Design Comments: A Dialogue-Based Approach to Using Designerly Knowledge in Transdisciplinary Contexts

Abstract:
Climate change, changing waterscapes and increasing urbanisation signal uncertainty about practices of living and settling, thereby questioning current contemporary landscape practices and attribution of value in urban development. This design research provides a landscape architectural study of the real-world problem of climate adaptation related to precipitation in the climatic context of Denmark.
The research employed multi-methods, conducted as landscape architectural Research through Designing (RTD) with elements of action research to enable different methods and sets of data to inform each other concurrently. The point of departure was to engage early project phases of climate adaptation projects to explore ´missed out´ opportunities for value creation in transdisciplinary contexts. The research methods were employed in three real-time case studies in the context of Aarhus, Denmark.
The case study experiences formed the conceptualisation of ´Design Comments´ consisting of four components: the LArch Space, the Formatting, the Linkage of Relevance and the Dialogical Space. Together, these four elements devised the basis for ´Propositional Reflections´ as the suggestive outcomes of the research. Based on the preliminary experiences during the research, it is proposed that the concept of Design Comments can be further developed in the context of landscape architectural research through designing.