How is "success" defined and evaluated in landscape architecture – A collective case study of landscape architecture performance evaluation approaches in New Zealand

Abstract

This study examines landscape performance evaluation practices in New Zealand by analysing a representative set of evaluation cases using a “sequential” case study approach. The aim is to map the methodological terrain and understand how “success” is defined and assessed in these evaluations. This study identifies different evaluation models, including goal, satisfaction, and norm models, and explores the evaluation methods employed. This study also reveals a correlation between funding sources and evaluation outcomes, with stakeholder-funded evaluations more likely to yield positive results. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive evaluations that adopt appropriate and sufficient models and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration for robust evaluation practices.