Translations: Experiments in landscape design education

Abstract

How can students be taught an experimental approach to landscape design? New strategic planning tasks require more research-oriented design methods. Using the example of student work for a rural landscape in northern Denmark, this paper discusses landscape design as a process of translation. The landscape project is here essentially understood as spatial interventions aiming at unfolding inherent, place-specific development potential. Comprehending the landscape and dynamics of landscape change and formulating landscape projects thus becomes an integrated, creative process: A translation of an existing into a possible future landscape. Based on actor-network theory the paper outlines, first, a conceptual framework and, second, an educational procedure for landscape translation.