Origins and Contemporary Practices of Landscape Architecture in Asia: Korean Perspectives and More

This seminar will explore how landscape architecture as a modern profession was started in Asia, and how such origins have shaped the respective contemporary landscape architectural practices in the region.

The term “Asian” can be misleading; it conjures images of one identity that can be applied to all 51 countries in Asia. Scholars and practitioners, such as William Lim, Jillian Walliss, and Heike Rahmann, have elaborated on the inevitable complexities associated with identity in Asia’s landscapes, architecture, and urban practices. In his book Asian Alterity (Hackensack, N.J.: World Scientific, c2008), William Lim argues that most of the urban development processes in Asian countries can rarely be explained using Western theories. He also invited architects and landscape architects from nine Asian cities to write about their singularities. On the other hand, in The Big Asian Book of Landscape Architecture (Berlin: Jovis Verlag, 2020), Walliss and Rahmann claim that Asia is a method, not an identity, and write extensively about several practices and various aspects of being in the landscape profession in Asia.

In this seminar, we will deploy a particular lens to examine the onset of the contemporary landscape architecture profession and how their respective origins have shaped and are shaping each country’s landscape in five countries: the Republic of Korea (hereafter referred to as Korea), Japan, China, Singapore, and Thailand. Korea will be investigated more deeply and applied as a lens through which to further examine the cases of the four other countries since Korea’s landscape practices had an obvious initiator (i.e., former President Mr. Park) and a single strong motivation (i.e., post-war reforestation). Additionally, this course aims to promote further and in-depth discussions about other countries (beyond these five).

In each class, the students will hear from some of the most important scholars and practitioners in the field, including Yoonjin Park (PARKKIM), Shunsaku Miyagi (PLACEMEDIA, University of Tokyo), Kongjian Yu (Turenscape, Peking University), Dorothy Tang (National Singapore University), Kotchakorn Voraakhom (Landprocess), Jillian Walliss (University of Melbourne), and Heike Rahmann (RMIT), followed by the instructor’s lecture on each week’s topic. The course readings will be provided in digitized format at the start of the semester, and students will be expected to complete these readings before joining in the class discussion. Through this course, students will learn how each country’s landscape practice reflects its own distinctive historical, cultural, natural, and political context, and that they can leverage these practices in their respective futures as design professionals, no matter which region on the globe they will be based in.

There are no prerequisite courses required for enrollment in this seminar. However, some basic knowledge and interest in the geography of Asia, as well as the political and societal dynamics of the region in the 20th century, will be helpful. Please refer to the syllabus for the detailed schedule, contents, and course requirements.