Democratic Landscape Transformation 2025 - Team 10

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Seminar process at a glance

Seminar process: Click to enlarge. We meet weekly online at 18 pm CET on Wednesday from April 2 to July 2, an additional meeting opportunity is weekly from 12 00 - 13 00 pm CET

Background of your team

Please present your team briefly. Which linguistic and cultural perspectives does each member bring in? Which disciplinary backgrounds are present in your team? Note: if you prefer to stay anonymous on this wiki, you can also use initials only or a nick name

• Francesca Mazza, a dedicated Italian Landscape Architect with a profound commitment to creating green spaces that harmonize with urban environments. Her work emphasizes environmental sustainability and the regeneration of public areas, reflecting her belief in the transformative power of well-designed landscapes. With extensive experience in collaborating on diverse projects, from public parks to comprehensive urban regeneration efforts, Francesca is adept at integrating ecological principles into her designs. She understands the importance of fostering community engagement and enhancing the quality of life through thoughtfully planned outdoor spaces.
• Salar Asefi, is an architect from the Azerbaijan region in northwest Iran, where his cultural and geographical background has greatly influenced his approach to urban and landscape design. His recent work focused on Lake Urmia, addressing its environmental and social implications, as he believes that landscape design should respond to the pressing needs of both people and nature. His design philosophy is rooted in the principles of community involvement and sustainable architecture, with a particular emphasis on façades, public spaces, and people-centered design. He advocates for a design process that incorporates diverse perspectives—both supportive and critical—ensuring that all voices are heard in shaping the future of urban spaces.
• Tabby Ngii, is a Kenyan Landscape Architect who brings a rich intersection between lingustic diversity and cultural depth. Growing up in a multilingual society, she's fluent in English and Kiswahili, and understand the power of language in shaping narratives and bridging communities. Her Kenyan heritage rooted in communal values, ecological awareness and deep respect for land, grounds her design approach which is shaped by both rural and urban Kenyan Landscapes, where storytelling, collective identity, and traditional ecological knowledge guide place-making. She contribute a perspective rooted in inclusivity, adaptability, and a strong connection between people and nature.
• Vitória Gonçalves, is a Brazilian architect and urban planner committed to a social and democratic approach to architecture—one that is fundamentally centered on people, especially those who are often marginalized due to race, economic status, or gender. With experience in the development of public space projects such as urban squares and parks, Vitória views these spaces as vital instruments for social and environmental transformation, enhancing the quality of life in cities. As a researcher, she also holds a particular interest in interventions in historic centers—sites rich in memory and essential to the cultural identity of communities. Her work is grounded in social sensitivity, ecological awareness, and the appreciation of local narratives, always striving to co-create more just, resilient, and vibrant urban environments.
• Shabi Khan, is an Indian architect and landscape designer with over seven years of international experience spanning India, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and the United States. He is currently pursuing a Master's in International Landscape Architecture at Nürtingen-Geislingen University in Germany. Shabi’s work focuses on sustainable Architecture and Landscape Design, shaped by his hands-on experience and a global design perspective. Notably, he contributed to impactful projects with the Office of Lou Arencibia in New York, further honing his approach to environmentally responsive design. Originally from New Delhi, India, Shabi brings a deep personal connection to the challenges of urban growth and environmental degradation. Through both his professional and academic work, he is dedicated to creating meaningful, people-centered landscapes that support long-term ecological balance.

Your Landscape Democracy Manifestoes (Phase A)

Here you can add here the links to the manifestoes you have presented on April 23. Please make sure that the links are accessible. You can also add them directly here on the wiki, they need to be png or jpg format then.

• Francesca Mazza, The Reconversion of Stables Montel in San Siro
• Salar Asefi, Urmia lake, a landscape in crisis
• Tabby Ngii, Shaping Just, Resilient and Inclusive landscapes
• Vitória Gonçalves, Landscape is a right, Against Floods and Environmental Injustice in Ponte Nova - Brazil
• Shabi Khan, Save Himachal

Entering the Process: Activism, Community and Power (Phase B)

Global Landscape Democracy Role Models and Design Activism

• Due: May 14

At the beginning of phase B we ask you to identify people who are already active for democratic landscape transformation. These can be planners and designers, NGOs, collectives or activists, or people operating creatively at the interface of these categories. 'Design activism' is a possible overarching category. We created a list some time ago, but it has a very US/European focus, due to the history of our project. We really want to expand this and hope you can bring in new people and movements from around the globe.

On May 14, every team member introduces a landscape democracy activist/or design activist individual or group. Please add the people you introduced, you may also add the presentation material used with a downloadable link:

• Salar Asefi, Kaveh Madani: Science, Activism, and Environmental Justice
• Francesca Mazza, Naomi Klein: Environmental Activist, Journalist, and Author
• Vitória Gonçalves, Sustainable Favela Network
• Shabi Khan, Vandana Shiva: Founder - Navdanya Movement
• Tabby Ngii, KDI: Participatory, environmental, and spatial justice activist

Your Team's Landscape Democracy Challenge (Phase B)

• Due: May 21

Context and Location

Briefly describe here the context the landscape democracy challenge you selected on April 23, 2-3 sentences, you may add the link to the manifesto that already exists

Himachal Pradesh, known for its breathtaking mountains and lush greenery, is under threat from unsustainable development, climate change, and unplanned tourism.

This Manifestor is a call to acknowledge, address and act on the pressing landscape issues. Save Himachal

Landscape and Community Map

Present here a visual representation of the landscape and community context of the area. What are the main spatial features? Which actors can you identify and how are they related to the area? Which values exist and for whom? What is at risk and why? Try to generate creative/conceptual/synthetic representation

Power Map

Based on the landscape and community context depicted above: How is power distributed? Who and what has a lot of power? Who and what has no power? Who and what is strongly affected by the landscape democracy challenges? Who and what is less affected? Are these actors connected or disconnected? Any veto-players known? Try to generate creative/conceptual/synthetic representation

You can present your results in this gallery:

Landscape and Community Map

Power Map

Your Team's Landscape Democracy Vision and Ideas (Phase C)

• Due: June 18

Collective Vision

If you were to redesign the power map of your area and start a process of democratic landscape transformation: Which long term-goal could keep the process going? What could be a collective vision that integrates the goals of your team? Give a name to your vision. Try to generate creative/conceptual/synthetic representation.

A prototype of the first step

How would you enter the process? Which prototype could activate it? How would you introduce the prototype to the community?

You can present your results in this gallery:

• Your vision 1.jpg

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• Your prototype example 1.jpg

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• Your prototype example 2.jpg

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Cross-cutting activity: Readings, concepts and definitions (Phases A - D)

• Due: July 2, 2025

While working in your group, please start to express your personal understanding of the relation of landscape and democracy in the form of a concept map with linking words or any other diagrammatic representation. Please make your maps very visual and not just verbal. Think critically about why one map differs from another.

The final product is a shared concept map that integrates the various understandings present within your team.

About concept mapping

Before starting the exercise you can read this article by Joseph D. Novak & Alberto J. Cañas about Theory Underlying Concept Maps and How to Construct and Use Them. This paper gives a good explanation of how concept maps are conceived and developed.

You can use any tool you like for producing your concept map. However, since the result needs to be submitted digitally we recommend the following open source software for producing your maps:

• Cmap Tools >>> you can also work with your group on the Cmap cloud doing a shared map
• VUE - The Visual Understanding Environment
• Use a shared whiteboard to develop your integrated concept map, such as MIRO or MURAL

How to present your concept maps

• Possible format: JPG (for wiki upload) or link to any other resource
• We give you below a draft image gallery where you can add pictures of your map (in JPG or PNG format)
• You can present your integrated understanding as one concept map or your present individual ones and the integrated one.
• add as many additional materials as you need

Overview of your concept maps (individiual and integrated)

• Yourfilename.jpg
• Yourfilename.jpg
• Yourfilename.jpg
• Yourfilename.jpg

Please finish with a short reflection (Phase D)

Due: July 9, 2025

• What are the similarities and differences in your team regarding your understanding of what democratic landscape transformation is?
• In how far did the seminar lectures and readings help you to clarify this?
• What will you take home from this seminar?