Presence of Water
Presence of Water: Garden Inherency and New Hydraulic Culture of Kyoto is a Studio Report from the Fall 2025 semester at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design based on the option studio “Presence of Water: Garden Inherency and New Hydraulic Culture of Kyoto” taught by Jungyoon Kim and Shunsaku Miyagi.
This report presents the process and results of the design studio offered by the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) in fall 2025, which aimed to reexamine and reevaluate the value of Kyoto’s environmental culture as shaped by its long history, seeking to update the city’s landscape culture for a sustainable and resilient future that moves beyond its tradition and style.
Kyoto’s exceptional water resources—known as the “Kyoto Water Basin”—have made it famous for its historic gardens and the nickname “Sansui City.” This abundance of pure water has supported both beautiful landscapes and thriving traditional industries, shaping the city’s unique cultural heritage and boosting tourism.
Yet the prominence of traditional gardens sometimes limits innovative design, leaving many new projects formal and disconnected from Kyoto’s changing urban context. In addition, most of Kyoto’s advanced hydraulic systems are hidden from view, so they do not enhance people’s experience of public spaces. As climate change intensifies, Kyoto urgently needs adaptive strategies rooted in local resources and knowledge.
The 13 students of the studio traveled to Kyoto to perform field research and acquire local knowledge. The thoughts and ideas they had initiated before departure, through their mapping exercise and research on transitional gardens, were reviewed and shared on site. The workshop with YKK AP’s associate members was a valuable opportunity to share insights into the various aspects of Kyoto’s hydrological culture. After returning to Cambridge, students developed their individual designs into detailed spatial designs.
This studio was made possible by the generous support of YKK AP.
Presence of Water can be read in full on the GSD’s issue site, among many other reports.