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Teaching Sustainable Design: a Hands-On Office of Sustainability (Temple Uni- Interdisciplinary Model Versity, 2009)

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Teaching Sustainable Design: a Hands-On Office of Sustainability (Temple Uni- Interdisciplinary Model Versity, 2009) to guide the work of its recently formed Teaching Sustainable Design: A Hands-on Office of Sustainability (Temple Uni- Interdisciplinary Model versity, 2009). This entity is charged with implementing Temple Univer- sity’s goal to conserve resources, re- Baldev Lamba1 and Grace Chapman2,3 duce our carbon footprint, support our ecosystems, and promote the use of regional resources. The Philadel- ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. collaboration, holistic, conservation, experiential learning phia Flower Show exhibit presented an opportunity to showcase and SUMMARY. Students and instructors from the Department of Landscape Architecture advance Temple University’s com- and Horticulture, located on the Temple University Ambler Campus, collaborated mitment to sustainability in a very on the design and construction of an exhibit for the 2009 Bella Italia Philadelphia practical, easily accessible, and adapt- Flower Show. The design of the exhibit, inspired by Italian traditions, promoted able format. sustainable principles and practices through the use of indigenous and recycled materials and conservation of natural resources. Temple University’s exhibit Integrating disciplines is widely received five awards, including the American Horticultural Society Environmental recognized as a highly desirable and Award and the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Award for Conservation. effective teaching model that engen- This article documents the interdisciplinary and hands-on teaching model used in ders holistic thinking and breaks creating and implementing a sustainable design, as well as the results of the follow- down disciplinary boundaries. The up student surveys about the lessons learned and public responses to the exhibit. interdisciplinary interaction of the LA/Hort programs for this project his article focuses on designing Taking inspiration from Italian was critical to achieving our sustain- and building a major exhibit at gardening and farming traditions, our ability goals for the flower show. Tthe Bella Italia-themed 2009 exhibit embodied three critical as- Klein (1990) defines interdisciplinary Philadelphia Flower Show, which pects of LA/Hort: a long tradition learning as the synthesis of two or took place on Mar. 1st through 8th, of hands-on education, the integra- more disciplines, establishing a new 2009. Hosted by the Pennsylvania tion of landscape design and horticul- level of discourse and integration of Horticultural Society (PHS), the an- ture, and the mission of advocating knowledge. The term interdisciplin- nual event is the largest indoor flower sustainability. ary is used variably as a concept, show in the world—spread over 10 Increased student interest in sus- a methodology, a process, a way of acres and attracting more than tainability coupled with societal aware- knowing, and even a philosophy. It 250,000 visitors—and is an important ness and the evolving public policy facilitates the development of en- venue for promoting new ideas for commitment to green design has in- hanced critical thinking ability and horticulture and landscape design tensified demands for greater involve- metacognitive skills, and an under- (Levine and Rogers, 2003). This pro- ment of design and horticulture standing of the relationships among ject was undertaken by the Depart- schools in teaching and research re- perspectives derived from different ment of Landscape Architecture and lated to sustainability. Degree and disciplines. Interdisciplinary/cross- Horticulture (LA/Hort), located at certificate programs focused on sus- curricular teaching can increase stu- the Temple University Ambler tainability are beginning to emerge dents’ motivation for learning and (TUA) campus, which is also home at a number of design and horticul- their level of engagement. In contrast to the Landscape Arboretum at TUA ture schools, pointing to the rapid to learning skills in isolation, when that is an integral part of LA/Hort. acceptance and importance of the students participate in interdisciplin- Temple University has a long history sustainability paradigm. Many insti- ary experiences, they see the value of of participation in the Philadelphia tutions of higher learning are pro- what they are learning and become Flower Show, dating back to the moting a variety of ‘‘green’’ and more actively engaged (Resnick, 1989). 1970s and garnering numerous ‘‘sustainable’’ initiatives in a race to The hands-on aspect of develop- awards. Funded with financial sup- become leaders and models of trans- ing the exhibit introduced students to port from Temple University, these forming education and drawing re- the many challenges related to bud- exhibits, in the educational category sources dedicated to new research and gets, real deadlines, and the logistics of the Philadelphia Flower Show, outreach. Temple University has of the construction process. Adding highlight a variety of historical, cul- adopted the United Nations’ defini- a hands-on or experiential learning tural, and environmental themes rep- tion of sustainability as ‘‘the ability to component to the more traditional resenting the scope, vision, and meet the needs of the present without verbal and visual teaching techniques mission of LA/Hort. compromising the ability of future enhances overall educational quality generations to meet their own needs’’ and promotes professional development 1Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Tem- ple University, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, PA 19002-3999 Units 2 To convert U.S. to SI, To convert SI to U.S., Horticulture and Landscape Arboretum Supervisor multiply by U.S. unit SI unit multiply by and Adjunct Professor, Temple University, 580 Meet- inghouse Road, Ambler, PA 19002-3999 0.4047 acre(s) Ha 2.4711 3Corresponding author. E-mail: grace.chapman@temple. 0.3048 ft M 3.2808 edu. 1.6093 mile(s) Km 0.6214 • June 2010 20(3) 487 SUSTAINABILITY AND HORTICULTURAL EDUCATION and competence. The quote ‘‘I hear expressions of sustainable design that and two academic semesters, required and I forget – I see and I remember – I would invite visitors to stop, look, effective communications, coordina- do and I understand,’’ attributed to listen, feel, and think. tion, teamwork, flexibility, and orga- Confucius, underscores the impor- A sustainable design approach nizational and management skills. tance of experiential learning. demands a holistic evaluation of the The time needed to complete the Our exhibit received awards environmental impact of every deci- project went well beyond the regular from many prestigious organizations, sion and action. The responsibility for class schedules. At times it interfered testifying to our mission of conserva- the selection of materials goes beyond with other classes and courses, re- tion, environmental responsibility, the usual what and how, and includes quiring special accommodations from and sustainability. This article offers having a complete knowledge of the other instructors. The studio had to insights for an effective interdisciplin- manufacturing process of a specific operate more like a professional of- ary, hands-on teaching model in cre- product, the impact on non-renew- fice, with daily contacts, rigorous ating sustainable designs, with an able resources, the potential for recy- schedules, responsibilities, and hard understanding of its potential chal- cling, and safe disposal options. deadlines. All of this provided the lenges. Based on a survey of the While virtually nothing can be students with the invaluable experi- students, the article also includes les- 100% sustainable, we increased the ence of taking projects from concept sons learned, as well as a sampling of level of sustainability in our design to completion. public response to the exhibit. by using indigenous, reused, recy- Forty students and four faculty cled, or recyclable materials through- members from LA/Hort programs Learning objectives out our exhibit to the greatest extent were involved with this project. This With the overall goal of enhanc- possible, within the constraints of core group, assisted by other admin- ing student learning, responding to a temporary installation. Every de- istrators and staff, participated in the the Italian theme of the Philadelphia sign and construction decision was design, construction, and maintenance Flower Show, and the educational carefully examined and evaluated of this exhibit. LA Professor B. Lamba mission of our department, the learn- to minimize waste and maximize was responsible for the overall man- ing objectives for the project included conservation. agement of the project, leading 30 the following: 1) developing a con- students in the LA junior design stu- temporary and indigenous interpre- Teaching model dio. He was assisted by LA Professor tation of the concepts and ideas This project involved faculty and R. Kuper in the Fall 2008 semester and embodied in the Italian Renaissance students from the third year Land- teamed up with Adjunct LA Professor gardens and farming traditions; 2) scapeArchitectureStudioandthe M. Lofurno, a practitioner with de- incorporating sustainable principles Directed Studies in Horticulture sign/build expertise, in the Spring and practices, including water conser- course in Fall 2008 and Spring 2009. 2009 semester. Working with 10 stu- vation, local food production, and In Summer 2008, much of the prep- dents from different levels of LA/Hort using indigenous, salvaged, recycled, aration and research for the project programs, Horticulture Supervisor or recyclable materials; 3) creating was undertaken
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