Landscape Concepts 2010

Seminar Focus and Concept

International student online‐seminar in Landscape Architecture: Concepts of Landscape

Landscapes are the physical manifestation of manifold forces and processes. Geology and climate shape them as well as changing human uses, regulations and values. In order to be able to develop visions and concepts for future landscapes, we need a well‐grounded understanding of these different forces and their correlation. This online Seminar aims at exploring some of these aspects. The international setting of the seminar will give additional insight in possible cultural similarities and differences of values, approaches and goals of landscapes and their development. Beside readings and guest lectures about different theories and concepts the students will analyse the landscape of their university town. All groups will follow the same assignments and format in order to get comparable results and discuss possible similarities and differences.

Useful links:

Learning Objectives

The seminar will add to a critical understanding of crucial aspects of landscape architecture. Along different assignments and interactive tools, the students will practice and enhance their methodological skill set and train communication and team work competences. The specific learning environment offers opportunities for an intercultural exchange with peers.

Seminar Structure and Contents

Joint online meetings with guest lectures, interactive tools and student presentations;
Individual work of teams as well as internationally mixed team work (discussion of readings, case studies and presentations);

Block I: Theories and Concepts of Landscape

2 online sessions with short student presentations, interactive tools and (guest)lectures

Block II: Reading the Local Landscape

2,5 online sessions with student presentations

Block III: Future Landscapes

1,5 online sessions with lecture, short student presentations and discussion

for more details, please see:

[http:// Detailed Structure and Course Schedule]
[http:// Minutes and Recordings]

Time Frame / Schedule

6 online meetings taking place from October 12 - November 23, 2010, Tuesdays from 6.30 - 7.30 p.m. CET in the LE:NOTRE Virtual Team Room
Your local time? See Time Zone Conversion
Please make sure to log in at least 10 mins before official starting time for appropriate soundcheck and questions so that we can start the session on time - with particular respect to our external speakers!!!
Optional work before and/or after online meeting time in individual groups.

Seminar Assignments, Requirements and ECTS

Working method according to "Student Case Study report"

This seminar has a regular scope of 2 ECTS. Participants are expected to attend the plenary sessions on a weekly basis and to collaborate and communicate efficiently in small group work between online seminar sessions. The core assignments are:

Overview of topics (details will be defined in individual assignments):

Assignment 1: 3 pictures representing the landscape of the individual university town (short online presentation)
Assignment 2: documentation and interpretation of transect from town center to edge along video, section, maps, …
Assignment 3: presentation of “good practice” examples for promising recent approaches in landscape development (internationally mixed teams – comparison of cases from two countries)

Note: Ultimate completion / improvement of all part assignments is expected until January 2011.

Participating Universities / Additional Target Group

Clemson University, USA – Doris Gstach
Edinburgh College of Art, UK – Simon Bell
Wageningen University, Land Use Group, Netherlands – Adri van den Brink
University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Austria - Britta Fuchs
University of Applied Sciences Nürtingen, Germany – Ellen Fetzer
Kassel University, Germany – Diedrich Bruns, Heike Kaiser

Advanced students of Landscape Architecture and related study fields (third year of Bachelor's program or Master‘s level) of LE:NOTRE/ LE:NOTRE Mundus member universities
The course language is English. Efficient skills in both speaking and writing are being presumed.
Good levels of independence and willingness to work in a group and to use the internet for communication are expected.
Guests from the professional field are very welcome!

How to take part?

Interested students send a letter of intent by e-mail before October 12, 2010 to Ellen Fetzer - email: ellen.fetzer(at)hfwu.de. Later registrations might be considered as well, but students should start in time to keep up with the overall short process. Depending on the level of interest, places may be limited. However, one student can act as a contact person for the seminar in case you want to participate as a student group.

Technological Requirements

stable internet connection (DSL)
PC or laptop with Windows operating system (or MAC with a different client)
headset (microphone and earphones)

registered participants will receive a link to the ViTeRo (Virtual Team Room) Program page for download

How to contribute as a speaker

plenary session in the LE:NOTRE members room

If you are contributing as a speaker in one of the plenary sessions you will be asked to prepare for a 20 - 30 minute presentation in the form of a slideshow (final: pdf file). Presentations are usually followed by a moderated discussion. Plenary sessions usually take 90 minutes (15 mins introduction, 30 mins presentation plus 30 - 45 minutes discussion).

Guidelines for presentations

Please consider the following aspects when you are preparing for a presentation:

Please avoid written information on the slides except for the most essential statement and questions. As you will be talking synchronously to the audience, there is absolutely no need to add much textual information on the slides.
Please add many visuals and use the space given. You may not add a number of small images on one slide. Use several slides, each with one image.
If you have questions to the audience (e.g. at the end in order to stimulate the discussion) you should visualise the question on the slide.
Please send your presentation in good time to the seminar coordinator (at least two days before the meeting). We then have the chance to propose changes or additions in order to make your presentation more suitable for a virtual classroom setting.

Contact and Organisation

Dipl.-Ing MAsc. Heike Kaiser

University of Kassel

Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Landscape Planning

Faculty of Landscape Planning / Land Use (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Diedrich Bruns)

email: heike.kaiser@gmail.com