International ELCA Trend Award

The Presidents of the ELCA and BGL agree: "The sum of all good ideas, coupled with the expertise and competence of the experts, realized in a high-quality implementation through the successful cooperation between the building owner, landscape architect and landscape gardener - this is how green facilities and green open spaces of special quality are created..."
Photo: NuernbergMesse/ Lothar Berns

International ELCA Trend Award "Ecological Construction & Landscaping" awarded to two French green projects

In 2008, the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA) is honouring two equally significant, outstanding green projects in France with the International Trend Award "Ecological Construction & Landscaping". In connection with the 18th International Trade Fair for Urban Green and Open Spaces, "GaLaBau 2008", in Nuremberg, Antoine Berger, President of the European Landscape Contractors Association (ELCA), and Hanns-Jürgen Redeker, President of the Federal Association of Horticulture, Landscaping and Sports Facilities Construction (Bundesverband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau e.V. - BGL), are focusing attention on the two innovative green projects in the area of industry and trade.

High-quality green location factor:
"Les Hauts de Wissous" industrial park
In Wissous, near Paris, the successful cooperation between building owners, landscape gardeners and landscape architects on the landscaping design of the "Les Hauts de Wissous" industrial park (focusing on water management) also involved the following: the town of Wissous and Agence Foncière et Technique de la Région Parisienne as the client, the landscape architect's office Outside Architectes paysagistes Agentur aus Orsay as well as the horticultural and landscape gardening company Prettre Espaces Verts from Le Tremblay sur Mauldre.

Exemplary in the context of climatic change:
green outdoor facilities at SARL Belmonte
In recognition of the successful cooperation in the innovative design of the green outdoor facilities at the head offices of SARL Belmonte in the town of Baillargues, the award was presented to the client, SARL Belmonte, and also to the landscape architect and landscape gardener Christophe Verducci from the landscape architect's office and horticulture and landscape gardening company Angle Vert from Montpellier.

Cooperations between building owners, landscape architects and landscape gardeners
Every two years, the ELCA, in close cooperation with the BGL, honours the services jointly rendered by the building owners, landscape architects and landscape gardeners covering all aspects of ecological construction and landscaping. With the award of the International Trend Award, the ELCA and BGL are together seeking to promote and support interdisciplinary cooperation.

Inter-disciplinary green cooperation becoming increasingly significant in Europe
ELCA President Antoine Berger: "The interdisciplinary cooperation between landscape architects and landscape gardeners is becoming increasingly significant in Europe. We expressly welcome this development, because a successful cooperation between the horticulture and landscape gardening experts from both sectors is making a decisive contribution to increasing quality in ecological construction and landscaping." Antoine Butler Berger and Hanns-Jürgen Redeker are delighted: "As the organizers of the International Trend Award, we are impressed with the landscape gardening qualities of the two innovative green projects in France." They then went on to give their reasons for awarding the award:

Working in green spaces: The "Les Hauts de Wissous" industrial park near Paris has developed into a high-quality location factor. The project is characterized by exemplary rain water management and was awarded the International ELCA Trend Award "Ecological Construction & Landscaping". Photo: ELCA

Role model: rain water management in the green industrial park
Located between motorways and feeder roads, the "Les Hauts des Wissous" industrial park situated near Orly Airport, acts as a role model. It is characterized by vegetation, which provides structural elements in circular, linear arrangements and specifically designed areas, and also by water in many different forms (spring, waterfall, water-covered areas, water garden). In this framework the industrial buildings are integrated in a fascinating, central landscape-gardening natural landscape consisting of vegetation and water. The project is characterized by exemplary rain water management and rainwater collection from the roofs of the companies located there and from the paved areas.

"Les Hauts de Wissous" has developed into a high-quality green location factor - an attractive environment, in which industry and the trade are located. The companies benefited from the reduced costs of a green and healthy environment - their employees appreciated the park as an inviting environment for breakfast and lunch breaks as well as a place for "After-Job Sport".

In the industrial park's entrance area there is a gradual transition between the city and nature - in this process the elements of stone and water harmonize with the "green" element, vegetation. Throughout the entire setting sustainable water management is realized. Water channels, streams and ponds characterize the landscape.

A pedestrian bridge takes people over waterfalls. From the "Water Gate" up to the location of the geysers, the users of the industrial park experience the interaction between water and vegetation in many facets. Structural elements are provided by rows of trees - they create focal points and distinctive features. Around 4,500 shrubs along with 20,000 grasses and perennial plants provide further design elements.

Awarded the International ELCA Trend Award “Ecological Construction & Landscaping”: the innovative design of the green outdoor facilities at SARL Belmonte’s company location near Montpellier is fully in keeping with climate change and the increasing shortage of water in the southern regions of Europe. Photo: Société Belmonte

Trend-setter for dry regions: companies with innovative outdoor facilities
The impressive, award-winning green outdoor facilities, located next to SARL Belmonte, were characterized by originality and innovation. In the very urban-orientated environment near Montpellier Airport they set powerful highlights. They formed a striking contrast between the clear, modern lines of the egg-shaped building and the vegetation. In this minimalist and at first glance almost motionless, inert backdrop, life - just like after a UFO landing - is once again re-asserting itself in protected areas. The vegetation near the building and in the large forecourt is becoming ever thicker and denser - when approaching the building complex and entering the building, in this area protected from the outside world, the impression is created of an oasis of peace, tranquillity and vitality.

Within the context of climatic change, water especially in Southern Europe (France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal among others) has long since become a valuable, increasingly scarce resource. In several dry regions it is already prohibited to use water for watering plants and green facilities. Against this background, SARL Belmonte, in cooperation with landscape architects and landscape gardeners, has exemplarily mastered a special challenge in designing its impressive green outdoor facilities, and in the process, positioned itself as a trend-setter. Natural stones symbolize the vegetation - and plants which require only very little water, provide attractive highlights in the green environment around the company building.

An unidentified flying object (UFO) would have definitely left traces upon landing. Based on this idea, trees such as the so-called petticoat palm (Washingtonia) grow seemingly horizontal to the ground. Stone paving is arranged in such a way as if it had been half ripped out of the ground by the sheer force of the UFO landing. Sand has been heaped up in mounds.

An avenue lined with Kumquats (dwarf oranges) leads to the company building. At the beginning of the path covered in old paving stones, you are greeted by a several centuriesold, majestic olive tree. In the centre, protected by glass roofs, the visitor finds themselves in a large forecourt - flowing through its centre is a stream. As a result, the whole building is virtually filled with pulsating life. The atmosphere is marked by exquisite materials. Even with night-time illumination the building and surrounding garden facilities radiate a special flair - a project which impresses equally in terms of adventurousness and quality.

Far-reaching impulses for ecological construction and landscaping
The Presidents of the ELCA and BGL agree: "The sum of all good ideas, coupled with the expertise and competence of the experts, realized in a high-quality implementation through the successful cooperation between the building owner, landscape architect and landscape gardener - this is how green facilities and green open spaces of special quality are created, which have a role model function and generate far-reaching impulses for ecological construction and landscaping."

Further Information:
European Landscape Contractors Association
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Alexander-von-Humboldt-Straße 4
D-53604 Bad Honnef
T: 02224 7707-20
eMail: contact@elca.info
web: www.elca.info