ABSTRACT
In all design disciplines, research and design go hand in hand. They are two sides of the same coin. The founders of landscape architecture, icons such as Andre le Notre, Lancelot 'Capability' Brown and Frederick Law Olmsted, as well as their successors to the present day, took thorough note of the needs of the people who were going to use and enjoy the landscape to be created. In addition, they studied, at every design location, land use, elevation and drainage, slope and light, soil and vegetation, views, possible walking routes and so on. They systematically acquired site- specific knowledge on which to base firm proposals for landscape interventions. Through their work influential practitioners have inspired, and continue to inspire, generations of landscape architects. Two things are specific to a designer's knowledge about a particular location and already emerged as those pioneers developed their practice. First, practitioner knowledge is defined as 'embodied', that is it is the knowing of what to do under particular circumstances. Second, the knowledge is situational, that is it is difficult to transfer to other places and situations, and also time. It is not for nothing that 'Capability' Brown received his nickname: for seeing the capabilities in a specific piece of land which made a unique design possible while using a relatively restricted palette of materials.
