The professor and chair of landscape and regional planning at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, an illustrious Scottish-American ecologist and landscape architect, Professor Ian McHarg was one of the most influential persons in the global environmental movement. His 1969 book Design with Nature pioneered the concept of ecological planning, elaborated on the inseparable interdependence between humanity and nature, and brought environmental planning methods into the mainstream of landscape architecture, city planning and public policy, and ecological concerns into broad public awareness.

To commemorate the 55th anniversary of the publication of this milestone work, the School of Architecture, Southeast University, and the Stuart Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania jointly organized the "Design with Nature Now" Asia tour, with Nanjing as the first stop. They are also co-hosting a summer school-themed "ARTIFICIAL NATURE: Towards Overcoming the Opposition Between Artifice and Nature."

Theme

Across the spectrum of contemporary professions and academic disciplines, the age-old categorical distinction between dimensions of the world that have come into being through one or another of the arts and those that have not is becoming less and less plausible. In many cases, the distinction is simply rejected. Ecology, for example, once a science of natural habitats, has extended its proper subject matter to include human affairs, which is to say culture, just as anthropology and the humanities have become environmental, and a design art like urbanism has become a matter of landscape design and understanding. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the landscapes we inhabit are outcomes of human making. The old notion of pristine nature is a dream dreamt out.

Outcomes

How can we "overcome the opposition between artifice and nature"? The outcomes of the summer school provided exploratory answers from five topics:

• Considering the construction of a project, what are the relationships (joints or forms of connection) between materials that are local to the work and those that have been brought there after being produced or manufactured elsewhere?
• Considering the patterns of use accommodated by the project, how are the forms of human behavior and experience intended by the design sustained and enriched by ambient environmental conditions?
• Considering the spatial arrangements of the project, which elements and places of the design indicate the designer’s awareness of specific relationships between local and remote phenomena and occurrences?
• Considering the overall coherence of the project’s form, appearance, and uses, what are some of the specific indications of a non-distinction between architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design?
• Considering the relationship between the project’s contemporary reality and the historical precedents that define its location, what are the places, forms, and details of the design that show the creative transformation of historical or pre-existing conditions?

01. THE CONSTRUCTION

The team aimed to explore the differing understandings of architecture and the natural environment between Eastern and Western students. By creating 3D models, they compared students' interpretations of famous sites such as Tiger Hill, the Humble Administrator's Garden, and the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. The results showed significant differences in students' perceptions of these locations. This research method effectively promoted cross-cultural dialogue, breaking down traditional binary oppositional thinking.

The team explored the application and cultural significance of stones in Chinese gardens, both ancient and modern. They conducted a detailed analysis of the various uses of stones in garden design, highlighting ecological sustainability, material diversity, and cultural innovation in their application. This reflects a continued pursuit of natural beauty and cultural heritage.

02. THE PATTERNS OF USE 

The team analyzed the characteristics of boundaries and people's interactions with them from three perspectives: physical, cultural, and sensory. They revealed the importance of boundaries in architectural design. Blurred boundaries can inspire people to explore new places and observe changes, leading to a deeper understanding of their close connection with nature.  

The team explored the Chinese "Shan Shui" (landscape) art style, focusing on the interaction between water and the landscape. Both modern water features and traditional garden water elements carry profound cultural and natural significance. Through artistic creations, the team expressed the emotional experiences water brings to people, emphasizing its importance as the source of life.

03. THE SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT 

The team focused on design strategies for human interaction with nature through the concept of "borrowed scenery interaction." They explored how designers meticulously plan moments of interaction between people and nature, analyzing spatial sequences and depth to reveal specific instances of interaction. The team also contrasted historical and contemporary examples to deeply explore the profound meanings of garden design.  

Using the Humble Administrator's Garden as an example, the team explored how gardens utilize elements such as windows and screens to achieve spatial segmentation and visual framing. This guides viewers to focus on the beauty of each detail, integrating emotion into the design and inspiring the viewers' imagination and creativity. 

04. THE OVERALL COHERENCE OF THE PROJECT‘S FORM, APPEARANCE, AND USES

Through multi-scale analysis, the team revealed the core role of natural elements and human experience in shaping harmonious spaces, from site planning to architectural details and neighborhood environments. They emphasized the intrinsic connections between disciplines, offering new perspectives and inspiration for interdisciplinary design. 

The team focused on the role and impact of water in traditional and modern Chinese landscape design, exploring its close relationship with architecture, landscape, and urban design. They examined how water shapes spaces and enhances ecological connections in modern urban design, while also emphasizing its significant role in China's economic and cultural development. 

05. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROJECT’S CONTEMPORARY REALITY AND THE HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS  

The team explored how tradition and modernity coexist harmoniously in architectural design by analyzing three dimensions: structure, materials, and activities. They investigated the unique role of natural elements and animal imagery in architecture, how courtyards can preserve tradition while adapting to modern life, and how historically significant external landscapes, such as towers, can become new urban focal points.

Designing space is not only a reflection of architects' concepts and principles but also a result of interaction with the surrounding environment. Through case studies such as the Suzhou Museum, the Humble Administrator's Garden, Fangta Park, and Sanshan Island, the team showcased the shift from anthropocentrism to a balanced emphasis on ecological restoration and cultural preservation, providing insights into how humans can coexist harmoniously with nature.

Conclusion

Well-established but increasingly less relevant habits of thought are not easily overcome. A premise of the Workshop is that it is best to begin at the beginning: how designers understand exemplary projects by recording and interpreting what they see—and see for themselves. The Workshop, in short,  is an exercise in surveying.

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Director:
Tong Zhang, Fredrick Steiner

Academic Advisors：
David Leatherbarrow

Coordinators:
Zhongjie Lin, Yonggao Shi

Instructors:
Southeast University: Jun Cao, Gaochao Zhang, Tao Shou, Yipeng Wang, Chu Chu, Lin Wang
University of Pennsylvania: Yadan Luo

Students:
BREAKING BINARIES: Modeling Perception of Time, Place, and Materials
Southeast University: Qianwen Ding, Qianhui Wang, Haoning Li, Huiying Zhan
University of Pennsylvania: Carlotta de Bellis, Gianna Paglia, Robert Levinthal

BEYOND STONE: Crossing Material Boundaries
Southeast University: Yilun Cao, Feiyu Zhao, Yuzhen Liu, Hongbu Wang
University of Pennsylvania: Anne Parker, Cate Orchard, Zihan (Henry) Wei

DIFFUSED BOUNDARIES: Experiential study of Interactions between the artificial and natural
Southeast University: Xin Du, Ruizhe Wang, Ye Tang
University of Pennsylvania: Andreina Sojo Faria, Clarasophia Gust, Siyu (Jasmine) Wu

WATER IS LIFE: Jiangnan Waterscape Expo
Southeast University: Yanxiang Yang, Shuyao Ren, Sijia Fan
University of Pennsylvania: Alexandra Hayes, Jesus Frias, Rachel Aaronson, Sierra Caley

FROM HERE TO THERE: Distant Attraction
Southeast University: Rongqian Qiu, Yuhao Cheng, Yinan Chen, Zihao Dai
University of Pennsylvania: Charles Starks, Maria Fairchild, Brianna Belo

IN BETWEEN: Dreams and Reality
Southeast University: Yi He, Yiting Wu, Yunshu Yang
University of Pennsylvania: Anwen Kelly, Brenton Cai, Courtney Ward, Yalei Zhu

BEYOND BOUNDARIES: Between Artifice and Nature
Southeast University: Zhen Lei, Lingzhi Xu, Zixuan Aisin Gioro
University of Pennsylvania: Alexa Ringer, Jordan Arden, Julius Quartey-Papafio, Lillian Zhang

DESIGN WITH SHUI: EXPLORING THE INTERCONNECTIONS BETWEEN LANDSCAPE, ARCHITECTURE, AND URBAN DESIGN
Southeast University: Yan Peng, Yuning Zhuang, Yunlong Liu
University of Pennsylvania: Chesa Wang, Lahy Amman, Miranda Ayres, Ruby Nwaebube, Jichu Zhang

Acknowledgements:
Suzhou Municipal People's Government
Yangzhou Municipal People's Government
 Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Administration Bureau
Jinling STYLE
Jiangsu Zhusen Architecture Design Co., LTD