The Role of landscape architecture in learning for sustainability

Abstract

It is not often that the Landscape Architect might think of him/herself as an educator, a teacher. Though they may create environments of experience, there are likely few who correlate that with learning. Whilst scholarship in Landscape Architecture has equipped the designer with the skills to create a learning environment, if those skills are not realised, they may be underutilised. At an increasing frequency academic work in the field of sustainability is focusing on the importance of education and the ways in which it can empower and equip people to achieve a sustainable future. Landscape Architects need to respond to this development and recognise another of their potentials; to design environments that support and encourage Learning for Sustainability. Through the identification of landscape attributes that influence learning, this thesis sets out to equip the Landscape Architect with an increased appreciation of their role in the cycle of education. The phenomenon of experience is the underlying feature of landscape-based learning. Accordingly, theories and practices employed by the designer that have foundations in experience and appear to affect Learning for Sustainability are explored. Also investigated are theories of education that focus on the phenomena of experience – theories that demonstrate possibilities for application in the designed landscape. Resulting from an extensive review of literature and the undertaking of two New Zealand based case studies, this thesis concludes with three key areas through which the Landscape Architect may positively influence Learning for Sustainability: the introduction of explicit learning cues to the landscape; the implementation of designs that support the implicit value of the landscape in learning; and consideration of the landscape user during the process of design.