Explorative Research of Urban Nature #3

We look at ecological systems, understand the notion of relationship, look at the urban nature as a manifestation of an ecology, search with new eyes and interest where and how the element of nature (air, water, wood, earth, fire) manifest and interact in our daily life. Maps of nature in the urban environment are produced as a research output.

Exploration 1: Attentive and Embodied Walking

We conduct attentive and embodied walking in at least 1hour by following 6 rules:

1. Look and explore the satellite map of an urban area, pre-select 3 spot where it seems to be interesting / inspiring / resonating to go to seek for urban nature.
2. Try to walk as much as you can and keep your attention on the ecologies around you.
3. During the walk, use a notebook to map, draw, document, collect, trace the relationships within urban nature that you encounter, for example decomposition / symbiosis / interference etc, and find a way to bring them back.
4. Please refrain from using your phone during this exploration and try not to use the navigator.
5. Use the environment to place, locate and orientate yourself!
6. Reflect on “attentive” and “embodied”, lying, sitting, standing, walking … … …

The students then produced their own maps of their attentive and embodied walkings based on what they have discovered, found and reflected.

Exploration 2: Reflective and Deep Observation

When moving into Exploration 2, we are at the central moment of our “empathy” activity. We are discovering new, interesting, perhaps disrupting perspectives, something that will change us a little bit. Something that will allow us to push forward a creative process. Deep experiences are waiting for us to be unfolded and be revealed. They will support a deeper understanding of ecology, and a more specific and aware outlook toward “nature”: this may be the last time we use this word, from now on we will notice nature in its manifold components and aspects, and will recognize their agency, and will inquiry significant relationships.

• How can we deconstruct our point of view as exclusively anthropocentric by engaging in deep observation?
• How can we experience and explore different ecological perspectives throughout observation? 
• How does this process help us to recognize and define the ecology/system around us in new interesting design terms?

The students then produced their own reports of reflective and deep observations.