ABSTRACT
Both the practitioners and professors of landscape architecture are seeing a shift toward more collaboration. Collaboration in the design-build process is essential to its efficacy. In the historic model the master designer was a solitary, elevated guru of form giving. Collaboration in design-build elevates an open exchange of ideas, a communal responsibility for the quality of the project and a workforce that integrates instead of segments the building and design processes.
The academic collaborative design-build model is commonly delivered using the studio class format typical in environmental design programs. Opportunities for design-build exist beyond the studio model both within and outside of academia. Professors use full-scale mockups and prototyping of design ideas within a tradition design studio to integrate design application with theory-based approaches. In traditional design studios students can develop their designs as “kits” with instructions for construction that can be used for a community implementation once at a future point. Depending on MLA thesis requirements, theses can be structured around a design-build approach to test a hypothesis, explore spatial relationships and address community needs.
Graduating students aim to address issues of equity, sustainability and ecology as they enter practice. They can choose alternative practice firms and take internships and careers in community design-build with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and Engineers Without Borders. Many community development entities have partnerships with struggling communities in need of affordable housing and improved school environments and recreational facilities. Other NGOs provide post-disaster recovery services using design-build methods. Non-Profits such as City Repair offer design-build activities for neighborhood improvements and creative reclamation of urban public space.
