By Kim O’Connell “In the heart of downtown Boston, only a few blocks from Fenway Park and the Charles River, Boston Children’s Hospital feels like a world unto itself. Hospitals often feel this way because of their nature as places where some of life’s weightiest events happen—births, deaths, life-saving surgeries and treatments. At Boston Children’s, these things are infused with the deep concern that attends this special population, where the stakes are as high as they could ever be. Each family, each patient, each story feels unique and profound. In developing a series of gardens for the ho ..read more

Our reflective canopy at Texas Medical Center was designed to immerse visitors in the soothing embrace of rippling water, this canopy brings a sense of tranquility to shelter in the cooling environment Selected for their thermal qualities, we incorporated Alucobond panels from NOW Specialties, Inc. for a polished mirror on the canopy. This feature spans across seating and shared spaces, creating a harmonious retreat for TMC Helix Park staff and visitors. Photography by Rob Benson & Luis Ayala ..read more

Backhoes, dump trucks, boulders and other materials are the telltale signs that something is happening in the Garden. The restoration project for the Schenk’s Branch tributary stream that bisects the Botanical Garden began in August and a lot of progress has been made, according to Dan Frisbee, Water Resources Specialist for the City of Charlottesville. The contractor on the program, KBS Earthworks, Inc., is working at least five days a week to complete this important step in building the Garden and protecting the environment around the stream. While the project is underway, Garden visitors ar ..read more

In the heart of bustling cities, our team at MYKD seeks to create havens of calm through carefully curated landscape experiences. At the forefront of our mission is the understanding that the environments we inhabit profoundly influence our well-being. This was echoed in our recent participation at the Intentional Spaces Summit hosted by The International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics (IAM Lab), where the science of sound and space was a central theme. Sound alchemist Laura Inserra offered a resonant perspective, emphasizing the power of soundscapes to transform our inner ..read more

At the 2023 Intentional Spaces Summit in Washington, D.C., Jess Hamilton, Senior Associate and leader of the MYK-D research team, joined Project Designer Alek de Mott in attending the premiere of “What Can Design Do,” directed by Mary McDonagh Murphy. “When it comes to the built environment, good design is no luxury. What Design Can Do, a short film presents visually captivating, affordable projects from the United States, the UK, and Africa to illustrate how psychologically sensitive, science-informed design materially promotes our physical and mental health, buttresses learning outcomes, and ..read more

Throughout this year, our focus has been on the nuanced design considerations for neurodiversity within landscape architecture and urban environments. We’ve been investigating the delicate relationship between emotional systems and the sensory aspects of our surroundings. This exploration has led us into the realm of affective neuroscience, where we are trying to comprehend the roles of the seven core emotional systems that profoundly influence our experiences. Of particular interest is understanding how memory and care intersect, both in our personal ..read more

Landscape architect and artist Mikyoung Kim created a Cor-ten steel fence to enclose a three-acre site in Lincoln, Massachusetts. “The entire fence is made using just seven lengths of modular, precut Cor-Ten steel bars, with widths being anywhere from two to five bars thick,” explains the designer. “Depending on the angle from which you see it, the fence can appear transparent or opaque.” Farrar Pond POSTED BY: Dwell ..read more

Jumpstart Spring with a conversation around play and restoration with Mikyoung as a part of Next Generation of Parks Event Series, offered by Minneapolis Parks Foundation This Thursday March 30th, Mikyoung will dive into the role public spaces play in crafting and reconnection in our communities in the semi-post pandemic world. This lecture will emphasize the ethics of design and the shared goal of creating healthier and more equitable cities that spark our collective imagination. This is a free event taking place place at Rapson Hall, at the University of Minnesota College of Design, on March ..read more

Mikyoung was recently featured in CODAworx’s 25 Creative Revolutionaries of 2023. This list spotlights a group of trailblazing leaders in the field of commissioned art who create works that are at the forefront of affecting change. To read more about each artist recognized, follow the link: https://codaworx-5964602.hs-sites.com/2023-creative-revolutionaries?utm_campaign=Creative%20Revolutionaries&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=243840411&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–FnAmRatbOtVc776-wdSMgmOWFRfKU3CBr0c2OBApx17rZnmR9OBX968yw1wD8nlHfNmpyuWvh9YKKxBykIM5eg-RRSQ&utm_content=243840411&utm_source=hs_emai ..read more

Mikyoung is featured in February’s issue of Harvard Magazine, Restored to Nature. In the article, she discusses with Lydialyle Gibson the many ways in which landscapes are a tapestry of culture, history and resiliency. MYKD’s project with Ford’s Michigan Central 14-acre park in Detroit was a focus, highlighting the ways that landscapes can bridge the divide between neighborhoods with a human centered approach. “For Kim, the idea of restorative landscapes refers to both the ecological and the human”, envisioning places that spark the imagination and bring wonder into out everyday ..read more