2019-2020
CRITICALITY IN, ON AND FOR DESIGN
TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF CRITICISM IN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN DESIGN
Criticism is riskier than commentary. It is willing to … stake out and substantiate a particular position… Miriam Gusevich1
Introduction
Urban spaces and places present very complex and layered realities. Design criticism invites consideration of this complexity from a range of perspectives. By reflecting upon, among others, the formal, social, cultural, economic, political, spatial and aesthetic aspects of a specific design work, design critique describes and explains particular cases while at the same time contributing generalizable illuminations relevant to an entire discipline.
Criticism requires taking a position on the place, agency and contributions of design. It offers a means of reflecting on the dynamic interplay of societal forces, creative processes and practice-based interventions that informs production of our constructed environment. The need for a broad range of readings of this shared built world argues for developing a robust critical discourse and a strong body of critique.
The transdisciplinary ‘Criticality in, on and for design’ course explores the phenomenon of critique and its importance for the design of buildings and landscapes. It offers the chance to engage with theoretical texts concerned with critique, analyze sample critiques and undertake an exercise in writing critique. Presented from a landscape architectural perspective, the course welcomes researchers students from related design disciplines interested in critique’s potential to strengthen design discourse and practice.
Check our student’s work here:
2017-2018
Barcelona – beyond the limit_Salas, Schmidtler_2018Better is not enough
Group 4_Is it enough to remember
Group 6. Development of L’Escala seafront from Mar d’en Manassa to Port d’en Perris
grupo02_mendoza_herrera_flores
PERE IV FINAL
series circuits_grupo7
