Exploring the Design Thinking methodology to stimu-late alternative approaches in peri-urban landscape planning : with video abstract

Peri-urban areas are vitally important to the function and value of our communities, our environment, and the economy. They often epitomise the relationship between a community and the landscape, providing essential eco-system services for the receiving settlement. With the expansion of cities and the resulting urban sprawl, the ability of peri-urban zones to sustain food provision is threatened in Aotearoa New Zealand. This study reports and reflects on a workshop facilitated by the Centre of Excellence: Designing Future Productive Landscapes, Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University, with the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, to explore alternative land use topologies for the peri-urban areas of Waitaha | Canterbury region. The focus of this paper is on the application of a ‘design-thinking methodology’, to explore this issue, and the opportunities for engagement and solution ideation that it promoted. Workshop participants were engaged in three activities designed to provoke alternative and innovative thinking about the spatial relationship between urban growth (housing) and agricultural land (production). Key findings illustrate the strengths of the methodology to elicit alternative responses to land use within the peri-urban zone, with results indicating a desire to rethink how we plan and design the edges of cities to better protect and enhance their ability to produce food and support other essential eco-system services alongside urban expansion

Keep Going....How non-Indigenous designers can advance First Nations in post referendum projects

As a Built Environment professional and in particular a landscape architect – I am encouraged to see First Nations issues and culture finally given a prominent place in the national conversation. As a landscape architect the extra joy arising from this is, of course, the concept of Caring for Country and the opportunity to enrich and maturate Australian cultural life by reimagining, restoring, and conserving our shared environment. Caring for Country – an interconnected concept concerning cultural/spiritual/practical ways of caring for the land - could be the cultural or more controversially the spiritual connection to accompany the modern practice of Landscape Architecture in Australia. The issue being - how is this expressed in a way that is as consultative and authentic as possible? And can non-Indigenous designers work in this space? And if so, how? It is obvious to say we must first engage with First Nations people, but there are some established and emerging ideas and protocols that can help non-indigenous designers achieve meaningful and authentic results for built projects

Adaptive Flood Mitigation Planning: Harnessing the Maximum Capability of Strategic Green Stormwater Infrastructure : with video abstract

Flooding in low-lying coastal cities is expected to worsen with climate change, and planning for long-term flood mitigation is challenging due to high uncertainty in projections. There are risks associated with under- or over-investment in expensive grey infrastructure. Implementing green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) on strategically large private properties may be a lower-risk alternative. In our previous studies published in 2022 and currently under review, we found that the capability of industrial properties to supplement city flood mitigation was substantial. They could offset climate change impacts in the long term, even under a major climate change scenario, and reduce flood probabilities. In this article, we restate their potential as a case study of large private properties to draw more attention from practitioners and transfer scientific knowledge into practice. The maximum flood mitigation capabilities of large private properties can be met through networks of GSI facilities and a long-term adaptation plan that considers all possible approaches to implementing GSI over time. However,  government regulations and policies are likely to be needed to support their implementation to the maximum capabilities

Book Review

Andrew Saniga and Robert Freestone (eds) (2023) Campus: Building Modern Australian Universities. UWA Publishin