Research Events and Activities
A Vegetable Warm-up
The Annual TLC Garden Meeting kicked off with an experimental warm up exercise which asked us to ‘imagine a vegetable synonym for the way you think about landscape’. Starting at the end, we considered vegetable remains and the concept of ‘landscape as compost heap’; how layers become not-layers, how transformation occurs over time, thinking about the visible and invisible, the richness of the whole, and the essential action of the inhabitants in transformation. We then moved on to discuss the leek, which is a vegetable with regional cultural significance; the structure, growth, form and taste and the way grit is captured within the expanding folds of the layers. Memories of family gardens and the personal significance of the tomato stimulated discussion of alleles, companion planting and how we learn from being in landscapes with others. An elegant presentation of asparagus-and-landscape brought dimensions of vegetable-justice, vegetable aesthetics, taste, impact, seasonality and root systems to the conversation. Finally, we turned our attention to beans, particularly broad beans. We considered the importance of soil and how beans and other legumes fix Nitrogen, particularly in relation to a recent estimate that there are fewer than 100 harvests left in many of our agricultural landscapes as a result of soil structure destruction and lack of fertility. This brought us to a discussion about some of the fundamentals of landscapes – sustainability and how we are all connected by water, soils, air, food and much more.
The event took place on Friday 12th July 2024 and was led by Prof. Maggie Roe.
Second Annual ‘In Landscape’ Day
On Friday 21st June 2024, members of The Landscape Collaboratory took part in their second annual ‘In Landscape Day’. The event was led by ‘Trees and Woodlands’ theme-co-lead, Clive Davies.
Entitled ‘30 years on:- landscape impact of community forests and compliance with Countryside Commission guidance, 1993’, the programme of activities encouraged reflection and analysis of the original aim of the Forestry Commission and Countryside Commission "to create an attractive diverse well-wooded landscape whilst enhancing and protecting its existing strengths”.
During guided walks and walking conversations at South Burdon Community Woodland, Flatts Lane Woodland Country, and Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park, TLC members reflected on and critiqued key planning principles of forest landscapes: including density and character, local landscape features and future uses, extensions and links to landscape features, strategic wildlife corridor and ecological systems, water connectivity and waterscapes, urban areas/fringes, and the provision of local facilities. The planting success and changes in woodland design approaches over time were also considered and assessed.
The day also included a short visit to Tees Barrage Water Sports Centre where Maggie Roe reflected on some of her work conducting feasibility/environmental assessments, water flow modelling and changing attitudes to river sustainability issues, including in regard to flooding, drainage and the environment.
Members of TLC were also accompanied by Jemma Singleton (Special Collections, NU) and Andrew Butler (SLU, Sweden).
Urban Soundscapes - Book Launch
On May 13th 2024, members of The Landscape Collaboratory, alongside Newcastle University colleagues, local practitioners, and students (past and present), came together to celebrate the publication of Urban Soundscapes: A guide to listening for Landscape Architecture and Urban Design by Dr Usue Ruiz-Arana, published by Routledge, and available here: Urban Soundscapes | A Guide to Listening for Landscape Architecture an (taylorfrancis.com)
The event began with an introduction from Dr Ian Thompson (former Reader in Landscape Architecture at Newcastle University) and a Q&A between Dr Charlotte Veal and Dr Usue Ruiz-Arana. Alongside readings from the book, there were a number of soundscapes from her collaborative research playing, and discussion continued over a lively reception.
The event was supported by the Institute for Creative Arts Practice and The Landscape Collaboratory.
Photo credit: Stef Leach
