Topos – The International
Review of Landscape Architecture and Urban Design
Professional quarterly journal.
Topos: Global Expertise –
In Depth Features – Quality Design
As the one and only truly international quarterly review
of landscape architecture and urban design, Topos publishes
examples of successful projects and designs from all
over the world. Topos provides worldwide surveys of
planning activities, urban design projects and concepts,
planning strategies for cities, urban regions and cultural
landscapes.
Topos highlights interdisciplinary work
and examines future questions arising within the landscape
architecture profession. Topos has its steadfast and
continuously growing readership, across all continents.
Topos: The Story
The first issue of Topos – European Landscape
Magazine was published in 1992, giving European landscape
architecture a base for publicizing projects and concerns.
Joining the company of existing individual national
journals, almost without exception issued by their professional
associations, was Topos, a comprehensive journal with
an international scope specializing in the design of
public space. For 50 issues and in two languages, German
and English, Topos covered interdisciplinary subjects
concerning European landscape architecture, urban planning,
art, and architecture.
Since July 2005 it has had a new title:
Topos – International Review of Landscape Architecture
and Urban Design. With issue number 51, Topos presented
a new look to its readers and although the target group
- landscape architects and designers in related disciplines - has remained the same, much has changed with the relaunch.
Topos went global. Topos is now only
in English. German readers receive a complimentary insert
with German summaries. Topos focuses on illustrations
and presents projects from all over the world; it describes
the planning behind the projects and it analyzes trends.
The comprehensive ad-free main section presents and
discusses the featured topic on many levels. This main
section is enclosed by magazine sections with many new
columns: reports on events, competition results, news,
book reviews, a calendar of events, interviews, etc.
Topos: The USP
The growing global market of landscape architecture
requires media that not only provide information but
also transport the image characterizing the profession
and distinguishing it from others: economic efficiency,
function, sustainability – but in conjunction
with aesthetics, form, colour, visual impression, sensitivity.
This is what Topos offers. In the age
of digital information Topos is a technically crafted
printed journal representing a cultural standard of
writing and imagery, corresponding to what good landscape
architects apply to their work. Copies of Topos are
treasured and collected just like good books.
Topos is independent, not affiliated
to any professional institution, giving the editorial
office free rein over contents and bias. In the selection
of projects, the main focus is on design aspects, but
function, usability, and finished quality must be right.
Topos aims to show the characteristics of different
cultures, to advance local and regional design, also
in the globalized world.
Topos publishes not only projects from
countries with a long tradition of landscape architecture
like the U.S., Switzerland, Germany or the UK but also
countries that are still striving for professional recognition,
such as Italy.
Hence, Topos presents a high standard
of landscape architecture worldwide and serves as a
platform and showcase for specific countries, it supplements
existing professional and academic journals and assists
the emerging market in countries which do not have their
own professional publication.
Topos already has a high awareness level
throughout the world. It is the most frequently stolen
magazine in libraries; many CEOs take it home to read.
Topos: The review
Prospective Landscapes, Urban Design, Traffic, Light,
Parks, Cultural Landscapes, Architecture and Landscape
– have been the themed issues since the relaunch,
representing the wide spectrum of topics in Topos. Large
images, frequently a run of images in the center and
a clear layout and modern typography on a fine paper
make Topos a publication of visual and haptic appeal.
Of course, it’s the text that matters:
Each one seeks an individual approach to the subject,
new relations are established between totally different
aspects of various disciplines resulting in the unmistakable
composition of each issue. Reports, critiques, essays,
and analysis alternate and offer new insights into the fascinating
scope of landscape architecture.
Topos understands landscape to be all places where man
lives and makes a living, naturally also including cities,
and increasingly so. Urban planning topics complement
landscape architecture, Urban Design in the title demonstrates
that Topos focuses on interdisciplinary problem solving,
not on landscape architecture as an insular activity.
Topos: The facts
Topos has now (January 2007) a circulation of 4,200
copies (2005: 3,000; 2006: 3,700). Medium-term goal:
6,000. The distribution is based primarily in direct
subscriptions. Topos is also distributed through commercial
bookstores. Marketing activities include direct mail
campaigns, teleselling, public relations, and online promotion.
The numbers distributed are controlled through IVW,
the German equivalent to BPA. Subscription rates are
staggered and are significantly lower in low-income
countries.
Topos has recently signed a Memorandum
of Understanding for Mutual Support with the International
Federation of Landscape Architects IFLA (ASLA is a member)
and the International Society of City and Regional Planners
ISOCARP.
www.topos.de
is the online presence of the journal; a Topos newsletter
is planned for May 2007. The book series Edition Topos
with ten books so far complements the portfolio. In
addition, Topos is a media partner in the 50,000 Euro
International Urban Landscape Award IULA held by Eurohypo, a major
international investment bank.
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Editors:
Robert Schäfer, Tanja Gallenmüller, Peter Zöch,
Thomas Jakob, Gesa Loschwitz
Publisher:
Verlag Georg D.W. Callwey GmbH & Co. KGHelmuth Baur-Callwey, Amos Kotte (CEO)
Graphic Design:
Heike Frese-Pieper, Sabine Hoffmann
Translations:
Almuth Seebohm, Caroline Ahrens |
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Production:
Alexander Stix, Andreas Funk
Scan Operator:
Erasmus Winter
Marketing and Sales:
Ithres Marion-Mende
Advertising:
Lutz Benecke
Iris Ulenaers
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