Landscape Design Studios : Living Systems

The studio looked at designed spaces as ‘living systems’ that have a relationship to the context within which they grow and adapt to form parts of a larger whole. The idea that landscapes are not static and that they constantly evolve and demonstrate changes was explored, with planting as the core. Students looked at planting as systemic entities that work together with other parts to create a diverse functional and experiential quotient. Along with the purely functional roles, and the obvious benefits of aesthetic delight, planting starts to be increasingly important to the context within which it is designed and also to the biotic elements. The course enabled students to envisage and develop a landscape design for a specific site using multiple design scales, drawing and communicating it in ways appropriate to the chosen proposal, keeping in mind the notions of ecological planting design.