2016 ILASA Conference Call for Abstracts ; 1 February deadline

2016 ILASA Conference

Call for Abstracts

Deadline date: 1 February 2016

Global conditions and awareness are changing the value people attach to landscape in unprecedented ways. Central to the concept of landscape are visual and spatial dimensions that form the basis of human experiences but also affect ecological functions. In urban and rural areas how we regard and respond to the landscape in our daily activities are altered as we face approaching social and environmental challenges. With these challenges interrelated disciplinary fields are expanding and sharing arenas of interest involving aspects of the landscape such as natural resources, land use and land-cover.

The 2016 ILASA Conference considers the re-interpretation of landscape significance in the spheres of ecosystem benefits; social meaning; global changes; and regeneration. The conference inquiries about how perceptions of landscape are changing in the African context and beyond, and how these manifest in the projects executed in South Africa and other countries.

1.    Landscape as provider: employing a broader palette of landscape interpretation, and re-discovering landscape value, to inform design for a reciprocal exchange of resources, e.g. fresh water; food security; energy fields.

2.    Landscape as cultural system: incorporating overlooked cultural and social values and recent understandings/design approaches to increase the social and cultural relevance of landscapes, e.g. psychological/ spiritual enrichment; cognitive development/ education; or community cohesion.

3.    Landscape as transformer: applying re-discovered and innovative technologies/design approaches to regenerate both ecological and cultural systems as multifunctional green infrastructure, e.g. microclimate control; storm/ flood water regulation; or pollution control/ recycling and rejuvenation.

4.    Landscape as life-support: innovative design with emphasis on the regeneration of lost or degraded ecological functions and values, e.g. habitat creation; biodiversity protection/ enhancement or natural systems

The Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa 2016 (ILASA) Conference seeks demonstrative design projects and proposals that exhibit positive interventions to re-evaluate and re-interpret landscape in original and imaginative ways. The holistic assessment, design, planning and physical interaction with the landscape requires trans-disciplinary teams. The conference aims to attract landscape practitioners; both within the landscape architectural profession and from the broader built environment professions, including also the natural and social sciences disciplines.

There will be two types of moderated and respondent sessions: paper and case study. Submissions for each type will go through a blind-peer review process. Speakers should submit an abstract of no more than 350 words and 5 keywords; please indicate which of the four main conference subthemes the work is intended to be presented in. The abstract should clearly state the main topic or purposes, methods, principal findings, key implications and recommendations (300 words). It should additionally clearly state why the submission is relevant to interpreting the landscape in a novel way (50 words).

Click here to submit your abstract.

The sessions of the conference will work as follows:

1) Paper sessions (15-20 minutes) presenting informative theoretical work with clear demonstrative practical implications and outcomes – designated respondents will comment. Following a number of back-to-back presentations there will be a moderated general discussion.

Final papers for the conference proceedings should be no more than 2500 words in length. At least five images/ graphics should be included and a 200 word biography submitted.

Papers must contain an introduction, the methods, results, discussion and conclusion and be submitted in accordance with the conference style and layout template.

2) Case study presentations (15-20 minutes) a critical focus on examples with technical detail and learning content – designated respondents will comment. Following a number of back-to-back presentations there will be a moderated general discussion.

Final submissions for the conference proceedings could take one of two options:

a)      be no more than 2500 words in length. At least ten images/ graphics should be included and a 200 word biography, [similar to paper sessions]

b)      have an image on each slide with minimal text but include a 1000 word executive summary (main points associated with each image that reads as a unified narrative) and include a 200 word biography, [a more visual based presentation]

The case study presentations must explain the project focus, effectiveness, lessons learned and innovative approaches or technologies employed and be submitted in accordance with the conference style and layout template.

Institute for Landscape Architecture in South Africa (ILASA)

PO Box 868, Ferndale, 2160

www.ilasa.co.za

ilasa@ilasa.co.za

011 061 5000