“As a
holistic
entity,
landscape is seen as an invisible dynamic whole, of which the parts can be best
understood in terms of the processes, both natural and cultural, that integrate
and regulate the whole”.
- Jala Makhzoumi, Landscape in the Middle East: an inquiry (2002)
I. DEFINITION
OF LANDSCAPE
•The
meaning of Landscape has evolved with time.
•No
more restrictions on the design; more liberal.
•Designing
complex systems that involve an interdisciplinary dimension
II. COMPARING LANDSCAPES
1. SCENIC LANDSCAPES
•Scenic
and picturesque setting
•Restricted
perspective on the landscape
•Creating
an ideal image that allows a unity between man and nature.
•Landscape
II
•Based
on conservative, static and scenic qualities.
2. DYNAMIC LANDSCAPES
•J.B.JACKSON: One of the first theorists to think of Landscape as an evolutionary system rather
than a static entity.
•He introduced the evolutionary system
approach as an alternative for designing landscapes
•The idea was inspired by the rapid
changes observed in the American Landscape
“Landscape is not a
scenery. It
is not a political unit; it is really no more than a collection, a system of
man-made spaces on the surface of the Earth. […] always subject to sudden or unpredictable
change”.
- J.B.Jackson quoted in Designing Landscape
as evolutionary systems by Martin Prominski
III. THE EVOLUTIONARY SYSTEM APPROACH
It is based on highlighting a problematic and proposing a site specific solutions to the issues in hand.
“Landscape Architecture theory is
situational. It is not about idealist or
absolute universals. It finds meaning, form and structure in the site as it is.
The landscape does not sit silent awaiting the arrival of an architectural
subject. The site-and land- speaks prior to the act of design”.
- Elizabeth Meyer, Theory in Landscape Architecture: A Reader
(Penn Studies in
Landscape Architecture) by Simon Swaffield
IV. THE DESIGN PROCESS: COMPLEXITY OF
ANALYSIS
“Each problem…will call for a
different set of analyses. Moreover, rigid “categorization” is neither
necessary nor in itself guarantees a good solution. […] The process
of analysis,
therefore, must be multi-ordinate. It is necessary to make as many analysis as
there are types of relationships.”
- Hideo Sasaki, Theory in Landscape Architecture: A Reader
(Penn
Studies in Landscape Architecture) by Simon
Swaffield
•Highlighting important factors:
-
Orientation and
exposure studies
-
Indoor-outdoor relationships
V. WHY
DO WE NEED CRITICAL THINKING?
•Landscapes
have uncertain futures
•It is
due to modernization, lack of homogeneity between landscape elements/layers
•Consequences:
-Ephemeral patterns created without a
particular style borrowed from tradition or history
-Decentralization Effect
Seoul, South Korea
by Mikyoung Kim Design
After: Recovery
of the stream by demolishing the urban infrastructure in order to create an
urban park.
LANDSCHAFTSPARK DUISBURG-NORD
Duisburg-Meiderich, Germany
by Latz + Partner
Duisburg-Meiderich, Germany
by Latz + Partner
Before: In 1985 abandoned coal and steel production plant and agricultural land leaving the area highly polluted.
After: Public park preserves the current site conditions. High toxic soils remediate through phytoremediation and sewage canal is treated to cleanse the site.
MAXIMILIAN PARK
Hamm, Germany
by Piet Oudoulf
Hamm, Germany
by Piet Oudoulf
“Something
is complete only when everything works together.”
- Piet Oudolf
This
project combines lively plant selection that shifts with seasons. The designer
relates to the bigger context and the change in seasonality, encouraging the
people to visit the park often.
VI. REACHING OUT TO THE NEW GENERATION
•“ Under such a system, coordination of
courses […] and the development of design theory in a logical sequence have
been difficult if not impossible. Certain schools, therefore have changed
completely to an organized curriculum […].”
- Hideo Sasaki, Designing Landscape as
evolutionary systems by Martin Prominski
•A functional expression focused on structure and materials used
rather than style.
•Interdisciplinary curriculum
•Competitive environment to encourage
effective project-solution method of teaching.
References
•M. Makhzoumi,
Jala.
"Landscape in the Middle East: An Inquiry." Taylor & Francis Online. 19 Aug. 2010. Web.
•Prominski, Martin. "Designing Landscapes as
Evolutionary Systems." Web.
•Swaffield,
Simon. Theory
in Landscape Architecture. U
of Pennsylvania, 2002. Print.
•Dee,
Catherine. Form
and Fabric in Landscape Architecture, A Visual Introduction. London and New York: Spon,
2001. Print.
Group 4 (Mayssa Kanaan, Majed Medawar, Rodan Imad and Joude Mabsout)
ReplyDelete5.10.2015
Critique on “Landscape of Today: An Evolutionary Approach”
Group 3
Audrey Kurkjian
Jana Tabbara
Lea Zeytoun
Zeina Maaz
The presentation provides a summary of the evolution of Landscape Architecture, while focusing on the emergent JB Jackson’s ‘evolutionary system approach’. The group members introduced the presentation with an interactive slide, where the students were asked to associate four different types of landscapes with pictures. This immediately engaged the audience and hence enabled them to activate their critical thinking mindsets.
They successfully defined Landscape Architecture and described the process of the evolution, beginning with the picturesque landscape, and transforming into the dynamic and complex landscape system. The series of events were backed up with theorists such as Jala Makhzoumi, Hideo Sasaki, JB Jackson and Elizabeth Meyer, where each academic introduced a specific theory in landscape architecture.
The general method of presenting was descriptive and general. The evolutionary process was interesting to visualize and understand, however it would have been more interesting to have less case studies, and focus on only two; a static landscape and a dynamic landscape. This would have been a good opportunity to reach the specificity in the design, enabling us to understand the static elements in a landscape versus the complex elements in a landscape.
The interpretation of the group was depicted when the subjects of critical thinking and education were related to the general topic. A slight interruption of the presentation sequence occurred when the idea of critical thinking was introduced as a subtopic, as it would have been preferable to leave under the subject of the design process.
Taking it further, the group members related the landscape theory to Landscape Architecture as a practice, giving a great importance to reach out to the new generation and to re-question the approach to education.
The group provided a logical sequence for a general topic, with a descriptive and interpretive approach.