Call for papers for the symposium

LANDSCAPE AS ARCHITECTURE

Istituto di Studi Urbani e del Paesaggio (ISUP)
Università della Svizzera italiana, Mendrisio, Switzerland

13th, 14th and 15th November 2024

Landscape architecture is a powerful tool for addressing issues that have generally been neglected in architectural research and practice until recently.
Innovative methodological approaches inherent to the multidisciplinary character of landscape architecture involve the consideration of time as a fundamental dimension in its conceptual framing, and a focus on exploring new ways of merging anthropic and natural systems rather than on the creation of new objects.

These characteristics may allow the transformative processes that are part of the continuous construction of human habitats to develop more ethical ways of engaging with and working towards the resolution of global issues.

In both practice and research, landscape architecture has produced new ideas and activated processes that address contemporary challenges in innovative ways, with some exemplary results.
We call on all those who, as researchers and as professionals in practice, can communicate such experiences.

Moving away from the classical format of presenting practices’ work, individual projects or portfolios we invite contributions from designers, planners and researchers reflecting on how landscape architecture addresses the major challenges of our society and contributes to the production of contemporary space.

The symposium aims to explore the following issues:

1. The approach of landscape architecture to climate change

2. Energy transition and energy landscapes

3. Water quality, availability and distribution

4. Social inequalities in access to water, food, space, and knowledge

5. Relation between the anthropic and the wild

6. Soil erosion and agricultural land abandonment. World hunger and productive capacity.

7. Mobility at all scales

8. Waste management and environmental contamination

9. Territorial continuity

   We welcome contributions that address these and other issues by focusing on the practices and dynamics at play in landscape design and production.

   Please submit abstracts (300 words and no more than 2 images) to isup@usi.ch by 31 May 2024.
   For those coming from abroad, a small level of financial support may be offered.