Course Syllabus
Seed Bombs
TECHNOLOGIES IN ECOLOGICAL DESIGN
GSAPP FALL 2023
BUILDING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ELECTIVE
SECTION A : SEPT 5TH-OCT 17TH
TUESDAY + THURSDAY 11AM-1PM
409 Avery + 203 FAYERWEATHER
Ecosystems are central to the design and functionality of our built structures and communities. This course will immerse students in the symbiotic relationship between built environments and ecosystems, delving into their technological underpinnings and the systems they uphold. Spanning from intricate design details to overarching urban systems, our exploration will culminate with participants hands-on fabricated installations being tested in the NYC harbor.
Ecological design’s foundational concepts, multifaceted characteristics, contemporary metrics, and cutting-edge practices will be brought to the forefront through class-based and hands-on learning. As we progress through dimensions of ecological design, students will be introduced to the transformative potential of floating landscape typologies. These typologies are not just design elements but are active performers, enhancing water quality, rejuvenating native ecologies, and elevating community well-being. To anchor theoretical knowledge, students will conceptualize and actualize a floating marine landscape, testing and installing it at NYC’s Red Hook waterfront. This tactile experience will be enriched by continuous collaboration with the RETI Center, a local nonprofit, to assess the ecological impact of the interventions.
The course seeks to cultivate a deeper understanding of how urban environments are harmonizing nature with technological and structural innovations, producing a new era of hybrid ecological systems. Through this journey, students will be equipped with the tools and insights to navigate, assess, and shape these emerging urban landscapes.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course students should be able to...
- Define and explain the foundational concepts of hybrid ecology and constructed living systems.
- Adopt and implement a holistic framework for assessing indigenous and cutting-edge anthropological applications within ecological system design.
- Analyze and utilize pertinent metrics and methodologies to measure the efficacy of various ecological systems.
- Design, develop, and deploy a practical floating marine ecological system, transforming theoretical concepts into a real-world installation in partnership with a local nonprofit.
- Assess and challenge current methodologies in hybrid ecology, advocating for innovative and evidence-backed alternatives.
- Recognize and address ethical implications in design, underscoring a commitment to sustainability and reverence for the environment.
COURSE FORMAT
Weekly class time is structured as A) Seminars, with weekly presentations, guest lectures, discussions on reading topics, and peer-presentations of case study best practices, and B) a Lab practicum, where students can apply learnings towards developing and fabricating their built projects in the GSAPP Shop. Each week students will be given a handout with assignments and a set of readings in advance of the class. Students will also be assigned a case study on the weeks topic to research and present to the class.
WEEK 1 |
INTRODUCTION |
SEPT 5TH/ SEMINAR |
Realms of Ecology in the City, S-XL Where do plants occupy our built environments and what are the infrastructural, ecological, and cultural roles they play? The lecture will review green infrastructure, from indoor plants and green architecture, to streetscapes and urban-scale plans. We will be making seed bombs in class to be thrown on our campus. → INTRO ASSIGNMENT Share a species of plant that is emblematic of where you are from. Why is it suited for its environment and what is its significance? |
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SEPT 7TH / LAB |
Practicum: Floating Landscapes Introduction to RETI Center’s work at GBX and the floating ecosystem that will be advanced through the semester, including past learnings and design goals. → REQUIRED READING “Why Ecological Urbanism? Why Now?” Mohsen Mostafavi Please prepare at least three talking points based on the reading. These points will be submitted in class.
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WEEK 2 |
WATER |
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SEPT 12th / ON SITE
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Red Hook Site Visit Class will take place at The RETI (Resilience, Education, Training, Innovation) Center at the GBX Gowanus Bay Terminal site in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The RETI Center is a nonprofit formed in response to Hurricane Sandy. They have recently developed grassroots responses to heat waves and remediative floating landscapes. ON-SITE GUEST LECTURE: Tim Gilman, Director of RETI Center → ASSIGNMENTS Contextual Systems Diagrams: Graphically illustrate the existing and proposed landscape systems functioning at the GBX harbor site for validation during the visit. |
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SEPT 14th / SEMINAR
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The future is ____ The role of plants in our urban water systems. We will explore typologies of green infrastructure and its role in adapting to coastal flooding and intense rainfall. GUEST LECTURE: Autumn Visconti, Regional Landscape Architecture Lead at HOK → REQUIRED READING Please prepare at least three talking points on the reading to submit in class: “Design by Radical Indigenism” by Julia Watson, Hala Abukhodair, Naeema Ali, Avery Robertson, Hakim Issaoui, & Chuanzhi Sun; Circular Water Stories #2, Spool v8/Issue 3, p57-72 → ASSIGNMENTS 1) Complete GSAPP Shop Safety Training and registration to access the Shop 2) Material and Assembly: Identify the materials that are intended for use on the float. Present a drawing of the proposed assembly that identifies key characteristics and how they perform ecologically. These will need to be sourced before prototyping.
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WEEK 3 |
FOOD |
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SEPT 19th / SEMINAR
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Prototype R1 Subject design prototypes to water and environmental tests, evaluating resilience and adaptability in real-world conditions. Insights gained will inform design refinements and future iterations. → ASSIGNMENT see handout Build a miniature assembly(-ies) of the proposed ecological float that test key considerations including; floatability, fabrication<>landscape integration, and material properties. |
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SEPT 21th / LAB
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Real Food Productive ecological landscapes in rural and urban environments. This lecture will discuss regenerative farming and its relationship to resource consumption, ecosystem vitality, shifts in food security, and future food scenarios. Our guest lecture will present the business model and performance of cutting-edge agricultural technologies. GUEST LECTURE: Henry Gordon-Smith, Founder & CEO of Agritecture → READING see handout → PEER CASE STUDY PRESENTATION
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WEEK 4 |
SOIL |
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SEPT 26th / SEMINAR
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What is Native? Throughout time anthropogenic actions have influenced the landscape. Humans are specialists at cultivating, flooding, burning, building, and shaping their environment. How does this relate to ‘native’ ecosystems and what are best practices for pro-ecology landscapes today? → READING see handout Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast by Peter del Tredici The Half-Earth City Beatley & Brown, 2021 → PEER CASE STUDY PRESENTATION Select from a list of case studies and present the approach and key technologies to each other |
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SEPT 28th / LAB
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Prototype R2 Reassess and refine design prototypes based on initial feedback, and subject them to a second round of water and environmental tests. Emphasis will be on advanced resilience, adaptability, and integration of previous insights. The iterative process aims to evolve design sophistication and enhance functionality in real-world conditions. → ASSIGNMENT see handout Refine and construct an improved miniature assembly(-ies) of the ecological float, focusing on enhanced considerations from R1 results
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WEEK 5 |
TEMPERATURE |
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OCT 3RD / SEMINAR
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Architect or Gardener This lecture will be in two parts; A look at the role of living systems in cities to mitigate heat and moderate indoor and outdoor climates, and also delve into a highly specified versus emergent approach to designing living environments. The class will focus on the resources and design implications for the two approaches and share specific methodologies and measures for temperature control. → PEER CASE STUDY PRESENTATION → READING see handout |
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OCT 5th / LAB
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Float Fabrication Analysis and progress review of the full-scale floats in the shop. → ASSIGNMENT see handout Draft Drawing package: Float construction drawings, Site phasing plan, Ecological systems diagrams, prototype and float photography
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WEEK 6 |
WELLBEING |
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OCT 10TH / SEMINAR
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Plants on Our Mind How has human consciousness been conditioned to respond to plants and what role do they play in society today? This class will examine the impact of plants on our psyche, society and physical performance as shown through research, and cover principles and examples of biophilic design. → READING see handout Hypernature by Next Nature RECOMMENDED READING Beatley, T. (2016). Handbook of Biophilic City Planning and Design. Handbook of Biophilic City Planning and Design. Biophilia - The Human Bond with other Species, E.O.Wilson. 1984 |
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OCT 12TH / LAB |
Project Pre-final Review Analysis and pre-final review of all floats. Review of in-progress course deliverables → ASSIGNMENT see handout 1) Pre-final Drawing package: Float construction drawings, Site phasing plan, Ecological systems diagrams, prototype and float photography
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WEEK 7 |
LAUNCH |
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OCT 17TH / ON SITE |
Final Project Presentation Final Presentation, floating, and discussion of all final projects at the RETI Center in Red Hook. Floats will be reviewed by RETI, guest stakeholders, and peers. There will be an option to donate your floats or bring them back. |
COURSE GRADING
The course emphasizes both individual understanding and active participation. Grading is distributed across these components:
READING REFLECTIONS (15%) - Reflections on assigned readings allow students to delve into the material, offering personal insights and understandings.
WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS (20%) - These assignments provide regular opportunities for students to apply course concepts and advance their final project through the course of the semester.
CASE STUDY PRESENTATION (15%) - This component allows students to dive deep into specific instances of ecological design, analyze them, and present their findings.
PARTICIPATION (15%) - Active involvement in class discussions, activities, and collaborative efforts are essential, rewarding students who are punctual, professional, and consistently engaged.
FINAL PROJECT (35%) - This culminating project is a substantial portion of the grade, reflecting its importance in synthesizing and apply course knowledge.