Augmenting and Virtualising Landscape Architectural Teaching and Learning

Overview

In an era of uncertainty in how best to conduct landscape design studios and technical modules due to the pandemic, we introduced mediums which if required could be converted to a virtualized learning experience on the fly due to their digital nature. Even beyond the confines of the pandemic, the findings are expected to provide an alternative format for which design education is run by releasing students from the constraints of producing their work in a static physical format and instead embracing digital, virtual and augmented means of working with and the communication of their design ideas.

This research’s uniqueness lies in analysing the potentials and challenges of introducing various digital tools in landscape education through the vantage points of experts, learners, and educators. Above all, we clarified the advantage of them in enhancing the transparency of the learner’s thinking and design processes to be legible and traceable, which would be extremely difficult with conventional 2D-based learning. We have also found that the virtual whiteboard environment along with the ability to append both static as well as interactive content have facilitated a smoother knowledge transfer between educators and learners at weekly consultations, lecture settings, exercises, as well as experts and learners at final review.

In summary, we highly recommend that various digital tools be taught to students alongside corresponding digital platforms to evolve our profession away from its two dimensional constraints. In practice, we have already experienced the transition from printed panels to Power-point presentations as a means of communicating with clients. As we enter an era of where augmenting and virtualizing design ideas becomes the new norm, the application of such digital tools should grow exponentially within our discipline; in classrooms, client meetings, construction sites, community workshops, and so on. Inevitably, there is a need to thoroughly analyse the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle of fusing landscape and digital technologies in each scenario, in order to make ourselves relevant and responsible to the society.

The COVID-19 pandemic has indeed accelerated the arrival of the new norm and challenged us all to think deeply on how future design education should be carried out. The key debate here is not about adapting to remote teaching and learning, but much more on how best we are able to actively incorporate digital platforms into our design education process even years after the pandemic ends. We look forward to more action-based cases to be tested and shared within our community to better facilitate a smoother integration of digital technologies into our industry.