Connecting Research with Practice to Assess Landscape Performance

Abstract

In current practice, landscape professionals are often required to provide ‘evidence’ of how their completed projects perform over time. However, few practitioners have knowledge of data collection methods or the resources, including time or money, to carry out structured post-occupancy evaluations of their built work. Using a case study approach to methodically describe and assess landscape architecture projects, as proposed by Francis (2001), is a way to systematically record project information and build a knowledge base about the design, construction, and project performance. Francis’ work informed the development of the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Case Study Investigation (CSI) program, launched in 2010 with the aim of assessing landscape performance through the lenses of sustainability. The recently established Landscape Foundation of Australia is adapting the CSI Program for the Australian context. This article briefly traces the development of the case study method for documenting and assessing landscape performance, and how an Australian version will extend the original research-practice CSI model that has proven so effective.