European landscape architecture builds on a common horizon of understanding and yet produces quality works of very different expression and style. In Touch explores outstanding projects created within the European mindset, diving below the surface in an attempt to uncover the common values that bind European design work. 

In Touch is the third volume in the Landscape Architecture Europe series. The triennial publications aim to set standards, in design and design critique, by presenting an overview of contemporary European landscape architecture. 

The selection committee of Landscape Architecture Europe - edition 2008-2010, consisting of Michael van Gessel (chairman, the Netherlands), Lilli Licka (Austria), João Nunes (Portugal), Antonio Angelillo (Italy) and Tone Lindheim (Norway), have selected 39 projects out of 583 entries. These projects were in their vision the most significant and expressive, chosen out of a large variety of very good ones.

This third edition of Landscape Architecture Europe contains 11 ‘features’ exploring the main projects in depth (a work analysis, background essays). The other chosen projects are developed as ‘icons’, i.e. concise presentations within thematic essays. The launch of the book has taken place eind of june 2012.

We want to emphasize that in our view the difference between acceptance and non-acceptance of an entry was not necessarily related to judgements in terms of good or bad. The majority of entries demonstrated a high level of quality and it was a difficult task for the jury to find arguments pro or contra acceptance.

A general review showed an emphasis on the genius of the place, a very natural starting point for any landscape architect, that resulted in sensitive approaches and tangible and sustainable designs.

Regional and strategic type of projects were few in number - as was the case in the first two editions. Maybe this was due to the fact that they are difficult to present and that they are made in multidisciplinary teams in which the landscape architect is just one of the contributors.

When looking to the future we, the LAE team, hope that future editions of the book will demonstrate the broad spectrum of projects. We therefore hope that landscape architects all over Europe will all be with us when the next list of entries for the 2015 edition is invited.