Video in site and social survey Bob Moore (University of Gloucestershire)

Summary The concerns of landscape architecture The current application of video to landscape architecture The advantages of digital video production Future developments – student use

Landscape architecture Landscape architecture is principally about designing landscapes. The essential challenge to a landscape designer is to relate art and ecology. Art Design Ecology Ecology should be seen as including human ecology, as well as natural processes and materials, and the concern is clearly with applied ecology. The importance of art arises out of the fundamental fine art tradition of landscape architecture, and it establishes the central significance of visual concerns, of ideas and of meaning. In terms of the teaching programme, a number of design projects based on real places/sites is offered to the students. To achieve the design objectives, a full knowledge of the site is necessary: its context, limitations, opportunities. A site visit is essential. There is no substitute. Details of the sites physical features, ecology and human use, for example, are observed and recorded: photographs, sketches, video.

Video recording has many advantages: panning of scenes more effective than still photo-montages zoom facility allows selective focusing for analysis of detail tracking through site adds dynamic realism bonus of sound effects

The advantages of digital video recording Video has been with us for many years but the recent revolution can be attributed to the affordability and ease of use of the systems now available. Digital video camera £500 often with free basic editing software Mac editing program (I-movie) is free on I-mac computers (£1200 with 30GB memory – suitable for 60 minute video) Video playback = QuickTime or RealPlayer – free web downloads Adobe Premiere professional editing is around £500 The short film shown during the presentation was recorded in April 2002 in Barcelona. It illustrates a general site survey of the Parc dels Colors, a modern public park created in a run-down industrial neighbourhood on the periphery of the city. It offers an overview of the various park elements: features, levels, materials, vegetation, then concludes with an impression of the types and activities of the main park users.

Details of the production of the film: Mini Digital Videotape (60 minutes) edited down to 14 minutes (10GB) Using I-movie this took 5 hours 14 minute film compressed to fit on 650MB CD Using Premiere on a fast computer this took 6 hours Playback of the film is easy and there is much potential for use in teaching/student presentation/site and social survey analysis.

Parc dels Colors, Mollet

Neighbourhood graffiti inspiration

Panorama looking north

Panorama looking south

Materials: terracotta pergola

Design with water

Public use: skateboarding

Public use: Young mothers meeting

Public use: Old men playing petanca

Public use: Young childrens play area

Public use: Quiet conversations

Public use: Youths with high prospect

Future/student use Clearly there are opportunities for using DVD technology, but the main thrust of this research project is to explore (i) the possibilities of students taking full control of the filming, editing and analysis of the films, and (ii) the success of the application in design projects. With an emphasis on the analysis of the human use of places, it is hoped the students will improve their observation and interpretation skills. Outcomes of the research will initially be specific to the landscape architecture context, but there are clear crossovers into the field of human geography.