Landscape and urban designed experiments

Landscape designers increasingly draw on ecological knowledge to inform the sustainability and resilience aspects of their projects.  However, they are confronting gaps in the understanding of urban ecosystems and of what constitutes a sustainable and resilient urban landscape.  This demand allows for the integration of ecology with design, and is an opportunity for designers and ecologists to collaborate.  Building on the concept of “designed experiments” this session will expose ecologists to a critical shift in the design process; from studying to shaping landscapes, and highlight the site evaluation phase as an underutilized opportunity for applying ecological principles and informing collaboration.