LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Design Research Seminars - Semester 2, 2011

Arbor_eal Design Research Time for an update?

arbor_eal
michael howard 2011
Wednesday 9.30 till 12.30_ 88.5.14 Trees control views, create micro-climates, provide psychological change in the way we experience landscapes, have cultural implications and offer a range of growth habits that mark time. Successful landscape architects must be able to engage with trees as a spatial living organisms. Trees are to often only understood as circles on a plan arranged in accordance to the perimeters of the graphic and are therefore a lost opportunity in the design. We dont live in graphic representations! Without understanding the full implications or opportunities of what the graphics are imparting to the design, the role of the tree as a spatial component of landscape architecture can only be a circle!. Students will investigate, research, theorise, and test their knowledge of trees and the trees role in the practice of design in landscape architecture. arboreal; of living in trees

ARCH 1359/1360/ 1362/ 1366 Post Graduate Design Research Seminar in Landscape Architecture
What is design research? What is design? What is research? How is design research? How is research design? The seminar aims to shed light on the complex perspectives of framing research, design and understanding design as research through an experimental and applied way of researching design research. As a group we will work on researching design research through distinct methods such as: design charette, intervention, prototyping, mapping, computer aided generative design, abstraction, experimentation to produce a synthesis of the collective understanding of how design might operate as research. Through supporting individual / team interviews with RMIT academics in design research a framework will be solidified for the context of own research.

Lecturer: Contact:

Dr. Marieluise Jonas marieluise.jonas@rmit.edu.au +61 3 9925 2966

Design Research Seminar Coordinators: Julia Werner, Marieluise Jonas

MyRMIT: Times and Rooms:

LA00DRS/ search all seminars Wednesdays 3.30 - 6.30 8.11.18

Landscape Architecture // Design Research Seminar Maarten Buijs, West 8 Rotterdam INTENSIVE SEMINAR WITH INTERNATIONAL GUEST IN WK 2+3

TIME FOR AN UPDATE?

Are urban parks timeless, or have we overlooked to adapt outdated green spaces to modern demands and user patterns?

Background The industrial revolution happened a few centuries

ago. The large cities that were created then still exist. It was because of the foresight of our forefathers and mothers, that amidst the turmoil of urbanization some spaces were left open which have become our inner city parks. In Australia we were actually particularly good at this. A city like Adelaide is widely known for its green belt concept, but also Melbourne and Sydney have their fair share of such parks. The underlying idea at the time was that parks improve living conditions which would help the tired workers to recover quickly and remain productive. Historically, Australians are particularly good in enjoying the great outdoors and masters in switching off, and enjoy their space, nature, the lifestyle. Our lifestyle though, is changing rapidly. The park we made then are still here, virtually sacrosanct, but why? What is so fantastic about a few trees in lawn and a few flowerbeds along cracked bitumen pathway? They cost a fortune to maintain, their ecological interest is marginal, the overbearing urban traffic noise drones out any nature contemplation, and our new way of working does not require the tired workers to recover on a park bench any longer. So, in the Melbourne context: What is the importance of Flagstaff Gardens as a park? To what extent has Lincoln Square recreational benefit? What is the ecological value of Treasury Gardens? And how do these answers compare with the tremendous real estate value these sites represent? Every self-respecting developer would love to get his or her hands on these pieces of prime real estate. And why not let them? Why dont we sell at least a portion of these parks and with the money, the remainder of the park can be done up, modernized and become relevant once more.

The course concentrates on the initial steps of design, the exploring of values, ideas and potential. This is a creative exploratory process, in which the investigation itself is expected to provide an understanding of the site, its meaning and potential to meet demand and design clues. The main task will be to provide concepts that are sensible, innovative, daring, and marketable. The overall research task will be to enable students to develop an understanding of intrinsic landscape values and knowledge about the investigative design approach and development potential research.

Deliverables Further, students will be encouraged to depict and

present their ideas in a modest, quick and concise manner with an emphasis on the rationale behind design decisions. The deliverables need to be presentable as booklet (A3 or A4, (visual research essay) and on screen presentation, showing: Insight in historic use of site Overall site assessment and analysis including assigned values Summary of user issues, definition of key concerns Investigation of development potential Design proposal for improvement. Illustration and references as needed. Reflection on findings

Content Apart from the investigative work and concept

development sought from the students, the course will include visualization and explanation concerning some of the trials and tribulations of several West 8s projects with a focus on park design and enabling development.

The Approach The course aims to explore these questions.

Obviously historically these park areas had intrinsic value. Why was that so, what has changed? Can these sites be rejuvenated, modernized and made more relevant to todays needs, by means of commercial intervention, benefitting site and context? Students are asked to select one or more of these older, seemingly outdated inner urban public open spaces and by research and design provide design alternatives for the future of the site in its social, cultural, urban context.

Times
Wed 27th July, 9.30am to 1.00pm (tbc); Fri 29th July, 9am to 5pm; Mo 1st to Fri 5th Aug, every day, 9am o 6pm; Final presentation: Monday 8th August, 1 to 5pm