Future Landscapes Group 1

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Core Questions

Attention: this is a dynamic page list, the answers written in your case studies will appear automatically here. Do not edit this second paragraph.

In how far does this project reveal your concept of future landscapes?

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What is the role of landscape architecture in this project?

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Comparative Analysis

• Which major similarities and differences could you identify in those two case studies?

• Clemson- Natural processes and functions played an important concept of the Lanxmeer project. It valued sustainable initiatives en masse along with the design parameters while the Buffalo Bayou project sought to reclaim land for public use as the leading design characteristic. The synthesis of the Lanxmeer project sought to keep natural systems along the water radiating out in concentric layers of design and program that extending into the residential units. The entire planned area was to function as one sustainable operating unit, with sustainable features such as water reclamation, solar power and citizen input as a way to be included in this cutting edge sustainable development. The Buffalo Bayou in Houston was part of a drainage system that had been neglected for years and sought a more pragmatic approach for providing citizens with open space, with sustainable elements added during the design. Thus, the design of the Buffalo Bayou stops at its borders and does not incorporate a sustainable radius that citizens living in its vicinity feel they have to continue the sustainable trend. With this in mind, both projects stem outward from a water feature, which is suggestive of human nature being gravitated towards water. Awareness about the environment seems to stem from Buffalo Bayou by citizens witnessing it afterwards, while the Lanxmeer project had sustainable awareness going into its design parameters.

• Wageningen- The historical river and the high way infrastructure are the important base for the Buffalo Bayou Park. The recreation is the main function of the project which is in the dense urban area. People like there because the river side landscape and green area afford them the space for outdoor activities. However we get the opinion that place doesn't have the function of ecology. Because we have not seen any biodiversity of species of plants or animals there according to the pictures. And a lot of hard edges along the river are obviously unecological.In our opinion of future landscape the real ecology and sustinability are the main values. So the balance between nature and human should be respected. While in big city there is problem about in how far we can balance them.The restricted space and pressure under development are the key obstacles in creating ecological spaces. This project is good for recreation but not so ecological and sustainable.
• In comparison with EVA Lanxmeer project, the Buffalo Bayou park is more urban. They have different location, context and functions. Buffalo Bayou focuses much more on the recreation for citizens. While EVA Lanxmeer puts more attention on creating an environmental friendly community.

Please write your thoughts here

Synthesis and Outlook

• Clemson- One of the items that jumped at our group immediately was the phrase genius loci, highlighting the importance of the analysis that this group had taken into account. It is amazing to see all of the history in a site in the Netherlands when compared to that of the United States, with European settlement of our country spanning only a few short centuries when compared to millennia of documented history. The term in itself, genius loci refers that an extended amount of time has been allocated towards studying and taking into account all of the site’s context. It sounds much more studious than the term we usually use, which is site analysis. The forceful language of the history and dynamics asserts that the designer has designated both history and urban design by laying out key design elements of how the area was settled. Although the group highlighted in their case study the importance of public participation, it was interesting to see how an arbiter can be brought in to make executive decisions within this framework. The group highlighted in their second part how the public was brought in and consulted versus the second of these two public participation models. This was interesting to note as how we here in the United States only have a regulated charrette process which gauges public output but is formulated to keep the design process moving forward in an expeditious manner.

• Wageningen-The public participation in the EVA Lanxmeer is based on the a specific foundation with a lot of scientists and professional persons. The process of design includes a long term discussion and debating. Therefore every part of the design comes from deliberate thinking and supported by most future residents. Further, the people living there should sign a contact about the principle for the future eco living activities before they move there. So it is not only a design but a process from the creation of the concepts to the implementation of project and rules.

• We find the meanings of ecology and nature in the projects are quite different from those in EVA　Lanxmeer. We really like to know what is the idea of ecology and nature in your future landscape would be. In our views ecology is not only use the nature elements but make a place for an eco-system which can develope itself and find its own balance.

Presentation

You can find the presentation slides by the Clemson 1 - Wageningen Group here.

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