Theory & Discorse
Landscape Discourse | Suneet Mohindru
LA 57
Landscape architecture, as a profession, shoulders the responsibility of allowing the space for development and realising one's imagination whilst protecting and conserving the environment and culture. It is not merely the designing of a space, but instead comprises understanding and sustenance of one's surroundings. There is a lot of scope for the discipline to help evolve and better development by being the universal language that bridges the gap between growth and conservation.
Our conversations at the jury for the Students' Competition-2017 constituted by the Landscape Foundation extended over a dialogue between me and Geeta on issues concerning landscape education, professional work and the role of the Landscape Journal. That's when we hit upon the idea of putting together thoughts and impressions on what would be called 'Landscape Discourse' and bring out a dedicated issue of the magazine. I started off by first penning my thoughts into a piece that would encapsulate my understanding of the scope and breadth of issues that we engage with as practicing and teaching professionals. This ended up producing an extensive list of potential topics that necessitated deliberation. The web of conversation extended to invite fellow professionals to contribute their opinions with the objective of initiating an enduring dialogue. What we are going to enjoy reading hereafter is the beginning of such contemplation that must carry on! Let me try and string together these sets of exchanges thematically to explore the wide ambit of what we are talking about.

To begin with, Akshay's quest hovers around the essential question of whether we as landscape architects can contribute positively to alleviating the crisis concerning social, environmental, education, health and infrastructure issues in a shrinking democracy. He laments the fact that the vast potential of our multifaceted environment in becoming a source for livelihood and youth engagement is becoming a lost opportunity with rampant disregard and deterioration. Coupled with this, he mentions, are the misplaced urban planning strategies that put undue pressure on people and resources, deepening the abyss to deplorable levels. His makes a strong plea to landscape professionals to daringly explore the unchartered territory, leaving behind the 'garden-designer' tag to embrace participative ecological restoration and community development.

 


ISSUE NO: 57
Report
Canals as urban green lungs search workshop 18

Landscape Discourse
Landscape discourse looking in & around

Landscape Discourse
Suneet Mohindru


Landscape Architects
How relevant are we and whom do we serve

Akshay Kaul


Landscape Architecture and Ecology in India
Nikhil Dhar


Reflect | Reassess | React
Charting Futures

Aniket Bhagwat

What Landscape Means
Aruna Ramani Grover

Friends for life
Memories and associations of places and nature

Narendra Dengle

Memory creating identity for landscape forms
Prerana Chatterjee


The need for a national urban open space policy
Saurabh Popli & Dr Sanjeev Singh

Directing the course
Geeta Wahi Dua


'We're not a profession, we're a conspiracy'
Sandip Kumar

Whither Landscape Architecture?
Personal musings and messages

Shishir R. Raval


interview
Re-looking at practice and education

In conversation with Prem Chandavarkar

Role of landscape in today's world
In conversation with Michael Jakob

students' design competition
Nurturing childhood with nature
Landscape Foundation students' competition-2018
Results | Winning Entries | List of Participants


seeing the unseen
Imagined realities

In conversation with Malavika Karlekar

book review
Whither indian urban spaces read and heed
Urban spaces in modern India

Review by Shishir R. Raval

Unsung heroes of the streets: kerbstones
Mehul Jain
























ABOUT US | CONTACT US

© LA JOURNAL | 2022