How is landscape understood and shaped by the conditions of mobile network society? As artists and designers we can frame this question in light of the history of landscape representation and design. Landscape architecture, painting and photography, earthworks, land and environmental art come to mind as framing discourses and practices. In today’s technologically-oriented information society, however, the question of landscape cannot be seen outside its relationship to the complex infrastructure of mobile networks, ubiquitous computing, and geo-spatial information systems that increasingly permeate our daily environments.

Landscape and network have intersected in new genres including locative media and collaborative cartography. Social practices including mobile social networking, spatially distributed games, multi-user environments, and software platforms such as Google Earth, Platial and Flickr are all part of the contemporary vernacular landscape. Geo-spatial information systems such as satellite imagery, GPS and remote sensing converge in professional research and design software, further expanding the range of electronic and digital modes of landscape representation. The result is a profound shift in the cultural meaning of landscape and our place as human beings within it, as well as a growing awareness of ecological issues and the global scale of landscape, technology, network and subjectivity.

The goal of this studio is to consider landscape in this context and to generate creative, critical and poetic designs, experiences, interventions and representational models of this new “network landscape” condition.

Site research, mapping exercises and technical experimentation in the first few weeks will help students formulate semester-length project proposals that explore some aspect of “network landscape” through the use of mobile networks, ubiquitous computing and geographic information systems (including GPS, Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, radio, satellite, ArcView and other geo-spatial information platforms). Projects may be independent explorations or can be run in conjunction with other studio projects or thesis exhibition development.

Participation

Attendance at every class is expected. Arrive prepared to present and discuss the topics at hand as well as participate fully in group exercises and tutorials. Participation is essential in critiquing and discussing the work of your peers.

Attendance

In addition to course labs and lectures, additional class time will be used as work hours for assignments. Attendance will be taken every class period. In accordance with RISD policies, students may be dropped from the class in the case of unexcused absence for the following two reasons: (1) if they miss the first meeting of class; (2) if they are absent from two or more class meetings at any time during the term.

Failure to attend all midterm or final critiques will result in failure of the course.

Please contact me in advance if you are unable to attend a class for any reason. I will frequently make announcements, distribute electronic readings and post syllabus updates via email. I will use risd.edu accounts for these communications - it is expected that you check your risd email regularly.

Assignments

Deliverables for this course include completion of weekly assignments (as applicable), the presentation of evolving and final work at both midterm and final critiques, a statement of interest and production plan for the final project, and documentation of your work throughout the semester including the final project.

Evaluation

10% Weekly assignments (Mapping, Due October 1 and Site Studies, Due October 15)

20% Statement of Interest Toward Final Project (Due October 22)
Should include a thoroughly edited one-page single-spaced statement of interest, and additional documentation of site(s) to be addressed (real / virtual). A production timeline and working bibliography of related projects (historical and contemporary) and creative or scholarly references to be consulted.

40% Final Project Review

20% Documentation of process and final project (Evaluated at midterm: final project proposals; and end of semester: December 3) Documentation should include images, media files, etc., plus a brief statement about the work and evidence of it's evolution throughout the semester. A blog is one of the best ways to compile and document your process. Please send your blog address to the instructor if you have one. You may contact our class teaching assistant for support in setting up a blog.


10% Attendance / Participation (please see Participation above)

SCHEDULE

[9.17] WEEK ONE

[9.24] WEEK TWO

[9.27] recommended lecture

[10.1] WEEK THREE

[10.3] recommended lecture

[10.8] WEEK FOUR

[10.15] WEEK FIVE

[10.22] WEEK SIX

[10.23] recommended lecture

[10.25] CANCELLED

[10.29] WEEK SEVEN

[11.05] WEEK EIGHT

[11.12] WEEK NINE

[11.19] WEEK TEN

[11.20] recommended lectures

[11.26] WEEK ELEVEN

[11.28] WEEK TWELVE

[12.3] WEEK THIRTEEN

[12.10] STUDIO REVIEW WEEK