SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CAPSTONE SEMINAR UNIT 1: ARCHIVAL RESEARCH (25 POINTS)
University of Illinois Main Library (Public Domain)
READING
Simon Swaffield and M. Elen Deming, “Research Strategies in Landscape Architecture: Mapping the Terrain,” Journal of Landscape Architecture (Spring 2011): 34-45. PDF
SCHEDULE
Thursday August 25: Lecture 1 and reading assignment (complete reading within 1 week)
Tuesday August 30: Guest Lecture, University Archives (meet outside Main Library at 1:30PM)
Thursday September 1: Guest Lecture, Prairie Research Institute and Landscape Architecture Library (meet in class, walk to Funk Library)
Tuesday September 6 and Thursday September 8: Work sessions in class with instructor feedback
Tuesday September 13 and Thursday September 15: Presentations in small groups (locations TBD)
ASSIGNMENT
Select a topic from the list below. Using library-based and archival material at the university, collect information and learn about the history of your topic. Your sources can include books, academic articles, industry magazines, journalism, archival texts, thesis projects, images, objects, audio recordings, artwork, or anything else you find in our extensive library system.
You should seek to access 8-12 sources on your topic. Be sure to document your sources appropriately, with full citations stored in a bibliography.
You will present a “micro-history” narrative of your topic to a small group of your peers. This means to select an aspect or facet of your topic that you discover through your research, and tell us a short and focused history. This is the opposite of an overview, and is focused on interesting details. (If you’d like to address sustainability issues related to the topic, you can, but that’s not a requirement—the focus of this exercise is research process). Compile your narrative into a presentation of no more than 10 slides, including one slide for your bibliography. Your verbal presentation should aim to be 8-10 minutes long maximum. The more concise you can be the better.
Presentations will be due the week of September 13.
SUGGESTED TOPICS
Animal husbandry
Building construction waste management
Composting systems
Computer hardware design
Computer software design
Cotton textile design or manufacturing
Domestic product design (silverware, teapots, plates, cups and glasses, etc.)
Electric and hybrid car design
Eyeglasses design
Experimental farming on the University of Illinois campus
Farm-to-table movement
Fashion industry waste management
Food waste management
Greywater systems
Heating and air conditioning systems
Landfills and waste management in North America
Microfinancing
Mobile phone design
Native Illinois plants and/or insects
Recycling systems
Reforestation
Solar panel design and manufacturing
Urban farming
Urban water treatment systems
Xeriscape design
LINKS
Search the University of Illinois Collection
Citation management with Zotero
Citation guidelines for the Archive
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS FOR PRESENTATIONS
Sadeen, Maddie, Jasmine, Alexandria, Joy, Daniel C. (presenting Sept. 13 to Group 3)
Danica, Brian, Therese, Oriya, Farizi, Pat (presenting Sept. 13 to Group 4)
Daniel G., McKenna, Dania, Julie, Xuanshu, Ellie (presenting Sept. 15 to Group 1)
Krystal, Tobi, Noel, Kyle, Ukay (presenting Sept. 15 to Group 2)