Assignment 2: Your Landscape Symbols: Difference between revisions

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Weeks 1 – 4: 31.03. - 21.04.2016
Weeks 1 – 4: 31.03. - 21.04.2016
== Task Description ==
== Task Description ==
*We encounter symbols - or symbolic languages – everywhere in our landscapes and especially in the public realm. This can be sculptures referring to historical or political events, public art, religious symbols and various other visual elements or the architectural/urban form itself. Very often we are even not so much aware of them or we simply take their presence for granted.  
*With this exercise we invite you to take a new and at the same time differentiated view at your everyday landscape. The task is to identify symbols in your personal surroundings (past or present) and consider what these symbols might mean with regard to landscape and democracy.
*However, their existence is based on cultural and political conventions of a community. They came into being in moments – often in the past – where such conventions were supported by the respective power structures. Power structures are changing while their symbols are either kept or removed or reinterpreted.  
*The symbols you identify can be a variety of things. They can be sculptures referring to historical or political events, public art, wayfinding, advertisement and marketing signage, religious symbols or the architectural/urban form itself.  
*On the other hand, symbols can also appear outside the conventional power structures, spontaneously, representing alternative approaches to mainstream ideas.  
*We are often unaware of the symbols embedded in our landscapes, or we simply take them for granted. However, their existence is based on cultural and political conventions of a community and its  underlying power structure. Such conventions (and their symbols) have come into being at specific moments in time, usually of the past, and hence they are also expressions of 'landscape and memory'  (see Simon Schama's article in the suggested readings).  
*With this exercise we invite you to have a differentiated view at your everyday landscape. Which symbols are present there? How and why did they appear in your landscape? Did their meaning change along with socio-political changes in your country? What do they mean to you today? Are they understandable for someone who comes from a completely different culture than you? What do you think?
*While Power structures may change, landscape symbols may be permanent, edited, reinterpreted or altogether removed. On the other hand, symbols can also appear outside of conventional power structures, generated spontaneously or tactically to call for alternative interpretations of mainstream ideas.  
*This session highlights the following questions, which will be answered in the process: How and why did the symbols you identify appear in your landscape? Did their meaning change along with socio-political, economic, environmental or cultural changes in your region, or country? What do these symbols mean to you today? Are they meaningful to more than just one cultural group? Are  they shared across cultures?
 
== Sequence of activities ==
== Sequence of activities ==
*'''Weeks 1 and 2:''' Identify landscape symbols in your everyday environment and localize them on the wiki
*'''Weeks 1:''' Identify landscape symbols in your everyday environment and upload a visual on the wiki until '''7th of April''', simply go to the [[Special:Upload|image upload area]] for this. Your login details for the wiki will be send per e-mail.
*'''Week 3''': Complete your template on the wiki (images, analytical drawings, reflection), reflect in your group
*'''Week 2/3:''' Complete your template on the wiki (images, analytical drawings, reflection) until '''17th of April'''
*'''Week 2/3''': Reflect your findings in your group and prepare a presentation until '''20th of April'''
*'''Week 4:''' Present your findings in the group plenary on '''21st of April 2016'''
*'''Week 4:''' Present your findings in the group plenary on '''21st of April 2016'''
**Each group has 20-25 minutes to present + 10 minutes discussion
**Please use this [https://ilias.hfwu.de/goto.php?target=file_14838_download&client_id=hfwu PPT template]
**Send the PPT to your tutor '''before''' Thursday, 21st of April
== Evaluation Criteria ==
== Evaluation Criteria ==
*Adequate visual representation of your landscape symbol(s) on the wiki
*Good visual representation of landscape symbol(s) on the wiki
*Use of original materials and images (taken by yourself in your own landscape context), no copy-paste from online resources (!)
*Use of original materials and images (taken by yourself in your own landscape context), no copy-paste from online resources!!!
*Differentiated reflection (social, historical, political, religious…)
*Rich and nuanced reflection (engaging more than one perspective i.e. social, historical, political, religious, ecological, aesthetic…)
*Quality of oral presentation (i.e. keeping time limits, clarity, expression, quality of presentation slides)
*Quality of oral presentation (i.e. time management, clarity, expression, quality of presentation slides)

Latest revision as of 13:07, 17 April 2016

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Time frame

Weeks 1 – 4: 31.03. - 21.04.2016

Task Description

  • With this exercise we invite you to take a new and at the same time differentiated view at your everyday landscape. The task is to identify symbols in your personal surroundings (past or present) and consider what these symbols might mean with regard to landscape and democracy.
  • The symbols you identify can be a variety of things. They can be sculptures referring to historical or political events, public art, wayfinding, advertisement and marketing signage, religious symbols or the architectural/urban form itself.
  • We are often unaware of the symbols embedded in our landscapes, or we simply take them for granted. However, their existence is based on cultural and political conventions of a community and its underlying power structure. Such conventions (and their symbols) have come into being at specific moments in time, usually of the past, and hence they are also expressions of 'landscape and memory' (see Simon Schama's article in the suggested readings).
  • While Power structures may change, landscape symbols may be permanent, edited, reinterpreted or altogether removed. On the other hand, symbols can also appear outside of conventional power structures, generated spontaneously or tactically to call for alternative interpretations of mainstream ideas.
  • This session highlights the following questions, which will be answered in the process: How and why did the symbols you identify appear in your landscape? Did their meaning change along with socio-political, economic, environmental or cultural changes in your region, or country? What do these symbols mean to you today? Are they meaningful to more than just one cultural group? Are they shared across cultures?

Sequence of activities

  • Weeks 1: Identify landscape symbols in your everyday environment and upload a visual on the wiki until 7th of April, simply go to the image upload area for this. Your login details for the wiki will be send per e-mail.
  • Week 2/3: Complete your template on the wiki (images, analytical drawings, reflection) until 17th of April
  • Week 2/3: Reflect your findings in your group and prepare a presentation until 20th of April
  • Week 4: Present your findings in the group plenary on 21st of April 2016
    • Each group has 20-25 minutes to present + 10 minutes discussion
    • Please use this PPT template
    • Send the PPT to your tutor before Thursday, 21st of April

Evaluation Criteria

  • Good visual representation of landscape symbol(s) on the wiki
  • Use of original materials and images (taken by yourself in your own landscape context), no copy-paste from online resources!!!
  • Rich and nuanced reflection (engaging more than one perspective i.e. social, historical, political, religious, ecological, aesthetic…)
  • Quality of oral presentation (i.e. time management, clarity, expression, quality of presentation slides)