desire line  noun
variants desire path
plural desire lines or desire paths
an unplanned route or path (such as one worn into a grassy surface by repeated foot traffic) that is used by pedestrians in preference to or in the absence of a designated alternative (such as a paved pathway)


Beyond the landscape architecture definition a desire line illustrates “the tension between the native and the built environment and our relationship to them”.

This tension transcends the landscape architecture realm. The intuitive (natural) versus the prescribed (constructed) is a pervasive theme, which permeates many aspects of life and choices we make about paths we choose to take.

Is the prescribed ‘path’ the most inviting? The most beautiful? The most efficient? The most magnanimous? The most equitable?

Much beauty awaits in the exploration of the unexplored, renegade paths. They are the ultimate expression of human desire and yearning.
It is up to each of us to form our desire lines.


Desire Lines illustrate “the endless human desire to have choice. The importance of not having someone prescribe your path”


ANDREW FURMAN


How and what we create and transform can create reverberations that inspire individuals, organizations and communities; that includes how we choose to live, work and play and the processes for the creation of the environments we inhabit.

At Desire Lines, our mission for each project is a bespoke process of discovery of what’s inherent in the site, and the most efficient path for realizing objectives and restoring and optimizing beauty, essence and uniqueness.

Each place has a story and its richness lies in preserving the links to those stories and in creating a symbiosis that anchors the project.
In our audacious journey to contribute to a better future, where there is a sensible, humble, conscious yet gracious approach to design we follow a process that is 3-fold:

1.
Collective Wisdom


It takes a community to build a house! By acknowledging and valuing the expertise and know-how of each specialty, trade and artisan, and working collaboratively throughout the process, we are able to arrive at the best solutions for each project.
2.
Shared Future


This premise drives our inherent efficiency in design and systems, as well as our processes and building methods, while considering first cost, operational costs, maintenance and comfort requirements. For this reason we favor adaptive reuse over new construction.
3.
Build Local


By using our projects as small vehicles to share knowledge, empower local talent and stimulate the local economy, we are small change agents aiming to leave a place better off than we found it.

Desire Lines
© 2023 Desire Lines
LOCATION
Porto, Portugal
Brooklyn, NY, USA
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