Academic portfolio-Xueyan Li 2020

DEMYSTIFY REMAINING TRACES IN THE LANDSCAPE

Reappropriate modern ruins with ecology and memory

The World in

DESIGN BIOGRAPHY About myself

Before entering the Landscape Architecture field, I was interested in mystery novels and movies. During my undergraduate period, I came across a waterfront industrial waste venue, where abandoned ships have been polluting the port. I was attracted by modern ruins and inspired to recreate the industrial past of the place. During my first year studying at the University of Edinburgh, I was involved in the Granton Walled Garden studio (GWG). This project prompted me to

reconsider the relationship between humans and nature. I once thought that humans are the subjects of the planet while landscaping is to restore and beautify the environment. However, in continuous learning and selfreflection, I recognised that non-humans and humans are equal communities in the ecosystem. As a landscape architect, I consider it my priority to get to know the site thoroughly and observe what has happened and is happening to discover its distinctive

potential. My position is getting clearer gradually which is ‘Respect’: respect for the landscapes around me, for nature, for life. I have always kept sensitivity to the place, materiality and culture, giving my projects a genuine sense of place. My work is to condense and reorganise information, and then convey the spiritual core of the venue. In the future, I will continue to improve my analytical skills, which are the basis of ‘respect’. After graduation, I hope to work in design planning or consultation, especially in the concept generation phase. I am keen to work in a creative design studio and go further with 'respect' and 'sensitivity'.

1 My exploring eye and the tree Photography, Xueyan Li, 2020 1

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE RUINS

Modern ruins demystified through the lens of humanity

2 Project context mapping

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

My research project is based in Glasgow, Scotland, UK, along River Clyde. Glasgow is a city with an intense industrial atmosphere. The Industrial Revolution led to the development of industry, particularly shipbuilding. The thriving shipbuilding and heavy industry were

extremely damaged after World War I. Factories were demolished extensively, while modern ruins and pollution were left behind. The two most notable ruins are Govan Graving Docks (GGD) and King George V Dock (KGVD). Modern Glasgow has been transforming the economy, introducing

commerce, manufacturing and technology. The ruins are like fragments of history as evidence of the city's pollution, becoming out of place in the constantly renewed city. Ruins are regarded as confusing, unsettling and destined to be contradictory. If viewed negatively, they are ghosts that produced pollution; if look with appreciation, the ruins have an air of serenity and solitude. These post-industrial sites have the potential to become places of cultural production, revived in the modern urban fabrics (Lorimer and Murray, 2015).

Previously famous and vital things become irrelevant as new objects are constantly being created, and the fragments of industrial culture reveal the fragility of the social order. When the forgotten things of the past come back to view, it evokes our memories of that time in an outdated style (Edensor, 2005). I believe that respecting, re-examining and preserving modern ruins is valuable for society and the environment. Landscape architects can guide and optimise how people communicate with ruins.

Sonya Atalay is an Indigenous archaeologist, and she introduced the concept of 'Braiding Knowledge' to community archaeology.

Atalay (2012) recognizes how knowledge is inherently multi-sited and that sites hold multiple narratives. ‘Only as these narratives and places are read as braided together can we begin to build upon the deep complexities of place, place-making and culture.’

In landscape architecture, some designers rush into zoning and designing before they have dissected and understood the full complexity of the site. The phenomenon goes against the principle of respecting the landscape, and although the design outcome could be effective and skilful, the sense of place is missing. It is why I advocate it is vital to interpret the site before the design begins.

‘BRAIDING KNOWLEDGE’

By drawing these sketches, I quickly figured out my design principles. A place is complicated and it is essential to observe the visible and invisible clues. I find it helpful to cover a wide range of disciplines and knowledge and increase the breadth of thinking about design. I would associate the lines on the dock with the dragging of the ships along with ways of reusing them. Keep

asking myself why and activate my design motivations.

Frank Oppenheimer, a physicist, said ‘Scientists and artists are the world’s noticers. Their job is simply to notice what other people cannot' (Carletti, 2016). Artists have a similar mission and so do designers.

3 Braiding knowledge in King George V Dock Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

4 The difference between artists and others Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

CONCEPT DRAWING

This montage shows the point of interest of my project with the KGVD as a backdrop. This area was densely populated with factories previously, bringing in pollution. The mottled, rough and rusty materials imply an industrial past. The sensory interaction with materiality evokes memories and imagination. Textiles and shipbuilding once flourished in Glasgow, and the neighbouring Scottish town Paisley was the centre of the textile industry, with

a strong textile culture. The project aims to introduce plants to modern ruins and improve biodiversity.

By drawing this image, I have learned how to refine my interest points of research into graphic symbols and assemble them to create a strong visual impact on the audience. In modern social contexts, there are still many such forgotten spaces in the urban fabrics that are outdated but have great potential.

5 Recalibrate drawing Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

Past to present

The site is now stacked with Vestas wind turbine tower elements to provide renewable energy. The floor surfaces are corroded, damaged and ponded with water. The overall environment is cluttered and the modern equipment does not fit in the site. The distinctive industrial atmosphere was submerged. The site is inaccessible to visitors and the huge space is single-functional, disconnected from its surroundings by dense vegetation. There is a collision between the old and the new, the vitality and silence.

In 1936, the dock had been built for only five years. The west side was still farmland without commercial buildings such as Braehead shopping centre, IKEA or the belt woodland adjacent. The east of the dock was vacant land and was not occupied by industry then. Across the riverbank were always factories. There was less vegetation then than now, and less pollution from industrial and commercial activities.

8 King George V Dock Photography, Xueyan Li, 2022

6 King George V Dock aerial map Image, Google Earth, 2022

7 King George V Dock, Shieldhall, Glasgow. Photography, Canmore, 1936

The changes between 2002 and 2005 were mainly the expansion of the hard surface on the northeast side into industrial use. Surrounding commercial structures were increased, such as car sales outlets.

Between 2005 and 2006 the north-western of the hardscape continued to expand, the road next to Woodland developed and infrastructures including a football field and a bistro were subdivided in the south-western area. There is a piece of tree missing from the woodland.

The commercial demand expanded further with new commercial buildings and car parks

9 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 12/2002

10 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 04/2005

11 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 12/2006

12 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 05/2009

13 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 05/2020

14 King George V Dock satellite map Image, Google Earth, 07/2021

15 Fieldwork sequential photos Photography, Xueyan Li, 2022

to the south of IKEA between 2006 and 2009. One of the sheds on the dock was demolished. A waste station has appeared on the land along the river.

By 2020 the block on the east end of the dock had been demolished, becoming unmanaged and unoccupied. The piles of waste at the north end were cleared.

By 2021, the structure at the northern disappeared. Some Vestas wind turbine tower elements appear on the dock, which shows the demand for renewable energy and carbon reduction.

Sequential photos show the current condition. The chimney structures towering within the eastern land have become historical landmarks. This field is under construction with some discarded boards and steel materials stacked inside. The dock is separated from the city by the belt of woodland. The industrial area and remains of the opposite bank can be seen from the green space along the river, which is also hydrophilic, with natural topography and vegetation.

Both photographs are views of the industrial area on the opposite side of the river, in 2011 and 2022 respectively. The crane has always been there and has acted as a landmark. The factories and remains have changed slightly and the industrial atmosphere is still pretty strong.

16 Industrial heritage on the opposite side of the river Photography, Google Earth, 2011.

17 Industrial heritage on the opposite side of the river Photography, Xueyan Li, 2022.

Treib said 'Like memory itself, the study of memory resembles an onion with its countless layers to be peeled away in search of its core.’ Our excavation of history and memory is meaningful, especially before intervention. Ruins and eroded environments have an evocative power to evoke memories and imagery, and the concept of ruins is employed to postpone the fading of memories. Romanticism suggests that ruins imbue the landscape with a sense of history and value (Treib, 2009). Architecture and landscape are in a way constituted by memory. As people visit, they can imagine their relationship to the place and perceive what once happened there. In terms of Treib, 'places' are spaces

that allow people to remember, imagine and think. These are areas that can resonate with associations and make people feel pleasant. The experience of a place will evoke visits, memories or expectations we already had, along with images and descriptions we have come across in books or on the Internet, which all come to mind for comparison. The memory is based on the public's shared understanding of a particular place. Our task as designers is to construct forms and relationships in which people move and engage in landscapes, think about how to attract and direct the audience's attention and find ways to make places memorable.

Every place has a story to tell. People's connections to places evolve, as told via stories. They assist in transforming environments into lived-in places that are rich in meaning and value (Ball-Rokeach, Kim and Matei, 2001). Stories can help communities express their collective attachments, hopes, and goals for their everyday spaces, encouraging active engagement in processes aimed at imagining alternative futures (Sandercock, 2003).

This sketch shows my thinking about the relationship between space and place. The space becomes alive with memory elements and is enriched by personal emotions.

'Memory’ is a pretty subjective entity: some decision-makers probably assume that it is ambiguous or subjective to translate memory into impactful approaches within urban design. I acknowledge the subjectivity, but it provides a cultural grounding and a point of penetration for design. I am endorsed by designs embedded in memory and oppose projects without respect for history and culture. I always maintain sensitivity to the memory of the landscape and sensitivity to culture. My goal is to give the site a real sense of place.

‘SPATIAL RECALL: MEMORY IN ARCHITECTURE AND LANDSCAPE’

3 Memory and Space

ROME’S MILLENNIA OF “MODERN RUINS”

CASE STUDIES

Rome's

Alexander Robinson's use of sketches to depict myths is like a clue board for a crime mystery, where clues are unearthed and shown to be connected.

I was motivated by his actions and wanted to do a detective-like investigation of my project and extract the most valuable clues. I learned

from his quick expressions to show my thoughts.

Below are sketches he made during the project to show the dynamic system of the site and are great ways to fast express design ideas.

20 A sketch illustrating the myths surrounding the Tiber River in Rome.

Image, Alexander Robinson, 2018

19 A storyboard sketch of the Tiber’s progression through time.

Image, Alexander Robinson, 2018

Millennia of "Modern Ruins" is a landscape project about the modern ruins of the Tiber River in Rome.

The poster is an exploration of memories. I searched for interviews and narratives of people who once worked in or lived near the River Clyde. I found two figures who were both welders in Glasgow shipyards. They are outstanding representatives of the resilient spirit of the working class.

Robert Fullerton is a Scottish poet. He began crafting poems while working at the shipyard, finding his dark, solitary days provided the 'perfect thinking laboratory' for mining words (Callum, 2015). Billy Connolly was initially a

folk singer after his leave from the shipyard, and then a stand-up comedian. He said, "Without the shipyards, I would never have been a comedian."

Time in the age of industrial activities was rigid, while the resilience of the working class brought vitality to the darkness. In the KGVD project, I wanted to present the audience with a story based on these memories to represent a counter to the rigid time and the contemporary.

I have developed a deeper understanding of the local context through this work. I believe that exploring memories can be the foundation and source of inspiration for a landscape architect's projects. However, this approach is subjective and not always understandable to everyone.

21 Memory exploration Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

These sketches are my thoughts on the landscape installations. I wanted to fast estimate the scale and proportions of these spaces to mimic how people would interact and perceive each of them. I intended to use heavy materials such as iron and concrete in conjunction with the place's memory to bring about a sense of peace and calm, counter to the industrial era's succumbing to the rigidity of time.

By drawing these diagrams, I realised that when translating ideas into a design strategy, it is sensible not to be overly figurative and straightforward, to be mysterious and to leave room for reverie, which makes a landscape place artistic. Nevertheless, artificial landscapes that inspire memory and imagination have the subjective flavour of the landscape architect, sometimes are difficult to be defined as good or bad.

22 Installations/nodes diagrams to evoke memory Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

23 Viewing platform sketches

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

24 Three-dimensional analysis

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

25 Viewing platform area section

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

There are continuing industrial activities and industrial relics on the opposite bank, which provides an excellent opportunity to recall the industrial past.

The double viewing balcony is my attempt based on the original topography. The sketches are tools to quickly record my ideas while the renderings are targeted at communicating the designed spatial experience to the audience.

This strategy is subjective as I am not sure that the viewers will associate with what I have set out to create and they possibly won't understand my intentions. I believe it is wise to respect the original topography and minimise the intervention in some landscape projects. Some landscape architects and audiences, by contrast, assume that design is about moving earthwork and that it is only effective if notable changes have been undertaken. In my view, respect for the earth is the basis of a good design.

26 'Enframed scenery' rendering Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

27 'Dark space' rendering Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

28 'Welding helmet' rendering Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

29 Viewing balcony rendering Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

30 kaleidoscope installation sketch

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

31 Artificial fog sketch

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

32 Rudder square sketch

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

33 Sound collectors sketch

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

34 Ruin Garden masterplan

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

Govan graving docks are industrial relics that feature prominently in shipbuilding and have been left neglected for decades. These sketches represent my thoughts on the recall of shipbuilding-related memories, including the creation of various sensorial experiences.

The interactive installations will undoubtedly be interesting, but on the other hand, they may be incomprehensible. They fit in small-scale gardens, but not so much in urban designs. Others argue that new technologies will destroy the crumbling beauty of the ruins. I hold the view that respecting the specificity of different sites is a vital element in landscaping while design won't satisfy everyone.

35

FILM: "MODERN RUIN: A WORLD'S FAIR PAVILION"

36 Modern Ruin: New York World's Fair Pavilion

Photography, Philip Johnson, 2014

37 New York World's Fair Pavilion in the present day

Photography, Silva's Kickstarter, 2014

38 New York World's Fair Pavilion

Photography, Philip Johnson, 2014

The film tells the story of the Pavilion from the glory days, going through the 50 years of neglect, up to contemporary advocacy. It is to raise public awareness and re-imagination of Flushing Meadows Corona Park and lead to its regeneration.

The producer Matthew Silva says, “It would be a shame if its story ended in demolition. The dreamers see beyond the cracks, rust, and neglect to a thriving community space that will serve New Yorkers for generations” (Matthew, 2015).

Glasgow's industrial past is a precious heritage of the city, which deserved to be re-examined and integrated into modern society with new forms of existence.

The conservation of modern ruins is ultimately the preservation of culture. Public attitudes to ruins are diverse. The design and transformation of ruins are constantly under public scrutiny and the public perception is a risk, which is stressful and challenging for landscape architects.

Cover of "MODERN RUIN: A WORLD'S FAIR PAVILION"

Image, Matthew Silva, 2015

PLANT ADVOCACY & PLANET GUARDIANS

Landscape planning and stewardship in Sustainability perspective

1 Background

During the MLA1 period, I was working in the studio of the GWG, in Edinburgh, where Granton Castle stood on a rocky outcrop above the coast in 1479. The garden later survived the disaster and was bought by the local market gardener to supply local produce. Nowadays, the Castle Garden is managed by local volunteers.

Based on the unique history and its functions today, I have tried to strengthen the position of non-humans in this project. The damage and disasters that the gardens have suffered are disturbing, while the involvement of humans and non-humans brings vitality and counter. I have created a 'LIVE GARDEN', a living, dynamic place where they have a stage, growing with freedom.

These are three performance spaces in the garden, with performers such as the old castle, the plants, butterflies and birds. These performances can be played without an audience, and the plants and animals do not need to please humans. Fairness and freedom are the central spirits of the garden.

I used to think that landscapes were to serve humans, so I reflected more from the human perspective on plantings, such as ornamental

features. Owing to the GWG project, I have developed an advanced understanding of the relationship between humans and nonhumans in landscape architecture. In the KGVD project, I have stuck to the idea that humans and non-humans are equal. I consider the plants themselves in terms of whether it is a suitable place for them to grow, whether they can fulfil their ecological value and what species they will attract.

39 Granton Walled Garden concept Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape architecture design: Context and Grounding, 2020

40 Performance spaces sketch Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape architecture design: Context and Grounding, 2020

In Environmental Ethics, the debate about Anthropocentrism and NonAnthropocentrism has always existed. The general meaning of Anthropocentrism is the belief that only humans are worthy of ethical consideration while other things are merely means to ends for humans (Callicott 2006).

ANTHROPOCENTRISM

Anthropocentrism as an ideology that grants humans the privilege of being superior to nature is egoistic. In modern social contexts, most theorists are in opposition to this theory. They argue that Anthropocentrism is selfish and cruel to non-humans, revealing the unsustainability of the social environment and the unethical treatment of non-humans (Kopnina et al, 2018). However, there are also supporters of this view. Norton's (1984) convergence theory, which argues that the needs of humans and the environment are aligned and that maintaining the environment

for the material benefit of humans is the most powerful motivation to protect nature, coincides with the egoistic standpoint on environmental protection. Hayward, on the other hand, argues that humans can start by caring for themselves before caring for other creatures. The ability of humans to live in peace with themselves and love themselves more will have a positive impact on other species (Hayward, 1997).

I suppose that humans are ultimately dependent on nature and Anthropocentrism

41 Abandoning Anthropocentrism Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

will always drive people to pursue 'humandominated' construction projects, causing damage to the ecological environment. Ecocentrism should be advocated in the future, respecting life and proposing equity in life.

Some landscape architects advocate projects that prioritise human preferences. In my opinion, we as landscape architects have a mission to spread a 'respect for nature' stance in society, and landscaping is our tool and medium.

2 The interweaving of plants and ruins

The left photograph was taken at the Govan Graving Docks, a site that has been left neglected for years. Photos at the right are plants with ruins details. The plants on the ruins grow wildly and evolve on their own, forming a stable and interesting ecosystem. The plants possess a more wild and unrestrained beauty than the well-tended plants in parks.

42 Govan Graving Docks Photography, Xueyan Li, 2022

43 Plants with ruins in Govan Graving Docks Photography, Xueyan Li, 2022

In the post-industrial field, the modern ruins are stable and decay at a pretty slow rate, while the plants are dynamic, changing all year round, every day and night, and their combination is a fantastic collision.

Plant communities that emerge naturally in abandoned post-industrial areas evolve in unusual settings, resulting in distinct community assemblages. Cities are dynamic systems, properties may become abandoned over time and then colonised by plants with little or no human intervention (Del Tredici, 2010). Vacant property may have the potential to develop green spaces that sustain biodiversity and ecosystem functions in some circumstances (Robinson and Lundholm, 2012; Bonthoux et al., 2014). The Govan Graving Docks is an excellent example. It has been in an unmanaged and unmaintained status for decades. People would probably be surprised at the tolerance of the life on it, that not only survived but even flourished in infrastructures of human disturbance.

When people face modern ruins, they are confronted with a layer of chaos, where history and modernity, stability and change are interwoven. Some argue that plants on the ruins should be cleared away because they contain many extremely vigorous weeds that tend to interfere with the introduction of other new species. I suppose that we need to be critical of these wild natures. These weeds are two-sided that can be positive or negative. They can function as resources for humans, or they will hinder the use of the resources, or both attributes co-exist (Bubandt and Tsing, 2018). As landscape architects, it is meaningful to research dynamic landscapes and make decisions about retention, removal and introduction through field surveys to sort out the confusing and overlapping site layers.

As shown in the drawing below, for the KGVD project, I have chosen to retain most of the woodland vegetation. At the same time, removal and introduction were made to vitalise the forest and increase biodiversity.

44 Plants with ruins in King George V Docks

Photography, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

45 Plant transformation in woodland in King George V Docks

Photography, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

In recent years, special attention has been paid to the conservation of endangered animals while neglecting the fact that plants are also facing a similar crisis.

The world is facing a biodiversity crisis. Biodiversity can usually be interpreted as a multitude of plants, animals and microscopic organisms. The contribution of plants to the ecological environment is enormous. They absorb carbon dioxide, regulate the climate, conserve water and soil, reduce noise, and continue to benefit both humans and nature, so it is urgent to protect plant species.

The UN Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Goal 15 Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2021) is Life on land. It said ‘Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and

reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.' It represents a further increase in human awareness of ecological conservation and enhancement of species. Pollinators provide immense benefits to nature and humans. The introduction of pollinators is a method of increasing ecological connectivity in the landscape.

For the KGVD project, the overall principle of planting is to select native species as far as possible, prioritising ecological value over aesthetic value. Non-native ornamental plants have become popular in suburban settings in recent years, and they are not identified as a danger to biodiversity because they are mostly ornamentals with no invasive characteristics. However, native plants are more beneficial to biodiversity.

The collage on the right illustrates the biodiversity crisis. We are facing global warming as the planet is like melting ice cream. If we do nothing, both plants and animals will be on the verge of decline and extinction.

3 Conservation and enhancement of species

In the KGVD project, I created multidimensional connections to the surrounding urban fabrics, the most prominent of which is the ecological connection.

I took advantage of the ecological resources of the surrounding Victoria Park and Cardonald Park by connecting them to the site to enhance the species.

Victoria Park is rich in bees on the opposite bank of River Clyde, so I proposed an invisible corridor for pollinators and created a garden as a crucial point of connection. I proposed a green corridor between Cardonald Park and the site to allow for the communication of species with the woodland. At the same time, I identified existing species and protected them to the fullest and introduced new species that get on well together.

Some landscape architects select plants because they are beautiful. From my perspective, a significant point of landscape design is planning on a broad scale, especially at the ecological layer, rather than partial beauty and delicacy, so the selection of plants should be considered more comprehensively.

47 Multi-dimentional connections

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

48 Garden detailed plan

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

49 Ecological connection diagram

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

4 Planting and Stewardship

The Planetary Garden and other writings

Gilles Clément imagines the whole planet as a garden, with humans as its guardians, responsible for looking after its complexity and the biodiversity. The 'planetary garden' is a way of thinking about ecology as the integration of people — the gardeners – into the tiniest regions of the globe. Its guiding idea is founded on the 'garden in motion' principle: do the most for, the minimum against. Gardeners in 'planetary gardens' value diversity and allow species to thrive. They don't want to keep things tidy; instead, they want to maintain life by employing their abilities to support health and human harmony.There are no terrible

weeds for the gardener, just weeds that are in the wrong place (Clément, 2015). Clément suggests that The garden must maintain a zone of uncertainty, a zone of nonintervention that is diversified and large enough to regenerate as soon as the need arises. Nature offers alternate solutions to evolution's continual reorientations on its own (Clément, 2015, p36).

The book made me reflect on the relationship between humans and nature and how humans maintain nature. I have preserved the species in the existing woodland and planting areas of the KGVD site, keeping them wild instead of limiting their possibilities for future development.

This montage demonstrates that the Planet is a garden, constantly gifting precious benefits to humans and non-humans, with humans as the gardeners, guarding the planet. Creatures on the planet interact and connect.

GARDEN IN MUSÉE DU QUAI BRANLY - JACQUES CHIRAC

CASE STUDIES

Gilles Clément developed this garden for the Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac in France, which is part of the museum. Gilles Clément intended this garden to be a land of freedom for plants, in contrast to the disciplined French gardens. Here, nature flourishes under the guidance of the gardeners. There are no pesticides or herbicides: "weeds" are welcome, and there are no tropical plantations that require expensive

and polluting maintenance. The garden is an "invitation to travel": walkways, little hills, river stone-paved paths, basins suitable for meditation and reverie (Garden exploration Guide, n.d.).

I aimed to establish a more comfortable and balanced relationship between humans and non-humans, creating more connected habitats. I appreciate the free growth of plants that grow without careful care and have an unintentional beauty. I want to advocate plants at different scales, from small scale waterfront gardens to large scale entire dock areas, following a consistent nature-based planting principle.

Stewardship in Landscape Architecture

as "taking responsibility for and management of the landscape through master planning, design, recycling, conservation, regeneration, and restoration" (AILA, 2013). In today's world, stewardship can represent a variety of things, including serving and managing. It entails keeping track of the large-scale interactions between natural and cultural systems (Weller, 2014).

The stewardship hypothesis is related to the current global biodiversity crisis.

Richard Weller discusses the significance of stewardship in the contemporary context and the extent to which landscape architects are involved in the stewardship process. It is also supported by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA), which defines it

The diagram above shows how I envision the KGVD to appear in 2047-2077, with the design and ongoing stewardship the site will be nicely absorbed into the urban fabric then. There is less industrial land and more commercial land and green space, and the site's surroundings will become more ecologically sustainable.

52 Dynamic system process masterplan fourth phase Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

FABRICS & MATERIALITY

Exploration and application of materials through the lens of history

1 Sustainability of Materiality

Materiality is directed toward the future, whereas matter moves from the "past to present" (Herrington, 2017).

The possibility of the future development of materiality is vital within the dynamic character of the landscape. Materiality is the tangible matter with which people interact long after a design project has been done. Materials are touched, walked on, and sat on, and predicting the specific experiences

that arise from these interactions is typically a significant goal for designers (Herrington, 2017). Some landscape architects work on projects that only consider the current effect and choose materials that are beautiful but not durable, which get worse and worse as the years pass by. I suppose that we should study dynamic systems that span the time from now until even the time when we no longer exist in this world.

The montage is to convey the information that the materials will continue to change long after the design is completed, even beyond the lifespan of a person. They will constantly interact with humans in different contact forms.

53 Multi-sensory interaction with Materiality Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

HARBOUR QUARTER SQUARE

CASE STUDIES

Using rough and reclaimed materials, the project beautifully embraces the industrial environment. It is an excellent answer to the question of how the port and all its features can become a cultural/artistic area, providing a place for various events and festivals. Along the dock, the surface is made up of black precast concrete slabs, pink painted pictograms, reused bricks, and a patchwork of natural stone (Harbour Quarter Square by REDscape, 2016).

The project captured the materiality pretty well. It is a similar context to the KGVD project, both of which are harbour renovations. From this case, I have learned how to play with materials and integrate modern elements to make the site in harmony with its surroundings while retaining distinctive industrial characteristics.

The drawing at the left illustrates the fieldwork of materiality at the KGVD site. The investigation of materiality gives an insight into the overall atmosphere of a place.

The diagram on right depicts the remains and materials of the GGD site. These contaminated and eroded materials indicate the history associated with the shipbuilding industry.

55 Materiality in King George V Dock Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

56 Materiality in Govan Graving Docks Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

57 Fieldwork collage in Govan graving docks Photography, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

58 Fieldwork collage surrounding Govan graving docks Photography, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 1, 2021

59 Embedding imagination into materials in the landscape Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

2 Material considerations and metaphors

Objects in ruins eventually change their nature due to degradation and nonhuman intervention. They are imbued with alternate aesthetic characteristics and impose their materiality on visitors' sensory perceptions. Ruined matter provides other ways of connecting with the material world in these ways (Edensor, 2005). "Material Culture is the unpacking or mining of both historic and everyday objects to find the embedded ideas and concepts that define the surrounding society," says Joyce Hill Stoner, a professor of Material Culture (2008). Materials in material culture have the potential to interpret, to

communicate discourses such as the thoughts or motivations of the people or non-humans who shaped the landscape. Materials are great mediums for shaping the spatial experience. According to the whims of fashion and status, things in ruins can be reclaimed as useful or desired again, according to Michael Thompson (1979), which prompted me to consider recycling materials.

Some visitors or designers argue that hint by materials is vague and subjective, not as clear and accessible as graphics. Some designers follow trends and use currently fashionable materials but not appropriate for the site. In my view, the materials provide opportunities for diverse interactions in a way that design patterns cannot. It is when our multiple sensors are activated simultaneously that the understanding of the site becomes deep and thorough.

The montage is to convey that the materials in landscapes embody the creativity and understanding of the humans or non-humans who create them. Materialistic games are also controversial in Landscape Architecture.

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

61 Remaining traces and material recycling

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design Exploration Part 2, 2022

The diagram above illustrates the main material types I have selected for the KGVD project, with both stone and concrete reclaimed from the site. Corten steel was to highlight the industrial atmosphere while Oak timber was to respond to the ship deck material.

The drawing below reveals the remaining traces in the landscape. It has given me a solid foundation to play with materials in my work. I recycled materials from some of the demolition areas and transferred them to other areas within the site, including concretes, stones and trees.

60 Material list of King George V Dock

62 Deck platform detailed plan

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design

Exploration Part 2, 2022

63 Flower bed details

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design

Exploration Part 2, 2022

64 Deck platform details

Drawing, Xueyan Li, Landscape Architecture Design

Exploration Part 2, 2022

DECK PLATFORM MATERIALS

Ideveloped a double viewing balcony on the waterfront to watch the industrial relics across the river. The material selected for the deck is mainly Oak, as it is the most frequently used timber in the shipbuilding industry. The deck tends to create different visual experiences at different levels of a ship. The corten steel benches and flower beds on the deck echo the industrial atmosphere. The materiality of the vegetation has been reinforced by preserving the existing plant species and introducing native species.

The drawings at right illustrate the construction details of the deck. In Landscape Architecture, CAD works are typically applied to express construction details, including the types of materials and the structure of joints. Their target audience is builders, and they function as the bridge between the designer and the building team. Sketches are more of a reflection of the designer's own thinking and iteration. Design drawings are generally aimed at the clients and the public. I believe that it is essential to master different categories of drawing skills, which help us to communicate ideas more thoroughly.

The heavy concrete and rough steel embrace the industrial environment. Recycled timber as deadwood contributes to biodiversity. These materials are employed to produce a sense of peace counter to the dullness of industry.

These materials are environment-friendly and will not exacerbate the current climate crisis, including for decades to come. I believe that our obligation as landscape architects is to safeguard the planet and do what we can with our expertise and efforts to respond to the ecological crisis.

66 'Dark space' material selection Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

65 'Enframed scenery' material selection Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

67 'Welding helmet' material selection Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

THE WORLD IN RUINS

The social and cultural significance of the renovation of the ruins

Modern ruins are precious assets for cities because they carry history and the memory of generations. They seem out of place when they meet the new era and it is a great pity to exclude them from the city. It, therefore, makes sense for us to do some renovations to bring them back, and landscape architects are the ones more capable of doing this.

In the future, King George V Dock will become a cultural card for Glasgow and a constant reminder of this once glorious industrial past. The proposal will provide an idea for the regeneration of modern ruins worldwide, and evoke a re-examination of these ruins and contemporary ecology.

68 Protecting modern ruins, guarding the planet in ruins Drawing, Xueyan Li, 2022

REFERENCES

IMAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY