River Aire by Superpositions

revealing processes in a Landscape Architecture Project

Landscape architecture projects are in a constant state of evolution, never reaching full completion. Their beauty is found in the unfolding process of nature, shaping spatial character. To understand this further I took up a case study in Geneva, Switzerland done by Georges Descombes where the project uses the tool of processes to develop a landscape. River Aire exemplifies this approach, utilizing natural processes and time to re-naturalize the River Aire in Geneva, Switzerland, which was canalized in the 19th century. This study examines the project through two lenses: first, the project’s process and development, viewing the site as a garden, a river, and a canal; and second, the approach taken by the Landscape Architect to realize a specific vision. While the project is seen as the creation of the river through action, its true beauty lies in being treated as an art project, where the river is the artist, taking its own form through the deliberate actions of the Landscape Architect. Another key insight from this project is that while the river’s surface is visible and discernible, its true essence lies in its riverbed. 

Details

Type: Case Study
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Area: 
Year: February 2024