Coordinator: Associate Professor Margaret Grose
Tutor: Colin Chen
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Constructed Ecologies is a Master of Landscape Architecture non-studio subject that focusses on water and suburbs. In 2020, the 40 students spent 2 weeks in Engineering’s hydrology labs working with flumes and sand tanks to observe how water flows and sand changes in relation to various inputs and tests. This “Water Flow Lab” revealed the dynamic nature of water, that water is a volume and not just a surface, and that simulation of —for e.g. plants—is difficult.
Students also studied the landscape of Australia and its water, had an online site visit with a practitioner, a self-directed field trip regarding water sensitive urban design in the suburbs, and lectures on phytoremediation from Chemistry, suburbs, public open space and dealing with stormwater, and had a zoom mini-charrette on suburbs (Sydney and Darwin) in tutorial groups (comprised of 5-7 students). The last assignment was to draw and assess specific aspects of selected recent water-based major design projects from across the world.