Landscape Architecture Frontiers

Designed ecology refers to a process of active and purposive design interventions that help enhance functional improvement, restoration, or reshaping of ecosystem in human settlements, especially in the areas suffering from severe ecological degradation. Different from ecological design, designed ecology is to creatively intervene and improve human beings’ complicated living environment. Starting from an examination of related concepts, this paper reviews designed ecology from four perspectives: creating natural environment; reintroducing native habitat; enhancing natural regeneration; and tending natural ecosystem. It further defines designed ecology at three levels: 1) ecological functionality, i.e. the design creates a self-maintaining ecosystem; 2) succession efficiency, i.e. the effect of the designed succession surpasses the results of natural regeneration or the design helps promote natural regeneration; and 3) landscape experience, i.e. the design offers aesthetic services to better respond to the needs of human society. The authors argue that an effective promotion of designed ecology relies on both the efforts of design practice and ecological study, including research on regional / local ecosystem, self-succession of ecosystem, and ecosystem capacity, as well as exploration of improving human living experience through design practice.