Laboratories of the Field: Inquiry by Design

Abstract

In the field of Landscape Architecture, design as research has been frequently addressed in the academic discourse. This article provides a snapshot of how design practice at Stoss Landscape Urbanism contributes to the discourse through applied practice and implementation as a research enquiry into the dynamics of and human response to the everchanging environment. This „design as research” in daily practice emerges as three episodes: 1) demonstration of ideas through experimentations and garden installations; 2) environmental and social dynamics as both research interests and tools with which to tackle challenges in urban environments and change over time; and 3) digital fabrication with biological materials as a tactile media to explore curiosity and creativity in design. The use of these tactics and tools offers a fresh perspective on the conventional definition of research and the methods and means through which designers continue to develop and test innovative solutions to social and environmental challenges. Looking retrospectively at the progression of applied research and its influence on projects across scales, Stoss provides insights into design process and reinforces the importance of continued exploration and testing within design practice.

Keywords

Design Experimentation / Landscape Architecture / Processes / Dynamics / Animation Tools / Urban Forest / Garden

References

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Higher Education Press