The Sustainable Site - Gardens, Sculpture, Installations and Land art

Sustainable site design is both an analytical and creative way to investigate and gather information, involving both art and science to enable the integration of nature and the built environment. This might be a landscape/garden design, landscape installation, the siting of sculpture or a piece of land art. Design is not necessarily sustainable even if it is made up of vegetation, soil and other natural materials. 

The purpose of this workshop is to explore how design decisions can reduce consumption, eliminate waste, protect and enhance healthy ecosystems and connect people with nature. Considering sustainability throughout the design process produces an integrated way with other professionals, rather than just add ‘green’ features. Such considerations should be made by all designers and artists.

2-2.45pm: Slide Lecture - Understanding the site, project aims and sustainable design guidelines. The purpose of this is to enable participants to, not only choose sustainable materials, but also how to protect the landscape/site including the soil and existing vegetation, protect water resources, consider human health and well-being and promote education and learning. We will consider how to define the project, how to approach site assessment, sustainable design guidelines and outcomes, performance targets and clients expectations to develop a sustainable design solution. Examples of sustainable design/land art will be illustrated and discussed.

2.45-4.30pm: Workshop - Participants are invited to design (sketch) and test out a concept/idea for a garden design, siting a sculpture, a landscape installation or other land art, considering all aspects of sustainable design.

4.30pm: Upload and present solutions via populated padlet link – students will be able to look at and add to asynchronously pre and post-event as an ongoing resource.

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Materials required: Sketching materials - A4 paper, tracing paper, pens, markers, pencils, paints or other media of choice.

Find the shared Padlet resource here wilth lots of resources and inspiration.

Everyone is welcome! Come along and try something new!