Jørgensen, J., 1994, Where the local context means unpleasantness, in: ECLAS (A. Aspinall & S. Filor), ‘The local context in landscape teaching and research’, ,
- Author : Jørgensen, J.
- Year : 1994
- Published in Book : The local context in landscape teaching and research
- Pages : 26-30
- Abstract in English : This paper is based on experiences with a short studio project involving students specializing in landscape architecture at the Faculty of Rural Engineers, Agricultural University of Latvia, Jelgava. In cooperation with local authorities the students drew up new plans for an old city park. The cities of Latvia are more or less dominated by the uniform Soviet architecture from after the World War II. In addition, parks and urban open spaces are in a miserable condition, and the old systems for maintenance etc are breaking down. In rural Latvia landscape management, which has been a part of the collective farming system, is disappearing as formerly state-owned property is privatized. The effects of this land reform on the landscape will be considerable. The weak LA-tradition in Latvia is facing the problems of a landscape in transition - in a country where the local context has negative connotations. This situation raises several questions on the meaning of local context. For teachers this is important because of the crucial role the local context usually plays in students' studio-projects with actual sites and in cooperation with real "clients ". The Jelgava experience gives some answers and raises some new questions concerning local context.