Landscape Architecture Review

Chief Editor

Prof.Dr.-Ing.WANG Xiangrong

When I was a student,there were very few professional books and magazines,and I would read every article in every new issue of magazines,just like my classmates.The Architect was one of the few professional magazines.At that time,a writer named ＂Dou Wu＂ often published some unpretentious but aculeate articles in the column of ＂North Window Miscellany＂,which made me,who was still ignorant of the profession at that time,gradually gain a clear understanding of many issues.Therefore,I looked forward to the publication of the magazine every time,hoping to read Dou Wu's articles.Later I learned that Dou Wu was the pen name of Professor Chen Zhihua,an architectural historian at Tsinghua University.Professor Chen then published these miscellanies one after another in the book of North Window Miscellany Volume I,II and III,which have been popular among readers.A considerable part of the articles in North Window Miscellany can be said to be the earliest commentaries in the whole construction industry in China,and they are also professional,objective,honest and high-level commentaries,which originated from Professor Chen Zhihua's profound accumulation of classical and modern architectural history,intensive humanistic cultivation,independent personality of intellectuals,and strong sense of social responsibility.

Therefore,an excellent professional review requires the reviewer to have a high level of professionalism,as well as an impartial stance and a fluent writing style Such a high demand is also the reason for the scarcity of excellent professional reviews.The vast majority of designers engaged in practice have practical experience,but have no time for in-depth thinking and no energy to put into the writing of commentaries;and for teachers in colleges and universities,in the general trend of the transformation of professional research into scientific research,commentaries with the spirit of humanism not only need the input of a lot of energy,but very often cannot be incorporated into the scientific research evaluation system,and cannot provide a boost for the promotion process,which is really of little value.Due to the lack of review tradition and experts and scholars who are good at review,the review of landscape architecture industry is particularly underdeveloped,and only a handful review articles have been published in professional magazines.

The difficulty in producing excellent commentaries is also related to our cultural tradition.Confucianism preaches ＂taboo for the honored one,for the virtuous one,and for the relatives＂,so for the elders,dignitaries,and friends and relatives,there could be praise,but criticism is no ＂etiquette＂performance.This culture has infiltrated our bloodstream,coupled with the fact that many comments are made by juniors on their seniors and by students on their teachers,so naturally,there are all praises and few questions.Professor Chen Zhihua said,＂Without the freedom of criticism,there is no review.＂ Healthy comments are a way to promote the dissemination of works,prompt people to know the works more deeply,explore design ideas and design theories,and promote the progress of the industry.There is recognition and questioning in order to reflect the facts objectively.Therefore,commenting requires courage on the part of the commenter and a good mindset on the part of the person being commented.

At the end of 2018,I invited more than ten landscape architects and architects to Nanning Garden Expo Park to carry out on-site discussions on the design of seven quarry gardens.Everyone actively articulated their views,discussing the value of quarries,their potential,technical means of ecological restoration,and the possibility of transforming quarry pits into exotic landscapes.The atmosphere of the seminar was very enthusiastic,with positive affirmations of these quarry garden designs,as well as objective criticisms.The views of everyone were organized in writing and later published in the UED magazine.It was a very successful activity to discuss and comment on design works,which enhanced the communication among designers,enlivened our creative thoughts,and helped our design team to summarize experience and identify problems so that we can make more progress in the future.The publication of these comments stimulated the thinking of professionals on a wider scale,expanding our knowledge of nature,landscape,culture,ecological restoration and other issues.

For designers,having their works critiqued and critiquing the works of others is part of professional life.Being critiqued not only means seeing and hearing judgment and even guidance on one's own works,but also increases the exposure and attention of the works and expands one's influence.And designers commenting on other people's work is also an effective way of continuous learning and progress,because the process of commenting will be accompanied by inquiry,comparison and reflection.In the face of design works,commentators may have different interpretations and explanations from designers.To a certain extent,professional critics are even better than designers in summarizing the logic of their designs and raising them to the height of theory.Such comments may help designers to scrutinize their own works more systematically,and also help other professionals to understand design works and designers' thoughts more comprehensively.

Although there is currently a lack of serious and professional commentaries on Chinese landscape gardens in traditional printed media,in the era when everyone have access to self-media,whenever we turn on our cell phones,we will see text or video pushes about landscape gardening activities,design works,designers,landscape gardening theories,technologies and management in our WeChat moments,public accounts and Weibo.Some landscape architecture reviews from the self-published media aroused widespread interest in reading,and not only gained high click-through rates,but were sometimes re-reviewed in comments.It is gratifying to see that with the rapid development of self-media and the entry of more and more professionals,the level of self-media landscape architecture reviews is improving.The diversification of communication media makes landscape architecture commentaries active and rich.

Various forums held frequently are also important places for publishing landscape architecture commentaries,and almost every forum has no lack of criticisms on landscape architecture education,theoretical research,planning and design,and implementation and management.Those insightful and resonant comments are more widely disseminated through the introductions of the audience on site and online,as well as the reports of various media after the meetings,thus triggering a wider range of thinking in the industry.

Another type of pivotal comment is that of the judges at plan demonstration meetings or plan solicitation and bid evaluation meetings.Due to relevant legal requirements,such comments will not be disseminated,but they will affect the choice and direction of the implementation plans of major projects and the future development of the industry,so the commentators are required to be of a higher standard.High-level judges can make a fair and objective evaluation of the program,select the optimal plan with discerning eyes,promote the implementation of high-quality project,and promote the progress of the industry.However,if some judges have insufficient vision and comprehensive capabilities,or have some personal interests,it will lead to the elimination of truly outstanding plans and make the project go astray in future development.Such comments go against the objectivity,impartiality,seriousness and professionalism.

Reviews are judgments made by people according to their own ideas and perceptions,with a strong subjective color.However,serious landscape architecture reviews should be the calm and objective evaluation based on rational analysis and in-depth thinking,and should not be an evaluation behavior of praise or opposition based on preconceived ideas or opinions.In other words,reviews should not be based on personal interests or subjective preferences;otherwise,they are bound to be stubborn,arbitrary and emotional reflections.

Excellent comments are conducive to distinguishing right from wrong,helping us to constantly reflect,correct errors,promote theoretical research,enliven creative thinking,improve practical standards,and promote the progress and development of disciplines and the industry.However,it is not easy to make such a review of landscape architecture,because it requires the reviewer not only to have a comprehensive professional foundation,good knowledge reserves,keen insight and judgment,rigorous logic thinking ability,and sharp writing style,but also to have a rational and serious attitude towards research,positive value orientation,and basic moral cultivation.