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Architectural Design "Braided Streams - Dynamic Landscape and Infrastructure along the Rhone"
Entwurf - Delta Park
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:19:38
Abstract
Being part of the waterscape experiment, this design studio concerns the shifting river landscapes of Switzerland. Existing sites are worked topographically at a –for architects - unusual large design scale. The design method combines traditional landscape design and modelling techniques with the use of advanced CNC technology.
Objective
The studio in landscape architecture is set in the upper Rhone valley, along the town of Sion, the capital of Wallis. Its goal is to reconsider the balance and dynamics of river, infrastructure and city, all three having opposite claims on the narrow space of the valley - the river through recurring flooding incidences and the city through strong and continuous expansion. Students will elaborate a global strategy through an evolving landscape design, that will incorporate the dynamics of waterflow and sedimentation deposits over time as well as their relation with topography, vegetation, urbanism, infrastructure and human activities.
Content
The designs will work with the river forces at stake to create a rapidly changing and evolving environment open to a diversity of uses and transformations over the seasons. The studio focuses on the design of new landscape spaces in relation to human activity, combining both natural and engineered processes, taking into account both the hydrologic requirements of the river as well as urban development in and around Sion. Studio methodology will consist of elaborate site models with precise topographic detailing, as well as plans and sections at various scales. Throughout the semester, a mix of analog and computer design tools will be developed to achieve our goals. The resulting designs will show entirely new types of landscapes and uses that translate a significant change of attitude and approach to the dynamic water environments of the Alps.
Resources
Lecture Notes
Will be delivered at the beginning of classes.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- BSC , DS
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| exercise | Entwurf - Delta Park |
|
16 h weekly |
Offered In
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6. Semester (Additional at least four elective courses, compare list of elective courses at the end.)
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8. Semester (Additional at least four elective courses, compare list of elective courses at the end.)
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