Assignment 2: Analysis of a landscape transect

Task

Assigned: Tuesday, October 19

Due: Monday, Nov. 8

The pictures you have made for assignment 1 gave a brief overview of the landscape of your university town. In a second step you will now take a closer look to get a more in depth understanding of the forces which ‘shaped’ the current landscape. To start your documentation and interpretation, walk a complete transect from the city/town center to the edge of the settlement and examine what you see. Beside a visual documentation, further background information is necessary, for example about ecological, social, cultural and economic aspects, design interventions, etc. which you can’t get with a visual examination. Looking back into the past of the landscape gives you additional insight into how and why the landscape has transformed over time.

Explore and analyze your landscape transect by making notes, taking pictures, and - very important - make video clips that document your walk. This can be done with a video camera or with the video function of your photo camera. Further review relevant literature about this landscape, browse the www, talk to people living in the area, etc.

Create a video that can illustrate the findings of your exploration. This should address the current state of the landscape, its change over time and an outlook to the future. Address what challenges this landscape faced over time. How did landscape architecture address them in the past, what approaches seem necessary for the future?

You will present your results in two forms: First you will show a video of your transect exploration. This should be able to illustrate the aspects you will focus on in your presentation afterwards. In this presentation (ppt or similar) you will underline your analysis and findings with maps, sections, diagrammatic drawings and other forms of documentation and interpretation.

Literature:

As a major reference for your analysis look at the following book:

Corner, James; MacLean, Alex S. 1996. "Taking measures across the American landscape". New Haven, Conn.: Yale Univ. Press.

Further literature which will help you with your reflection:

Jackson, John Brinckerhoff. 1980: "By way of conclusion. How to study the landscape" In: The necessity for ruins, and other topics, 113-126. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press.

Meinig, D. W.. 1979. "The Beholding Eye: Ten Versions of the Same Scene." In: The Interpretation of Ordinary Landscapes: Geographical Essays, edited by D. W. Meinig and John Brinckerhoff Jackson, 33-48. New York: Oxford University Press.

Meinig, D.W.. 1979. "Reading the landscape. An appreciation of W.G. Hoskins and J-B. Jackson." In: The Interpretation of ordinary landscapes: Geographical essays, edited by D. W. Meinig and John Brinckerhoff Jackson, 195-237. New York: Oxford University Press.

Sieverts, Thomas. 2003. Cities without cities. An interpretation of the Zwischenstadt. English language ed. London: Spon Press.

Deliverables:

7-10 minutes video, uploaded on youtube by Nov. 8 (Nov. 15 for Kassel students). Each student group is responsible to establish a youtube account and provide the seminar group with the internet address of the video as demonstrated AND additionally send the link to Heike heike.kaiser(at)gmail.com for illustration on seminar presentation slides

Please be aware: Uploading a video file of 10-15 minutes length can take up to a day! So take care to have your video done early enough to have it uploaded on time!

10 minutes presentation, including maps, sections, diagrams, pictures, etc.; please send your presentation (as ppt.zip or pdf) to Ellen ellen.fetzer(at)hfwu.de by Nov. 8 (Nov. 15 for Kassel students).

Evaluation criteria:

50% Content: depth of analysis and reflection; clearly communicated findings, creativity in the process of analysis, delivery of products assigned;
25% Communication of content: ability of the video and presentation to illustrate the major aspects of the analysis; structure/logical flow, written and spoken language;
25% Graphic quality: visual quality, organization, cohesiveness of layout, craftsmanship.

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