Other populations

It cannot be understated that biodiversity loss is the single biggest enviromental crisis of our time. The design disciplines are well poised to advance research (through both word and image) that both raises awareness of this problem and more importantly - at many scales - provides habitat and habitation for more than human populations.
Landscape thinker Richard Weller aptly describes the situation for us: “Animals are conspicuously absent in landscape architecture; the field has placed a priority on plants…”. In his works, historian Kevin Klosterwill notes that some early writings on landscape practice and theory acknowledge the presence of animals in the landscape, such as Humphrey Repton’s addition of cattle to a landscape scene; or sheep to Central Park.

This lecture has two parts. First, to briefly survey some of the most provocative landscape work - both speculative and built - from the last decade or so that inclusively designs for animals, from mammals to fish to bird insects. Second, to speculative about how design and design thinking can interact with these concerns, foregrounding my work on a selection of habitat dioramas in the American Museum of Natural History.

Speaker:

• Julia Czerniak - Professor of Landscape Architecture Syracuse University, Syracuse USA.

Moderator:

• Bianca Maria Rinaldi - Politecnico di Torino.

For more information contact: andrea.vigetti@unito.it