The Sea2City Design Challenge: Transformative Collaboration and the Evolving Role of Landscape Architecture in Resilient Urban Environments
General Session Meeting Room 4-8, Friday May 31, 10:30-11:30am
Sea2City represents a paradigm shift in landscape architecture, demonstrating its leadership in addressing contemporary urban challenges through innovative collaboration and processes that support healing between cultures. This forward-thinking project has reframed traditional practices by fostering multidisciplinary cooperation to tackle complex issues like climate change, decolonization, and urban ecology. By adopting an innovative project approach, the challenge has produced a diverse array of outcomes, engaging both professionals and the public and reshaping the future of adaptation work not only in Vancouver but also in broader urban contexts.
This session will start with a 20-minute presentation of the project followed by a 40-minute panel discussion. It will delve into the evolution of the landscape architect’s role, illustrating leadership within the profession, and its dynamic adaptation to contemporary urban challenges. Specifically, it will emphasize how landscape architects have integrated diverse disciplines to address complex issues such as climate change, urban ecology, and decolonization, showcasing the profession's resilience and capacity for innovation. Additionally, it will highlight that equitable design expectations now include not only 'what' we design but also 'how' we do design, reflecting a broader commitment to inclusive and sustainable practices.
The panel discussion will focus on the Sea2City Design Challenge's dynamic project structure and will also highlight important lessons learned from the challenge's outcomes. The discussion will demonstrate how the challenge has profoundly impacted the navigation of climate justice, decolonization, and social equity, acknowledging the interconnectedness of climate change, environmental degradation, and historical colonization.