Garden as 1:1: Between paper thinking and earth moving in landscape architectural learning

Design education seeks to mimic the design process in landscape architectural practice. Yet the educational process is fundamentally different because design ideas are rarely tested through building. Student learning, therefore, remains in the realm of abstraction: the representation of a design idea without translation into the actual material these ideas are intended to shape. Thinking through ideas at full scale offers an alternative way to explore design learning so students understand the spatial, social and material consequences of their ideas. Working at the 1:1 scale gives them an insight into the implications of their design decisions and experience in working directly with the materials of their concern. It also offers an opportunity to work one to one with each other and clients.