Hybrid Landscapes European landscapes find themselves in processes of ongoing transformation and urbanization and can be characterized by a long tradition of design and redesign. This semester will especially address the consequences of climate-change for the landscapes of the European delta’s. The question is how the water system can be modernized in such a way that both urban and rural areas become more sustainable. The contemporary urban landscape and, in particular, the Dutch Delta landscape can be understood as the result of transformation of both natural and cultural landscapes. Critical knowledge and creative interpretation of this process of transformation is confronted with present-day urban forms in order to understand, to manage and to redesign the complexity of space. Theory course: Composition and Strategy in urban landscapes In a series of lectures the research programme of the chair of Landscape Architecture will be presented and confronted with the actual discussion of the Urban Landscape. Guest speakers will provide input for the design programme based on innovated interdisciplinary agricultural research and give an insight on the development of the social impact of landscape architectonic designs over the last 500 years.
Methodology course: Design with History In a series of methodological different design experiments students will learn about the rich differentiation in cultural landscape topographies and their programmatic flexibility. Landscape in most European countries is the result of a rural occupation and colonization process, both with planned and unplanned characteristics. We will analyse physical schemes, patterns and structures and modify them carefully to accommodate new programmatic requirements. Technology course: Sustainability and Design In this course the understanding of the ecology system and its translation into a spatial expression will play an important role. Students will analyse regional and urban water systems in their home country and compare them with the situation in the Netherlands. The technique and design of many water structures from all over the world will be listed and analysed in a systematic way. Prof. dr. ir. Clemens Steenbergen Ir. Inge Bobbink