Themes
Congress Theme: Landscapes in Transition
An aspect which most succinctly defines the contemporary world is change. The world’s ecological, economic, social, technological and cultural dimensions are changing and growing in complexity at an unprecedented rate. Landscape architecture is a discipline which has always acknowledged that the understanding of the dynamic nature of its methods and subject of inquiry (landscape) is central to its successful practice. The 49th IFLA World Congress Cape Town is an opportunity for the international landscape architectural fraternity (and all who have an interest in landscape), to interrogate the nature of landscapes in transition, and how an increased understanding thereof can be brought to moderate and exploit the potential and complexity of the changing world. The intention of the Congress is to inspire and empower all involved with the design, planning and management of the landscape through critical discussion, debate, inquiry and networking.
All landscapes are in various states of Transition, being changed by various forces and processes over time. Humankind inherited a world of natural processes and forces which created the landscapes that people first inhabited. Through dynamic interaction people have altered their environment by cultural practices which have in turn themselves been fundamentally shaped by the particularities of that environment. Three often referred to categories of landscape which arise from the dynamic relationship between humans and their environment are natural-, cultural- and urban landscapes.
Possible theme sessions:
- Design education and pedagogy
- Communication and visualisation
- Research, practice and design methodologies
- Landscape history and its role in landscape planning and design
- The nature of theory in landscape architecture
Sub theme 1: Natural landscapes in transition
Perhaps the most difficult landscape in transition to define is the natural landscape. Even the term ‘natural landscape’ is contested, with some questioning its legitimacy, preferring the term ‘wilderness landscapes’. This in itself is a reflection of changing cultural perceptions of the environment. The role of landscape architects in environmental planning is also in transition, with many other disciplines becoming increasingly involved in environmental planning, with not all landscape architects undertaking this type of work. However, natural landscapes are subject to change due to the forces of nature, and more recently, humankind’s latest and perhaps, first truly global impact, global warming. How are and can landscape architects influence these changing natural landscapes, and how is true sustainability achieved? The recent tsunami’s, increasing coastal storm events and sea level rise require fundamentally new ways of landscape architectural planning and design.
Possible sub theme sessions:
- Ecological planning, strategic environmental assessment, visual impact assessment
- Ecological rehabilitation, habitat restoration
- Sustainability principles, practices and test cases
Sub theme 2: Urban landscapes in transition
Trying to find the ideal balance between nature and culture as expressed in urban landscapes is perhaps one of our greatest challenges, if not our most frequent domain of interaction with the built environment. The legacy of modernism has often left us with cities that are hard, grey and lacking the natural system responsiveness which provides the open spaces which many people associate with nature. Of course, not all urban areas originated from gentle, green landscapes, particularly the desert landscapes of the central civilizations. The recent debate on the nature of landscape urbanism has triggered a reconsideration of the entire way in which landscape is viewed in the city. One of the strongest threads in landscape urbanist theory is the transitional nature of the urban landscape. The discourse of city design has changed considerably with the relation to landscape, and the design and planning of urban landscapes may as a result undergo radical transition in the near future. What is the role of landscape architecture in the transitional nature of the urban environment, and in what ways are new theories of urbanism (such as landscape- and ecological urbanism) changing this role?
Possible sub theme sessions:
- Green infrastructure, landscape infrastructure, ecological urbanism
- Landscape urbanism
- The productive urban landscape
- Landscape and the changing nature of transport
- Urban sustainability
Sub theme 3: Cultural landscapes in transition
Some of the most culturally charged landscapes are defined by their political and social natures. These political and social qualities are often in rapid and tumultuous transition. South Africa provides one of the best contexts in the world to interrogate the nature of the cultural landscape, its definition, design and representation. The rich political history of South Africa has provided the country’s landscape architects with opportunities to develop the methods and techniques of engaging with intangibles such as ‘memory’ in landscapes of transition. The agricultural landscape, as another form of cultural landscape, has had one of the most profound effects on the natural landscape, replacing it over time firstly with modest, low impact field footprints, to the extensive monocultures that we have come to associate with the contemporary landscape. Variations of agricultural landscapes have become associated with certain regions and peoples; rice, maize, wheat and the other major grain crops are examples. Until relatively recently agriculture has not been of primary concern to landscape architects. However, with the rising awareness of the ‘productive landscape’, agriculture (and an associated redefinition thereof) has been thrust into the heart of the discipline. The cultural landscape is by definition dynamic, contested and in a perpetual state of transition. How is the emerging understanding of the cultural landscape changing the way landscape is understood and designed?
Possible sub theme sessions:
- Defining cultural landscapes
- Landscape perception, environmental psychology
- Community participation
- Mapping and representation of the intangible landscape
- Urban agriculture
