Abstract Content (up to 300 words recommended)
This paper introduces an approach to learning and teaching that deals directly with complexity and uncertainty, using a landscape architecture design studio as an example to demonstrate outcomes.
The overarching theme of the studio was climate adaptation or confronting and productively working with the uncertainty of climate change. Students were asked to consider how to move beyond precaution towards an approach that imagined and creatively embraced uncertain futures. Key questions addressed in the studio included: How can communities improvise and adapt to continuous change and uncertainty? How can we move beyond projection – or geographies of anticipation towards an approach to the future that engages with and harnesses uncertainty and continuous change? Part of a larger body of work the studio worked with a large scale, integrative design approach that does not distinguish between analysis and design but sees them as simultaneous, interwoven acts of a creative design process.
The site for these explorations was the City of Glenorchy, Southern Tasmania. Located at the base of Mount Wellington, bounded by the Derwent River and crossed by rivulets, the city is characterised by a mix of industrial, commercial and residential development. Key climate change risks include increased frequency of hot days, extended heat waves, increased occurrence and intensity of bushfires and frequency of inundation along the Derwent River.
The site for these explorations was the City of Glenorchy, Southern Tasmania. Located at the base of Mount Wellington, bounded by the Derwent River and crossed by rivulets, the city is characterised by a mix of industrial, commercial and residential development. Key climate change risks include increased frequency of hot days, extended heat waves, increased occurrence and intensity of bushfires and frequency of inundation along the Derwent River.
Addressing the theme/s of the Conference (up to 200 words recommended)
The paper introduces an approach to learning and teaching that explicitly addresses the sub theme navigating complexity and uncertainty, using a landscape architecture design studio as an example. The starting point of the studio – beyond anticipation asked students to move beyond precautionary approaches – or what is already known – towards an approach that was contextually grounded in place. Initial site investigations asked students to harness their intuitive-emotional intelligence to discern what ‘is’ rather than rely on what is already known and documented.
Part of a larger body of work the studio worked with a large scale, integrative design approach that does not distinguish between analysis and design but rather sees them as simultaneous and interwoven acts of a creative design process. In this way students were equipped to not only problem solve in situations of uncertainty and complexity they were also equipped to work empathically with what is, rather than impose a pre-determined program onto an existing community. The methods adopted in the studio are readily transferrable to other situations or contexts that require an understanding of how to work with complexity and uncertainty.