Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Design Studio, cilt.4, ss.5-18, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
The landscapes and the memory of the landscapes are evolving with natural and humancentered activities. In some places, landscapes continue to reveal their memory ecologically, socially,
and culturally. On the other hand, in some places, landscapes lose their ecologic and socio-cultural
archive as a result of globalization. This issue causes to emerge fragile landscapes according to lack of
water resources, global warming, a decrease in biodiversity. Preserving the memory of landscapes and
using it in the practice of landscape is a deeply crucial issue. The paper tries to answer two questions:
How can landscape memory be used in design education? How can a research-based design studio
pedagogy be conducted on this approach? This paper focuses on the research-based design approach in
landscape architecture education to decode and recode the memory of the landscapes in the design
process. ITU Landscape Architecture Department 2019-2020 Fall Semester Landscape Design Studio
I-II, which is the case study of the research, worked in Savur, Mardin. The study area provides
unexpected landscape carpet including browns and greens together in the valleys of the region that
have a rich social and ecological structure. The methodological process of the studio was based on the
three approaches which are integrated into each other: The Landscape Memory Model, Action-based
Design Studio, and Research-based Design Studio. The model provides a guide for reading the
memory of the landscape with various memory codes hidden under the visible and invisible values of
it. This core process is used by the students for understanding the cultural and ecological values of the
study area and implementing them into the design process. The action-based studio approach allows
the tutors to find the problematic points in the design process of each student and resolve them in a
positive way. Covering these two approaches, the research-based design studio expresses the
discovery of the knowledge through a strong research process. The results are as followed:
Implementing a research-based process ensured a place-based and innovative perspective to shape a
design concept. Using the pre-specified landscape memory model empowered the research phase and
helped students to analyze and discern the place with their own perceptions. Action-based flow
allowed the instructors to leave the conventional studio performing and helped to use in-situ (special
to the studio) instructing techniques within the semester. This paper may be influential for especially
landscape design studios and relocate conventional studio approaches with more flexible and
progressive techniques to understand the place and beyond.