DESIGN ACTIVISM

Landscape Education for Social Change: A Framework for Actions and Other Propositions

A Project of the 2019 LAF Fellowship for Innovation & Leadership AS ACTIVISM

Acknowledgment Nick Jabs. Many others have provided comments Design as Activism on this project including the board members of This project has been a collective effort by a group the Foundation, Barbara Landscape Architecture of colleagues around the country most of whom I Deutsch, Alma Du Solier, Glenn LaRue Smith, Ellen Education for Social Change: have worked with for the past decade and some Neises, Rebecca Popowsky, Jennifer Reut, Trini- A Framework for Actions & even longer, dating back to graduate school days. ty Simons, Ernie Wong, and Barbara Wilks. Many Although we now work in different corners of the thanks also to the LAF staff Megan Barnes, Rachel Other Propositions continent, design activism is something that brings Booher, Danielle Carbonneau, David Gooze, Devin us together over the year and is deep in the core of McCue, Christina Sanders, and Heather Whitlow. our work. I am indebted to their support and cama- raderie. Jeffrey Hou Much of this work has built on a series of confer- Seattle, May 2020 ence workshops in 2019-2020. I am thankful to all those who participated in these workshops and to the working group members who helped organize them: Kofi Boone, Mallika Bose, David de la Peña, Design Activism Education and Michael Rios for the CELA 2019 workshop; Working Group Austin Allen, Maria Beatrice Andreucci, David de la Peña, Laura Lawson, Michael Rios, and Deni Rug- Jeffrey Hou (Lead) geri for the EDRA 50 session; and Mallika Bose, Kofi Boone Chingwen Cheng, and Deni Ruggeri for the EDRA Mallika Bose 51 workshop. Chingwen Cheng David de la Peña Many thanks to all those who took time to be in- terviewed for this project: Leann Andrews, Mark Joern Langhorst Boyer, Meg Calkins, Katya Crawford, Sam Den- Laura Lawson nis, Billy Fleming, Ron Henderson, Alison Hirsch, Michael Rios Denise Hoffman Brandt, Joern Langhorst, Brice Deni Ruggeri Maryman, Cary Moon, Chelina Odbert, Stephanie Julie Stevens Rolley, and Robert Ryan. My students at the Uni- versity of Washington also contributed to this work. InDesign Layout: The seminars they took in springs 2019 and 2020 Ian Lai & Jeffrey Hou enabled me to explore the topics through teaching.

Urban Commons Lab The project would not be possible without the University of Washington generous support of the Landscape Architecture Seattle, May 2020 Foundation. I am grateful to the jurors who se- https://designactivism.be.uw.edu/ lected this project despite the challenges (I was interviewed online at 5 in the morning in Taipei), to the Fellowship leaders Lucinda Sanders and Lau- Cover image courtesy of Informal Urban ra Solano, and to my co-Fellows Hans Baumann, Communities Initiative/Traction Pierre Bélanger, Liz Camuti, Diana Fernandez, and

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TABLE OF CONTENT 1. What is Design Activism? 12 5. Opportunities Ahead/ 36 8. Ending by Beginning: Other 66 Student Interest/ Political Tidal Wave/ Propositions/ University Missions/ Public Impact Research/ Executive Summary/ 5 2. Looking Backward to Move Leading by Doing/ Design (Activist) Thinking/ Public Scholarship/ Community-University Forward/ 18 Building a Heterogeneous Profession/ Beyond Partnership/ Collaboration & Cooperation/ Schools & Programs: Toward an Ecosystem Funding Opportunities/ Advances in Allied Preamble: Society and Planet in Roots in Activism/ Emerging Practices/ Design for Design Activism/ “Imagine and Invent What Activism Now/ An Incomplete & Imperfect Professions/ Cross-disciplinary Collaboration/ Crises/ 8 Has Yet to Exist” Account / / Studio Pedagogy/ Transferability of Skills/ Public 3. Becoming Design Activists/ 24 Awareness & Outreach/ Program Leaderships/ All Design is Activism/ Knowledge Frontiers Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion/ of Activism/ Public Engagement/ 6. Models & Momentum/ 44 (Inter)cultural Competency/ Asset-based Model/ Organizing, Advocacy & Leadership/ Community Design Centers/ Community- Political Opportunities & Power Mapping/ University Partnership/ Fellowships & Collaboration & Partnership/ Communication Internships/ Service-Learning Studios/ & Storytelling / Co-Design/Co-create/ Multiple Field Studios/ Student Initiatives/ University Leaderships/ History, Humanities & Social Extensions/ & Competitions/ Theories/ Entrepreneurship/ Lifelong & Social Workshops & Events/ Program Partnerships/ Learning/ Narrative & Aesthetic/ Assessment Program Transformation/ Certificate Programs/ and Evaluation/ Moving Forward: Knowledge & New (Degree) Programs?/ Models, Momentum & Multiple Pathways Skills to Engage in Design Activism 7. Framework for Actions/ 56 4. Challenges Now/ 32 Politicize/ Hybridize/ Glocalize/ Improvise/ Activism?/ Crowded Curriculum?/ Problematize/ Authenticize/ Entrepreneurialize/ Overstretched System/ Faculty Tenure & (Re)organize/ Democratize/ Promotion/ Timing & Commitment/ Studio & Community Dynamic/ Institutional Barriers/ Capacity to Teach/ Limitations of a ServiceIndustry/ Lack of Alternative Pathways

3 4 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Facing environmental and social crises on a global architecture education. To learn from the existing challenges facing an institution or a community; and develop appropriate strategies and actions to- scale, how can landscape architecture education efforts in the field, we further examine the current develop a deeper understanding of issues and take gether with students, faculty, and the professional prepare students to become changemakers in models of engaged learning that include community a critical stance; make issues of equity, justice, and community. Undertaking a system-wide change meeting these challenges? With the support of the design centers, community-university partnerships, resilience in a current program, curriculum, insti- requires patience, strategies, and mobilization at Landscape Architecture Foundation Fellowship for and service-learning programs. tution, or community the focus of education and multiple levels. Innovation and Leadership, this project presents a actions. framework of actions to reposition and transform Building on the findings, we then develop and While the framework and suggestedactions are landscape architecture education for social change. present a framework for actions for programs and Authenticize – Create opportunities for self-dis- specific to education, we envision that a strong Working with a group of educators around the educators to adopt with the goal of transforming coveries through experiential learning; develop and intersection between education and profession is United States, the study draws from discussions landscape architecture education in the face of the support long-lasting relationships for collaboration essential. In other words, while the focus of this at workshops from national conferences, an online critical challenges facing the society and the plan- with community stakeholders; work with communi- study is on landscape architecture education, we survey, and interviews with practitioners and pro- et: ties and stakeholders in the actual context with real do not see the actions as limited to the context of gram leaders in the United States. issues. educational institutions. Rather, we see the need Politicize – Develop the ability and capacity in for a broader transformation to occur through Entrepreneurize – Provide students not only with In this study, we use design as a vehicle for so- students to engage in the political process to effect critical intersections and collaboration between technical skills but alsoentrepreneurial knowledge; cial change as a working definition of design as change; understand better the language and sys- education, practice, and social engagement. develop partnerships with programs on campus- activism. By social change, we don’t mean to ex- tems of power; accept the responsibility of profes- esand organizations in the profession to offer clude the environmental or ecological dimensions sionals as engaged citizens and as members of a courses and workshops; provide students with of design. Rather, we argue that social (including democracy. skills and opportunities to pursue alternative prac- political) change is fundamental to how society tices. approaches and safeguards the environment, in- Hybridize – Build knowledge and capacity be- yond the traditional core of the profession; engage cluding its living systems. Furthermore, we see the in collaboration on research, teaching, and service (Re)organize – Examine critically how education engagement of vulnerable and underserved as an with other disciplines; learn from how other fields and professional practices in landscape architec- important part of the social change, from a system generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge, and ture are organized; collaborate with the movement the privileges the few to one that strives for equity how they engage the public and advance their organizations and find critical intersections of our and justice. agenda. work; identify allies and build coalitions and greater capacity for the profession. This report begins by situating design activism in the context of the grand challenges facing the Glocalize – Think and act both locally and globally; build connections with stakeholders, Democratize – Begin by reexamining the power society and the planet, followed by sketching a including communities, public agencies, civic structure within our educational institutions; ful- genealogy and trajectory of activism in landscape organizations, and the professional community ly engage students, faculty, and the professional architecture through which we argue that activ- locally and across borders; examine the community in program decision and implementa- ism has been in the DNA of the profession since intersections between local and global challenges. tion; ensure that all voices are included in courses, its beginning days in the 19th Century with efforts projects, and initiatives; build capacity in the com- to transform the landscapes of the growing cities, Improvise – Make use of what already exists, munity we work with. using design as a vehicle to address critical social including courses, curriculum, programs, and other and environmental challenges. resources; utilize strengths and assets already As educational programs in landscape architec- in place in a program or a community, including ture vary in their focus, size, and organization, and Based on the results of two conference workshops existing connections and relationships; be tactical as they respond often to different contexts and that engaged both educators and students, we ex- and creative with opportunities and circumstances. constituents, the proposals here are not meant to plore the skills and knowledge required for design be one-size-fits-all. Instead, we ask each program activists and the challenges and opportunities fac- Problematize – Question assumptions and and school to assess its own mission and goals ing the integration of design activism into landscape

5 6 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM PREAMBLE

PREAMBLE: SOCIETY AND PLANET IN CRISES

We are living in a time of extraordinary change and This is what the students uncertainty. Throughout the world, extreme weath- er and climate events, such as storms and floods, think about all the time have increased in recent decades. Out of the ten these days. They are in- hottest years recorded in history, seven occurred terested in how landscape in the last decade. The impact of sea- rise, architecture can deal with melting of ice caps and permafrost, loss of habitat and species extinction are just the initial signs of these issues. looming crises facing the planet and the society. Denise Hoffman Brandt, City College By 2030, it has been estimated that 700 million of New York people worldwide will be displaced by intense wa- ter scarcity. As we set down to write this report, the The New Landscape Declaration put forward by COVID-19 pandemic has presented new social and the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF), with economic challenges for communities around the a focus on social and ecological justice, resilience, world. and democracy is also indicative of this growing interest. A strong agenda of equity and justice has Beyond the death toll and economic disruptions, the further been evident in the work of National Olm- impact of the pandemic has also highlighted the sted Scholars. The recent discussion led by the persistent inequalities in our society with poorer McHarg Center at Penn on the role of our profes- racial minorities suffering higher death rates than sion in the Green New Deal suggests a proactive those of the affluent class. Indeed, despite the response to address issues of resilience and jus- hard-won progress made in recent history, struc- tice. tural barriers continue to exacerbate the inequity in 1 society. Besides the pandemic, the poorest pop- Given the growing interest and aspirations, howev- ulations of the world are also expected to be the er, is the current model of landscape architecture most vulnerable under global climate calamities. In education providing students with the necessary CHOP BLM Street Mrual, Seattle. PHoto by Jeffrey Hou the face of social and political uncertainty, nation- skills and knowledge to confront the urgent issues alist and authoritarian regimes are making a come- of equity, justice, and climate resilience? Are the back, adding challenges to the already complex accredited programs doing an adequate job in problems. preparing the next generation’s leaders to tackle these issues?The field of landscape architecture In our role as landscape architects, as a profession is not short of thought leaders and real-life cases with the mission to “enhance, respect, and restore that advance our practice toward social and envi- the life-sustaining integrity of the landscape” and to 2 ronmental justice. But how can we translate these protect the interests of clients and the public, we expertise, experiences, and lessons into models have a responsibility to take on the environmental, of education and pedagogy? How can we prepare social, and political challenges before us. Already, students to become not only competent profes- there is growing interest among a new generation sionals but also proactive practitioners who are of students and faculty in socially engaged design socially and politically engaged to produce trans- responses to the urgent social and environmental formative outcomes? How can we transform the challenges as evident in recent award-winning stu- profession and society starting with education? dent projects and studio work.

7 8 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM PREAMBLE

Students are coming in with an expectation that this is what they want to do and are trying to figure out what they can actually do as landscape architects.

Stephanie Rolley, Kansas State University

This document represents the result of a project as part of the 2019-2020 Landscape Architecture Foundation Fellowship for Innovation and Leader- ship. Titled “Educating Design Activists in Land- scape Architecture,” this project investigates how design activism, here defined as design for social change, can be best integrated into landscape architecture education. The investigation was a response to the New Landscape Declaration that calls on landscape architects to be “active design- ers, engaging in politics, policy, finance, communi- ty service, and more.”

Through workshops at a series of national confer- ences,3 interviews with educational leaders and practitioners,4 and a questionnaire that was dis- tributed to schools and programs and through the Landscape Architecture Foundation e-newsletter, the study sought to identify the challenges, oppor- tunities, and perspectives from leading educators, students, program administrators, and practitioners on the relationships between activist practices and 1. It is projected that the world’s richest 1% will possess as much as two-thirds of the world’s wealth by 2030. . 2. ASLA Code of Professional Ethics. 3. Workshop sessions were organized for the 2019 CELA (Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture) Conference in Sacramento, CA, and Following a discussion of skill sets, challenges, the annual conferences of EDRA (Environmental Association) in Brooklyn, NY (2019) and Tempe, AZ (2020). opportunities, and existing models, the document 4. Ten program leaders were interviewed, including (in alphabetical order by last name) Mark Boyer (Louisiana State University), Meg Calkins (North presents a framework for actions and a list of prop- Carolina State University), Katya Crawford (University of New Mexico), Samuel Dennis (University of Wisconsin, Madison), Ron Henderson (Illinois ositions for landscape architecture education. The Institute of ), Alison Hirsch (University of Southern California), Denise Hoffman Brandt (City College of New York), Joern Langhorst (Uni- document is accompanied by a website that serves versity of Colorado, Denver), Stephanie Rolley (Kansas State University), and Robert Ryan (University of Massachusetts, Amherst). Six activists/ practitioners were interviewed, including (in alphabetical order by last name) Leann Andrews (Traction), Billy Fleming (McHarg Center), Brice Mary- as a resource guide for those interested in learning man (MIG), Cary Moon, and Chelina Odbert (Kounkuey Design Initiative). more about existing cases and resources.

9 10 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM WHAT IS DESIGN ACTIVISM?

1. WHAT IS DESIGN ACTIVISM?

this project was particularly revealing—“Activism ac·tiv·ism should not be promoted or encouraged by taxpay- The policy or action of using vigor- er-funded institutions because it is divisive […].” ous campaigning to bring about po- litical or social change1 The above comment suggests that activism is often viewed as biased and serving only one-sided inter- Activism as a concept has long been associated est, rather the welfare of the public. While activism with advocacy and agonistic actions to produce and contestation can indeed be divisive, we dis- change. Those actions, including organizing and agree with this narrow notion of activism. Instead, protests, have played an important role historically we argue that activism and the actions to produce in making social and political advancements in our change can be done with the broad interests of the society. In the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement public in mind. We do recognize, however, that ac- succeeded in ending legalized racial discrimination tivism is a contested concept and requires further and segregation in the United States. In the 1960s clarification and exploration, hence the develop- and 1970s, the growing environmental movement ment of this work. in the United States led to landmark legislation Fog Water System. Image courtesy of Informal Urban Communities Initiative/Traction such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act In the face of the urgency of environmental and so- that are critical to the quality and protection of our cial challenges at the present moment, it is time for environment today. the profession to reflect on the mission and modal- ities of its practice through the lens of activism. It By linking design to activism, “design activism” is also time for the accredited professional degree considers design as a vehicle for activism. Rather programs to re-examine their curriculum and peda- than viewing design as a technical exercise, “de- gogy in the face of current challenges. sign activism” or “design as activism” recognizes the potential and capacity of design as a tool for Let us ask ourselves: Are we doing enough as a social and environmental progress. As a profes- profession to address the critical challenges of our sion founded in a movement to remake the urban time? What specific actions are needed beyond environment in the 19th Century, design activism business as usual? Are we providing our students is arguably in the DNA of landscape architecture. and graduates with the skills and knowledge need- Since the very beginning, the practice of landscape ed to address the complex challenges? What tools architecture has long been an exercise of activism, and preparation are needed for them to become as evident in its attempt to improve the livelihood of leaders of movements and progress? people through ideas and methods that transform In light of the current challenges, there is not a the built environment. better time for us to reconnect with the premise of our profession. It is time for us to see beyond the As the profession grew and matured and as the limited and even biased notion of activism as divi- once-novel or even revolutionary practice became sive politics. Instead, we must recognize the power normalized, the early activism has been subsumed of design to bring about critical changes to protect by institutionalization and the establishment of pro- the safety and welfare of diverse living communi- fessional codes and standards, to the extent that ties on the planet. We must see design activism not activism and the desire for transformative changes simply as a rebranding of our work, but as a way to seem to go against the notion of professional. A be true to what we do as landscape architects. comment left by a survey respondent as part of

11 12 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM WHAT IS DESIGN ACTIVISM?

An online roundtable hosted by the McHarg Center as cultural competency, peace negotiation, com- realize a vision.” What Francis has proposed is uum,” she argues. Hoffman Brandt’s caution and of the University of Pennsylvania in 2017 provided munity organizing, knowledge of other fields (e.g. essentially the work of design activists or activist critique are well taken. Rather than momentary dis- one of the most insightful and pertinent discus- ecology or economics), deep listening, and a desire . ruptions, we must aim for sustaining changes. sions on design activism to date: to de-center one’s individual ideas toward a collab- orative outcome.” More recently, in her book Toward an Urban Ecolo- In the online Design Activism Education Survey, Kian Goh, a roundtable participant and a planning gy, Kate Orff notes that climate change requires us we asked the respondents what “design activism” faculty at UCLA, reminds us that design activism One of the earliest published references on design to imagine a different scale of action, "to scale up means to them. Among a range of options, “design is design that challenges power structures and ex- activism appeared in the inaugural issue (2005) of our work to effect larger behavioral modifications." for social change” received the most votes, fol- pands “the agency of practice in the face of social Framework, a publication of the College of Envi- She further notes that this type of action is not usu- lowed by “socially engaged design practice,”“de- and ecological exigencies.” Lizzie Yarina of the MIT ronmental Design at the University of California, ally commissioned by a specific client or through sign in the public interest,”“proactive design prac- Urban Risk Lab argues, “Design is political, and Berkeley. In a leading article in the volume, Ran- an RFQ process. "Rather, a pervasive, activist tice,” and “design that disrupt the status quo.”“Just ignoring these larger facets makes us complicit in dolph T. Hester makes an important distinction be- stance needs to be consciously brought to bear on another ‘-ism’” received the least votes. perpetuating uneven geographies and power struc- tween five types of “design postures,” ranging from all our endeavors to effect change." tures.” the blissfully naïve—those who are “spatially tal- We also encouraged the respondents to provide ented and contextually ignorant,” to catalysts—“a- While we are making the case for activism through their own definitions. Among the inputs we re- Artist and Kordae Henry sees design ac- gents of change.” design, it’s important not to overlook the polem- ceived, versions of “design for climate justice and tivism as a form of survival, "We hold the power to ics and even fallacies of activism. Denise Hoffman climate resilience” were mentioned multiple times, choose between design that harms and continues He wrote, “Catalysts see design not only as a sym- Brandt from the City College of New York had this so was the addition of “environmental/ecological to divide us or design that creates spaces that will bolic and utilitarian end but also a stimulus to bring to say in our interview: “Activism suggests being dimension” to the listed definition that mentions uplift, connect, and distribute power to those who about political transformation.”2 For Hester, all de- outside of what is normal—It is oppositional.” It only social change. A few others also put emphasis have been marginalized." On a similar note, Lucin- sign is design activism, “Every design action is a tends to be “more a reaction, rather than a contin- on serving the underserved/vulnerable populations. da Sanders argues, "the designer must be willing political act that concretizes power and authority.”3 to engage in these broader, and often unfamiliar, The more important question, he argues, is “design systemic failures to operate as an activist – design activism for whom?” or for whom is design activ- through activism." ism serving.

On the political and contentious nature of design, Every design action is a po- landscape architect Susanne Drake notes that “design of cities is a political circus, played out in litical act that concretizes multiple rings simultaneously.” She cautions, “the power and authority. danger of uninformed activism is that projects will Randolph T. Hester, University of lack effectiveness or worse—do harm.” Similarly, 4 landscape architect Joanna Karaman states, “truly California, Berkeley. engaging in design activism means more than just In a 1999 issue of Places Journal that revisits the having the loudest voice in the crowd. The quieter, practice of , Mark Francis yet still powerful acts of uplifting new ideas, sup- proposes a proactive approach to professional porting existing community groups, and visioning practice, one in which professionals “use skills in potential scenarios in the built environment can risk-taking, negotiation and entrepreneurial enter- Figure 1. What does "design activism" mean to you? (n = 224) have a lasting impact on people’s day-to-day lives.” prise, base their thoughts and actions on social Finally, on design education, planning scholar Bar- and environmental values, employ advocacy as bara Brown Wilson notes, “activism often requires part of their approach […] employ sound research skills not all designers are taught in school, such and analysis, and are involved long-term […] to

13 14 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM WHAT IS DESIGN ACTIVISM?

In this document, we use design as a vehicle for social change as a working definition of design activism. By social change, we don’t mean to ex- clude the environmental or ecological dimensions of design. Rather, we argue that social (including political) change is fundamental to how society approaches and safeguards the environment, in- cluding living systems. Furthermore, we see the en- gagement of the vulnerable and underserved as an important part of the social change, from a system the privileges the few to one that strives for justice and equity.

By having a working definition, it’s not our intention to exclude other possible definitions or interpreta- tions. Rather, the working definition is intended to provide a focus for this work and to articulate a po- sition and a point of departure.

1. Source: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/activism 2. Randolph T. Hester, “Design Activism… For Whom?” Frameworks 1 (Spring 2005): 8-15. 3. Hester, “Design Activism… For Whom?”, 8-9. 4. Hester, “Design Activism… For Whom?”, 8-9. 5. Mark Francis, “Proactive Practice: Visionary Thought and Participatory Action in ,” Places Journal 12, 2 (1999): 60-68. 6. Kate Orff, Toward an Urban Ecology (New York: The Monacelli Press, 2016), 12. 7. The respondents could choose multiple answers.

15 16 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BACKWARD AND FORWARD

2. LOOKING BACKWARD TO MOVE FORWARD

Roots in Activism part of the country was still under segregation. By becoming professionals, they overcame gender To envision the role of landscape architects as and racial biases and opened the paths for others changemakers, one needs not to go far than to look to follow. As early pioneers, their work and actions at the origin of the profession in the United States. alone embodied activism. The typical narrative begins with the early pioneers of the profession serving not only as skilled practi- Activism was not the exclusive domain of pio- tioners but also movement leaders and advocates neering professionals. Members of the public also of ideas through prolific writings. Andrew Jackson helped shape the development of landscape archi- Downing, for example, wrote the first book of its tecture in the early era. Before the City Beautiful kind on in the United States and movement became associated with large-scale served as an editor of a horticultural journal and as civic projects, the municipal art movement in the a spokesperson for the parks movement.1 Freder- United States was led by local civic groups and ac- ick Law Olmsted, Sr. was a writer, former journalist, tivist women.5 Before the movement became syn- designer, and public administrator at a time when onymous with architects such as Daniel Burnham public park was still a novel concept. and the tendency toward grandiosity, it has exist- ed mostly as small-scale local efforts, promoted The making of Central Park itself mirrored much of through thousands of civic improvement associa- the contemporary open activism. Without tions across the country. 6 the call by Downing and William Cullen Bryant, a newspaper editor-poet, the city would not have Other movements not led by landscape architects acted in time to purchase the large tracts of land per se also played an important role in shaping the before development occurred.2 Apart from the profession and built environments in the United unfortunate displacement of the Seneca Village, a States. Parallel to the American Parks Movement precursor to today’s green gentrification, Central focusing on alleviating problems facing the cities, Park stands as a remarkable achievement that em- a wilderness preservation movement emerged to bodies the vision and ideals of the American Parks protect the wilderness landscapes as sanctuaries. Movement. More than just a picturesque backdrop, The movement has led to the establishment of Yel- projects like Central Park were envisioned to ad- lowstone National Park in 1872, Yosemite National

Central Park, New York. PHoto by Jeffrey Hou dress broad health, social, and political concerns Park in 1890, and the creation of the National Parks at the time and to serve the “great body of citi- Service in 1916, creating a model of land manage- zens.” 3 ment and protection that influenced the rest of the world. At the turn of the century, landscape architecture was among the few professions considered ac- These early developments—municipal parks and ceptable for women to enter. A network of women national parks—provided the foundation for the landscape architects, including Beatrix Jones Far- expansion of the profession under the New Deal rand, worked for both public and private clients to program during the Great Depression. The pro- design home gardens and neighborhood parks.4 fession officially founded only in 1899, became in- There were other early pioneers as well. David A. dispensable to the “reorder of the land” under the Williston was the nation’s first African-American New Deal.7 “From the state camps of the Civilian landscape architect who received his degree from Conservation Corps, from the Division of Suburban Cornell University in 1896 at a time when a large Resettlement to the Tennessee Valley, the land-

17 18 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BACKWARD AND FORWARD

scape architect was omnipresent,” writes Phoebe In, in the early 1960s, a program that featured Also in Seattle, Jones and Jones, a multidisciplinary ty built on a buried floodplain, including stormwater Cutler. 8 The work under the New Deal addressed interviews with many scientists and luminaries. firm started by Grant Jones, Johnpaul Jones, management. The students have taken what they two critical crises at the time: unemployment and McHarg also served on public commissions and and Ilze Jones, became a pioneer in ecological learned to other parts of the city and beyond. land degradation due to abuse by farming and log- panels, including the White House Commission on design, design for wildlife, working with tribal ging practices. 9 Conservation and Natural Beauty in 1966. 12 The communities, and large-scale bioregional plans, At the University of California, Berkeley, Randolph rise of the ecological method coincided with the such as ILARIS the Puget Sound Plan. The firm T. Hester, Jr. and Marcia McNally led teams of stu- The New Deal also provided the opportunity for growing American environmental movement in the also played an active role in the creation of the dents in working on a range of projects involving early experiments in design with a strong social 1960s, another instance in which our effort became Mountain to Sound Greenway, a 1.5 million-acre citizens and residents during their career at Berke- agenda. Garrett Eckbo’s work with the Farm Secu- more successful when it was aligned with larger landscape in the Pacific Northwest shaped by ley. In 1997, they took on a project to protect the rity Administration (FSA), where he held a position movements in the society. watershed boundaries and woven together by an wintering habitat of the critically endangered black- in San Francisco from 1939 to 1942, brought mod- extensive network of trails. Led by citizen activists, faced spoonbill on the Southern coast of Taiwan. ern design to farmworker housing with a focus on As McHarg’s ecological method opened a new the plan was envisioned to halt urban sprawl from Working with scientists, planners, and activists, landscape and site planning to produce “an indige- front for the profession, there were also projects encroachment into natural land. they developed alternative economic development nous and formally innovative lexicon for the migrant that set new paths for design and transformation plans based on ecotourism and wildlife conserva- camps.”10 The schemes incorporated private sub- of urban spaces in North America. In Seattle, Activism in landscape architecture involves not tion.14 In schools throughout North America, ser- sistence plots as well as parks, sports, and recre- landscape architect Rich Haag designed the Gas just practitioners but also citizens. The practice vice-learning studios, extensions programs, and ational facilities that complemented the communal Works Park that retained parts of the industrial of community design that emerged in the 1960s university-based community design centers pro- buildings.11 facilities for their “historic, aesthetic and utilitarian should also be recognized as a part of the long arc vided opportunities for similar kinds of partnership value,” and incorporated bio- and phytoremediation of activism in design. Influenced by the movement and engagement. Emerging Practices strategies into its 1971 master plan. To convince within architecture and urban planning, landscape the skeptical public and political leaders of the architects also began to incorporate participatory Design Activism Now Fast-forward to the 1960s, faced with a new set of proposal, Haag organized a slideshow and gave design into their practices. Karl Linn was one of crises and challenges, including urban sprawl and one presentation after another to demonstrate the the first landscape architecture educators to work Today, a new generation of designers are pushing the pollution of air and water, that recalled in part aesthetic beauty of the industrial ruins. The result on small-scale improvements focusing on inner- the boundaries and accepted norms of participa- the conditions of industrial cities in the 19th Centu- was one of the most original and iconic works of city neighborhoods. Through what he called "urban tory design through activism. Rather than following ry, a new approach to landscape architecture was design. barn-raising," Linn engaged neighborhood resi- the institutionalized procedures, they explore guer- 15 proposed by Ian McHarg and his contemporaries. dents, volunteer professionals, students, youth, rilla tactics to test ideas and engage the public. McHarg’s “ecological methods” became influen- As a city, Seattle became a testing ground for new and activists in design and building gathering Instead of the typical public meetings, they explore tial in repositioning the profession based on the projects, including Gas Works Park, Discovery spaces.13 fun and informal ways to engage the public, includ- emerging understanding in ecological sciences. Park (designed by Dan Kiley), and Freeway Park ing interactive games.16 Unlike the shallow forms or Concerned not with ornaments or form-based de- (designed by Lawrence Halprin), that would not With a growing number of landscape architec- formality of participation, they engage in capacity sign, the method brought systems and processes have been possible without an ambitious civic ture programs around the country, education has building and facilitate community-driven placemak- into the language and repertoire of the profession investment approved by Seattle voters in 1968. played an important role in pushing boundaries in ing to empower communities. 17 and became the basis for the development of the The Forward Thrust ballot initiatives provided the profession. Since 1987, Anne Whiston Spirn’s Geographical Information System (GIS). funding for youth service centers, multipurpose West Philadelphia Landscape Project became Activism is not the exclusive domain of North stadiums, parks and recreation, and neighborhood a model for addressing issues of environmental American practitioners nor is it happening only in More than a typical academic or armchair schol- improvements. Advocated by a group of civic justice and green infrastructure. Students at Penn North America. In China, for instance, Turenscape ar, McHarg pursued his vision for landscape ar- leaders, the initiatives envisioned more open and later at MIT have mapped the Mill Creek neigh- founder Kongjian Yu has developed a distinct form chitecture through public activities in addition to spaces, parks, and greater public waterfront borhood, carried out action research, and worked of design activism by appealing directly to may- 18 teaching, research, and practice. Specifically, he access, to ameliorate urban sprawl. with residents, engineers, and city staff to develop ors and political leaders. Elsewhere in East Asia, was a talk show host on CBS, The House We Live plans to address the issues faced by the communi- including Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, land-

19 20 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BACKWARD AND FORWARD

scape architects worked with communities andcit- also does not account to the full extent the work izens to build democratic capacity through direct of individuals outside the profession who built engagement in planning, design, programming, and shaped the landscapes with their own hands, and management of open spaces, ranging from which in the United States, for instance, included 1. Catherine Howett, “Andrew Jackson Downing,” in American Landscape Architecture: Designers and Places (Washington, DC: The Preserva- neighborhood gathering spaces to large urban and communities in first nations, railroad workers, plan- tion Press, 1989), 31-33. 19 regional parks. tation farmers, and freed resident builders of Black 2. Rutherford H. Platt, “From Commons to Commons: Evolving Concepts of Open Space in North American Cities,” in The Ecological City, eds. 23 Towns. In its incomplete form, nevertheless, the Rutherford H. Platt, Rowan A. Rowntree, and Pamela C. Muick (Amherst, MA: University of Massachusetts Press, 1994), 21-39. Internationally, initiatives in design activism have narratives here illustrate the many instances in 3. Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., “Public Parks and the Enlargement of Towns,” in The Reader, Second Edition, eds. Michael Larice served as a platform for experiments in cross-cul- which activism and design for social change con- and Elizabeth Macdonald (London and New York: Routledge, 2013), 41. tural exchanges and collaboration between Global stitute an important part of the field of landscape 4. Thaïsa Way, Unbounded Practice: Women and Landscape Architecture in the Early Twentieth Century (Charlottesville and London: University of Virginia Press, 2009). North and South. In Peru, faculty and students architecture. 5. Michael Larice and Elizabeth Macdonald, eds., The Urban Design Reader, Second Edition (London and New York: Routledge, 2013). from the University of Washington, Seattle worked 6. Jon A. Peterson, “The city beautiful movement: Forgotten origins and lost meanings,” in Introduction to planning history in the United States, with residents and professionals to improve school As we explore the role of activism in design and ed. Donald A. Krueckeberg (New Brunswick, NJ: Center for Urban Policy Research, 1993), 40-57. ground, infrastructure, and the household envi- how design can serve as a vehicle for social 7. Phoebe Cutler, The Public Landscape of the New Deal (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1985), p. 5. ronment in informal settlements to address issues change, past achievements, and setbacks in land- 8. Cutler, The Public Landscape of the New Deal, p. 5. of health, sanitation, and capacity-building.20 In scape architecture serve as a source of inspiration 9. Phoebe (1985) also noted that although landscape architects’ influence expanded during the New Deal, such influence also subsided when Nigeria, the Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI) has and cautions. While we trace the premise of our the program ended. 10. Marc Treib and Dorothée Imbert, Garrett Eckbo: Modern Landscapes for Living (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997), 122-123. worked in informal settlements and built a network endeavor, we must also recognize the many in- 11. Ibid. of project sites as places for learning, mobilization, justices that took place in history and to this day, 12. Frederick Steiner, "Healing the earth: the relevance of McHarg's work for the future," Philosophy & Geography 7, no. 1 (2004): 141-149. capacity-building, and a starting point for improve- including the displacement of indigenous and sub- https://mcharg.upenn.edu/ian-l-mcharg 21 ment of livelihood. altern communities through the establishment of 13. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Linn. parks and green spaces, urban renewal projects, 14. Randolph T. Hester, Design for Ecological Democracy (Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2006). Back in the United States, the advocacy for the construction of freeways through inner-city neigh- 15. See Blaine Merker, “Taking place: Rebar’s absurd tactics in generous urbanism,” in Insurgent Public Space: Guerrilla Urbanism and the Re- making of Contemporary Cities, ed. Jeffrey Hou (London and New York: Routledge, 2010), 45-57; John Bela, “User-Generated Urbanism and Green New Deal presents an opportune moment borhoods, and other forms of evictions and era- the Right to the City,” in Now Urbanism: The Future City is Here, eds. Jeffrey Hou, Benjamin Spencer, Thaisa Way, and Ken Yocom. (London and for the profession of landscape architecture to sure. New York: Routledge, 2015), 149-164. l r l re-engage with activism. In his P aces Jou na essay, 16. See, for example, the work of James Rojas -- http://www.placeit.org Billy Fleming brings the arc of landscape archi- As society has evolved and as the profession be- 17. Jeffrey Hou and Michael Rios, “Community-driven Placemaking: The Social Practice of Participatory Design in the Making of Union Point tecture activism in full circle by noting that early comes institutionalized, we must reexamine the Park. Journal of Architectural Education 57, no. 1 (2003): 19-27. success of the profession in the 19th Century was assumptions of our practice, including those that 18. See Terreform, ed., Letters to the Leaders of China: Kongjian Yu and the Future of the Chinese City (New York: Terreform, Inc., 2018). not just the work of landscape architects alone govern our educational programs and pedagogy. 19. Jeff Hou, “Emerging Spaces of Citizenship,” in The Big Asian Book of Landscape Architecture, eds. Jillian Wallis and Heike Rahmann (Berlin: Jovis, Forthcoming) but also the work of civic organizations and social Let’s also recognize that while the profession might 20. See Jeffrey Hou, Benjamin Spencer, and Daniel Winterbottom, “Whole-Systems Education: Department of Landscape movements emerging at the time. He argues that, Architecture, University of Washington,” in Public Interest Design Education Guidebook: Curricula, Strategies, and SEED Academic Case Studies, have been rooted in activism, it also has a long tra- for the profession to have a true systemic impact, ed. Lisa A. Abendroth and Bryan Bell. (London and New York: Routledge 2019), 8-21; Benjamin Spencer, Susan Bolton, and Jorge Alcaron, “The “we must rethink how landscape architecture en- dition of primarily serving the interests of the rich Informal Urban Communities Initiatives: Lomas de Zapallal, Lima, Peru,” in Now Urbanism: The Future City is Here, eds. Jeffrey Hou, Benjamin gages with social and political movements.” 22 and powerful. These troubled pasts and continued Spencer, Thaisa Way, and Ken Yocom. (London and New York: Routledge, 2015), 206-223. barriers are reminders of our challenges as a pro- 21. Chelina Odbert and Joseph Mulligan, “The Kibera Public Space Project: Participation, Integration, and Networked Change,” in Now Urban- fession and lessons for the future. ism: The Future City is Here, eds. Jeffrey Hou, Benjamin Spencer, Thaisa Way, and Ken Yocom. (London and New York: Routledge, 2015), 177- An Incomplete and Imperfect 192. Account 22. Billy Fleming, “Design and the Green New Deal,” Places Journal, April 2019. Accessed 11 Feb 2020. https://doi.org/10.22269/190416 23. Kofi Boone, “Black Landscapes Matter,” Ground Up: The Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Journal of University of Califor- The brief account above on the history of the pro- nia, Berkeley, 6 (2017): 8-23. fession is by no means complete or exhaustive. It

21 22 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BECOMING DESIGN ACTIVISTS

3. BECOMING DESIGN ACTIVISTS

For landscape architects to (re)en- Ethics of Activism gage with the social and the political, While activism can bring about the desired chang- what skills, knowledge, and perspec- es, we must also be fully aware of its own limita- tives are needed? tions and tendencies including a savior mentality and cultural dominance when designers fail to rec- We posed this question to groups of landscape ognize the delicate role they play in the community architecture educators and students gathered at they supposedly serve. Additionally, it’s important the 2019 CELA conference in Sacramento, CA, to note that activism or political engagement can and at EDRA’s 50th annual conference in Brooklyn, be a form of privilege, as not everyone can afford New York, also in 2019. A similar question was also to take risks or accept additional burdens and re- raised in our interviews with selected program ad- sponsibilities. As professionals who seek transfor- ministrators and practitioners around the country. mative outcomes through our work, we must also Finally, in the Design Activism Education Survey, be mindful of the unintended harm that our work we asked the respondents to rank among a range may produce. By leading a movement or advocate of expertise and knowledge in meeting the critical on behalf of others, we must also not take away challenges of our time. The following summarizes the agency and subjectivity of those who are the our findings. primary stakeholders. It is critical that these ethi- cal considerations become a part of the skills and Justice, Equity, Diversity & knowledge in design activism. Inclusion Public Engagement Understanding of justice, equity, diversity, and in- clusion is critical to the education of designers in- As design activism requires practitioners to step terested in activism and social change. The issues out of th`eir professional comfort zone to engage facing vulnerable and underserved populations re- with the public(s), it is important that they are well quire designers to challenge assumptions and nor- versed in the methods and ethics of public en- mative practices. Knowing the history of bias and gagement. These include an understanding of structural injustice in the society is at the core of participatory action research methods as a way to

CHOP Garden, Seattle. PHoto by Jeffrey Hou this challenge, so is the need for humility, empathy, engage the public as active participants and not and development of cultural and intercultural sensi- just as providers of input and information or just as bility in design, planning, and policy-making. In our an audience to seek approval from. To engage the focus to effect change, we must listen to voices of public in a meaningful and effective way, one must differences including those likely to be impacted. develop an adequate understanding of the contem- We must co-create with groups we serve and build porary and historical contexts of a given project capacity through engagement and design. To ad- or issue. We must not assume that we have full dress issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclu- knowledge of the issues and challenges. Engaged sion, we must also look into our own organizations design professionals mustdevelop a capacity for and communities to address systemic biases and empathy and to see the issues from the perspec- injustice. tives of the community or population. The process also requires the ability to engage the public and the community in social learning to share, co-

23 24 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BECOMING DESIGN ACTIVISTS

create, and expand their knowledge and perspec- weaknesses and challenges, it recognizes a com- points are and how to cultivate and leverage po- rendering, and data . Building on such tives. munity’s assets and resources and tries to leverage litical support. We must develop our leadership strength, practitioners, faculty, and students need them for success. The assets may include cultural capacity locally, nationally, and internationally, and to utilize the appropriate platforms, develop and (Inter)cultural Capacity knowledge and social capital, rather than material not just within the profession but also in society. implement effective messaging and storytelling, resources only. Developed by John L. McKnight This means entering public services and even run- and work with the press and other allies to advance We need to work with com- and John P. Kretzmann at the Institute for Policy ning for offices. the issues. munities that are different Research at Northwestern University, ABCD is a model of empowerment that recognizes the agency Collaboration & Partnership Co-Design/Co-create from where students are of community members and stakeholders. coming from so that stu- The kind of systemic changes necessary to ad- Design activists are not just facilitators in the dents can learn firsthand Organizing, Advocacy & dress the critical challenges we face today is far design and planning process, nor do they act Leadership too immense and complex for landscape architects solely as visionaries without the engagement of the from these communities. to act on alone. To facilitate the kind of change we public. Instead, to generate public support and to want to achieve, it is important to team up with ac- engage the public in meaningful and effective ways, Mark Boyer, Louisiana State In order to engage more effectively in movements tors and organizations with complementary exper- we must develop the capacity to co-design and University to effect change, landscape architects interested in design activism must hone their political skills and tise and capacity. We need the support of others co-create with the public. To co-design is to open To engage constituents who are culturally and so- develop greater capacity in organizing, advocacy, to accomplish our shared goals. Collaborating and up the design process in creative ways, to share cioeconomically diverse, it is critical for landscape and leadership. We must develop a better under- partnering with others provide opportunities to in- the tools and the role of designers with others, to architects to develop cultural and intercultural ca- standing of the political and legislative process to form and enrich our perspectives and to build net- develop a collective understanding of issues and pacity in communication and representation and effect policy changes. Landscape architects must works and coalitions that are necessary to achieve problems, to leverage assets in the community, humility in the face of multiple worldviews and per- not shy away from tools of activism and advocacy long-term goals. In the Design Activism Education including its people, to engage in social learning spectives. As part of an intercultural capacity, cul- to get things done. This includes grassroots mo- Survey, “interdisciplinary collaboration” was ranked that expands the shared knowledge of a given tural competence is the ability to understand, com- bilization, campaigning, petitioning, lobbying, writ- highest together with “participation design/public problem, to empower the public with the pleasure municate with, and effectively interact with people ing op-ed articles, and participating in rallies, and engagement” as areas of expertise to meet the and responsibilities of design, and to arrive at across cultures.1 It encompasses an awareness of engage those who are not at the table. Organizing critical challenges of our time. In terms of changes innovative solutions that would not have emerged if one’s own worldview, knowledge of different cul- and advocacy also involve sharing and commu- to be incorporated into education to support de- one were to act alone. tural practices, and skills for communication and nicating visions and ideas, persuading the public sign activism, “collaboration with other disciplines” interactions across cultures.2 As designers we can about alternatives as well as the impacts and con- received the most votes. Multiple Leaderships develop intercultural capacity by collaborating with sequences of proposed actions. Leadership is one of the most fundamental community stakeholders and partners. We can also Communication & Storytelling aspects of activism. It takes leadership on the learn directly from members of different cultures Political Opportunities & Power Communication came up as a prominent area of part of individuals and organizations to begin a and work with intermediaries or ambassadors. Mapping skills in our workshops at the CELA and EDRA con- conversation, get organized, envision solutions, ferences and in our interviews with the activists/ and overcome obstacles and barriers that stand Asset-based Approach For activism to be effective and impactful, one practitioners. In today's media-rich environment, in the way of change. In activism, there are, must understand and work with political opportuni- the capacity to communicate issues in compelling however, different types of leadership. There are One of the fallacies of the conventional model of ties that are critical to policy changes. This requires ways and to disseminate using the appropriate leaderships as manifested in team-building and community service and technical assistance is the an understanding of policy-making and planning platform(s) has a great impact on the extent of at- through the ability to negotiate. There are leaders sole focus on the deficiencies or problems facing processes and the actors that are involved in the tention and actions that follow. Many landscape whose job is to empower those who have been the community. To the contrary, Asset-based Com- arena. It requires knowledge of the organizational architects and landscape architecture students historically marginalized and to build capacity. It munity Development (ABCD) is a method of com- structure and power dynamic that resides in our today already have a strong command of visual takes leadership to see the larger pictures, to make munity development based on the strengths and political institutions. To be effective in the political communication, including mapping, photo-realistic connections that may not be apparent, to articulate potentials residing in a community. Rather than process, we must understand where the pressure

25 26 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BECOMING DESIGN ACTIVISTS

and communicate effectively the challenges and er extent, nonprofit practices, it is important that effective in addressing a given set of issues and ing progress toward the long-term goals? Because solutions at hand, and to call out injustice when landscape architects interested in design activism challenges. As such, developing skills and capacity our work is often emergent and unprecedented, as they exist. The different forms of leadership require are armed with entrepreneurial skills. New tools for lifelong learning is critical for design activists. we take risks and make bold moves, we must also efforts by multiple individuals and organizations, and platforms have emerged in recent times that Furthermore, learning can be a social process that step back from time to time to assess and evaluate contrary to the notion of a single, heroic individual. enable social start-up and self-organized groups connects communities of professionals from dif- what we do and make corrections and adjustments to pursue funding support. There are potentially ferent disciplines and with other sectors of society. as we move forward. Co-Design/Co-create new models of practices that can emerge from the We can learn from the communities as well as ex- new landscape of financial tools and organizational perts from other disciplines. By learning from oth- Moving Forward: Skills and Landscape architecture is structures that are distinct from traditional forms of ers, we also develop empathy and humility that are Knowledge to Engage in Design reasonably good at eco- private practice and public work. They offer poten- critical to our practice. tials for landscape architecture practices to break Activism logical theory, the theory away from the predominant model of a service Narrative & Aesthetic While some of the skills and knowledge outlined industry and move toward models that are driven of nature […]. In contrast above may not appear to be central to the core of more strongly by social and environmental agenda. Design activists are also designers. Design is a there is a fundamental lack landscape architecture education, one may argue vehicle that cultivates meanings and values while that much of what’s discussed here is already, or of political theory. conveying beauty and poetry. When connected Digital Democracy has the possibility to be, embedded in the land- with cultural meanings and narratives, design ex- Billy Fleming, University of scape architecture curriculum. In particular, com- With advances in technology and telecommuni- pressions can be powerful, persuasive, and trans- Pennsylvania munication, history, theory, and humanities, and cation in particular, the variety of digital tools are forming. In her influential article from 2008, “Sus- narrative and are a common focus in transforming the way communities and the society taining Beauty,” landscape scholar Beth Meyer In order to address the root causes of injustice and almost all programs. The practices of public en- are organized, how communication is supported, argues for the role of aesthetic environmental ex- the system in which it operates, we must know gagement and co-design and the emphasis of jus- and how data are collected and informing design, periences, such as beauty, in the discourse on en- where it comes from historically and how it has 3 tice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are also gaining planning, and policy decisions. As such, under- vironmental sustainability. The work of landscape sustained socially and institutionally. It is there- recognition sometimes under university mandates. standing and harnessing these digital tools have architect and scholar Kongjian Yu is exemplary in fore important for landscape architects interested This suggests that there is already a foundation become indispensable to design activists in the this regard. His metaphor of Big Feet weaves to- in design activism to be versed in the social and in many programs for design activism to be intro- digital era. As digital tools are becoming a more in- gether the narrative and aesthetic of the peasant political history of societal struggles, including the duced to the curriculum. history of race relations, settler colonialism, and separable part of our institutions and everyday life, landscapes (a counterpoint to high design in the it is even more important that we protect the de- Chinese tradition) and the ecological performances forced occupations. Similarly, for professionals Still, it is also important to recognize that, while mocracy of our society in the digital age by using of nature-based systems. to be effective in the policy arena and in working new content or focus need to be introduced, the these tools. However, as many communities may with movement leaders and organizers, we need core skillsets of landscape architects are still highly not have adequate access to the Internet, for in- to have the vocabulary and conceptual frameworks Assessment & Evaluation relevant. This is one of the common feedback in stance, addressing the digital divide is a challenge informed by philosophical thoughts, environmental our interviews with activists/practitioners. In other that design activists must also address. For activism to be successful and sustainable in humanities, and social science theories. The re- words, the focus on activism and design as social the long run, one must also develop the ability to sponses to the Design Activism Education Survey change does not necessarily mean a complete critically assess and evaluate the outcomes of an included a few specific suggestions, such as racial Lifelong & Social Learning dismantling of the core substance of landscape ar- action or a project as well as the process in which history, intersections of environmental, racial, and chitecture education. Specifically, in our interviews Given the complexity of challenges facing the so- it unfolds. From time to time, we must reflect on the climate justice, and design ethics. with activists and practitioners, systems thinking ciety and the planet as well as the evolving nature efficacy and impact of our deeds. Are we produc- and spatial knowledge were identified as invaluable of these challenges, our data bank of knowledge ing the intended outcomes? Are there unintended Entrepreneurship in addressing how social justice issues are mani- as landscape architects can never be sufficient. It consequences? Whose interests are being served? fested in the built environment. To pursue alternative career paths outside the es- is important that we engage in continued learning Are the stakeholders engaged in a meaningful way? tablished sectors of private, public, and, to a less- and acquisition of new knowledge in order to be Do the benefits outweigh the costs? Are we mak-

27 28 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM BECOMING DESIGN ACTIVISTS

One practitioner mentioned how methods and models of participatory design introduced in a stu- dio she took became the foundation of her work today. Other highlighted skills include working in teams, listening to multiple voices, communicating visually and verbally, dealing with ambiguity, “get- ting used to being uncomfortable” [in design re- views], and “being asked to imagine what does not yet exist.” These experiences are highly relevant to addressing the wicked problems facing the society and planet. Design activism, in fact, presents an arena in which core landscape architecture skills and knowledge can be put to greater use.

1. Source: http://makeitourbusiness.ca/blog/what-does-it-mean-be-culturally-competent 2. Ibid. 3. Elizabeth K. Meyer, “Sustaining Beauty. The Performance of Appearance: A Manifesto in Three Parts,” Journal of Landscape Architecture 3, No.1 (2008): 6-23.

29 30 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM CHALLENGES NOW

4. CHALLENGES NOW

If activism is indeed in the DNA of landscape ar- major barrier for integrating design activism into chitecture, what are the barriers and challenges design education. To meet the standards of pro- for integrating design activism into landscape ar- fessional accreditation, landscape architecture chitecture education? This was another question curricula are packed with many required courses, posed to our audiences at the CELA and EDRA covering a wide range of subjects from history conferences and the program administrators and and theory to planting and grading. They present activists/practitioners that we interviewed. Here is a particular challenge at the undergraduate level a summary of our findings. where there are additional university requirements. The need to teach a growing list of digital tools, Activism? including fabrication, demands additional space in the already crowded curriculum. As one academ- There is a common skepti- ic administrator said, "fitting it all in is the biggest cism against activism that challenge." For others, however, the crowded cur- riculum serves more as an excuse for maintaining it’s not associated with the status quo or favoring foundational design skills good design. at the expense of other materials.

Robert Ryan, University of Overstretched System Massachusetts, Amherst Besides possible crowded curricula, both faculty Despite the role of activism in the history of the and students are also faced with crowded commit- profession, activism is often viewed in opposition ments and limited time which can present a barrier to professional practice as commonly understood. for pursuing community-based projects or en- In contrast to practice, activism is often considered gagement outside the classroom. As one program as biased or serving a particular interest whereas

Storefront Mal, Seattle (by Tori Shao). PHoto by Jeffrey Hou administrator noted, due to budget cuts, “there professional practice is often believed to operate is an increasing need for every faculty to have a on a neutral ground. The misconceptions that apply full teaching load.” Many tenure-track faculty are to not only activism but also professional practice already conscious of time commitment due to the present a major barrier for the acceptance of activ- tenure and promotion clock. When community en- ism as a legitimate mode of practice and a focus in gagement and public service are not recognized in education. Activism can indeed be one-sided and the tenure and promotion process, it becomes an can serve the interest of the public as well as the even stronger barrier for engagement. For students, few. Similarly, the professional practice can also with high tuition and living costs especially in large knowingly and unknowingly do harm to society metropolitan areas, many must take on part-time and the environment. These negative connotations employment that also limits their time and availabil- aside, there is also not a strong consensus on what ity outside the classroom. Coupled with the need activism in design entails. Overcoming these mis- to pay back student loans, job security becomes a conceptions is one of the intentions of this project. primary concern following graduation, which limits their ability to explore other career opportunities. Crowded Curriculum?

In interviews with educators around the United States, many identified crowded curricula as a

31 32 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM CHALLENGES NOW

Faculty Tenure & Promotion Studio & Community Dynamic may pit one program against another in compe- barriers are, one practitioner highlighted the nature tition for student enrollment which works against of our profession as a service-based industry, “Our As aforementioned, the lack of recognition for pub- The studio power dynamic was brought up in our cross-disciplinary collaboration. traditional role is to solve problems for our clients, lic service and community-engaged work can pres- session at the 2019 CELA conference as a barri- not setting the agenda.” Landscape architecture, ent a barrier for tenure-track faculty in research er for incorporating activism in design education. Capacity to Teach as historically practiced, is indeed a service indus- universities where the criteria for promotion and Specifically, our session participants pointed to try, which brings values to the society, and it will tenure are primarily based on traditional research the traditional studio model in which the instruc- The culture of educators be unrealistic for the industry to transform over- outputs such as competitive grants and peer-re- tor dictates the parameters and expectations of has to change. They have night. However, for landscape architecture to have viewed publications. In some programs, faculty studio projects with little room for critical thinking. a broader and more critical impact in the society, are specifically told not to take on community-fo- Service-learning studios have their own issues and to be more open and con- the predominant practice model does need to be cused projects before tenure as they are seen as challenges as well. For instance, students may not cerned. examined as it influences how the profession is competing with traditional research activities. As be adequately prepared to enter a community and defined, how professionals are licensed, and how such, many faculty have shied away from or have develop a working relationship with community Mark Boyer, Louisiana State professional programs are accredited. been advised to not take on community-based stakeholders. In other instances, they may con- University projects prior to getting tenure, and choose instead front long-standing conflicts within a community or Lack of Alternative Pathways Even with institutional support through funding, to focus on projects that lead to quicker research between different stakeholders. Without adequate teaching assignment, and outreach coordination, outcomes. Even for those who are initially interest- preparation and guidance, the service-learning With the profession structured primarily as a ser- faculty members must be interested and prepared ed in community-engaged work, by the time when courses may end up causing more harm than vice industry, its ability to engage in social change in taking on projects or initiatives related to ac- tenure is granted, their research agendas may be good, with unfulfilled promises, false expectations, is necessarily limited. In the Design Activism Ed- tivism. Lack of appropriate faculty expertise was entrenched in the traditional research model. and/or further entrenchment of existing issues and ucation Survey, “underdeveloped models of alter- brought up in our interviews with program admin- challenges. native practices” was ranked among the top key Timing & Commitment istrators as another barrier. In other words, even if challenges, behind only “budget and resource” Institutional Barriers program leaders are supportive and students are and “crowded curriculum.” The lack of alternative Even for programs with a stronger focus on teach- interested, there may not be adequate faculty ex- practice models and career paths is indeed a bar- ing, community-engaged courses often take more The way educational institutions are structured pertise or instructional capacity to deliver the con- rier especially as students graduate from schools time to prepare and coordinate with community and supported today can present yet another chal- tent. One program director mentioned, “for some and enter the workforce. Lacking other options, and agency partners. Building longer-term rela- lenge. In recent decades, public higher educational […] faculty, even if they have the best intentions, saddled by debts, and faced with licensing require- tionships also require a commitment beyond the institutions in the United States have experienced they may not be up to date with current theories or ments, most students choose to enter the private classroom and one's typical work schedule. As re- a steady and sometimes drastic decline in funding the kind of critical thinking necessary to address sector. The preparation to enter the private sector warding as it can be, such additional commitments support from state governments. For private insti- contemporary issues.” Another program leader set the students on a path with particular interests present a barrier especially for junior faculty and tutions not tied to state funding, enrollment and pointed to faculty continuity as another problem and focus. As one program leader commented, those with family commitments. Even when com- costs present other concerns. Lacking sufficient especially for small programs, or programs with “Students tend to look to professional work as ex- munity-university partnerships are in place, the funding, it’s not surprising that, in the Design Activ- high turn-over of instructors. amples. There is little focus on social justice there.” impact or outcomes from a project can still take a ism Education Survey, “budget and resource” was Another program leader suggested, “We need to longer time to realize, particularly as it involves ca- identified as the top key challenge in implementing Limitations of a Service Industry change or expand the practice model we have cur- pacity building or long-term engagement. In work- changes to programs and curriculum. Even if re- rently […] and even create a new profession if nec- Are we doing enough in landscape architecture ed- ing with community partners, the academic calen- sources are available, the decision to invest often essary.” ucation or profession to address challenges such dar presents yet another challenge as community rests solely with program and institution leaders. as climate change, social justice, and disparities in processes don't often align with the fixed academ- In educational institutions governed by a top-down society? This was the first question we asked each ic schedule and thus require additional efforts by hierarchy, different priorities under changing lead- of the activists/practitioners interviewed for this faculty and in some cases students. ership can also be disruptive. Furthermore, the rise project. As expected, the answer from everyone of activity-based budgeting at many universities was a resounding “no.” Asked what they think the

33 34 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

5. OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

The good news is that there Political Tidal Wave are so many things to do. The recent movements including the advocacy for Ron Henderson, IIT the Green New Deal, the climate action movement, Black Lives Matter, and many more reflect the im- The scale and complexity of challenges facing the portant social, political, and environmental issues society and planet today are immense. But these of our time. They also represent opportunities for challenges also present opportunities for change. public attention and mobilizing that the profession We asked a group of program leaders and practi- can benefit from if it is able to engage with these tioners around the United States and participants issues. These movements bring up important at the 2019 CELA conference about opportunities questions concerning racial and social equity that specific to integrating design activism into land- confront professional practice. There is not a more scape architecture education. The following sum- critical moment for the profession to engage the marizes their insights. public in critical dialogues and for educational in- stitutions to reexamine how the degree programs Student Interest! and curriculum have addressed these issues and challenges and how engagements with these is- It’s off the chart! This is all sues can contribute to the evolution of courses and pedagogy. they want to do. Design as Protest 2017, University of Washington. PHoto by Jeffrey Hou Joern Langhorst, University of University Missions Colorado, Denver With high tuition and the prevailing neoliberal cli- Though not universally evident across all schools mate, public institutions in higher education are and regions, design activism is enjoying a high increasingly scrutinized for their public service and level of student interest across the United States contributions. Universities find themselves having at the moment. In our interviews with program to demonstrate their values to state legislatures leaders around the country, we were told that stu- and the public. Even private universities, especially dents generally are highly concerned with issues those located in urban contexts, now look to com- of climate change, social justice, and disparities in munity engagement as a way to be good neigh- society. One program leader noted, "this is what bors and address improvement and economic the students think about all the time these days. development. These efforts provide an opportunity They are interested in how landscape architecture for design programs to demonstrate their unique can deal with these issues." In the Design Activism ability to support university missions and goals. Education Survey, “Lack of student interest” was The recent push by many universities to receive the ranked lowest among the key challenges in imple- Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Commu- menting changes in the curriculum, reinforcing our nity Engagement represents another opportunity. interview findings. Student interest is indeed an Some programs have already been recognized by important asset for curricular changes. They also their institutions. At Kansas State University, for in- have the capacity to generate their projects and stance, the Department of Land scape Architecture initiatives. Their creativity, energy, and agency are and Regional and Community Planning was recog- a force for change. nized as among the top three units in the university

35 36 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD

with a strong focus on community engagement. More broadly, the Engaged Scholarship Consor- organizations working on a wide variety of issues Pro Bono, Good Deeds, Good Design, Expand- Such recognition is especially important for land- tium aims “to build strong university-community and challenges. In smaller population centers with- ing Architecture, Public Interest Design Practice scape architecture programs of modest size to gain partnerships anchored in the rigor of scholarship, out as many community or civic organizations, Guidebook, and Public Interest Design Education visibility in large campuses. and designed to help build community capacity.” programs can still work directly with municipalities Guidebook. Wisdom from the Field: Public Interest and agencies. At the University of Wisconsin, Mad- Design Practice, a document produced from the Public Impact Research Community-University ison, for instance, students work with a local group 2011 Latrobe Research Prize, is another excel- Partnership focusing on homelessness and learn directly about lent resource. Rather than having to reinvent the “Public impact research” and “broader impacts” the challenges they face. wheels, we can build on this body of knowledge are terms increasingly being used to describe so- As public institutions find the need to demonstrate and experiences. cially-beneficial research outcomes. Public impact their contributions in society and value for the pub- Funding Opportunities research is an increasing focus among many uni- lic, community-university partnership serves as an Cross-disciplinary Collaboration versities, especially public and land-grant institu- important vehicle for mutually beneficial collabora- For schools lacking in resources including funding, tions. The aim is to be more purposeful in carrying tion and exchanges between universities and com- engagement in activism, leadership, and commu- In the face of the complex social and environmen- out publicly-beneficial research, engaging non-uni- munity partners through research, teaching, and nity-university partnership may offer opportunities tal challenges today, interdisciplinary collaboration versity stakeholders, communicating the results to service. In many universities, community-university for outside grants to support specific projects that is increasingly recognized as key to developing different publics, and creating institutional capacity partnership has a long history in disciplines such benefit both the university and the community. The innovative responses. Landscape architecture is for this type of research and engagement. Public as social work, law, and medicine as part of their Department of Landscape Architecture at the Lou- already a field that encompasses many different impact research is being promoted by a number mission and pedagogy. These programs provide isiana State University, for instance, uses a grant specializations and expertise. But there is still of national organizations and agencies such as the opportunities for faculty and students with learning to bring students from underrepresented commu- much more that educational programs can do in Association of Public & Land-Grant Institutions and and translational research opportunities. In addi- nities to tour sites in New Orleans and learn about terms of reaching out and initiating collaboration the National Alliance for Broader Impacts, as well tion to the Carnegie Classification for Community the profession. At the University of Washington, with fields including health, environmental and for- as the National Science Foundation which uses Engagement, University Social Responsibility (USR) Seattle, the Department of Landscape Architecture est sciences, law, social work, gender studies, and “broader impacts” as one of the main criteria for re- is another growing movement that recognizes the has a long history of partnering with community ethnic studies. As many university grants these viewing federally-funded grants. role of universities in society. These mechanisms and civic organizations through projects funded by days require interdisciplinary teams, collaboration can be leveraged to bring more recognition to the Neighborhood Matching Fund grants from the City. becomes even more critical for programs to access Public Scholarship work of design activism in landscape architecture Examples of grants include the Community Out- funding. For programs that are already affiliated programs. reach Partnerships Centers grants offered through with planning or other disciplines, they can take Public scholarship goes by different names but rep- the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development advantage of shared resources including courses resents the scholarship of discovery and knowledge Collaboration & Cooperation (HUD), and those from ArtPlace America, Kellogg, and faculty expertise. production, teaching, and learning, that is focused Kresge, Rockefeller, and Surdna foundations. on issues of public concern. Many universities and For schools lacking resources and teaching exper- Design Thinking colleges now have campus-wide units dedicated tise, collaboration, and cooperation with outside Advances in Allied Professions to supporting faculty and students by facilitating organizations, including community and nonprofit What design schools teach collaborative activities based on mutually-benefi- The high level of interest in design activism is not groups, provide a way for students to be exposed and the kind of design cial and reciprocal relationships with non-university to critical challenges and engagement with local limited to landscape architecture. In Architecture, constituents. Moreover, there is a national move- communities. For local organizations, the involve- in particular, there has been a resurgence of inter- thinking is valuable and ment to deepen knowledge, share best practices, ment of and work produced by students can offer est in socially responsible design as evident in the necessary for addressing and to share resources and tools. For example, valuable support; in return, students can learn from work of Architecture for Humanity, Design Corps, today’s challenges. Imagining America is a national consortium that their participation. The collaboration addresses and the Public Interest Design movement. A long “brings together scholars, artists, designers, hu- both the constraints faced by university programs list of publications provides the resources and Cary Moon, People’s Waterfront manists, and organizers to imagine, study, and en- and the local organizations. For schools located in tools for developing competency and capacity in Coalition act a more just and liberatory ‘America’ and world.” large metropolitan areas, there are typically many design activism. These include Design for the 99%,

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Similar to interdisciplinary collaboration, design Transferability of Skills Studio Pedagogy into the courses and curriculum and to pursue in- thinking has also emerged in recent times as a way novation, they foster an environment in which new to solve complex problems. In the One important comment shared by our participants The existing curriculum and education model in thinking and actions can emerge. Thinking: A Guide to Creative Problem Solving for at the CELA conference was that the skills intend- landscape architecture already provide opportuni- Everyone, Professor Emeritus Andrew Pressman ed for design activism are highly transferrable or ties for integrating design activism into its curric- All Design is Activism of the University of New Mexico describes design applicable to professional practice. The same skills ulum. One of the defining features of design edu- thinking as “a powerful process that facilitates that can contribute to effective design activism, in- cation is studio pedagogy. With its project-based I strongly believe that all understanding and framing of problems, enables cluding communication, public speaking, research, focus and hands-on approach, design studios are practitioners need to be creative solutions, and may provide fresh perspec- listening, critical and synthetic thinking, dealing an ideal environment to learn about design activ- 1 tives on our physical and social landscapes.” Out- with ambiguity, and working with community are ism. Already, service-learning or community-based engaged in design activ- side the traditional design fields, design thinking also the kind of skills that are highly desirable in studios have become a common feature in many ism, not just a small group 3 has been recognized and increasingly applied in professional practice. Particularly, the skills can design programs. Studio projects address a wide of design activists. business, , and general education. As a be highly important for projects involving public variety of spatial and temporal scales, ranging from profession with design at its core, the rise of design engagement and negotiations. The fact that these an entire regional watershed to urban districts and Leann Andrews, Traction thinking presents an opportunity for landscape ar- skills are transferable makes a strong argument for neighborhoods. Through studios, students devel- chitecture to provide leadership in bringing design them to be integrated or strengthened in accredit- oped skills and expertise in design/build, working As stated in the beginning, activism is arguably thinking to complex and multi-scalar environmental ed programs. They reinforce the notion that there is with multiple mediums and scales, and hone an in the DNA of landscape architecture as we take and social challenges. an inherent capacity and agency in design to facili- understanding of working with community partners actions to shape and protect the environment and tate social change. and stakeholders. To integrate design activism into society. As such, it is important to recognize that Social Design an existing curriculum, one of the most effective all forms of design can be an expression of activ- Public Awareness & Outreach and expedient approaches is to simply introduce it ism in the way they lead or facilitate changes in Social design has been gaining popularity in the in the studio sequence. society. By recognizing the practice of design as a fields of and human-centered de- As a profession with a relatively small membership form of activism, we also recognize that the oppor- sign. As a concept and practice, it emerged from and historically overshadowed by other built envi- Program Leaderships tunities to engage in activism reside in all aspects the concerns for the designer's role in society and ronment disciplines, landscape architecture is still of design practice. Activism can happen in the the role of design in facilitating social change. It poorly understood by the general public. Through In schools around the United States, a new gener- quiet and even routine part of our work as we seek looks beyond the market-orientation of conven- design activism, the profession and the education- ation of faculty have begun to take on leadership to implement large-scale changes or undertake tional design practice. In recent years, a number of al programs can help the public understand better roles in programs, departments, and even schools incremental steps toward developing longer-term new programs have been established in the United about the field of landscape architecture and its and colleges. Many have been working with fac- solutions. In the context of design education, we States with a focus on social design. Maryland In- contributions in addressing many important so- ulty and the professional community to transform can embed these critical lenses into all the courses stitute College of Art is one of the first schools to cial and environmental issues. In other words, by courses and curriculum and developing initiatives that students take, ranging from grading to profes- offer a Master of Arts in Social Design. It defines actively engaging in these issues and by playing a of design activism. In some programs that used to sional practice. In fact, the more we address activ- Social design as “a creative practice dedicated stronger leadership role in the society, we can help get push-back from the top, things have changed ism in an integral way, the less activism is seen as to understanding social problems and support- amplify not only the issues at stake but also the under new school or college leaderships. Although a specialized practice or actions reserved only for 2 ing positive social change.” Faced with common public recognition and understanding of our pro- some may not identify with or explicitly character- the “radical designers.” The more activism is inte- challenges and concerns, the built environment fession. As many schools now face the challenge ize their focus as design activism, many of these grated into education and practice, the greater the disciplines can learn a great deal from their coun- of enrollment, design activism could also serve as efforts do share the same goals as outlined in this impacts we can have on producing the desirable terparts in other design disciplines in the area of a tool to attract a new generation of landscape ar- document. Leadership at multiple levels can go a changes in society. social design. There are also opportunities for chitects. long way in implementing changes. By pursuing greater collaboration among the disciplines. and allocating resources, including recruiting in- structors to teach specific courses, they strengthen the capacity of the programs. By supporting and encouraging faculty to integrate design activism

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Knowledge Frontiers

The problem for the pro- fession […] is that these pressures are shaping ter- ritories where landscape architecture has very little capacity.

Richard Weller, University of Pennsylvania4

As stated in the beginning, activism Actions to re- define or broaden the profession needs to come from somewhere. As landscape architecture prac- tice is still strongly connected to the market place which favors the status quo, schools and other emerging practices can be a catalyst in leading the kind of changes that need to happen. By working with innovative practitioners as well as institutional and community partners, the academic programs can be an incubator of ideas and techniques that can find their way into practice. By producing the future generations of practitioners armed with new skills and knowledge, landscape architecture pro- grams can help reshape and reinvigorate the pro- fession. Schools have been playing the role of cat- alysts and leaders. The Bauhaus School, despite its short lifespan (1919-1933), played an important role in the Modernist movement in art, architecture, and design in the early 20th Century. Ian McHarg’s 1. Andrew Pressman, Design Thinking: A Guide to Creative Problem Solving for Everyone (London and New York: Routledge, 2019), XVII. ecological methods at Penn serves as another, 2. Source: https://www.mica.edu/research/center-for-social-design/ more recent example. 3. Interview with Brice Maryman (December 18, 2019) 4. Richard Weller, “Our Time?” The New Landscape Declaration: A Call to Action for the Twenty-First Century, The Landscape Architecture Foun- dation, ed. (Los Angeles: Rare Bird Books, 2017), 9.

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6. MODELS & MOMENTUM

Though not universally available or practiced, Centers with close associations with landscape models and programs that support learning for architecture programs or with a focus on land- design as activism do exist already. Some have scape-scale projects do also exist, such as the actually been around for decades, or are now the Hamer Center for Community Design at Penn State focus of recent initiatives in higher education. With University and the University of Arkansas Com- examples sourced primarily from members of our munity Design Center with a particular focus on working group and the book Public Interest Design rural development. These centers often function on Educational Guidebook (2018), the following serves external grants and gifts and are financially inde- as snapshots of what these existing models are pendent or semi-dependent from the universities. and summarizes how they can contribute to design By engaging in real-life projects with community activism education. and civic partners, they provide opportunities for students and faculty to develop experiences and Community Design Centers long-term collaboration with external partners. By sustaining these relationships through funded proj- In the heyday of community design movement in the ects, the centers fill an important void in a typical 1960s, university-based community design centers teaching schedule organized around academic became a model for community engagement that terms that don’t often respond to the nature of the filled a void where typical professional services social and political process at the community or

Image courtesy of Design/build Program, University of Washington, Seattle failed to reach the communities in need. municipal level. They serve as a vehicle that sup- ports the educational and public mission of univer- Throughout the United States today, there are still sities. more than 60 community design centers, including university-based centers, full-service planning and Community-University design practices, and non-profit organizations.1 Many of these centers were set up in city planning Partnership and architecture programs, such as the Pratt Cen- Besides having university-based community de- ter for Community Development (founded in 1963) sign centers, there are other ways through which and more recently the Center for Public Interest collaboration with community partners can be es- Design in the School of Architecture at the Port- tablished to provide students and faculty with op- land State University. There are also those set up portunities to put their skills and knowledge to use to address particular challenges or support spe- and learn directly from the communities. Founded cific populations. For instance, the Small Center in 1987, the East St. Louis Action Research Project for Collaborative Design at Tulane University was (ESLARP) has been a well-respected initiative led founded in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. The De- by students, faculty, and staff, first at the Univer- troit Collaborative Design Center at the University sity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and now at the of Detroit Mercy was founded in 1994 to work with Southern Illinois University. ESLARP facilitates ser- the community and philanthropic organizations to vice projects in support of the underserved com- rebuild the city. The Design and Planning Assis- munities in East St. Louis. Starting with technical tance Center at the University of New Mexico was assistance that eventually led to an emphasis on established to deliver design and planning services local organizational capacity building for high-pov to low-income communities in the state. erty communities, the partnership has supported projects that benefitted the communities and also

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the development of community planning methods to work with hosting local community development Service-Learning variety of groups, including housing and health for professionals. organizations on projects that result in sustainable organizations, community development corpora- and affordable communities. The fellowship is open Service-learning is a recognized teaching and tions, foundations, and different units on campus, While many community-university partnerships, such to designers with an accredited degree in architec- learning process that integrates community service on projects ranging from walkability audits to mo- as ESLARP, tend to focus on a specific community ture or landscape architecture. with instruction and reflection.4 In landscape archi- bile grocers. Focusing on improving food access or location over an extended period of time, there tecture, the service-learning curriculum, including and physical activity in underserved communities, are also other models of collaboration. Sustainable Within universities, the Center for Public Interest studios, has served as an important vehicle for de- the projects bring together students and faculty in City Year is a program at the University of Oregon Design at the Portland State University offers fel- sign programs to work with community organiza- architecture, design, business, behavioral science, that invites communities throughout Oregon to ap- lowships to interested students to participate in a tions and public agencies. By working directly with public health, and pharmacy. The collaborative ply for a year-long partnership with the university public interest design project outside the class- community stakeholders and public clients, stu- was awarded the Public Scholarship Award by the that enables students and faculty to focus a year of room under the guidance of a faculty member. dents gain different perspectives in terms of how International Association for Research on Service academic coursework and research with the com- Through such an arrangement, the fellowship also problems are perceived and defined. They develop Learning and Community Engagement in 2019. munity. The University of Washington began a simi- provides support for faculty involvement. Since an understanding of and skills in co-creation, ne- lar program called Living City Year in 2016, inspired 2014, more than forty student fellows have been gotiation, and collaboration. In return, the students Field Schools & Programs by the Oregon program. Aside from programs that accepted into the program who in turn worked on can offer fresh perspectives, social and technical 2 connect one university to one or multiple com- a variety of projects through the Center. With sup- support, and a source of energy and passion. In a Taking a step beyond typical service-learning ac- munities, there are models that enable multiple port from Cummings Foundation and MASS Design studio setting, service-learning also provides op- tivities, field programs include studio courses and universities to work together. Founded in 1986 and Group, the Ada Louise Huxtable Fellowship in civic portunities for critical reflections on design meth- other instructional activities that take place in a active through the 1990s, the University-Oakland engagement and service-learning enables student ods and professional practice that have traditional- local community where students live and work for Metropolitan Forum was a partnership of five col- fellows at the Boston Architectural College (BAC) ly been based on expert knowledge. an extended period of time. Through the extended leges and universities with communities in Oak- to work as interns at the MASS Design Group and stay, students and faculty are fully immersed in the 3 land, California that supported community-building gain experiences in project delivery. At Cornell University, the Rust to Green (R2G) local setting, working with the local stakeholders. programs in economic development, education, Capstone Studio focuses on catalyzing communi- The experience enables them to gain insights and and neighborhood revitalization. These programs In landscape architecture, the LAF Fellowship for In- ty-driven placemaking in upstate New York cities.5 cultural perspectives that would not be possible provide invaluable resources for the underserved novation and Leadership was established in 2017 In 2013, the studio produced a study that identifies otherwise. In a field studio, students have to adapt communities as well as opportunities for students to “foster transformational leadership capacity and creative placemaking as a strategy for driving the to the local setting, learn about local customs and and faculty to develop and apply their skills and support innovation to advance the field of land- physical, social, and economic transformation of sometimes language, and work directly with local knowledge to real-life issues. scape architecture.” Each year, a group of mid-ca- the district. In 2015, the studio worked with the stakeholders. Unlike typical study abroad pro- reer and senior-level fellowships are awarded Oneida Square neighborhood in Utica, New York, grams that may or may not entail extensive interac- Fellowships & Internships based on their proposed projects that “demonstrate to co-create a flower festival. At the University of tions with the local communities, the main focus of the potential to bring about impactful change to the New Mexico, the Landscape Architecture program the field studios is to engage the local actors and Besides programs that facilitate collaboration and environment and humanity and have the capacity offers an Indigenous Design Studio, not only to en- processes. partnership at an institutional level, fellowships and to grow the leadership potential of landscape ar- gage the local indigenous communities but also to internships serve as a mechanism that enables chitecture.” Each cohort also includes the National attract diversity into their program.6 The studio has We have a new generation individual faculty and students to develop their Olmsted Scholars who are recent graduates from partnered with the Indigenous Design and Planning of people, students who own projects and partnerships. Founded in 2000, accredited degree programs. Programs like these Institute under the Design and Planning Assistance the Enterprise Rose Fellowship is one of the best- provide opportunities for students to gain experi- Center on its projects. The Institute was founded to are craving for the kind of known fellowship programs nationally in design ence and confidence in social service and leader- inform and support education in indigenous design education. leadership. Offered by Enterprise Community Part- ship. For programs designed for recent graduates and planning. ners, a national nonprofit focusing on affordable or emerging practitioners, they provide a stepping Leann Andrew, Traction housing development, the program provides two- stone and opportunities for graduating students to At the University of Kansas, Dotte Agency is a year positions for emerging architecture designers pursue their passion and interest outside the con- multi-disciplinary design collaborative with a focus or socially-engaged arts and cultural practitioners ventional career tracks. on improving public health. It collaborates with a

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At the University of Washington, Seattle, the Infor- local nonprofits. With the participation of students System has been specifically designed to make Recognized as serving the mandated mission of mal Urban Communities Initiative (IUCI) brought from architecture and landscape architecture, the research-based knowledge accessible to commu- land-grant universities, the extension programs can students to work on a series of projects in an program took on a range of projects including nities. In many states, these programs focus on ag- be leveraged to provide students and faculty with informal settlement in Lima, Peru. Working with activation of urban vacant spaces, a farm shed, riculture and food, home and family, environment, opportunities for public service and community en- partners in Global Health typically first through a a bike shelter, and a mobile tool trailer for people community economic development, and youth.7 gagement. Many of these programs already have remote studio in the Winter Quarter and an on-site experiencing homelessness. The program filled Historically, each county in all 50 states had a local a long history of working with local communities. program in the Summer Quarter, the studio proj- an important void in the curriculum and provided extension office. Currently, there are still 2,900 -ex While the existing extension programs tend to have ects have ranged from house gardens to fog water opportunities for students from different disciplines tension offices across the country. At the University a strong focus and orientation on technical assis- farms to address the needs for clean water, sanita- to work together with community and nonprofit cli- of Wisconsin-Madison, for instance, the UW Exten- tance, some have already developed a focus on tion, neighborhood improvement, and community ents. sion Community Design Team brings planning and empowerment and community capacity building. capacity. Started in Lima, the initiative has since design professionals to communities and provide As not every land grant university has such opera- carried out similar projects in Iquitos, Peru, and Students’ initiatives can sometimes morph into them with resources to make decisions about their tion or service currently, there are opportunities for locations in Cambodia and Nepal, using the same longer-term projects after graduation. One of the future. more initiatives to emerge. vehicle and pedagogy of field studios. The studios nation’s oldest and longest-running community de- have provided opportunities for students to interact sign nonprofits,Environmental Works, was founded Charrettes & Competitions and learn from the local communities. initially as a community design center by architec- We need to redefine our ture students at the University of Washington in purpose to serve communi- Charrettes and competitions have been a Also at the University of Washington but housed 1970. For 50 years, EW has worked with communi- ties, especially local land- long-standing practice in the design profession in the Department of Architecture, the StoreFront ties in the State of Washington on designing afford- and are used commonly in educational contexts. Studio serves as another model in providing op- able housing and community facilities through both grant universities, with a Innovative, short-term, and often requiring less portunities for students with extensive fieldwork fee-for-service projects and no-cost service. The mission to serve people. longer-term investment, charrettes and competi- experiences. The studio, conducted each year, organization was recently joined by Barker Land- tions can be an effective way to experiment with an works with small communities in the state of scape Architects to become a multidisciplinary op- Samuel Dennis, Jr., University of emerging topic and mobilize participation by stu- Washington focusing on the revitalization of main eration. Wisconsin, Madison dents, faculty, and even professionals. streets. The BLC Field School is a project of the There are many recent examples of successful The events can also raise public awareness and Building-Landscape-Culture Collaborative Proj- At West Virginia University, the WVU Extension practices that initially emerged as initiatives by discussion. In recent years, prominent competi- ect at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and Service offers educational programs and technical students or recent graduates. They include Rebar tions such as Rebuild by Design and Resilience Madison. The field school takes students into local assistance to communities to improve their social (San Francisco), MASS Design Group (Boston), by Design have encouraged the profession to neighborhoods to collect and explore stories of and economic well-being. The Community Engage- Kounkuey Design Initiative (Los Angeles), Interboro explore issues of climate resilience and disaster places and placemaking. It provides students with ment Lab in particular provides services in design Partners (New York and Detroit), and Assemble preparedness. Despite their shortcomings in terms an immersive experience in documenting the built charrettes, workshops, mapping, and surveys that (London), an award-winning, multidisciplinary col- of effecting policy change,9 these competitions did environment and cultural landscapes and learning support design and planning at regional, communi- lective across the fields of art, architecture, and generate interest and attention within the schools how to write history “from the ground up.” ty, and site scales. At the University of Massachu- design. These successful examples demonstrate and the professional community. setts, Amherst, the culture of design activism and the possibility for emerging groups to go beyond Student Initiatives community engagement in the department comes the status quo in creating new forms of practice. Besides generating ideas and attention, charrettes in part from its collaboration with the UMass Am- Apart from opportunities available through the 8 and competitions can also be used to build capac- herst Design Center. The Center supports a wide university, students’ own initiatives can also play ity, relationships, and potential partnerships among University Extensions range of planning and urban design projects and an important role in learning about activism, lead- the stakeholders. Open Space Seattle 2100 was research focused on addressing the challenges ership, and community engagement. At the Uni- For many public land-grant universities in the one such project that produced sustaining results facing cities and towns in Massachusetts and be- versity of Oregon, DesignBridge was a student-or- United States, cooperative extensions have long with a profound political and physical impact on yond. ganized community design/build initiative that served as an important vehicle linking universities the city. Through a city-wide design held provided design service to community clients and with local communities. The Cooperative Extension in 2006 with 23 teams led by local professionals

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and landscape architecture students and faculty at students at the University of Washington. Over 200 tutions and even units with the same university can clude: Democratic landscape transformation, dem- the University of Washington, the project brought students and professionals across different dis- also result in the desired synergy and open up new ocratic landscape analysis, collaborative visioning together community groups, civic organizers, ac- ciplines signed up to form groups that addressed opportunities. In Japan, the Haruhiko GOTO Labo- and goal setting, collaborative design, evaluation tivists, and professionals to produce a 100-year issues ranging from affordable housing to fair po- ratory at Waseda University has been a pioneering and future agenda setting. vision for open space in Seattle. The guiding prin- licing. force in community design in the country. In 2015, ciples were endorsed by the City Council. The pro- the lab teamed up with Nara Medical University to Program Transformation cess helped form a network of grassroots support Recurring events are a great model for student combine expertise in community design, historical that translated into the passage of parks and green engagement. The HOPES Conference is an annual conservation, and medical care for elders to re- In most schools around the country, mechanisms space levy in 2008 with funding support for green event inaugurated in 1994 and organized inde- vive a historical district in the ancient city of Nara. such as charrettes, workshops, events, and stu- infrastructure. pendently by a student group at the University of Named Planning Institute in Medicine-based Town, dents initiatives are ways to complement existing Oregon. Through panel discussions, workshops, the project presents an integrated approach to ad- curricula in providing opportunities for students to Also in Seattle, a series of workshops and char- exhibitions, and excursions, the conference brings dress issues of aging, the decline of historic neigh- engage in activism and gain important experiences rettes influenced the current redevelopment of its together students, faculty, community members, borhoods, and community development. outside the classrooms. These short-terms mech- downtown waterfront. In 2003, the Allied Arts of and visiting scholars across different disciplines anisms are particularly useful when institutional Seattle, a long-time civic/municipal arts organiza- to explore the relationship between ecology and At Iowa State University, the Environmental Justice or curricular changes often take a long process to 10 tion, organized a Waterfront Design Collaborative various design disciplines. Events such as DAP in Prisons Project is a partnership between the materialize. However, it is also possible that a de- to envision the future of the Seattle Central Water- and HOPES provide students with opportunities to College of Design and the Iowa Correctional Insti- gree program can be reorganized or redirected to front following the demolition of the Alaskan Way engage in interdisciplinary collaboration, develop tute for Women (ICIW). The project began in 2010 support student engagement in activism and ad- Viaduct. With the participation of seven teams of experiences in event organizing, and participate in with a plan to develop the 30-acre site based on dressing critical social and environmental challeng- professionals and students, the process spurted collective learning in key issues and challenges. principles of humane and therapeutic landscape es. the City to organize a citywide charrette open to all design that improves environmental health and re- citizens in the following years. 22 teams of citizens, For schools that operate on a semester schedule, silience. Led by Associate Professor Julie Stevens, At Penn State University, the strategic planning students, and professionals came up with a wide weeklong workshops during the semester provide students at Iowa State constructed multipurpose process in the Department of Landscape Architec- range of proposals with the key themes forming the relief from the regular studios and allow students outdoor classrooms and restorative space for staff ture has led to a focus on social and environmental basis for the waterfront redesign. Both Open Space to engage in an intensive investigation of specific and officers. They also planted trees and native justice, with the department’s mission framed as Seattle 2100 and the City-sponsored waterfront issues. At the University of Southern California, the prairie flowers and grasses. The project enabled “great work grounded in a commitment to envi- charrettes provided opportunities for students and Landscape Architecture program initiated an annu- the students to examine their own personal ethics ronmental and social good.” At the University of faculty involvement and contributed to substantive al, one-week workshop after the mid-term reviews. when working with diverse populations, especially Washington, Seattle, a strategic plan developed in outcomes on the ground. Students from all years would participate in teams those incarcerated.11 The project won an ASLA stu- 2000 identified urban as the stra- of six to seven to carry out applied research work- dent award for excellence in community service in tegic focus for the department. The implementa- Workshops & Events ing with community stakeholders. Similarly, using 2015. tion of the plan involved all aspects of the program as a model, the Design Week is a operation including curricular changes, selection of Aside from large-scale competitions or charrettes, weeklong (4 days) program held every other year at The Landscape Education for Democracy (LED) studio focus, faculty recruitment, and development smaller-scale workshops and other events also North Carolina State University that involves all lev- project is a partnership between five European of research initiatives. Building on the strength of allow students to engage in activism sometimes els of students in a project or a series of projects landscape architecture faculties and the LE:NOTRE the program in community engagement and social by organizing those events themselves. Design as with outside guest instructors. The focus in 2019, Institute for promoting awareness and empowering justice focus, the department further incorporates Protest (DAP), for instance, was a nationwide ac- for example, was to apply rapid creativity to climate young design and planning professionals to be- design activism as one of its five focal areas in an tion held on January 20th, 2017 to bring together change challenges. come more active in shaping democratic change. update to the strategic plan in 2015.12 activists, designers, and community organizers to Started in 2016, the project has offered online explore how design can address issues of injustice Program Partnerships seminars that are free and open to students at any At the Illinois Institute of Technology, design activ- in society. Around the United States, 12 gather- institution as well as the general public. The LED ism was not a tradition for the Landscape Architec- ings were organized. In Seattle, the DAP event was Aside from the typical community-university part- course 2020 includes 13 online course sessions ture + Urbanism program. In fact, the school had a organized by a group of landscape architecture nerships, the collaboration between different insti- available to students at any institution. Themes in- checkered history with the neighborhood in Chica-

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go’s Southside. However, building on an improved Certificate Programs been hosted by programs around the country at through studios, theses, capstones, demonstration relationship with the neighborhood and working different times during a year. The local host selects projects, research initiatives, partnerships, and with its faculty and professional community, the Certificate programs including those at the grad- from a list of speakers who are leading practi- public programs. The program offers three areas of program recently undertook a strategic shift to fo- uate level and even outside academic programs tioners in public interest design. Since 2011, the focus: (1) community-based design, (2) parks, open cus on the public realm, including working with the can provide additional paths for students to pursue institute has been held in more than twenty states space, and green infrastructure, and (3) transpor- local community. The modest size of the program their interest in design activism and acquire specif- in the United States. tation and main street management. Arizona State and coherence of the faculty allowed the program ic skills and expertise. At Portland State University, University has also been working on programs to restructure its curriculum and develop specific the Center for Public Interest Design offers Grad- New (Degree) Programs? focusing on creative placemaking, including the studio focus and pedagogical approach based on uate Certificate in Public Interest Design to both Studio for Creativity, Place and Equitable Commu- 13 the strategic move. The shift is already paying graduate students and professionals. The program Are new degree programs in design activism via- nities, funded by the Kresge Foundation and Art- dividends—with Jazz Fence, the program’s first consists of 18 credit hours of course options pulled ble or desirable? Given the declining enrollment in Place America. community-university partnership project in a long from multiple disciplines at the university, including many professional design programs already, new time, winning an ASLA student award in 2018. architecture, business, environmental science and degree programs may be perceived as competing From time to time, initiatives may emerge to start management, public affairs, and public studies and with the existing programs. On the other hand, the a landscape architecture program from scratch. At the City College of New York, although the land- planning. This includes a minimum of 4 credit hours declining enrollment in traditional programs may Those moments provide opportunities to experi- scape architecture program does not set its focus of fieldwork that provide students with opportuni- precisely provide the motivation to think more cre- ment with fresh ideas. on design activism per se, it has also restructured ties for actions and engagement within a communi- atively about bringing more students into the field Founded in 2004, Department of Landscape Ar- its curriculum, including history, theory, technical ty or through a practicum at a firm or organization. through new feeder programs or allow students to classes, and studios, to address critical contem- pursue a specialization or advanced learning at the chitecture at Chung Yuan University, Taiwan is one porary challenges. Taking advantage of its loca- The College of Design at North Carolina State Uni- graduate level. This is an area that requires fresh such example. With a strong emphasis on commu- tion and resources in New York City, the program versity also offers a Public Interest Design Certif- and robust investigations. nity engagement, community design is introduced collaborates with the staff of the NYC Urban Field icate program. The program is open to students, in the first year of the four-year bachelor program Station to organize field trips for its urban ecology professionals, and even the public with related Some schools have already taken steps to explore in the early years. Ecologies and plants are taught course, in which students get to hear directly from experience of education. Unlike the Portland State new directions. At Parsons School of Design, the not in the classroom but in the field in tribal com- scientists and citizens. The Bio-Design Studio ad- University program, the coursework for the NC MS in Design and Urban Ecologies is a relatively munities. In the last year of the program, students dresses urban agriculture and stormwater, using State programs draws more heavily from architec- recent program that combines urban planning, were required to spend a semester abroad in des- bio-design as a concept to introduce students to ture and landscape architecture, including studio policy, urban design, activism, and community ignated locations in Asia, Europe, North America, scientific knowledge beyond the comfort zone of courses, reflecting the strength and resources of practice. Similar to a design program, the program and more recently Australia. The innovation of the 14 design. the College. The faculty members include those is studio-based, complemented by a series of re- program has been reflected in the strength of the from architecture, landscape architecture, art + de- quired coursework in history, theory, and methods, student work and its impact on the communities it The feasibility of program transformation relies sign, and industrial and . culminating in a thesis project. The faculty mem- has worked with. significantly on both the support of the faculty and bers included those in existing programs including program leadership. For some programs, external Run by Design Corps and hosted by universities urban policy and health, urban studies, architec- Models, Momentum & Multiple factors including support from the university may around the United States, Public Interest Design ture, urban planning, and community development. Pathways also play an important role. But even if the stars Institute (PIDI) is a training program open to prac- The location in New York City allows the program may not always align right away or the resourc- titioners as well as students. Developed based on to access the city as a laboratory for learning. As the above discussion and examples indicate, es for implementation may not be in place, some the SEED (Social, Economic, and Environmental there is already a wide variety of program models steps can always happen first, such as a ) methodology. Successful participants earn In recent years, placemaking has emerged as a and mechanisms that support the integration of plan, improved relationship with communities, or certification as a SEED professional. Practicing focus of academic research and practice as well design activism into landscape architecture edu- experiments with course design and content, as professionals in architecture and landscape ar- as new programs. The Pratt Institute in New York cation. Although not all models are explicit about evident in the examples above. chitecture also earn Continued Educaion Units or City offers a MS degree in Urban Placemaking and activism per se, they embody features of design Professional Development Hours. The program has Management under the School of Architecture. The activism, including community engagement, 40-credit program focuses on applied research

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advocacy, partnership, and leadership develop- ment. It is important to note that the wide variety of programs and models does not necessarily suggest that these approaches are universally ac- cepted or supported. Many of the programs and initiatives thrive largely and sometimes solely with the commitment of individual faculty, students, and community partners. Although some of these models are gaining greater institutional recogni- tion, such as community engagement and com- munity-university partnerships, many of them still require greater support and investments from the institutions they belong to. Whether they are cur- rently supported or not, long-term care and sup- port are necessary for the program and initiatives to sustain over time. Besides, as not every program has adopted these models or mechanisms, there is potential to more programs and initiatives to be developed, to build on the momentum of this work.

The wide variety of models and mechanisms, as illustrated here, suggest that there are multiple pathways to better integrate design activism into landscape architecture education. Depending on 1. Source: https://www.communitydesign.org/about the socio-economic condition of the region, the in- 2. Source: http://www.centerforpublicinterestdesign.org/student-fellows stitutional context, the resources at hand, and the 3. Benjamin Peterson, “Advancing Resiliency: The Huxtable Fellowship in Civic Engagement and Service Learning,” in Public Interest Design expertise of faculty and staff, some models may be Educational Guidebook: Curricula, Strategies, and SEED Academic Case Studies, ed. Lisa M. Abendroth and Bryan Bell (London and New York: more suitable or applicable than others. Lastly, it is Routledge, 2019), 171-177. 4. Angotti, Cheryl Dobble, and Paula Horrigan. Service-Learning in Design and Planning: Educating at the Boundaries (Oakland, CA: New Village important to note that although the models and ex- Press, 2011) amples included present a spectrum of approach- 5. Paula Horrigan, ““Making” Change Together: Rust to Green’s Placemaking Praxis,” in Public Interest Design Education Guidebook: Curricula, es, they do not represent all the possibilities. Like Strategies, and SEED Academic Case Studies, eds. Lisa M. Abendroth and Bryan Bell (London and New York: Routledge, 2018), 182-188. other subjects in education, models of design ac- 6. Interview with Katya Crawford (December 5, 2019). tivism education require constant innovations and 7. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Education,_and_Extension_Service critical self-reflection to stay relevant. 8. Interview with Robert Ryan (November 4, 2019). 9. See a critique of Rebuild by Design by Billy Fleming: https://placesjournal.org/article/design-and-the-green-new-deal/ 10. Source: https://hopes.uoregon.edu/about-us/ 11. Julie Stevens, “Reflecting Through Razor Wire: The Environmental Justice in Prisons Project,” Public Interest Design Education Guidebook: Curricula, Strategies, and SEED Academic Case Studies, eds. Lisa M. Abendroth and Bryan Bell (London and New York: Routledge, 2018), 220- 225. 12. The principal author for this report served as the department chair at UW from 2009 to 2017 and as the Graduate Program Coordinator from 2005 to 2009. 13. Interview with Ron Henderson (November 15, 2019). 14. Interview with Denise Hoffman Brandt (December 11, 2019).

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7. FRAMEWORK FOR ACTIONS

It's not a question of wheth- Politicize er to do it nor not, but how to do what we do, […], and Every design action is a po- learning how to do it better. litical act. Randolph T. Hester, University of Joern Langhorst, University of 1 California, Berkeley Colorado, Denver The social and environmental challenges facing To embrace and position design as activism in our society and the planet today are in essence landscape architecture education, we propose the political, in the sense that they reflect exercises of following framework of actions based on the chal-

Claverito Garden Technoloiges. Image courtesy of Informal Urban Communities Initiative/Traction power and struggles. To be effective in meeting lenges and opportunities identified in this docu- these challenges, landscape architects need to be ment. While the framework and suggested actions engaged with the political—the process in which are specific to education, we envision that a strong different forces and struggles converge in the pub- intersection between education and profession is lic realm. We must understand better the language also essential. In other words, while the focus of and systems of power. We need to have the ability this study is on landscape architecture education, and capacity to engage in the political process to we do not see the actions as limited to the context effect change. To politicize is not to align neces- of educational institutions only. Rather, we see the sarily with partisan interests and viewpoints. It’s need for a broader transformation to occur through not “politicizing” as conventionally or commonly such intersections. understood. Rather, to politicize is to accept the As educational programs in landscape architecture responsibility of professionals as engaged citizens vary in their focus, size, and organization, and as and as members of a democracy. To be effective they respond often to different contexts and con- participants in a democracy, we must acquire the stituents, the proposals here are not meant to be skills in communicating, mobilizing, and advocating one-size-fits-all. Instead, we ask each program and for the public (demos). school to reassess its own mission and goals and To politicize is also to understand that the built develop appropriate strategies and actions togeth- environment has always been an ongoing product er with students, faculty, and the professional com- of social, economic, and political processes. The munity. Undertaking systemic changes requires work that we do as professionals and the materials patience, strategies, and mobilization at multiple that we teach and learn in school are shaped by levels. We envision these changes to occur locally, systems and history of social movements as well regionally, nationally, and transnationally, start- as oppression and colonialization. In the book, De- ing from the bottom, top, and sideways, through sign for the Real World, published more than thirty both acupunctural pressures as well as layered years ago, designer and educator Victor Papanek approaches. The change we envision requires cre- argues, “The main trouble with design schools ativity, innovation, and sustained efforts by faculty, seems to be that they teach too much design and students, administrators, and professional allies. not enough about the ecological, social, econom- ic, and political environment in which design takes place.”2 Although Papanek was addressing more

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specifically the field of industrial design, the same is much work to be done to engage with the “real in can benefit from the availability of courses and At the program level and as a profession, we must criticism could be applied to landscape architec- world” we live in. the company of cohorts often with a strong social also hybridize our ranks by recruiting more diverse ture, not just 30 years ago, but also today. There justice focus and sensibility. At the graduate level, students and faculty into education. We must reach students can develop specializations, participate in out to schools, communities, and students that are joint projects, or even pursue concurrent degrees. historically underrepresented in our profession. Sample Actions At the undergraduate level, we can encourage stu- Only by bringing those from diverse cultural and dents to pursue minors in other fields to broaden socioeconomic backgrounds into the profession • Approach history and theory of landscape architecture with a political lens. their perspectives and acquire additional knowl- can we begin to have the capability of understand- edge and skills. At the program level, in addition ing and addressing issues of equity, diversity, and • Integrate politics and political processes into community engagement methods. to developing relationships with other units, steps inclusion in the society. must also be taken to reduce barriers including • Consider political processes and political actions in studio projects. tenure and promotion criteria and process.

• Engage in planning and policy debates at local, regional, national, and international levels. Sample Actions

• Develop joint degree programs and interdisciplinary opportunities, including joint courses Hybridize munity, and the public if we are willing to invest in and studios. building the connections and taking the initiatives. By connecting and working with other disciplines, • Recruit students and faculty with diverse professional and disciplinary backgrounds. We must go beyond land- there are also opportunities to reflect critically on scape architecture practice how we operate as a field. For instance, we can • Reduce barriers for interdisciplinary collaboration, including course requirements, faculty in order to broach this crit- learn from the methods that the other fields use to tenure and promotion criteria, etc. generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge. We ical environmental cross- can also observe how they test ideas and verify • Recruit diverse students and faculty particularly those from underserved and roads. results. We can draw from the way they engage the underrepresented communities. public and advance their agenda. Through these Martha Schwartz, Martha Schwartz interactions, we can learn about our strengths and Partners3 limitations and find ways to advance our profes- sion. Conversely, by hybridizing, we can also make Glocalize curriculum and providing students and faculty with The scale and complexity of the social and envi- others aware of landscape architecture and what opportunities to develop working relationships and ronmental challenges today require landscape ar- we can bring to the table. Rather than taking on the Just like landscapes and ecosystems, today's so- gain insights into the issues and challenges facing chitecture to build knowledge and capacity beyond challenges on our own, hybridizing allows us to join cial and environmental challenges are also inter- the local communities. These insights allow stu- the traditional core of the profession. One of the forces with others. connected across scales. To be effective in meet- dents and faculty to understand how issues facing advantages of higher education is that we reside in ing these interconnected challenges, we must think the planet and the global society are manifested institutions with other areas of expertise, including There are different ways in which hybridization can and act both locally and globally. Starting with the locally and how we can begin to undertake actions arts, environmental sciences, ethnic studies, ge- occur. In programs that are housed together with local, one thing that educational programs can in communities and places where we live and work, ography, gender studies, health, human-centered planning programs, for instance, students already do immediately is to build connections with local particularly the vulnerable communities. design, law, planning, social work, etc. There are can benefit from the availability of courses and stakeholders, including communities, public agen- abundant opportunities to explore collaboration in the company of cohorts often with a strong social cies, and civic organizations, not to mention the research, teaching, and service that can mutually justice focus and sensibility. At the graduate level, local professional community. These connections benefit students, faculty, the professional com- students can develop specializations, participate are important for developing a service-learning

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Our call or declaration munities abroad, landscape architecture programs Aside from the coursework, a program can also Improvising, or working with what you have, also can explore the interconnectivity of global and local build on an existing lecture series to introduce new means utilizing strengths and assets that are al- must be global because issues, broaden the horizon for students and facul- themes and substance focusing on critical issues ready in place in a program or a community. These much of the environmental ty, and prepare students to become global leaders of our time. It can offer workshops/charrettes on an may include existing community-university part- impact and urban growth is and citizens. As demographic compositions diver- annual or biennial basis providing opportunities to nership programs on campus, community-based happening in the develop- sify in communities across the globe, institutions engage not just students and faculty but also the organizations that one can develop partnerships are increasingly required to address issues of di- professional community and members of the pub- with, and city agencies that can use resources and ing world. versity, equity, and inclusion. Cultivating the local lic. Summer programs provide yet another oppor- support from university programs. and global connections and exploring curricular tunity to utilize existing resources, in this case the Mario Schjetnan, Grupo de Diseño and pedagogical opportunities can also help build availability of space and time during the summer. Urbano/GDU4 the cultural and intercultural capacity for the next Developing local ties needs not to be done at the generation of landscape architects. expense of global connections. In fact, by working Sample Actions both locally and globally with partners and com- • Undertake an audit of the existing programs and curriculum to identify opportunities for introducing design activism. Sample Actions • Consider using studios and studio projects as the platform to introduce and integrate • Develop connections and partnerships with community organizations, professional design activism into the curriculum. groups, and public sector agencies both locally and globally. • Leverage existing strengths and resources, including courses, lecture series, summer • Develop service-learning studios to address issues faced by communities and agencies. programs, and connections with on-campus and outside organizations. • Develop capacity in supporting and sustaining long-term partnerships.

• Work with on-campus units or organizations that support partnerships and collaboration. communities, such as access to fresh food and Problematize green spaces? What if we look at how university To improvise with existing resources and strengths, campuses are addressing issues of sustainability As such, the most effective way to move forward Improvise one doesn't need to go far than to look at an exist- and resilience? with the agenda of integrating design activism ing program, curriculum, university, and the nearby into design education is to make use of what al- I think the biggest oppor- city or communities. There is arguably no better To problematize our assumptions and existing sys- ready exists. For instance, studios present an way to address issues of equity, justice, and resil- tems is also to develop a deeper understanding of tunities are in studios—the excellent opportunity to integrate design activism ience than to look at what's immediately around us. issues and take a critical stance that is in essence into a curriculum. Given the common problems of biggest part of our pro- Starting with the courses, what if we take a social the source of activism. There is an abundance of crowded curriculum and systems that are already gram. justice lens to re-examine the history of our profes- issues that we can take on at our doorsteps if we overstretched, using a design studio to introduce sion? Rather than following the typical narrative in are able to problematize them and make them the and embed design activism can be done with the Mark Boyer, Louisiana State the literature, what if we revisit it from the perspec- focus of actions. These actions are in turn provide least cost and disruption to a curriculum. The proj- University tives of the subaltern groups, including the indige- the opportunities through which design activism ect-based approach and the significant stretch of nous communities and marginalized groups whose can be introduced and integrated into the curricu- With fiscal uncertainty or declining financial sup- time assigned to design studios also makes it an lands were expropriated to make ways for some of lum. Starting in one’s own programs, institutions, port (and now with the impact of COVID-19), most appropriate venue. Similarly, contents related to the most iconic works of our profession? What if and communities also presents opportunities to be landscape architecture programs in the United design activism can also be layered or inserted into we take on the disparities that exist already in our engaged and to connect theories and concepts to States are likely not in a position to grow rapidly. existing courses whenever it’s appropriate.

59 60 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM FRAMEWORK for ACTIONS realities. Beyond one’s own immediate surround- One must develop appropriate solutions by first Entrepreneurize open the door for graduates to pursue alternative ings, problematizing the societal institutions and asking the right questions. forms of practice, the lack of which has been iden- challenges facing the planet is also a critical step For alternative practices to be viable and success- tified as a barrier to design activism. Stronger en- toward developing holistic and innovative solutions. ful in the market economy or the competitive non- trepreneurial skills can also help existing practices profit ecosystem, landscape architecture education to become more successful financially by devel- needs to provide students not only with technical oping new business models and revenue streams. With greater financial resilience, firms will have Sample Actions knowledge but also entrepreneurial skills. Even in the public sector, understanding of funding and more ability to pursue projects and initiatives with greater social impacts and environmental contribu- • Revisit existing courses, course materials, and curriculum with a critical lens and identify fund management is critical to program effective- ness and success. Again, one advantage of higher tions. The entrepreneurial skills can also potentially issues and materials relevant to design activism. education institutions is their proximity and access translate into a stronger and more creative way of to a variety of resources and expertise, including governing public assets and resources and for the • Re-examine issues facing one’s own programs, institutions, and communities and programs that support businesses, entrepreneur- profession to become more capable of supporting identify issues and problems as a starting point for actions. ship, nonprofit management, and grant writing. the revitalization of local communities that struggle Programs can develop partnerships with their in today's economy. • Challenge assumptions and norms of actions when it comes to social and environmental counterparts on campuses that offer appropriate challenges. courses and workshops and can become partners Lastly, entrepreneurizing also needs to happen at the in potential initiatives. scale of the profession, not just individual practi- tioners or firms. We can begin to do so in educa- Authenticize Authenticize, or creating an authentic experience Having the additional skills in entrepreneurship can tion. for students, involves working with people in the Design activism is best learned and understood in actual context with real issues. The reality is the actions. An authentic experience including, but not best material for students to learn about the com- Sample Actions limited to, meeting and working together with com- plexity of issues and challenges as well as the munity members, tabling or speaking in a rally, and opportunities and pathways for solutions. Creating • Partner with other programs on campus that provide training in business, entrepreneur- staying in a community, can go a long way in instill- opportunities for experiential learning, therefore, ship, and nonprofit management. ing a sense of purpose, empathy, and understand- needs to be integrated into landscape architec- ing by being immersed. Rather than indoctrinating ture education, eitherthrough service-learning • Work with the professional community to identify and leverage resources for training in students or simply delivering content and expect- studios and field classrooms or other innovative ing the students to accept and digest on their own, mechanisms. Long-term investment of time and entrepreneurship. it’s often more powerful to provide opportunities commitment is needed to ensure an authentic and for self-discoveries through experiential learning. long-lasting relationship for collaboration. The col- • Support student and faculty involvement in community entrepreneurship initiatives which Providing opportunities for actions and experienc- laboration can only be as authentic as the relation- in turn provide learning opportunities. es is thus a critical component of design activism ships that enable the collaboration to occur in the education. first place.

(Re)organize different ways of organizing. Landscape architects Sample Actions are far from being alone in addressing the critical How do we match the scale changes facing the society and the planet. To say • Focus on providing opportunities for experiential learning through collaboration with the least, our capacity is modest compared to the of operation with the scale community stakeholders and working in the field. number of people and organizations that are al- of problems? ready mobilized to fight the systems that produce • Use a project-based approach to courses and curriculum, focusing on hands-on climate change and social and environmental injus- Brice Maryman, lMIG activities and engagement. tice. Take the American Environmental Movement as an example, it is a movement with a collective To take on the scale and complexity of the critical membership of millions of people, a sophisticated • Encourage and support student initiatives in design activism rather than providing challenges today, we must “scale up” our practice web of organizations, and providing job opportu- prescriptive programs. by collaborating with other professions, by pur- nities for many professional organizers and staff, suing different models of practice, and through

61 62 DESIGN AS ACTIVISM FRAMEWORK FOR ACTIONS engaged in a wide variety of issues ranging from of movements and organizations, we can better wildlife conservation to toxic waste. identify opportunities for the field to contribute and Sample Actions assert our presence and influence. By working with Rather than re-inventing the wheel, we can collab- others, we also make the work of landscape archi- • Match our actions with our values. orate with these movement organizations and find tects more visible to a broader audience. Working critical intersections of our work. Instead of pro- with others is certainly a way to begin. But at some • Re-examine the system of hierarchy within education and the profession. ducing new skills and knowledge from scratch, we point, we also need to reflect critically on the way can learn from these organizations and the work our profession and educational programs are orga- • Develop mechanisms to include all voices in the program and curriculum deliberations they have done successfully already. Beyond learn- nized. Are the profession and the education system and decisions. ing from and participating in the work that other organized in a way that addresses the scale and movement organizations are doing, pursuing these complexity of the challenges at hand? What are the • Build capacity in communities we work with and not just providing solutions. intersections also means finding allies and building alternatives? Can we emulate the success of other coalitions and capacity for the profession. Rather movements and disciplines? Where can we have than training the students on our own, we can col- the largest impact? What is missing from our prac- laborate with others in developing practicum and tice model? These are some of the questions that internship programs to build skills and knowledge we need to address as a profession as we move in organizing and advocacy. By joining coalitions forward.

Sample Actions

• Develop collaborative relationships with movement organizations that provide learning opportunities for students, faculty, and professionals.

• Partner with movement organizations on internship and practicum programs for students to acquire skills and knowledge in organizing.

• Engage in critical reflections on how the profession of landscape architecture is organized and whether the way we are organized is meeting the challenges of our time.

Democratize In partnering with communities outside the univer- sity, we must also ensure that all voices are includ- To take on the power structure in society, we must ed in the process and that we do not end up sus- also reexamine the power structure within our ed- taining the structure of injustice through our work. ucational institutions. This includes how decisions More than just design assistance, our involvement are made, how resources are allocated, whom must help build capacity in the community we work we are accountable to, and even how educational with. In developing solutions for projects, we must 1. Hester, Randolph T., “Declaration of Interdependence: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Sustainable Happiness,” The New Landscape Declara- institutions are funded. Starting with developing ensure that they address equity, diversity, and tion: A Call to Action for the Twenty-First Century, The Landscape Architecture Foundation, ed. (Los Angeles: Rare Bird Books, 2017), 117 2. Victor Papanek, Design for the Real World: Human Ecology and Social Change, Second Edition (New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, strategies to make our programs more responsive inclusion at different scales, from local to global. 1984), 291. As a profession and as educational institutions re- to the critical challenges of our time, we must make 3. Martha Schwartz, “Beyond Practice: Landscape Architects and the Global Eco-Crisis,” The New Landscape Declaration: A Call to Action for sure that students, faculty, and even the profes- sponsible for training future generations of profes- the Twenty-First Century, The Landscape Architecture Foundation, ed. (Los Angeles: Rare Bird Books, 2017), 26. sional community are fully engaged in the process sionals, we must hold ourselves to the same set of 4. Mario Schjetnan, “Evolution and Prospective Outlook,” The New Landscape Declaration: A Call to Action for the Twenty-First Century, The of deliberation and implementation. Without their values and principles that our work is intended to Landscape Architecture Foundation, ed. (Los Angeles: Rare Bird Books, 2017), 38. input and support, the strategies would risk being embody. misinformed or lacking the ability to sustain.

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8. ENDING BY BEGINNING: OTHER PROPOSITIONS

In the past, some faculty issues that matter to our communities and society. We must take a stance on issues that we can con- would say that all designers tribute to as professionals and as engaged citizens. are [inherently] activists. We must look at the critical challenges facing the Now there is a realization planet and society as teachable moments for our that we do need to take a students and the public. By taking on these issues ourselves, we also become more aware of their more activist approach. complexity and the necessity to go beyond the normative approaches enshrined in the profession. Stephanie Rolley, Kansas State We become reflexive and educated about possible University responses and solutions. Working on this project has been a journey for As programs and courses take on issues that mat- many of us as a working group. Not only did we ter to local communities and society, opportunities travel to meet in different cities in the United States can arise for collaboration and partnerships with for conferences, but many of us have also devot- those including community organizers, agency ed our entire career to design activism and issues staff, elected officials, and professionals. These in- of equity, justice, and resilience in the built envi- teractions also provide teachable opportunities for ronment. The project gave us a chance to put our empathy, negotiation, and co-creation. As we be- thoughts together, first at the conferences, and come better at these processes ourselves, we will then in this very document. The project does not be more able to engage our students in navigating end here. Rather, this is only a beginning. By com- the complexity of change. Furthermore, we will be- pleting the document, the real work is just about to come more capable of identifying future directions start. In the spirit of beginning, we conclude with a for the profession, including education. By getting few thoughts on what we can take on right away as our hands dirty, so to speak, we set an example for individual educators, program leaders, and mem- our students and create a supportive environment bers of the profession. for engagement.

Leading by Doing Design (Activist) Thinking

Seeing faculty and program One of the ways we can begin to introduce chang- engaged in the important es in our programs and curricula, including studio Seattle Street S PHoto by Jeffrey Hou issues makes a difference projects and course content, is to engage in a kind of design activist thinking. Similar to the concept of for students. It allows them design thinking, “design activist thinking” applies to model behaviors and ex- the lens of an activist to explore solutions to a com- pectations. plex problem. To engage in design activist thinking is to apply a social justice lens to examine the is- Brice Maryman, MIG sues at hand, for example, and to develop appro- priate responses that may involve more than simply To show students how to be leaders, we need to design interventions in a conventional sense. To be leaders ourselves. We, as faculty, program lead- address climate change issues as a design activist, ers, and professionals need to be engaged with

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for example, one needs to examine both the root nities, and students that are historically underrep- programs can create an award category, or embed Seattle activist and former Mayoral candidate Cary causes of climate change and adaptive strategies resented in our profession. Only by bringing those into existing ones, recognition for students, fac- Moon responded: “being asked to imagine what to changing conditions of the environment. from diverse cultural and socioeconomic back- ulty, and educational programs with outstanding does not exist.” Imagining and inventing what does grounds into the profession can we begin to have achievements and leadership in addressing the not yet exist is indeed one of the most powerful By thinking as activists, we explore solutions and the capability of understanding and addressing critical challenge of our time. skills we have as a profession as we address issues approaches beyond the conventional repertoire of issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion in society. and challenges in a site, a neighborhood, a water- technical design and planning. We look at social, Programs can work with local schools and alumni For CELA, as an organization with the mission to shed, or a network of landscapes. We must bring economic, political, and legal strategies as well in outreach activities, as well as offering youth pro- serve landscape architecture education and led by those skills and mindset to addressing the chal- as physical and spatial inventions. We work with grams for students of all ages to learn about land- educators, it can provide a forum for exchange and lenges facing our own education and profession. In allies and form coalitions and partnerships. We scape architecture. collaboration in teaching methods and program the face of the scale and complexity of challenges engage with community stakeholders to co-cre- innovation. CELA can also proactively develop facing humanity and the planet, we need to explore ate and develop capacity. We build on assets that But recruitment is not enough. We must also make guidelines for tenure and promotion that recognize methods and models that may not exist yet in the already exist in place, whether in a community or our programs relevant to students from diverse socially engaged teaching and research. For LAAB current model of education and professional prac- an organization. We develop both short-term re- backgrounds and particularly underserved com- that sets the accreditation standard for landscape tice. sponses as well as long-term strategies. We pre- munities. In addition, outreach and recruitment architecture degree programs, it can reexamine pare in advance and find political opportunities to apply to the faculty rank as well. We can begin by the current standards to make room for engaged make progress on our agenda. As design activists, providing more teaching opportunities to those teaching and learning. Currently, community and We need a new narrative we must leverage the power of design to effect who come from diverse cultural and socioeconom- client engagement is listed only under “commu- for what landscape archi- change. We ask what if's rather than settling for ex- ic backgrounds, the students we recruit in the first nication and documentation” rather than “design tects do… cuses or inactions. In a true as activists, we place. We can extend the invitation also to those in process and methodology.”1 This narrow view of do not take no for an answer. the practice. As students and faculty from diverse engagement must change. Barbara Deutsch, Landscape 2 cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds are of- Architecture Foundation Building a Heterogeneous ten the ones who are deeply concerned about the To provide even more coordination and leadership, there is a need for a supporting infrastructure at Looking back more than a century ago, the profes- Profession issues and challenges of injustice, outreach and recruitment of these prospective students and fac- national and regional levels. Particularly, as an in- sion of landscape architecture was able to emerge, frastructure or a network of organizations, it can grow, and make great strides because we made There are few first-gener- ulty present an effective way to bring change to the profession and the society. serve to mobilize resources and funding to support something that did not exist at the time. Through- ation college graduates in initiatives at local, regional, and national levels. out the last century, the profession continued to the profession. But in the Beyond Schools & Programs: It can fundraise for resources and function as a evolve, each time creating something new and innovative. They include new types of parks and movement world, it’s peo- forum or platform for sharing teaching resources Toward an Ecosystem for Design and tools for engagement. It can actively work with open space, new methods for planning and design, ple with these backgrounds Activism other movement organizations to develop long- and a new understanding of the built environment leading the push. term initiatives and act on immediate issues. As an and ecological processes. To invent something While actions at the program and university levels organization, it can speak on the critical challenges new, we must also revisit and examine the past fal- Billy Fleming, University of are required, leadership and support at the national facing the planet and the society and add an activ- lacies and mistakes, including the legacies of dis- Pennsylvania. level are also critical to the innovation and changes ist voice for the profession. placement and injustice. Inventing something will needed in landscape architecture education. There also require collaboration and working across so- To develop greater capacity in equity, diversity, and are many ways that national organizations such as “Imagine and Invent What Has Yet cial, political, and disciplinary borders. It’s import- inclusion in landscape architecture education, one ASLA, LAF, CELA, and Landscape Architecture to Exist” ant to recognize that those inventions in the past simple and effective way is to do a better job in Accreditation Board (LAAB) can do to support the would not have been possible without the contri- recruiting and providing opportunities for students actions described in this document. For ASLA, the Asked about what specific skills and knowledge bution of many others both within and outside the from underrepresented communities to enroll in our Committee on Education (COE) can provide the in landscape architecture are relevant to activism, profession. programs. We must reach out to schools, commu- leadership in setting the agenda. The ASLA award

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The issues facing the planet and society today present a new set of challenges and opportunities. They signal a call to actions for the profession to again invent something that has yet to exist. It’s our responsibility now to rise to the call.

1. The New Landscape Declaration, 202. 2. Accreditation Standards, First-Professional Programs in Landscape Architecture. March 2016.

69 70 Urban Commons Lab University of Washington Seattle, May 2020