Observation and representation is a foundational subject in Landscape Architecture. Landscape design is a process shaped by the connections and interactions among designers, users, and the real world, where designers interpret the uniqueness, qualities, and milieu of sites they observed, understood, experienced, and reinterpret them into tangible elements to communicate and resonate with the users; where users also can experience and get empathized by the conveyed ideas or designed realities, as new observers. Designers' horizon and perception is subject to what they have sensed or learned, as well as individual consciousness and expertise, which also lay a foundation and define the tone of their design work. However, quite a few designers have immersed themselves with design stereotypes or been dogmatically pursuing "justice" or "equality," lacking critical thinking and inclusiveness and compromising creativity. This issue aims to explore the ways that help landscape architects: 1) see the scientism of design disciplines and explore the methodological principles of design generation; 2) translate and convey design ideas and emotional inspiration to the users with rich design vocabulary (in size, shape, material, proportion, composition, etc.) through multiple perceptual approaches; 3) read sites from economic, ecological, cultural, and other perspectives to present more convincing and appealing landscape narratives with the aid of emerging technological means; 4) understand various needs of all parties and stakeholders, coordinating interests and benefits and improving the utilization of public resources through landscape design; and 5) create educational places for improving the public's rational and aesthetic norms. Moreover, it hopes that this issue can demonstrate more possibilities of design thinking and methods through cross-disciplinary exchange to make landscape architects understand their roles and the realities better. For instance, in Art Theory "observation and presentation" is more about the logic, medium, and approaches of representation with a respect to individual interpretations on the society, economy, politics, and culture of the real world, which glows as a valuable reference and supplement to the circumstances of landscape architecture.
Desimini, Jill: - Jill Desimini is Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and teaches in the core studio sequence. Desimini is trained in landscape architecture and architecture, and has practiced professionally in both fields. Prior to joining the full-time faculty at the GSD, she taught in the second term core studio of the MLA Program at the GSD and at Northeastern University, School of Architecture. She was formerly Senior Associate at Stoss Landscape Urbanism, where she managed the firms efforts on the Lower Don Lands in Toronto, the Bass River Park on Cape Cod, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Her work has received numerous awards including a finalist entry in the Van Alen Urban Voids competition, a Narendra Juneja Medal and an ASLA certificate from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Selected Professions Fellowship from the American Association of University Women. She holds a Master of Landscape Architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Brown University.
Morabito, Valerio: - Valerio Morabito is Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Department of Landscape Architecture, and Professor at the Universita' Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria in Italy, Department of Architecture. He is in the scientific committee of TopScape international Italian Landscape Magazine. He has published many books such as The extended representation of Landscape (China), The Landscape Processes, and Landscape Accessibility.
Xiaoxuan, Lu: - Lu Xiaoxuan is an assistant professor in the Division of Landscape Architecture, where she teaches landscape history and theory, and design studios. She has practiced in the fields of architecture and landscape architecture at Turenscape in Beijing, West 8 in Rotterdam, Bjarke Ingels Group in Copenhagen, and SWA in Los Angeles.
Yu, Kongjian: - Doctor of Design, Harvard GSD; Fellow, American Academy of Arts and Sciences Dean, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University; and President and Principal Designer, Turenscape. Kongjian Yu has designed a huge amount of urban and landscape projects in China and has finished 15 publications during the last 20 years. He contributed to establish discipline and ensure the legal position of landscape architects in China.
