Ecologies, Techniques, Technologies IV

GSD 6242 Ecologies, Techniques, Technologies IV addresses the interdependence between site, technology and design in landscape architecture. The ambitions of the course are to develop a broader understanding of traditional and emerging technologies in landscape architecture, to explore technology???s relationship to applied ecology and environmental and civil engineering and how this can result in more progressive and creative landscape design work. In addition the course material is intended to cultivate in class members a critical interest in technology and applied science in landscape architecture both as a design medium as well as a research topic at the GSD. Through a sequence of lectures, workshops, assignments and field visits the class will explore the processes of construction as they inform the physical production of built landscapes and environmentally responsive design strategies. Four integrated areas will be covered; the construction of built landscapes, detail implementation approaches and materials used in constructing small and medium-scale landscape projects, an introduction to the range and types of remediation technologies to address polluted soils, sediments and groundwater and contemporary technologies of urban construction and site reclamation. Through a series of field trips, readings, and projects, this course expands upon previous core courses to expand technical and technological literacy for both small and large scale, complex landscapes. In addition to a reverse engineering assignment, the course concludes with a technology modeling project that synthesizes the course objectives and provides directions for future research.