Landscape-based urbanism is considered to be an important
regional design
strategy that shapes the physical form of urban regions using the landscape as the basic condition. It is a transdisciplinary effort to safeguard sustainable and coherent development, to guide and shape changes which are brought about by socio-economic and environmental processes, and to establish local identity through tangible relationships to a region. This research aims to introduce landscape-based regional design and explores some backgrounds and approaches. Read more...
Deltaic and coastal areas are among the most promising regions in the world. At the same time, deltas face extreme vulnerability and multiple threats related to climate change and urbanization with increasing flood risk and loss of ecological and social-cultural values as a result. This research develops and explores spatial design strategies and principles that ensure water safety and inclusive socio-ecological design. Read more...
Designed heritage landscapes & gardens
Landscape heritage such as historical gardens and designed landscapes, but also estate landscapes, historical villages,
and cultural landscapes, face serious challenges such as abundance and shortage of water, spatial fragmentation, loss of biodiversity, urbanization, etc. This research focuses on the development of adaptive design strategies and principles to engage this heritage in future-proof landscape development. Read more...
Polder landscapes & vernacular water systems
Polders can be found in coastal and alluvial lowlands
all over the world. In these reclaimed areas water levels are artificially
controlled so people can live and work there. This often centuries-old
interaction between man and water has produced a rich variety of polder
landscapes. This research aims to expand the knowledge about and raise awareness of these flood-prone lowland cultural landscapes and their problematic condition of intensive cultivation and habitation, while providing reference points for policy making, planning and design from a landscape architecture perspective. Read more...
