Extended Engagement: A Novel Approach to Sustained Relationships with Designed Landscapes

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Date

2024-06

Authors

Phares, Holly H.

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of Oregon

Abstract

Most landscape architects rarely continue to engage with sites after the formal completion of a project, and thus are typically unaware of the long-term outcomes that result from natural and human-centric processes of change. Because of this, they forfeit their ability to guide those changes, as well as valuable feedback on the design and management decisions that were made. While others in the field have previously advocated for designers to expand their relationships with completed sites, few if any sources address the systemic barriers that make this difficult or offer actionable suggestions on how such barriers could be overcome. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many in the field are already interested in the long-term outcome of projects, but that efforts to “keep in touch” often become unpaid work on the part of designers. This paper introduces “extended engagement” as a new conceptual framework that advocates for a holistic approach to the relationship between designers and designed spaces over the lifespan of the project. It details a study that used interviews and surveys to explore landscape designers’ interest in tracking long-term site outcomes, as well as their current and desired levels of participation in extended engagement activities. Finally, it suggests actions that individuals and organizations could take to make extended engagement a more meaningful part of professional practice in contemporary landscape architecture.

Description

49 pages

Keywords

landscape architecture, limited engagement, human subjects, survey, extended engagement

Citation