HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF VIRTUAL DESIGN STUDIO

Ask Questions: You are in a unique type of learning environment and surrounded by smart faculty and students, make the most of it.

Teach yourself: Even though you'll be learning from your teachers and fellow students, it's important to teach yourself the things that aren't always included in the
curriculum. The internet is home to a beautiful, magnificent, constantly-updated treasure trove of tutorials.

Organize & Catalog: As you visit websites, make a graphic library; take the time to organize your research and graphics - it will serve as a tool in the future.

Create Freely: University and design studio are there to open our minds. Don't let yourself or others close it. Sometimes you can’t find the reasons for a design decision you
make, Just believe in your ideas and continue to work on it until it is clear. You have these classes of total experimental freedom. Enjoy it.

Read Read Read: Look through journals and books. Follow RSS feeds and blogs. Look at websites for current ideas and designs.

Don’t be afraid to question your teachers: there are many ways to approach landscape architecture design and becoming a clone of someone else isn’t always the best
way. You’ll produce more interesting and individual designs by learning from your teachers, but also questioning them occasionally. Their feedback may not be right, but
you have to show why.

Persevere: Frustration will be part of your everyday life when designing and exploring solutions. Each assignment will test your resolve, love the work and know the big
picture.

Be Patient: Listening to an arrogant student or annoying professor might be hard, but there is always something to learn – even if it's just what not to do.

Learn to Write: Writing is an important skill in landscaoe architecture and needed to successful communicate design ideas. Write. Edit. Google Translate. Visit Writing
Center. Repeat. Better articulation results in a clearer design process, you’ll develop a better appreciation for what to say during reviews and crits by practicing in writing.

Stay Healthy: Design activities can be strenuous, but you’ll be far more effective as a fully functioning student than as an overworked zombie.

Stay Energized: Eat full meals at proper times whenever possible. When it isn’t, make sure to keep healthy snacks available - a tin of nuts or clementines can save your life.

ENJOY THE
FOR A CHANGING FUTURE OF LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
 HOW TO BE A STRATEGIC DESIGNER
In order to be a good designer, you will have to first play and outline what you will do and how you will go about meeting your design goals
and the course requirements. This strategic organization is key to achieving success in your studio classes.
Writing down a schedule or a list of items you will produce is just a critical to sketching and graphically thinking about your design. You
should try to engage both sides of your brain in the design process - the linear, objective oriented side and the creative, explorative side.
Doing so will keep you on track to complete the assignments in a reasonable amount of time with a high level of quality.
Importantly, as your design ideas develop and you begin to do the work of your schedule, new ideas and new requirements will arise. But
you will need to maintain your strategy and refine your approach as needed. Landscape architecture design and problem-based learning is
not a linear process. There is no predictable sequence of events or rational approach to creating a good design. To think of design in
landscape architecture studio as a linear sequence of tasks is an illusion you must not hold on to.
Rather, design studio is a continuous process of design idea, review and assess, and improve or explore alternatives + repeat. Design, thus,
becomes an iterative process - where the exploration of design ideas and refinement of design alternatives grows and evolves from doing
the work of design and design thinking. You must synthesise ideas during this design activity.
“Iteration” according to Merriam-Webster Online:
a), constitutes “a procedure in which repetition of a sequence of operations yields results successively closer to a desired result.”
As you actively design and do the homework of design, you will see that problems become defined and clarified over time; new problems
emerge and new solutions develop only through doing this process.

SOLVINGSUSTAINABLE
COMPLEX INTERRELATED PROBLEMS THROUGH DESIGN THINKING
DESIGN
FOR A CHANGING FUTURE
 HOW TO APPROACH DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Learning to be a designer is a way of thinking; there is not set of rules and checklists.
The following chart begins to outline some important strategies to complete designs within studio courses and problem-based learning.
By doing these actions within design studio project assignments, the process of learning will be activated and, when integrated with the design process of drawing,
ideation and exploration, successful project submissions will follow.

It is scary and frustrating to start a design - Where to begin? What do I focus on - there are so many things I need to know … It is easy to sit there - paralysed by this
uncertainty … what do I do? Design education is considered relativistic - students and instructors work together to complete assignments with the student directing the
design development and the instructor providing feedback and direction. Research has shown this epistemological approach to be a more meaningful way of learning,
retaining information, and establishing productive behaviours, particularly within the design disciplines (Richardson, 2013; Chance, 2012; Bagolda, 1992; Mostert, 1986). There
is no right answer in design - no dualistic direction given by the instructor with a single response. The table on the next page has some good ideas to get started.

EXPLORE
FOR A CHANGING FUTURE - ACTIVE LEARNING THROUGH DESIGN
THE CHALLENGE
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
 HOW TO BE A THOUGHTFUL AND THOROUGH DESIGNER

The Design Squiggle - Daniel Newman (2006)

Image from www.ign.com/blogs/vrank92

Table 1 - Design Strategies Rubric, David Crismond (2008)

DESIGNSUSTAINABLE
FOR A CHANGING IS
THINKING DESIGN ACTIVE LEARNING
FUTURE
 HOW TO APPROACH DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE DO NOT DO THIS DO THIS

1 EXPLORING THE Little exploration.

Explores well, understands it has significant benefits.

CHALLENGE Makes brief readings and overlooks case study reviews and other research.
Embraces process as a means for generating new ideas and understanding site & design.

Does not use the internet wisely and efficiently.

Does not make decisions until the problems or challenges have been explored from many
Makes decisions prematurely.
different angles and perspectives (e.g. socio-cultural vs ecological).

Does not have a folder of saved information and drawings to refer to.
Seeks to map a process and outline of work to achieve success.

Does not use a sketchbook to graphically develop ideas and make notes.
Integrates existing information, case studies, and research.

Does not make a list of actions to outline their work.

Uses inquiry as a way of learning, uses internet wisely and effectively.

Looks for answers in external authorities.

Begins to understand how things and design ideas work and why.

Believes there is only one correct answer and an authority will know this.
Has folders where they save information.

Does not question authorities and other respected opinions or ideas.

Conducts quick sketches and design ideas to explore a wide range of ideas.

Seeks functional answers to solving design problems.

Creates an action list and outline of the work time for each task.

Views answers as sacrosanct, not open to questioning or exploration.

Shows evidence of listening to others opinions and ideas without judgement.

Thinks there is no context in design answers - that 1 answer will work Sees the instructor as providing correct context for exploration of knowledge.

everywhere.

2 GENERATING, DEVELOPING Works in linear steps.

Consults the instructor for feedback and help when needed to develop ideas.

AND COMMUNICATING Tries to provide answers they think the instructor wants to see.
Has a set of personal and career goals which are being met in the design project.

Does not review their work before submitting.

Uses problem-solving strategies, in any order, as needed.

IDEAS & SOLUTIONS

Does not take the time to critically think about what they read or do.
Uses words, drawings, sketches, models and other to explore ideas and show how parts
Mostly learns by imitation and copying work of others.
of the design are interconnected.

Does not follow list of actions or outline of their work.

Does not get frustrated and disappointed in their work; is able to always move forward.

Gets confused and frustrated easily.

Understands design learning includes failure and what seems like wasted time (it isn’t).

Works to receive and reproduce knowledge - not develop ideas. Seeks simplicity in their design. Ingegrates subjective and objective thought/

Considers past experiences or personal knowledge in their design development.

3 ASSESSING IDEAS AND Avoids doing iterative design - does one design once.
Uses iterative design and thinking as a means to learn.

SOLUTIONS, CRITICAL Does not explore design at multiple scales.

Explores their project design at multiple scales to understand the unique site issues.

Does not show awareness of their own design thinking or thought process.
Is aware of their behaviours and design thinking - improves where needed.

THINKING AND
Does not change behaviour even though it may not work for design learning.
Understands there is enjoyment within the design process and problem-based learning.

REFLECTION Values grades over learning how be a designer and problem-solver.

Uses feedback from instructor and others as a way to improve ideas.

Pays too much attention to simple pros & cons.

Practices reflective thinking - often in a sketchbook.

Has an unfocussed way of design thinking and project analysis.

Does not make the same mistake.

Shows little self-reflection or monitoring or action and behaviour. Develops internal standards which guides their learning.

Understands design requires a balance and trade-off of good ideas.

Exhibits good time management and adheres to well thought outlines.

Values the instructors ability to promote individual thinking and exchange of opinions.

Asks important questions to help them grow and learn as a designer and human.

Understands the role of the studio instructor is to help students evaluate various
perspectives and not give answers. The instructor is not responsible for your design
development, only for positive, productive and meaningful criticism.

Table 2 - Epistemological Development for Designers, GIPL; modified from Shannon Chance, 2012.

EXPLORE
FOR A CHANGING FUTURE - GENERATE SUSTAINABLE IDEAS
THE CHALLENGE
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN