The role of aesthetics in advancing material circularity in landscape architecture

Abstract

With growing interest in sustainability across industries, there is growing interest in how sustainability will be manifested in our outdoor spaces. The aesthetics of sustainable principles are being explored within landscape architecture projects globally. These involve a number of methods which incorporate circular economy concepts through reimagining the design process. Discussions regarding the aesthetic in landscape architecture, reveals wider discourses and shifting values in the perception of the built environment. Methods for circularity and sustainability in landscape architecture and the connections to landscape aesthetics, are explored through researching existing literature from a variety of architectural fields. This encouraged the development of circular design principles and conceptual landscape typologies to aid the landscape architect in imagining a circular landscape. In addition to the importance of material circularity, the benefits for implementing a circular landscape architecture project meet several sustainability goals, including cultural heritage preservation and the strengthening of ecological resilience.