The Design Competition in Landscape Architecture : Pedagogy and Practice

The Design Competition in Landscape Architecture is the first book devoted to helping professional and academic design studios comprehensively plan for successful competition entries. Divided into five sections, the book provides an overview of the history and development of modern design competitions, includes interviews with world-renowned landscape architects and designers, offers a pedagogical approach to competition studios as part of a college curriculum, showcases award-winning designs from landscape architecture faculty and students (including built projects), and reflects on future directions for landscape architecture design competitions. Crawford and Kambic’s writing shines a spotlight on the critical role competitions play in school and practice and highlights how competitions help give shape and identity to the places in which we live.

Many internationally known landscape architecture and architecture firms—including SnØhetta, BIG, Scape, and Weiss/Manfredi—have originated from design-competition wins. The Design Competition in Landscape Architecture, written by award-winning landscape architecture educators Katya Crawford and Kathleen Kambic, is the first book devoted to helping professional and academic design studios comprehensively plan for successful entries. Divided into five sections, the book provides an overview of the history and development of modern design competitions; includes interviews with world-renowned architects and designers, including Julie Bargman, Henri Bava, Elaine Molinar, Michelle Delk, and Kate Orff; offers a pedagogical approach to competition studio as part of a college curriculum; serves as a guide for entering design competitions; showcases award-winning designs from landscape architecture faculty and students and subsequent built projects from landscape architecture practitioners; reflects on future directions of landscape architecture design competitions; and provides resources for finding competitions. A wealth of lively graphics, including site plans, sketches, and color photographs, accompany the text. Crawford and Kambic's history and analysis of the modern landscape architecture design competition shines a spotlight on the critical role these events play for practitioners, educators, and students and highlights how they shape and give identity to the cities in which we live.