Milton Land Lab Fall 2020 3 credit hours Advisor: Bradley Cantrell Students: Hannah Brown, Reid Farnsworth, Rebecca Hinch, Lizzie Needham, Theo Teichman A Collective and Individual learning experience Learning Objectives ● Employ “curious methods” to invoke site observations and interventions. ● Allow intuition, available tools, present materials, and site characteristics to guide experimentation in material manipulation and design decisions. ● Learn by doing, specifically by experimenting with various techniques, both established and new, used for modifying landscape mediums and applying them to the creation of an outdoor space. ● Collectively learn skills related to observing or modifying landscape mediums and apply learned techniques and reflections into individual interpretations of the site. ● Explore and experiment with recording field work, leading to a curation of observations that reflect process and both site and individual change. Scope of Work ● Skill Shares: Each week, individual students will plan and then execute a 1-2 week workshop that teaches fellow students a skill related to their chosen medium or focal site condition. These workshops should include an overview of precedents related to the skill, how it has or has not been applied in landscape architecture, how it is typically done (i.e. by hand, by machine, the associated process), and how it can be done at the specific site, Milton Airfield, either individually or with a group of five people. The skill share sessions will take place on Thursdays during scheduled class times (9-11:30 am). You will turn in a record of your workshop by the following Wednesday, 7:30pm meeting. ○ Individual Deliverables (Skill Share leader, rotates every 1-2 weeks): Workshop outline, precedents and other research related to shared skill in workshop outline and presented during skill share session, activities related to skill that cover 1-2 hours of class time ○ Collective Deliverables: Participation in the skill share session, reflection of new skill and how you might or might not employ it in your individual site exploration ● Experiential Plot: Students will collectively select and modify a plot on site that they collectively define spatially over the course of the semester. Students will modify the plot with the new skills learned and tools made available each week. As a group,
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students should visit and modify the Experiential Plot close to once a week on Thursdays following the Skill Share session. Skill Share sessions might specifically focus on modifying an Experiential Plot as well. ○ Collective Deliverables: The deliverables will be the “designed” plot themselves. We will complete collective work on this by Collective Reflection 2 (November 5th), although students may continue to observe and study them. Individual Projects may work with the Experiential Plot further, with the group’s consent. Individual Exploration: Each week, students will explore a method of observing, recording, translating, and/or reflecting. This can be done through a combination of on-site work on Sundays and off-site research and work throughout the week. Students will turn in one representation (drawing, video, photographs, etc.) by Wednesday, 7:30pm each week, UNLESS you are teaching the skill share that week. Those students leading the skill share session will not be required to submit a sketch exercise. ○ Individual Deliverables: Exploration of observing, recording, translating, and/or reflecting from that week’s site visit. Individual Inquiry: For the final three weeks of the course, students will explore a chosen medium, method, and/or site condition to further practice their learned landscape modification and/or observation skills to create a personal interpretation of the site. ○ Individual Deliverables: This is up to the individual student based on their interests and lingering questions. Examples include a site installation (e.g. living fence, “land art”), “exhibit” of new observation skills and methods, or a proposed system for sustaining the Milton Land Lab’s future (e.g. donated material network).
Collective Reflection Format ● Weekly (following Thursday on-site meeting: 10 min at end of session in parking lot to share and discuss “What did you learn today on site that you wouldn’t have the chance to learn in the studio?” ● End-of-Semester Charette with Brad and maybe Brian and Michael (5-6 hours). Format TBD, but will include: ○ On-site presentations of collective work ○ On-site presentation of individual work ○ Collective Reflection - questions/discussion?
Weekly Format Thursdays, 9-11:30 am / ON SITE (Collective) ● Skill Shares ● Developing Experiential Plots ● Collective Reflections (twice per semester) Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm / VIRTUAL (Collective) ● Group check-in ● Discuss readings, precedents or questions related to assignments ● If time, share sketch exercise methods or lessons that might be useful to the group Sundays, 11 am-2 pm / ON SITE or OFF SITE (Individual) ● Individual work (could be site work and photos, research, observation, collaging, etc.) culminating in an Individual Exploration ● AND / OR Preparing for your Skill Share workshop Reviews: - Collective Reflection 1 / Assess (Thursday, October 1st) - Collective Reflection 2 / Assess, (Thursday, November 5th) - Final / Site Walk and Celebration with presentations of Individual and Collective work (Thursday, December 3rd - Plan for in-person, maybe have to go virtual) Weekly Credit Hour Breakdown 3 credit hour course: 2.5 hours “in class,” 6 hours outside of class In-Class 2.5 hours for collective site visit on Thursdays, which include Skill Shares, Living Rooms, and Collective Reflection activities 1 hour virtual meeting on Wednesdays Outside of Class 2 hours filling Role (see below) 2 hours for Sketch Exercise and Reading (weekly) 1.5 hours planning (Skill Share, Individual Exploration) Roles
Individual students will fill each of the five roles once over the duration of the collective work portion of the course (10 weeks). Students will hold each role for two weeks and then rotate roles. Roles rotate on Sundays of each week. ● WEBMASTER: Website Curator / Archivist / Update content ● PROJECT MANAGER: Supply/tool sourcing/tool renting, facilities engagement / sending collective emails to profs, Melissa and Trevor, scheduling meetings) ● DOCUMENTARIAN: On-Site Recorder (go-pro, photographs, notes, spatial translation sketching), includes uploading and organizing recordings ● PROFESSOR: Back-end / organize deliverables, resources, templates for each work, clean up notes, syllabus, note taking, making folders on classes, picking 1-2 readings per week, leading reading discussions ● THE VISIONARY: the big picture spatial translator, which could include weekly updates/reflections/manifestos //communicates lessons learned for each segment ○ Individual Deliverables: At the end of their two-week “reign,” the Visionary will submit documentation of their choice to be displayed on the lab website. SCHEDULE See this spreadsheet for week-by-week details. Week 1 // Orientation Reading: “Curious Methods” Thursday, August 27th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Walk site, reassess initial proposal, adjust deliverables and scope of work based on site impressions Sunday, August 30th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Decide on roles and adjust scope of work Week 2 // Defining a Land Lab Reading: Publications/blogs related to precedent studies September 3rd: Group Site Visit Objectives: Explore new spaces with tools (pruners, saws, loppers), decide on first Living Room Sunday, September 6th: Group Check-in (virtual) + Site Visit Objectives: Present and review precedent studies, discuss key findings, discuss first week of site visits and make adjustments; on site, try crimping technique to make paths (Skill Share led
by Theo) and record with drones (Skill Share led by Reid), reach clarity on group and individual projects and modes of investigation Week 3 // Collective Work See new roles -- Assume your new role Sunday Reading: Field Exercises - also added to the Zotero, (for Wednesday, 09.16.20) Wednesday, September 9th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Review modified syllabus and schedule, edit as a group until consensus is reached on learning objectives and collective and individual projects Thursday, September 10th: Group Site Visit Objectives: 3D Scanning Skill Share (led by Lizzie, 1 hour). Visit the first Experiential Plot to observe by sketching and possibly apply newly learned techniques (e.g. crimping) to the space (1.5 hours). Sunday, September 13th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Deliverables (all due for Wednesday, 09.16.20) - The Visionary - your “end of reign” materials, here - The Recorder: Site Recordings - Uploaded and organized, to Google Drive > Milton Resources > Site Visit 9.10.2020 - Skill share abstract (1-2 paragraphs): Workshop topic and outline, here - Individual Exploration, here Week 4 // Collective Work Reading: -- (write/refine individual inquiry proposals) Wednesday, September 16th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on individual project process and receive feedback from Brad. Thursday, September 17th: OPTIONAL Site Visit* Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session *Note this is flipped because of Michael’s soil mapping skill share on Sunday Sunday, September 20th: Soil Mapping Skill Share Objectives: Soil mapping Skill Share with Michael Luegering (likely 4-5 hours) Week 5 // Collective Work Reading: “Environ(ne)ment” by Gilles Clement (video)
Deliverables: 1-2 page proposal of Individual Inquiry work for meeting with Brad Wednesday, September 23rd: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on Skill Share session schedule/planning progress, discuss desired supplies and needed updates to website, etc. Thursday, September 24th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Check in with Brad on Individual Inquiries (1 hour), plant cutting and propagation Skill Share by Hannah (1.5 hours) Sunday, September 27th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Week 6 // Collective Work - First “Review” Reading: Wednesday, September 30th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Discuss desired objective for Collective Reflection tomorrow; cover any lingering administrative tasks Thursday, October 1st: Group Site Visit Objectives: Natural Dyeing Skill Share led by Becca (1 hour), followed by individual research time and explorations (1.5 hours) Sunday, October 4th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Week 7 // Collective Work Reading: Wednesday, October 7th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on Skill Share session schedule/planning progress, discuss desired supplies and needed updates to website, etc. Thursday, October 8th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Cutting and propagating workshop led by Hannah (1 hour), individual research time and exploration (1.5 hours) Sunday, October 11th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Week 8 // Collective Work Reading:
Wednesday, October 14th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on Skill Share session schedule/planning progress, discuss desired supplies and needed updates to website, etc. Thursday, October 15th: Group Site Visit Objectives: TBD Skill Share (led by Theo), then visit Experiential Plots to observe and record changes and apply new techniques as desired (possible to split into two groups between the two rooms) Sunday, October 18th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Week 9 // Collective Work Reading: Wednesday, October 21st: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on Skill Share session schedule/planning progress, discuss desired supplies and needed updates to website, etc. Thursday, October 22nd: Group Site Visit Objectives: Transplanting Skill Share (led by Reid), then visit Experiential Plots to observe and record changes and apply new techniques as desired (possible to split into two groups between the two rooms) Sunday, October 25th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session Week 10 // Collective Work Reading: Wednesday, October 28th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Check in on Skill Share session schedule/planning progress, discuss desired supplies and needed updates to website, etc. Thursday, October 29th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Pruning Skill Share (led by Lizzie), then visit Experiential Plots to observe and record changes and apply new techniques as desired (possible to split into two groups between the two rooms) Sunday, November 1st: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual explorations, test ideas, or plan for a skill share session
Week 11 // Collective Work - Second “Review” // Pivot to Individual Work Reading: Wednesday, November 4th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Discuss desired objective for Collective Reflection tomorrow; cover any lingering administrative tasks Thursday, November 5th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Collective Reflection, revisit tested prototypes and techniques and discuss observed and facilitated changes to the two Experiential Plots. What have we designed? What is the experience of inhabiting it? Were the changes improvements, some regrettable, etc.? Sunday, November 8th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual Inquiry planning and testing Week 12 // Individual Work Reading: Determined by the individual, related to your individual exploration Wednesday, November 11th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Discuss progress with Individual Inquiries and receive feedback Thursday, November 12th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Individual Inquiry planning and testing Sunday, November 15th: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual Inquiry planning and testing Week 13 // Individual Work Reading: Determined by the individual, related to your individual exploration Wednesday, November 18th: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Discuss progress with Individual Inquiries and receive feedback Thursday, November 19th: Group Site Visit Objectives: Individual Inquiry planning and testing Sunday, November 22nd: OPTIONAL Individual Site Visit Objectives: Individual Inquiry planning and testing Week 13 // Individual Work THANKSGIVING BREAK
Week 14 // Individual Work Reading: none Wednesday, December 2nd: Group Check-in (virtual) Objectives: Discuss progress with individual projects and discuss any necessary arrangements for final collective reflection and end of semester celebration/presentations Thursday, December 3rd: FINAL SITE WALK Objectives: End-of-semester celebration and final presentations of Individual and Collective work. Available faculty advisors will attend.