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Painted Dog Research Trust Zimbabwe

Course Instructors

Brian Gerich

Course Date

Winter 2017

Course Type

Advanced Graduate Studio

Course Description

In this design activism studio, landscape architecture designers based in Seattle collaborated with Painted Dog Research Trust in Zimbabwe and the Sizinda community to design options for the campus’ future development. Students designed a bioremediation wetland landscape to treat wastewater within the campus that will serve as a basis for transferable technologies to be shared and implemented in surrounding communities. Seattle-based practitioners and local connections to Zimbabwe and sub-Saharan Africa will be leveraged within the studio to inform and support student learning. Students will explore design research and real-world participatory design methodologies to communicate and engage with PDRT and its community. This studio will develop designs with PDRT in Zimbabwe and Sizinda community members that will be actionable and applicable to the future sustainability of a challenged and complex environment in Zimbabwe.