanti., Pok, a a Harvard University, Graduate School of Design graduate, who worked under the renowned Bill Bensley before going on to found TROP. His decision to put the focus on nature at the condo building in Bangkok’s fashionable Thonglor area was a brave one and presented a number of logistical challenges, but TROP insisted on seeing it through. “The rain trees become the heart of our design, while all other garden elements are created to complement those trees,” adds Kobkongsanti..”

Tierra Design

8 Napier, Singapore

Just in case its covetable location – less than a kilometre from the Singapore Botanical Gardens – didn’t give the game away, this is one green property. Three ancient Syzygium trees transplanted from Thai forests lend it a majestic air, while sculptural wall motifs and features including a 50-metre swimming pool leading to a lighted waterfall add visual allure. To compensate for the condominium’s limited space, designer James Luhur employed optical illusions to evoke an open feel. “These levels create a sense of spaciousness, although the site itself is really not that large,” says Franklin Po, chairman of Tierra Design.

Inside Out Design

Kemensah Hevea Garden, Kuala Lumpur

This upscale development was one of the first of its calibre in the suburb of Melawati and part of the reason city slickers in KL have started contemplating a commute. While the condos and townhouses are breezy examples of contemporary architecture, one of the primary perks luring affluent locals out of the downtown is the sprawling Everglade Park at the core of the complex. Designer Pajitpong Pongsivapai integrated pools, pavilions, sculptures and a striking fountain into the gardens with the hope that residents would truly feel at home in this inviting escape.

ONE Landscape Design Ltd.

Indochina Villas Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City

The frenetic pace and rising skyline of Vietnam’s southern hub has created a greater need for serene spots, which is why ONE turned to a rural source for aesthetic guidance. “Inspired by the linearity of the paddy fields that characterise Vietnam’s dramatic landscapes, we included a series of vibrant community spaces that are interconnected through a safe and secure public realm,” says Viraj Chatterjee, Design Principle at ONE. These undulating lines throughout lend an organic feel to the luxury villas from MIA Design Studio.

Read next: 8 of Thailand’s top landscaped properties

Source: Property Report