Contemporary Landscape Architecture 2022 edition
ECOSYSTEM BASED DESIGN, or ecosystem as a basis for urban landscape design.

Ecosystems are the basis for the functioning of life on our planet. Unfortunately, this fact is not reflected not only in our construction, investment or agricultural activities, but even in those directed towards nature, such as creating urban parks and green areas. Yes, we are paying more and more attention to individual elements of ecosystems, but this is a piecemeal approach. As a result, we hear about the need to provide shelters for insects in green areas - during the action of creating 'hotels for insects', birds - in numerous actions of feeding and hanging nesting boxes, or amphibians. However, this is not enough. The ecosystem as a whole, as a subject and as a design method, is still a neglected phenomenon. In this way, the services that ecosystems can provide, which are cited in many discussions, are reduced to the functionality of individual ecosystem elements. One such example is the issue of CO2 biosequestration. This process is usually simplified to just 'oxygen production by trees' and is still only used for PR purposes.
This is why the theme of WAK, in such a difficult and tragic year, will be dedicated to ecosystems. This is all the more important for us because ecosystems in their diversity and richness are also a strategic model to instil the process of regenerating the landscape of villages and cities degraded by us humans, both through overexploitation and even plunder, but also through war. For this reason we have invited our Ukrainian colleagues to participate in this year's - unique - edition of WAK. We want them to tell us how they see the possibilities of regenerating landscapes with ecosystem tools in their war-ravaged cities and towns. Also important for us are their native ecosystem models, which can inspire our activities too!
We therefore warmly invite you to participate in this unique event. Let us learn from each other and discuss, so that we can then change the world for the better!

on behalf of the Board of the Landscape Architecture Association
Joanna Rayss, Ph.D., landscape architect