Urban Wild "Express" - Bird Tornado (Atlanta Beltline)

Interactive Art Work on the Atlanta Beltline by Dorthy O'Connor and Craig Appel

Photo by Romanlily

(Location details from her photo page: eastside trail, near Ralph McGill - not far from Two Urban Licks)

Video (see it in action)

Info from video page:

The over population of homeless pets is a problem that plagues both the city of Atlanta and the entire Southeast. In 2013, Fulton County Animal Services took in 9,225 animals. The tornado-like mechanical sculpture O’Connor and Appel have created contains 365 birds, each bird representing 25 animals, which is the average daily intake at the shelter during a typical year. Tornado symbolizes a destructive force that can be overcome if more people get involved and help to break the cycle.

Gardens That Heal

Chicago Botanical Garden is hosting its Annual Seminar on "Gardens that Heal: A Prescription For Wellness" on May 13, 2015.  Even reading just the topics makes me smile:

- History of outdoor space in hospitals. Recent evaluative research on healing gardens. Precedents drawn upon by designers of healing gardens, including medical diagnoses.
- Designing for a Deeper and More Intimate Connection with Nature: Interaction Pattern Design
- Attention Restoration
- The Healing Gardens at the Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital
- The Benefits of Restorative Gardens and Healing

They also have a Horticultural Therapy Certificate program!

NCC Urbanism Lab: Ecological Urbanism (Ottawa)

Just found this on the NCC website:

The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with the Embassy of France, is pleased to present a stimulating discussion about ecological urbanism. This is an approach that "considers the city with multiple instruments and with a worldview that is fluid in scale and disciplinary focus. Design provides the synthetic key to connect ecology with an urbanism that is not in contradiction with its environment."

The panel will consist of the following experts:

•  Nina-Marie Lister, Associate Professor, Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada) 
•  Christian Devillers, Agence Devillers (Paris, France) 
•  Philippe Clergeau, Professor, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity Management, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris, France) 
•  Joan Tarragon, Architect, X-TU architects (Paris, France) 

The discussion will introduce the concepts of ecological urbanism as a philosophy and theory, as it is known in the Canadian context. Our French guests will then share their knowledge and experience from a theoretical and practical perspective, including the notion of éco-quartiers and green architecture. As planner and steward of Canada’s Capital, the NCC strives to incorporate innovative thought leadership to continue to creating a truly world-renowned capital.

NCC Capital Urbanism Lab Event was held December 2014.  (Too bad I found out about this event after the fact!)