LANDSCAPES WITH A SOUL: DESIGNING SPACES THAT CONNECT NATURE, PEOPLE AND THE FUTURE

1. How would you describe Correia-Tintinger's DNA and what role sustainability plays in all your projects?
Correia-Tintinger's DNA is a unique blend of diverse experiences, cultures and backgrounds, brought together to create a distinctive perspective in our work. This diversity fuels our creativity and enables us to approach each project with a broad, inclusive and thoughtful vision.
Sustainability is the basis of everything we do. It's not just a guiding principle, it's an essential component of our design process, from the choice of materials to the way we consider the long-term impact of our projects, both on the environment and on the communities they serve. Our aim is to create spaces that are not only beautiful and functional, but also responsible, resilient and attentive to future generations.

2. What are the core values that guide your professional practice, and how are they reflected in your relationship with customers and colleagues?
Curiosity and a constant desire to learn guide our practice. They determine the way we interact with our customers and collaborators: by listening carefully, sharing openly and adapting carefully to each unique context. This approach ensures that every project benefits from collaboration, creativity and mutual respect.

3. What aspects would you emphasize in the design and creation of spaces or landscapes compared to other landscape agencies?
One of the distinguishing features of our approach is our concern for the social impact of spaces. We seek to design landscapes that not only respond to the environmental and ecological challenges of our time, but also create spaces that are functional, inspire sustainable behavior and promote the well-being of communities.

4. How do you see landscape design evolving in the coming years, and what role would you like Correia-Tintinger to play in it?
We see a growing need to create greener urban spaces that help cities adapt to climate change while promoting social interaction and healthier lifestyles. Our ambition is for Correia-Tintinger to be at the forefront of creating resilient, inclusive and meaningful landscapes that benefit both people and the environment.

5. You work on private gardens as well as urban parks, heritage restoration projects and environmental certifications (BREEAM, Natagora). What challenges and lessons have you learned from this diversity of scales and contexts?
Working on different scales - from private gardens to urban parks and heritage sites - teaches us to be flexible. Each context presents unique needs: reconciling human and ecological requirements, respecting history or meeting sustainability standards. These experiences reinforce our ability to create thoughtful, functional and meaningful landscapes in all environments.

6. How do you integrate sociological and cultural dimensions into your projects so that the spaces are appropriated and appreciated by their communities?
We integrate these dimensions by actively observing and listening to the communities who will be using the spaces. Understanding local habits, social interactions, traditions and cultural values enables us to design environments that are familiar, inclusive and meaningful. By incorporating this knowledge into our projects, we create spaces that foster connection, shared experiences and a sense of belonging, while guaranteeing their functionality and beauty.

7. Thanks to your international experience, what values have you been able to develop by working with multidisciplinary teams in different geographical contexts?
Exposure to diverse perspectives, cultures and working methods has strengthened our ability to communicate effectively, respect varied approaches and find creative solutions that integrate multiple know-how.

8. What imprint or legacy do you wish to leave on the cities, communities and landscapes in which you have developed your projects?
Our aim is to leave a legacy of resilient, inclusive and unique landscapes that foster social connection, encourage sustainable living and enhance well-being. Our projects strive to make cities greener, livelier and more liveable for future generations.

9. Which public project would you highlight as a benchmark in your career? And which private project do you consider particularly significant?

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Luísa: Among public projects, I'd mention Praça do Império in Lisbon, on which I worked as part of theACB Arquitectura Paisagista team. It was an important step in the design of historic gardens and my first experience in a heritage area. The project taught me a lot about managing public and political expectations, while delivering a high-quality design that respected the original plans.

In terms of private projects, I would highlight AXS Namur, on which I worked alongside Joëlle at the Skope agency. This project presented many challenges, including obtaining BREEAM certification, coordinating multiple specialists and solving complex technical and design problems. It was a very rewarding experience in terms of teamwork, problem-solving and the realization of a high-level private landscape project.

DESIGN TEAM: J. Tintinger - L. Correia in collaboration with Skope (landscaping) and Montois Architects (building) - Nature In Progress (ecologist) - BECI (VRD) - Matriciel (BREEAM, PEB and TS expertise and assessment) - SECO (stability) - D2S (acoustics) - GEO LAM (surveyor: surveys, layouts and site conditions) - PS2 (health and safety coordination) - Universoil (sanitation)
PHOTOS: J. Tintinger. Tintinger
REALIZED BY: Cordeel - SM BPC Wust Thomas & Piron (buildings) - Entreprises Melin SA (landscaping)
PROJECT COMPLETION: 2024

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Joëlle: In 2007, I took part in a competition to transform the Jardin de la Source in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), in collaboration with the agency D+A International, into a tourist infrastructure linked to the Musée Hergé. A former parking lot located in a degraded forest was to become an accessible and attractive public space. The central idea was to create an urban park in harmony with the city, where the network of forest clearings and paths would function as squares and streets, offering both meeting and relaxation spaces.

The design was articulated on two levels: the lower part, inspired by the museum's architecture, evoked a boat surrounded by wave-shaped hedges and trees as buoys; the upper part retained a more natural character, with clearings differentiated according to their location. The garden incorporated art, furniture, educational panels, sports facilities and picnic areas, while promoting pedestrian and cyclist mobility, universal accessibility and the protection of biodiversity - by avoiding light pollution, for example.

The project was developed in close collaboration with local residents, the university and the municipality, paying particular attention to forest regeneration and relations with the school. The first phase was inaugurated at the same time as the museum in 2009, and the second was completed in 2011. Today, this park is an example of how green spaces can improve the quality of urban life, integrate history and nature, and be rapidly appropriated by the community.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: INESU - Université catholique de Louvain - La Croix de l'Aigle
DESIGN TEAM: J. Tintinger in collaboration with D+A International SMPA SA (landscaping) - Atelier Christian de Portzamparc (building) - INCA Ingénieurs
PHOTOS: J. Tintinger
REALIZED BY: Lesuco
PROJECT COMPLETED: 2011

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Joëlle: Another notable private project is MC² - ING Louvain-la-Neuve. This is the development of a BREEAM Excellent-certified office building within the Nature & Entreprises (Natagora) network in the Louvain-la-Neuve Science Park. The site and atrium are accessible to the public and form part of the city's sustainable mobility network.

The project also focused on integrating vegetation into the offices and atrium. Initially designed to house ING Bank's staff and IT infrastructure, the building had to be rethought after the rise of telecommuting, reducing the initial requirements. The design allowed the distribution of space to be adapted to accommodate other companies.

What I retain from this experience is the added value of the site, achieved thanks to a multi-disciplinary team that meticulously dealt with all aspects, inside and out. The project transformed an initially ecologically poor piece of cultivated land into a site rich in biodiversity, incorporating three ecological ponds, an orchard, wildlife shelters, green roofs, hedges, flower meadows, a pedagogical walkway, convivial spaces and more. Trees and plants in the atrium create a dialogue with the gardens, offering privacy and conviviality in a bright, welcoming working environment. Natagora certification also involves an annual visit to monitor the site's progress, demonstrating the companies' genuine commitment to their environmental impact.

DESIGN TEAM: J. Tintinger - L. Correia in collaboration with Skope (landscape design) and Jasper Eyers Architects (building) - NCBHAM (interior architecture) - Nature In Progress (ecologist) - BECI (VRD) - TPF Engineering (BREEAM, PEB, stability and TS expertise and assessment) - Immo-Pro (project management and project supervision) - BuildTIS (inspection body for closed shell work) - Vekmo (CSS) - D2S International (acoustics) - HVS (surveyor: surveys, layouts and inventories) - Sol-EX (pollution control consultancy)
PHOTOS: J. Tintinger
REALIZED BY: Parcs et Jardins David Monnier
PROJECT COMPLETION: 2022