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Working Group 2
Expanding Access to Landscape Architecture
Archives for Research and Practice
Mission
WG2 aims to deepen international collaboration and boost European leadership in Landscape Architecture (LA) history and design by improving access to and use of archival materials. It encourages the integration of archives into contemporary practice and interdisciplinary research – especially in restoration and redesign projects, and historical analysis.
WG2 also promotes more inclusive, critical perspectives by highlighting underrepresented voices (e.g., women in LA, postcolonial viewpoints), connecting LA with related disciplines like architecture, planning, public policy, and heritage management.
Key Activities
1. Mapping LA History Research and Gaps
Assessing the current state of LA archival research and operations across Europe.
Activities:
- Short term scientific missions (STSMs) to review European LA history research.
- Online workshops to exchange knowledge and define case study topics.
2. Case Studies on LA Archive Use in Practice
Exploring how archives are being used in landscape architecture projects, with a focus on Inclusiveness-target countries (ITCs).
Activities:
- Short term scientific missions (STSMs) to conduct regional case studies.
- Workshop to analyse and synthesize outcomes.
3. Understand Archive Users’ Needs
Identifying the expectations and challenges faced by archive users – from researchers to practitioners and the general public.
Activities:
- Short term scientific mission (STSM) to conduct stakeholder interviews.
- Workshop to compile insights into a comprehensive user needs report.
4. Co-Creating Practical Guidelines
Collaborating with key stakeholders (e.g. landscape architects, librarians, heritage experts…) to develop a practical catalogue of how archives can support LA projects.
Activities:
- Workshops to co-develop and document these strategies.
5. Joint Training School
Cross-disciplinary training school with WG1 and WG3 to build practical skills.
Activity:
- A joint training school for landscape practitioners.
Recent Activites of Working Group 2
© David ClarkIn 2026, WG3 members organized four Regional Workshops. The overarching aim of these Regional Workshops is to initiate dialogue between teachers and students to identify their wishes and needs, and if possible, to start co-creating new methods and tools for using landscape architecture archives and archival materials in education. This co-creation process will continue into 2027. […]
10 May 2026
© Hanna Sorsa-SautetThis two-day event brought together experts and practitioners to explore the future of collaborative archives in landscape architecture, heritage preservation, and beyond, with 11 participants attending onsite and 10 joining online. The meeting focused on advancing WG1’s collaborative inventory roadmap through metadata and technical planning for the online archive map, brainstorming second-year activities and STSM […]
10 May 2026
We’re happy to share that the report Report on the current situation of European landscape architecture research with respect to landscape architecture archives (Deliverable 5) based on our preliminary research carried out within COST Action CA23128 ConnectLAA, is now available in open access on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/20089032 Staniewska, A., Mexi, A., Brinkhuijsen, M., van Hellemondt, I., […]
8 May 2026