Landscape Research Laboratory
We generate impulses towards a renewed relationship with nature and an understanding of the deep interdependency between human and nature. We investigate how to respond to the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and support wellbeing both for humans and non-humans. In the Laboratory, we boldly look into the future and tackle the questions related to the sustainability change in a concrete and societally impactful way. We also study the past and examine environmental changes and the evolvement of landscape architecture to understand the temporal continuum of our landscape.
As professionals of planning and design, we have skills to operate in the interface between practice and research and produce research-based and applicable solutions for urban and landscape planning. We have a broad and close collaboration with municipalities, governmental authorities, businesses, citizens, and other stakeholders. We also promote the link between research and education.
The Laboratory brings together landscape architecture research projects, collaboration networks, publication projects and doctoral researchers. Check out our research!
Contact:
Associate professor Ranja Hautamäki
Assistant professor Elisa Lähde
Research projects
Co-Carbon
The multidisciplinary project quantifies the carbon sequestration and storage potential of urban green and creates new carbon-smart planning solutions.
Suburban landscape
The project recognizes ecosystem services and cultural heritage as integral parts of the suburban landscapes and their development.
Changing nature and landscape architecture discourses
The project investigates the design discourses and changing conceptions of nature in Finnish post-war landscape architecture.
Regenerative coastal and marital landscapes
The project investigates and develops opportunities of Finnish coastal and marine areas to transition into regenerative socio-ecological systems.
Urban nature in the compact city
The project examines the planning discourses and design practices of green structure and urban nature in a densifying city.
Saaren kartano - beyond sustainability
The goal of the project is to strengthen the multispecies cooperation in the Saaren kartano manor area and create impulses towards a regenerative relationship with nature.
Nordic Models of Welfare and Landscape
The Nordic research network examines how welfare and welfare society have been conceptualized and materialized in landscape architecture.
Diverse Urban Nature
The project examines how biodiversity is understood in the urban environment and how this is reflected in planning and design solutions.
Green heritage of landscape architecture
The project examines the cultural heritage of landscape architecture and the evaluation and preservation of historical landscapes.
Completed research projects
Hiilipuisto - Carbon Park
Hiilipuisto project launches scientific monitoring of biochar-based planting soils and develops sustainable practices in the green building sector.
Where are the women in Scandinavian landscape architecture?
The Nordic network explores the role of women in twentieth-century landscape architecture and its historiography.
Mainstreaming the Green Factor Tool
The project investigates and mainstreams the Green Factor Tool to support climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as biodiversity.
Tasapeli
The project develops practices and processes to support mainstreaming nature-based solutions in municipalities and regions.
iWater – integrated stormwater management
In iWater-project new strategies, innovations and tools are developed for stormwater management.
UrbanStormwaterRisk - Stormwaterpilot project between Finland and Chine
The aim is to develope stormwater flood risk management in pilot project between Finland and China.
Doctoral dissertations
Minna Komulainen, 2010
Forestscapes – Forest Landscape Typology as an Integrated Planning Process Tool
Ranja Hautamäki, 2016
Kartanot kaupungissa: Helsingin kartanoympäristöjen kaupunkimaistuminen, säilyttäminen ja yhteensovittaminen kaupunkirakenteeseen
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/19504
Outi Tahvonen, 2019
Scalable green infrastructure and the water, vegetation, and soil system - Scaling-up from Finnish domestic gardens
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/40764
Elisa Lähde, 2020
Mission Blue-Green: The Significance of Co-Creation to Promote Multifunctional Green Infrastructure within Sustainable Landscape and Urban Planning and Design in Finland
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/46393
Maria Jaakkola, 2021
Understanding Green Urban Landscape — A Phenomenological Approach
https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/110204
Dissertation projects
Xenia Abramovich:
Definition and development of peri-urban green infrastructure (Supervising Professor Elisa Lähde)
Mari Ariluoma:
Optimizing the carbon sequestration and storage potential of urban green (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki, Funding: Co-Carbon-hanke)
Felix Bourgeau:
(Supervising Professor Elisa Lähde)
Miia Heikkilä:
Restorative Experiences in Forests and Japanese Gardens. Holistic Approach for Healing Environmental Design (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki)
Jukka Jormola:
Replacing the lost - planning of reproduction channels and rapid landscapes. Menetetyn korvaaminen – lisääntymisuomien ja koskimaiseman suunnittelu (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki)
Elina Kalliala:
Developing the assessment and follow-up for sustainable communities (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki)
Leena Lahdenvesi-Korhonen:
Maisematietoisuus ja elinkeinotoiminta kunnan kulttuuriympäristöohjelmissa. (Vastuuprofessori Ranja Hautamäki)
Bhavna Mishra:
(Supervising Professor Elisa Lähde)
Caroline Moinel:
A life cycle approach to urban green spaces (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki, Funding: Co-Carbon-hanke)
Aaja Peura:
Extending our knowledge of Kalmian gardens – a theoretical and practical study (Supervising Professor Ranja Hautamäki)
Nicolette Slagle:
Phytoremediation as a tool for environmental and social justice (Supervising Professor Elisa Lähde)
Emilia Weckman:
Kestävän ympäräristösuunnittelun KESY-toimintamallin arviointi (Supervising Professor Elisa Lähde)