Architectural Design V-IX: Amplitude (Guestprof. M. Voser)

Abstract

Amplitude. Dynamic landscape structures for the Zealand.The search for future-oriented strategies in dealing with these extremes requires a paradigm shift - from fighting against to working with natural processes. It is necessary to lay new landscape structures that can deal with the fluctuations of the amplitudes.

Objective

Basic knowledge in landscape architecture, development of an attitude, formulation of a hypothesis, choice of appropriate design elements, design and representation of complex / dynamic systems and landscapes, alternation between different scales.

Content

Heat, drought, heavy rain events - in the course of climate change, the extremes are getting stronger and the frequencies in which they occur faster and faster. Natural and cultural landscapes that were in equilibrium until a few years ago need to be adapted. These changes will not only affect the life of flora, fauna and people, but also the character and ultimately the identity of our Swiss landscape. The search for future-oriented strategies in dealing with these extremes requires a paradigm shift - from fighting against to working with natural processes. It is necessary to lay new landscape structures that can deal with the fluctuations of the amplitudes. But how can the forces of extremes be used and turned into positive things? And how should the new landscape deal with the dynamics - direct, balance, absorb? As the most important production area in Switzerland, the Three Lakes Region is exposed to these extremes, as witnessed by the debris flow in Cressier and the floods in July as well as the dry periods of recent years. Therefore, the third Jura water correction is currently being considered, which, in addition to the previous tasks of large-scale drainage and bed load management, also includes irrigation. The territory between Lake Neuchâtel and Lake Biel is characterized by the most varied levels of culture, infrastructure, settlement and industrial landscapes. The spatial planning consideration reveals extremes: small-grained, historical settlement cores collide with sprawling industrial areas such as the last refinery in Switzerland. In search of new scenic identities for this valley, we will deal intensively with systems, processes and strategies without losing sight of spatial qualities, atmospheres and poetry. The introduction of a new water system serves as a design engine. Due to the complexity of the territory and the task, an iterative design method is pursued that oscillates between design and analysis and between large and small scales. The development of an attitude, the crystallization of the specific topics and the selection of the appropriate design means are just as much a part of the work process as the design of the transformation processes.

Resources