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50 Best Thesis Topics for Landscape Architecture

• February 8, 2023
• Landscape architecture , landscape urbanism , Urban design thesis , urban research

Landscape architecture is a multi-disciplinary field that focuses on the design, planning, and management of the built and natural environments. Landscape architects work to create functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor spaces that are sustainable and improve the quality of life for people. This field encompasses a wide range of projects, from designing residential gardens to planning public parks and green spaces, creating urban plazas and promenades, and developing environmental restoration projects.

Landscape architects collaborate with other professionals, including architects, engineers, planners, and urban designers, to ensure that their designs are functional, sustainable, and integrate well with the surrounding environment. They also work closely with clients and stakeholders to understand their needs and desires, and to ensure that the final design meets their goals and expectations.

Masters of Landscape Architecture:

A Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) is a graduate degree program in landscape architecture. It is designed for students who have a strong interest in the design, planning, and management of outdoor spaces and the built environment. The program provides advanced training in design, ecology, planning, history, and theory, as well as hands-on experience working on real-world design projects.

The MLA curriculum typically covers a wide range of topics, including landscape design and analysis, urban design, site planning, ecology, construction and materials, and sustainable design. Students also have the opportunity to specialize in areas such as urban design, park planning, or environmental restoration.

Graduates of an MLA program are prepared to work in a variety of settings, including private design firms, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. They may also pursue careers as independent consultants, providing design and planning services to clients in both the public and private sectors.

The MLA degree typically takes two years of full-time study to complete, although some programs may offer part-time or online options for working professionals.

Masters of Landscape Architecture Thesis:

The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) thesis is a final project required for graduation from a MLA program. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in landscape architecture, as well as to pursue a topic of personal interest in greater depth. The MLA thesis is usually completed in the final year of study and is a requirement for graduation.

The MLA thesis typically involves a substantial research and design project, which can take many forms, including a design proposal for a real-world site, an analysis of a landscape architecture issue, or a theoretical investigation of a design-related topic. The project should demonstrate the student’s mastery of the knowledge and skills acquired during the MLA program, as well as their ability to conduct independent research and design work.

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Landscape Architecture Thesis Topics List:

• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting sustainability and green infrastructure.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in mitigating the impacts of climate change.
• The impact of landscape design on water management and conservation.
• An analysis of the integration of landscape design with building design and architecture.
• The role of landscape design in promoting social equity and access to public spaces.
• Evaluating the impact of landscape design on urban biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
• The integration of landscape design in transportation planning and infrastructure development.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting public health and well-being.
• The impact of landscape design on local food systems and agriculture.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy.
• The integration of landscape design in coastal and waterfront management and planning.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in supporting sustainable tourism and recreation.
• The impact of landscape design on air quality and environmental health.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting cultural and historic preservation.
• The integration of landscape design in brownfield and contaminated site remediation.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting community engagement and participation.
• The impact of landscape design on economic development and job creation.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting walkability and livability.

• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting natural resource conservation and stewardship.
• The integration of landscape design in sustainable land use planning and management.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting community health and wellness.
• An analysis of the integration of landscape urbanism principles in urban design and development.
• Evaluating the impact of landscape urbanism on sustainable urbanism and green infrastructure.
• The role of landscape urbanism in promoting social equity and access to green spaces in urban areas.
• An examination of the integration of landscape urbanism in transportation planning and infrastructure development.
• The impact of landscape urbanism on biodiversity and wildlife habitat conservation in urban areas.

• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting accessibility and universal design.
• The impact of landscape design on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting biodiversity and ecosystem health.
• The integration of landscape design in urban agriculture and local food systems.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting green roofs and living walls.
• The impact of landscape design on reducing urban runoff and water pollution.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting social and cultural diversity.
• The integration of landscape design in wetlands and riparian management and conservation.
• An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting community green spaces and urban forests.
• The impact of landscape design on reducing energy consumption and reducing energy costs.

The integration of landscape design in stormwater management and flood control.

An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting renewable energy and alternative fuels.

The impact of landscape design on crime reduction and public safety.

Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting social interaction and community building.

The integration of landscape design in parks and open space planning and management.

An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting wildlife habitat connectivity.

The impact of landscape design on natural resource conservation and management.

Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting water conservation and reuse.

The integration of landscape design in green infrastructure and low impact development.

An analysis of the role of landscape design in promoting cultural and historic awareness.

The impact of landscape design on reducing urban heat island effects.

Evaluating the effectiveness of landscape design in promoting sustainable transportation and mobility.

The integration of landscape design in emergency management and disaster resilience.

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ASLA Research Reports

A Landscape Performance + Metrics Primer for Landscape Architects: Measuring Landscape Performance on the Ground

The American Society of Landscape Architects publishes ASLA Research Reports as a platform for professionals to share specialized expertise relating to landscape architecture. ASLA considers Research Reports to be important contributions to a necessary and ongoing dialogue within a large and diverse community of landscape architecture researchers and practitioners. ASLA oversees a peer review process for all reports to ensure accuracy of content. Each author offers a unique perspective on the practice area covered, reflecting his or her portfolio of professional experiences.

ASLA Research Reports are a product of the ASLA Fund, and all reports are available for free to ASLA members.

ASLA Research Reports are also a convenient and affordable way to earn the professional development hours (PDH) needed to meet state licensure requirements. The more recently published reports enable you to earn Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES)-approved PDH by completing and passing a self-study exam.

ASLA members may download reports for FREE and purchase access to the exams to earn PDH via learn.asla.org .

Non-members may purchase access to reports and exams via learn.asla.org .

ASLA Research Reports:

Principles of Accessibility Design for Landscape Architecture: ADA, ABA, and Other Accessibility Standards and Guidelines (2022)

by Drew Braley, ASLA, Carl Kelemen, FASLA, Nate Lowry, ASLA, David Milligan, FASLA, Emily O’Mahoney, FASLA, Jason Radice, ASLA, and Jeffrey Tandul, ASLA

Complete the exam to earn: 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

A Landscape Performance + Metrics Primer for Landscape Architects: Measuring Landscape Performance on the Ground (2018)

by Emily McCoy, ASLA

Complete the exam to earn: 3.0 PDH (LA CES/HSW) / 3.0 SITES-specific GBCI CE (GBCI course ID 0920018252)

Suburban Street Stormwater Retrofitting: An Introduction to Improving Residential Rights-of-Way (2015)

by Andrew Fox, ASLA, PLA; Jim Cooper, ASLA, PWS

Complete the exam to earn: 1.5 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

Integrating BIM Technology into Landscape Architecture, 2nd Edition (2014)

by James L. Sipes, ASLA

Wayfinding: Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition (2013)

by David Raphael, ASLA

Planting Soils for Landscape Architectural Projects (2013)

by Barrett L. Kays, FASLA

Forum on Therapeutic Garden Design (2011)

by Marni Barnes, ASLA; Jack Carman, FASLA; Nancy Carman; Nancy Chambers; Clare Cooper Marcus, Honorary ASLA; Nilda G. Cosco, Affiliate ASLA; Mark Epstein, ASLA; Sonja Johansson, FASLA; Jean Stephans Kavanagh, FASLA; Don Luymes; Patrick F. Mooney, ASLA; and Robin C. Moore, Affiliate ASLA

Reclamation Planning of Pits and Quarries, 2nd Edition (2010)

by Anthony Bauer, FASLA; Robert E. Ford, ASLA

Geographic Information Systems: Using the Tools for Informed Growth, 2nd Edition (2010)

by Karen Hanna, FASLA

Successful Ecological Restoration: A Framework for Planning/Design Professionals (2008)

by Lee R. Skabelund, ASLA; G.M. Kondolf; Craig Johnson, ASLA; and Allegra Bukojemsky, ASLA

Green Roof Infrastructure (2007)

by Steven Peck, Honorary ASLA

ASLA Research Reports, formerly known as the Landscape Architecture Technical Information Series (LATIS), are a program of the ASLA Fund .

The ASLA Fund is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the American Society of Landscape Architects, supported by the tax-deductible contributions of ASLA members and other individuals and organizations, and committed to the careful stewardship and artful design of our cultural and natural environment. The Fund’s mission is to expand the body of knowledge of the landscape architecture profession and increase public understanding of environmental and land-use issues and principles. Its work supports public and professional education and outreach, professional and student awards programs, and special projects that provide real-world demonstrations of core values like the ASLA Green Roof.

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Home > SBS > LARP > LA_THESES

Landscape Architecture Masters Theses Collection

Theses from 2022 2022.

The Eudaimonic Tree Pilot: A Study of Public Engagement in Participatory Art at Three Sites , Olivia A. James, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2021 2021

River Tapi Rejuvenation: Elevating the Ecological Corridor of Surat City , Kinjal Desai, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2018 2018

Curating Place: Using Interpretive Design to Metabolize Change in the Rural, Post-Industrial Landscape of Woronoco Massachusetts , Clark G. Piers-Gamble, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2017 2017

An Incremental Intervention in Jakarta: An Empowering Infrastructural Approach for Upgrading Informal Settelments , Christopher H. Counihan

The Use of Public Plazas in China and the United States: Measuring the Differences Using Direct Observation in Boston and Chongqing , Maozhu Mao, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2016 2016

Restoration: Bridging the Gaps A Graphic Translation of Ecological Restoration , Alyssandra Black, Landscape Architecture

The Role of the Landscape in the Socialization of Cohousing Communities: A Study in Western Massachusetts , Emilie Marques Jordao, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2013 2013

Forms, Transitions, and Design Approaches: Women as Creators of Built Landscapes , Tai-hsiang Cheng, Landscape Architecture

Reconnecting to Landscape: An Evaluation of the Post Hurricane Communities of Biloxi, Mississippi and Galveston, Texas , Elizabeth A. Englebretson, Landscape Architecture

Negotiating Postwar Landscape Architecture: The Practice of Sidney Nichols Shurcliff , Jeffrey Scott Fulford M.D., M.P.H., M.L.A., Landscape Architecture

The Lovely and the Wild: Considering Naumkeag , Carol Waag, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2012 2012

Public Art - Purpose and Benefits: Exploring Strategy in the New England City of Pittsfield, Ma , Pamela Jo Landi, Landscape Architecture

Environmental Design Research and the Design of Urban Open Space: A Study of Current Practice in Landscape Architecture , Jennifer Masters, Landscape Architecture

Culture, Community Development, and Sustainability in a Post-Freeway City , Bryan Obara, Landscape Architecture

Elements of Sustainable Urbanism and Strategies for Landscape Development: Design of Green City , Jie Su, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2011 2011

Bioretention: Evaluating their Effectiveness for Improving Water Quality in New England Urban Environments , Mary Dehais, Landscape Architecture

Landscapes of Compassion: A Guatemalan Experience , Travis W. Shultz, Landscape Architecture

Schoolyard Renovations in the Context of Urban Greening: Insight from the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, Boston, Massachusetts , Katherine A. Tooke, Landscape Architecture

Retrofitting Suburbs: Prioritizing Bmp Implementation to Reduce Phosphorus Runoff , Emily S. Wright, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2010 2010

Strengthening Urban Green: Using Green Infrastructure for Biodiversity Improvement in Boston's Highly Fragmented Urban Environments , Christopher L. Mantle, Landscape Architecture

Communicating Landscape Design Intent to the Non-expert: Small Experiments Using Collage , Deborah Zervas, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2009 2009

The Community Garden as a Tool for Community Empowerment: A Study of Community Gardens in Hampden County , Shanon C. Kearney, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 2008 2008

Alleys: Negotiating Identity in Traditional, Urban, And New Urban Communities , Sara A. Hage, Landscape Architecture

Rural Character in the Hilltowns: Understanding Attitudes About Planning in the Context of Attachment to Place , Anna J. Sadler, Landscape Architecture

Testing the New Suburbanism: Exploring Attitudes of Local Residents in Metropolitan Boston toward Residential Neighborhoods and Sustainable Development , Nicole A. West, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 1932 1932

Project for a state park system for Alabama , Sam Findley Brewster, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 1927 1927

The triangulation method of stadia transit topographic surveying adapted to landscape architecture , Kenneth Boyd Simmons, Landscape Architecture

Theses from 1917 1917

Principles of real estate subdivision with a practical problem , Irving C. Root, Landscape Architecture

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School of architecture & environment menu, school of architecture & environment, department of landscape architecture research.

As active scholars and practitioners, our faculty contribute to cutting-edge developments in their fields at home and abroad, and share those experiences with their students. Many students choose to work with individual faculty on current research projects, learning from and contributing to these efforts.

The department’s research strengths can be clustered into three distinct topics:

Critical History, Theory, and Practice: This cluster focuses on humanist, design, and art-based approaches to landscape architecture.

Ecology, Infrastructure, and Social Justice: This cluster addresses complex issues around food, energy, water, and biodiversity through the application of research methodologies from environmental science, ecology, planning, engineering, and public health and policy.

Productive Landscapes: This cluster studies the productive landscape, which includes farms, forests, and power and waste infrastructures, as a central inquiry within the discipline of landscape architecture.

Learn more about these research topics:

Commitment to Research

A commitment to research is central to all levels of our teaching, whether we’re introducing students to the field or advising graduate students on their theses and dissertations. You can view recent master’s projects and a list of all completed projects as well as completed Landscape Architecture MLA Theses and PhD dissertations.

Research Hubs and Institutes

As a manifestation of our research clusters, landscape architecture faculty collaborate within the department and across the university through the following research hubs and institutes:

APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscape Research Hub

Through a multi-university partnership, the SCL Hub brings together researchers and practitioners to examine Pacific Rim cities in the context of their many landscape interdependencies. The goal of the hub is to advance the sustainability of human societies through analysis and critique that lead to actionable plans for mutually supportive relationships between cities and their surrounding landscapes.

Fuller Center for Productive Landscapes

This center is focused on understanding the role landscape plays in sustaining culture—both literally, through agriculture, and more broadly, through inspiring the arts and grounding cultural identities.

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Research papers: landscape architecture.

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The Geographic Information Science & Technology Body of Knowledge (3rd Quarter 2018 Edition)

Geodesign leverages GIS&T to allow collaborations that result in geographically specific, adaptive and resilient solutions to complex problems across scales of the built and natural environment. Geodesign is rooted in decades of research and practice. Building on that history, is a contemporary approach that embraces the latest in GIS&T, visualization, and social science, all of which is organized around a unique framework process involving six models. More than just technology or GIS, Geodesign is a way of thinking when faced with complicated spatial issues that need systematic, creative, and integrative solutions. Geodesign holds great promise for addressing the complexity of interrelated issues associated with growth and landscape change. Geodesign empowers through design combined with data and analytics to shape our environments and create desired futures.

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Landscape Strategies in Architecture

• Landscape Architecture

Research output : Thesis › Dissertation (TU Delft)

Bibliographical note

• Architecture
• Design Strategies
• Peter Eisenman

Access to Document

• 10.7480/abe.2019.13
• 9789463662369-WEB Final published version, 36.5 MB

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• design INIS 100%
• architecture INIS 100%
• drawing INIS 40%
• architects INIS 40%
• layers INIS 40%
• libraries INIS 20%
• cities INIS 20%
• rem INIS 20%

T1 - Landscape Strategies in Architecture

AU - Jauslin, Daniel

N1 - A+BE | Architecture and the Built Environment No 13 (2019)

N2 - This thesis explores the ways in which landscape is relevant as a concept for designing architecture. Buildings that have been designed like landscapes have become a topic in contemporary architecture. The apparent distinction between architecture and landscape is questioned in exemplary theories and new designs.The core of this thesis is three case studies of architectural designs that use landscape strategies. The analytical model for landscape architectural composition that Steenbergen and Reh (2003) developed for the European gardens is applied as in drawing analysis of these building's inner space composition. By distinguishing the landscape composition into a four layer model - ground form, spatial form, metaphorical form and programmatic form - the analysis will alter the reading of three architectural projects.Rem Koolhaas and OMA's unbuilt Jussieu design for two university libraries in Paris of 1992 is visualised for the first time as it could have looked if built. The Rolex Learning Centre at EPF Lausanne was declared 'landscape' as architecture by its designers Japanese Architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) at the opening in 2010. The City of Culture of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela by American architect Peter Eisenman was designed in 1999 in a process of layering - similar to the layer model analysis of this thesis.This thesis will interpret and compare the three architectural designs. It distinguishes design strategies, methods and landscape attitudes that are specific or commonly applied to the projects. Original drawing analysis and critique reveals unexplored potentials for landscape strategies in the architectural discipline.

AB - This thesis explores the ways in which landscape is relevant as a concept for designing architecture. Buildings that have been designed like landscapes have become a topic in contemporary architecture. The apparent distinction between architecture and landscape is questioned in exemplary theories and new designs.The core of this thesis is three case studies of architectural designs that use landscape strategies. The analytical model for landscape architectural composition that Steenbergen and Reh (2003) developed for the European gardens is applied as in drawing analysis of these building's inner space composition. By distinguishing the landscape composition into a four layer model - ground form, spatial form, metaphorical form and programmatic form - the analysis will alter the reading of three architectural projects.Rem Koolhaas and OMA's unbuilt Jussieu design for two university libraries in Paris of 1992 is visualised for the first time as it could have looked if built. The Rolex Learning Centre at EPF Lausanne was declared 'landscape' as architecture by its designers Japanese Architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA) at the opening in 2010. The City of Culture of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela by American architect Peter Eisenman was designed in 1999 in a process of layering - similar to the layer model analysis of this thesis.This thesis will interpret and compare the three architectural designs. It distinguishes design strategies, methods and landscape attitudes that are specific or commonly applied to the projects. Original drawing analysis and critique reveals unexplored potentials for landscape strategies in the architectural discipline.

KW - Architecture

KW - Design Strategies

KW - Landscape Architecture

KW - Peter Eisenman

U2 - 10.7480/abe.2019.13

DO - 10.7480/abe.2019.13

M3 - Dissertation (TU Delft)

SN - 978-94-6366-236-9

PB - A+BE | Architecture and the Built Environment

2024 Deb Mitchell Research Grant Awarded

The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) is pleased to announce the 2024 recipient of our $25,000 research grant.

The  LAF Research Grant in Honor of Deb Mitchell  is given annually to support a research project that is relevant and impactful for the professional practice of landscape architecture.

This year's winning proposal is Ethically Sourcing: Specifying Forced-Labor Free Materials in Landscape Architecture .

An estimated 28 million people worldwide are ensnared in forced labor today. While the United States Customs and Border Protection bans products made with forced labor, the lack of supply chain transparency and the disaggregated nature of the building material industry allow for products made with forced labor to inadvertently infiltrate the US market. The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is one of the most at risk of unwittingly supporting forced labor practices in this way.

How can the field of landscape architecture evaluate its exposure risk to materials produced through forced labor? Can more conscientious sourcing of construction materials address this important question of social equity? Over the next year, a team at MNLA led by Noriko Maeda, RLA, ASLA and an academic partner, Franca Trubiano, PhD will explore these questions and more, researching how landscape architects can use project specifications and procurement processes to address these critical issues and help to advance fair labor practices. 

The research team’s main objective is to develop improved specification language samples for landscape architecture that integrate a social life cycle assessment. They also plan to develop a framework for scalable landscape materials research with the goal of propelling market transformation toward more equitable labor practices.

Work is already ongoing in the AEC industry to address forced labor. Inspired by and building on the Design for Freedom movement initiated by Grace Farms, the research team will seek to trace the risk for forced labor in the design and construction of landscape architecture projects. By investigating commonly specified products in landscape architecture such as synthetic turf, rubber safety surface, geotextile filter fabric, and recycled plastic lumber the group will develop analytical methods for evaluating the forced labor risk for these products. 

The research is expected to start in July and run for 12 months. As this project progresses, LAF will share research updates from the team, including a final report and webinar at the conclusion of the project. 

“This research project is unique in how directly it speaks to the practice of landscape architecture on a critical and timely issue,” said Emily McCoy, FASLA, a member of the LAF Board of Directors and Research Committee, Principal at Design Workshop, and Associate Professor of Practice at North Carolina State University. “It leverages a strong partnership between academia and practice—the essence of the Deb Mitchell Research Grant—while also having the potential to propel the profession forward.” 

LAF is pleased to support this important work and its potential to inform landscape architects about ethical sourcing in their work.

Principal Investigators

Noriko Maeda , RLA, ASLA is a Senior Associate at MNLA. With over 30 years of experience in practice, she is an advocate for fostering design stewardship to advance social equity and quality of life. 

Franca Trubiano , PhD is an Associate Professor of Architecture and Graduate Group Chair of the PhD Program in Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania’s Weitzman School of Design. Her research focuses on building materials including forced labor.

To stay up-to-date on news about LAF's research programs as well as our other programs, events, and funding opportunities , subscribe to LAF emails .  

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Much of what LAF is able to accomplish would not be possible without the thought leadership and financial investment of our major supporters, including ASLA, which provides over $125,000 of in-kind support annually.

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April 3, 2024 | Anna Zarra Aldrich, College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources

Vertical Studio Model Fosters Collaboration between Landscape Architecture Students

'The value of incorporating the vertical studio is that constant reminder to students that what they’ve learned in the previous class isn’t forgotten, it’s added'

Landscape Architecture students learn in an environment that mimics professional design firms. (Jason Sheldon/UConn Photo)

Professors in the landscape architecture program in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources ( CAHNR ) have implemented a teaching model that emphasizes collaboration between students.    

This initiative is spearheaded by Assistant Professors Mariana Fragomeni and Julia Smachylo in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture.   

The approach, called a vertical teaching model, is not new to the world of architecture, but it had not been implemented in UConn’s program before.   

While a traditional approach to studio education has cohorts working on separate projects, a vertical studio model enables collaboration between students at various stages in their educational career to work side by side. This mimics the environment of professional designers who work across disciplines and experience levels where they can help and learn from one another.   

“I think the value of incorporating the vertical studio is that constant reminder to students that what they’ve learned in the previous class isn’t forgotten, it’s added,” Fragomeni says.   

While there are many benefits to the traditional vertical studio model, it poses challenges as well. It relies heavily on upperclassmen having developed the skills they need to teach the undergraduates and doesn’t work well for all learning styles.   

“From a pedagogical standpoint, there’s a lot of pros and cons to teaching the vertical studio,” Fragomeni says.    

To get the best of both worlds, Fragomeni and Smachylo devised a hybrid model. In their version of the vertical teaching model, upper- and underclassmen work on the same project but on different stages of it. Smachylo’s studio for sophomores collaborates with Fragomeni’s junior-class studio on service-learning projects. They first implemented this model in the spring 2023 semester.  

In Smachylo’s studio, the underclassmen meet with the client and complete a site analysis, the first step of any landscape architectural project. They assess the physical, biological, and cultural elements of the site using UConn facilities such as the soil testing laboratory and the plant diagnostics lab. This takes full advantage of their colleagues in UConn’s plant science program and UConn Extension, unique aspects that aren’t always available at other universities.    

The sophomores then present their findings to the juniors who take up the baton and develop a proposal to share with the client.   

The two groups spend a week together collaborating. During this stage, the juniors can ask the sophomores questions about their site analysis and brainstorm together.   

“The sophomores start to get a glimpse of how what they’re doing fits in the bigger picture of the design process,” Fragomeni says. “And then for the juniors it’s a reminder of the importance of the site analysis in the conceptualization of their design.”  

The students worked on two projects in fall 2023. The first was developing a plan for the New Horizons neighborhood in Farmington, Connecticut. New Horizons is a non-profit community specifically designed for people with physical disabilities. This partnership also led to a service-learning project for this semester with their sister institution Cherry Brook Health Care Center.  

“It’s a great opportunity for us to immerse our students in a real project,” Fragomeni says.   

In the second project from last year, students worked with the Mansfield Downtown Partnership looking at climate and design in public spaces. Specifically, students were tasked with addressing heat mitigation in downtown Storrs as intense heat is becoming more common and windstorms threaten the natural shade cover provided by trees.   

“The Partnership had some need to understand how that space was being used, and there were some issues with heat and wind,” Smachylo. “They really wanted our students to combine both site analysis and create a proposal for how to address adverse climate conditions.”   

This model also fosters interpersonal connections between students at different academic levels.   

“Informal spaces are really productive spaces,” Smachylo says.   

Smachylo and Fragomeni have given presentations about their experience teaching with this model at national conferences.    

“This way of working is generating excitement in the classroom,” Smachylo says. “I can see connections being made and the development of a design studio culture that was lost during remote teaching during Covid.”  

Fragomeni and Smachylo say they look forward to continuing to adapt their teaching model with each new semester and each new project. The use of the vertical studio approach continues this semester with two additional service-learning projects that address accessibility and historic and agricultural conservation.   

“We are new, and we come with the benefit of that energy. Our profession has vastly changed,” Fragomeni says. “It’s really a timely moment for the program to expand and explore.”   

This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on  Fostering Sustainable Landscapes at the Urban-Rural Interface .  

Follow  UConn CAHNR  on social media  

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Future of evaluation: Charting a path in a changing development landscape

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Join us for a series of virtual conversations from April 8 to 10, 2024, on the future direction of the independent evaluation practice, the questions it will have to answer, and the impact of new technologies for ever greater data gathering and analysis.

To tackle these issues, the Future of Evaluation will bring together practitioners and scholars from across the evaluation field, together with users of evaluative evidence from both development and government circles.

The event will also feature the announcement and presentation of the winner of the Young and Emerging Evaluators essay competition on culturally responsive evaluation.

Hosted by the Independent Evaluation Group and the Global Evaluation Initiative, this will be the culminating event of the IEG@50 celebrations.

Please save the dates!

Monday, April 8, 2024

9:00 – 10:00 AM ET |  REGISTER Session 1: The Role of Evaluation in a Changing Global Context How can evaluation remain relevant and provide policymakers with reliable evidence on global issues such as climate change, fragility, and pandemics, among others?

• Welcome:  Sabine Bernabè , Vice President and Director-General, Evaluation, Independent Evaluation Group.
• Opening Remarks:  Raj Kumar , Founding President and Editor-in-Chief, Devex.
• Speakers:  Andrea Cook , Executive Director, Sustainable Development Goals System-Wide Evaluation Office, United Nations;  Juha Ilari Uitto , former Director, Independent Evaluation Office, Global Environment Facility;  Patricia Rogers , Founder, Better Evaluation, former Professor of Public Sector Evaluation, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
• Moderator:  Marie Gaarder , Executive Director, 3ie.

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET |  REGISTER Session 2: How is evaluation evolving as a practice? How is evaluation evolving as a practice between its professionalization with global standards and its use in different cultural contexts?

• Welcome and announcement of winner of Young and Emerging Evaluators competition:  Sabine Bernabè , Vice President and Director-General, Evaluation, Independent Evaluation Group.
• Opening Remarks: Culturally Responsive Evaluation (presentation of the winning essay of the Young and Emerging Evaluator competition.)
• Speakers:  Elliot Stern , Editor, Evaluation - international journal of theory, research and practice, Emeritus Professor of Evaluation Research, Lancaster University;  Asela Kalugampitiya , former President, Asia Pacific Evaluation Association, Visiting Lecturer, University of Saarland and University of Sri Jayewardenepura;  Josephine Watera , Assistant Director, Research Services and former Head of Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Parliament of Uganda.
• Moderator:  Jozef Vaessen , Adviser, Independent Evaluation Group.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM ET |  REGISTER Session 3: The Institutionalization of Evaluation What is the changing role of international organizations in fostering the institutionalization of evaluation across the globe?

• Opening Remarks:  Ian Goldman , President, International Evaluation Academy, Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor, JET-IP Programme Management Unit, Presidency of South Africa.
• Speakers:  Emmanuel Jimenez , Director General, Independent Evaluation Department, Asian Development Bank;  Geeta Batra , Director, Independent Evaluation Office, Global Environment Facility;  Howard White , Director, Evaluation and Evidence Synthesis, Global Development Network.
• Moderator:  Dugan Fraser , Program Manager, Global Evaluation Initiative.

10:15 – 11:15 AM ET |  REGISTER Session 4: The Impact of New Data and Technology on Evaluation A range of new technologies, from geospatial analysis to mining social media, offers new ways of gathering data. Advances in machine learning have increased the amount of data that can be processed for evaluations. What opportunities does this present for evaluators in an increasingly complex development landscape?

• Opening Remarks:  Veronica Olazabal , Chief Impact and Evaluation Officer, BHP Foundation, Lecturer, School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.
• Speakers:  Emmanuel Letouzé , Director, Data-Pop Alliance, Founder and Executive Director, Open Algorithms;  Nagaraja Rao Harshadeep , Disruptive Technology Global Lead, Sustainable Development Practice Group, World Bank;  Estelle Raimondo , Head, Methods, Independent Evaluation Group.
• Moderator:  Deon Filmer , Director, Research Group, World Bank.
• Closing Remarks:  Sabine Bernabè , Vice President and Director-General, Evaluation, Independent Evaluation Group.

• WHEN:  8-10 April, 2024
• TIME:  9am to 11:15am
• WHERE:  Online

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