En landskapsarkitekts konstnärliga praktik

The Artistic Practice of a Landscape Architect: Knowledge Development through an Autobiographical Study Abstract In our society, creative design and art processes are becoming more important. This study examines those processes through close, intrusive observation to gain a better understanding of them. In landscape architecture, most of these processes take place outside academia, in professional practice, where visual and figurative representation and argumentation are dominant. But if we are to take landscape architecture in new directions and extend it into new fields in response to society’s current and future needs for new landscapes, we must develop new concepts that bring a more conscious and advanced approach to the discussion. The aim of this thesis is to investigate, understand and reflect over knowledge development in the artistic field of landscape architecture. The primary objectives have been to study the artistic practice of the landscape architect, its fundamental premises, its content, its expression, and its process of realization. It has also been important to find and develop concepts and tools for communication and argumentation about this practice that are useful for both professional practitioners and researchers. The research methods are qualitative and interpretative. The work consists of an introspective and autobiographical study at different generative levels: an empirical level, a deeper thematic level, and a reflective level. It examines a series of landscapes that includes urban access roads, memorial sites, and parks. The most important conclusions can be described in five sentences. First, the thesis contributes to the development of a methodology for studying the artistic aspect of architecture in an explorative, narrative way. Second, it extends the elaboration of scientific methods specific to architecture into the field of autobiographical and introspective studies. Third, it uses my experience from professional practice to develop theoretical concepts. Fourth, it sheds light on architecture as a figurative science, revealing the importance of representational elements in making and communicating about architecture. Finally, it reveals the situational conditions of design actions

Cemeteries and crematoria, forgotten public spaces in multicultural Europe. An agenda for inclusive minority provision

In western Europe, municipal or otherwise state-commissioned cemeteries and crematoria are public spaces and services, open to all. Cemeteries and crematoria grounds are neglected in geographical, planning and policy debates about the character, design, management, use and accessibility of public spaces, and likewise debates about the social inclusion of migrants and minorities. This may reflect a tendency to situate cemeteries socially and geographically in the peripheries of contemporary European society, but they are, nonetheless, sites of vital public health infrastructure, as well as being highly significant symbolic, religious-spiritual, secular-sacred, and emotionally laden places. Examining cemeteries-crematoria against a criteria of inclusive public space provides new insights into (1) the nature of public space and its governance; (2) rights and barriers to shared public spaces and associated infrastructure in everyday multicultural contexts; (3) national–local negotiations of majority-minorities social relations and cultural practices in and through public spaces; and (4) the need to place municipal cemeteries-crematoria centre stage in scholarship and policy on public space which is culturally inclusive and serves all citizens

ECOLOGICAL DESIGN - best practice examples

This report presents the parks and green walls we visited on our study visit in Paris (15th-19th of August 2022). We aimed to study green spaces, which represent a good or exceptional practice of ecological design. Ecological design, in an urban landscape context, can be described as the integration of aesthetic and ecological aspects in urban green space design. Supporting ecological processes, biodiversity and providing high aesthetical and recreational values are objectives of ecological design. The visited green spaces varied in their degree and focus on how aesthetical and ecological aspects were integrated. All objects were exceptional regarding one or several aspects such as the choice of plant material, structural and vegetation complexity or the degree in which ecological processes and biodiversity were given space. For us it was very interesting to see and discuss these varying approaches and how we perceived to which degree aesthetical and ecological goals were reached

Disrespectful or socially acceptable?-A nordic case study of cemeteries as recreational landscapes

Across Scandinavia, we witness an increased interest in making provisions for urban cemeteries to evolve as recreational landscapes. However, this development comes with its own set of challenges when uniting its pri-mary function as a place for disposal of human remains with active and passive urban recreation. In this paper, we explore varying perspectives on recreational use of cemeteries to give a nuanced picture of the possibilities and limitations for recreation at cemeteries in a multicultural society, most often positioned within a context of densifying urban areas. The empirical data consists of interviews with cemetery users (N = 24) from various faiths and belief systems in three towns in Norway and Sweden. Findings reveal that passive recreational ac-tivities like strolling, having a cup of coffee on a bench in the cemetery etc. are in general perceived as acceptable behaviour. However, opinions differ on 'active' undertakings like running, biking and walking a dog. How people perceive or use cemeteries is partly dependent on beliefs and cultural traditions, but other factors such as the purpose of using the cemetery for recreation and the type or character of the cemetery also impact the extent to which activities are perceived as appropriate or not. Respect and intensity are two key aspects that emerged in our analysis. The study concludes that the existing peaceful atmosphere at cemeteries should be preserved and nurtured. With correct design and zoning, some recreational activities can be integrated at cemeteries, benefiting both mourners and recreational visitors

Workshop om ljud vid Skogskyrkogården 2-3 november 2015

På senare år har intresset för ljudplanering ökat och blivit mer helhetsinriktat (jmfr. Brown 2012). Där man tidigare planerat med utgångspunkt i buller och/eller ljudnivåer, betonas nu allt oftare själva upplevelsen av ljud. Potentiella kvaliteter hos ljud lyfts fram, samtidigt som hänsyn till buller finns kvar som en central del. Man brukar tala om ljudlandskap (Schafer 1994 [1977]; ISO 2014). Ljudlandskapsrörelsen rymmer mycket potential, men eftersom den är relativt ny finns en hel del frågetecken som behöver redas ut och forskning som behöver genomföras. Detta utgjorde bakgrunden till den workshop som genomfördes den 2-3 november på Skogskyrkogården. Workshopen ingick som en förstudie i det Vinnovafinansierade forskningsprojektet "Stadens hållbara ljudrum", med SLU Alnarp som koordinerande part. I forskningsprojektet undersöks hur frågor kring ljudlandskapet kan integreras i planering och gestaltning. Projektet fokuserar initialt på begravningsplatser, där en konflikt mellan platsens krav på rofylldhet och omgivningens ljudnivåer är vanlig. En viktig del i projektet är att utveckla lösningar och verktyg för ljudplanering. Världsarvet Skogskyrkogården är en berömd anläggning som rymmer många arkitektoniska kvaliteter, samtidigt som ljudmiljön är problematisk med buller från Nynäsvägen och Tyresövägen. Stockholm stad och kyrkogårdsförvaltningen utreder för tillfället möjligheterna att minska effekten av bullret på olika sätt. Workshopens upplägg i korthet. De två dagarna på Skogskyrkogården utgjorde en förstudie tänkt som utgångspunkt för fortsatt arbete i projektets fas två. I workshopen deltog människor som på ett eller annat sätt har kunskap om antingen ljudmiljöfrågor och/eller kyrkogårdsmiljöer. Dagarna delades upp i tre delmoment; WI, WII och WIII. WI handlade om att utveckla förståelsen avden befintliga situationen, samt utveckla språket och kommunikationen om ljud genom att begreppsliggöra dem. I WII togs förslag på förbättringar av ljudmiljön fram och i WIII testades en lösning i praktiken. Workshoparbetet visade på komplexiteten att arbeta med ljudfrågor, vilket kanske särskilt framkom i den sista, konkretiserande delen; arbetet med högtalare. I denna del bekräftades de svårigheter, detaljer och små avvägningar som lyckad ljudmaskering är förknippat med. En viktig aspekt som var återkommande under dagarna som helhet var betydelsen av ljudets samspel med andra (särskilt visuella) aspekter. Detta blev kanske särskilt påtagligt på en sådan plats som Skogskyrkogården, där det finns starka visuella kvaliteter att ta hänsyn till. Behovet av att ta fram verktyg som kan verka understödjande för att arbeta med ljudfrågor var en annan aspekt som lyftes fram under dagarna. Här finns en stor utmaning, då verktygen bör vara enkla och överskådliga, samtidigt som de komplexiteter som arbete med ljud kräver måste inkorporeras på lämpligt sätt

Konsten att gestalta, planera och bygga en temporär trädgård

I ett samarbete mellan Skånes Dansteater och SLU Alnarp uppfördes våren 2017 en temporär trädgård på en parkeringsplats i Malmö, som skulle fungera som scenografi och scen för en dansföreställning under några försommarveckor. I detta Movium Fakta sammanfattas de särskilda krav och möjligheter som måste hanteras i en så kortlivad trädgård och arbetsprocessen, från gestaltning och planering till uppbyggnad och växtval, beskrivs

Cemeteries and crematoria, forgotten public space in multicultural Europe. an agenda for inclusion and citizenship

In western Europe, municipal or otherwise state‐commissioned cemeteries and crematoria are public spaces and services, open to all. Cemeteries and crematoria grounds are neglected in geographical, planning and policy debates about the character, design, management, use and accessibility of public spaces, and likewise debates about the social inclusion of migrants and minorities. This may reflect a tendency to situate cemeteries socially and geographically in the peripheries of contemporary European society, but they are, nonetheless, sites of vital public health infrastructure, as well as being highly significant symbolic, religious‐spiritual, secular‐sacred, and emotionally laden places. Examining cemeteries‐crematoria against a criteria of inclusive public space provides new insights into (1) the nature of public space and its governance; (2) rights and barriers to shared public spaces and associated infrastructure in everyday multicultural contexts; (3) national–local negotiations of majority‐minorities social relations and cultural practices in and through public spaces; and (4) the need to place municipal cemeteries‐crematoria centre stage in scholarship and policy on public space which is culturally inclusive and serves all citizens

Rules, Norms and Practices – A Comparative Study Exploring Disposal Practices and Facilities in Northern Europe

We identify and analyse practices and management regimes around burial and handling of ashes across eight case study towns within six Northern European countries. We analyse management of cemeteries and crematoria gardens, majority practices and provision for minority communities, including various burial types, cremated remains, the re-use of graves, and costs for interments. Comparative data is drawn from analysis of national and local regulations, interviews with stakeholders, and observations at cemeteries and crematoria gardens. The findings show significant variation in national and local regulations and practices for burial and cremation particularly around the re-use of graves, handling of ashes and costs for grave space and cremation. We identify the opportunities and constraints of these variations in terms of accessibility, diversity and equality; and argue for national directions to avoid unequal treatment within nations. Furthermore, we stress the importance of a liberal and inclusive management of European cemeteries and crematoria gardens