Digital twins, analog practices and posthumanism at this year's Landscape Days
About fifty employees from SLU's departments of Urban and Rural Development, People and Society and Landscape Architecture, Planning and Management gathered in October at SLU Ultuna for a 24 hour conversation and inspiration about future landscape practices.
The opportunities and obstacles of digital development, new research and a more than human-centered perspective on landscape as a contrast to the prevailing anthropocentric one were on the agenda.
Dean Christina Lunner-Kolstrup opened with an inspiring overview of what is on the agenda in landscape architecture globally and in the Nordic region. The crucial role of landscape architecture and urban planning in climate adaptation and the global work to restore destroyed landscapes were mentioned. The increase in geographic data and technical tools, growing knowledge of regenerative methods and landscapes, health and well-being as an increasingly important part of landscape planning, multifunctionality and increased use of local materials were some of the insights she shared. SLU Landscape contributes to and is at the forefront of all these areas.
Virtual Design and Planning
The British senior lecturer in design Paul Cureton from Lancaster University, who focuses on spatial planning, 3D GIS modelling and design futures, gave a talk in which he talked about how digital twins, that is, virtual duplicates of the real world, can be an aid in community planning both to create scenarios but also to increase participation and understanding among citizens. Elliot Hartley, also an expert in 3D GIS, digital twins and development planning followed. He highlighted the role of 3D technology in the development of digital twins in community planning and that virtual reality is an excellent tool for making community development engaging and alive.
During the following panel discussion on how digital development shapes future landscape planning, it emerged that Swedish municipalities have not yet started using digital twins in the landscape area to any greater extent, but it is mainly the use in other areas such as mobility and energy that is currently driving the development. If digital twins are to be integrated into teaching, the importance that it is linked to a clear why, and where students learn to use different types and quality of data, as well as understand the limitations of the same was emphasizedAnd the fact that it is still necessary to be out in the field and work was also mentioned along with that the right methodology is always important.
Workshops and subject clusters
The afternoon ended with four workshops:
• How can SLU Landscape work for/with children and young people of all ages?
• Artistic practices.
• Walk – about the process of moving trees on Ultuna Campus.
• Exploration of future urban water landscapes.
Thursday began with information from Lina Berglund-Snodgrass from Movium and Märit Jansson from SLU Landscape about the opportunities for communication, collaboration and funding. This was followed by subject cluster matching. Some of the things mentioned in one of the groups were the importance of knowledge and management of planned areas with nature-based solutions so that they will be as planned and that it is important to collect good examples of how different challenges have been solved that can then be disseminated.
Posthumanism and artificial reefs
This year's Landscape Days in Ultuna ended with two inspiring lectures by Cecilia Åsberg, Professor of Gender, Nature, Culture and founder and leader of The Posthumanities Hub at Linköping University and Michael Palmgren, Director of Operations and Head of Marine Development, Marine Knowledge Center in Malmö, on the theme of a more than human approach to landscape. Cecilia Åsberg started from feminist posthumanist theory and expressed that classical humanism has been too narrow while environmental humanism looks broader than just humans and that posthumanism encompasses all species at the same time as feminist analysis is relevant for finding new ways to practice more than human humanism.
Michael Palmgren spoke about the importance of education and knowledge about the oceans, how we can create a new relationship to the ocean and literacy, and how by creating an artificial reef they have brought back marine species in Malmö.
During the closing panel discussion led by SLU Urban Futures leader Nina Vogel, Michael Palmgren highlighted the importance of interacting with nature. There are 180 nationalities in Malmö of the same species and we need to invite conversations about why biodiversity can benefit us all. The panel debate emphasized the importance of the different forms of knowledge in our ‘world-building’, which means that we need to include and have voices from more than just humans – for example by being a ‘speaker for the living’, and creating new communities with other species.
SLU Landscape Days is held annually, every other year in Alnarp and every other year in Ultuna.
Text and Photo: Malin Åberg Aas