Carl Steinitz Method in Landscape Planning

The Steinitz method is applied to make decisions that impact on the land.

Carl Steinitz, professor of Landscape Architecture and Planning at Harvard University, devised a framework for landscape planning. The framework is a series of questions that guides the landscape design process and ultimately aids in making land use planning decisions.

Six Questions

The framework has been applied to make decisions about soil health.

Steinitz's six questions relate to methods for defining the nature of a design issue and formulating solutions. The questions are based on a six-level process. Assess a study area through description; process or how the landscape works; evaluation or whether it works well; proposed change; impact of change; and decision -- whether it should be changed. Each step is put forward in the form of a question.

Reverse Order

The Steinitz landscape planning method the reverses the order, starting with decision, and ending with description, or representation. The framework is passed through at least three times during a project to reach the conclusion. For complex projects, changes in time and scale are added for evaluation, and each proposed change goes through the framework.

Positive "Yes"

Design problems of different scales pass through the framework.

In practice, the framework may not be as orderly as the sequence outline suggests, but a design project will pass through each level of the project before the positive "yes" decision is reached. Steinitz includes "do not build" to be a positive "yes" decision. A design problem can be considered at different scales, for example, designing a community, street and house.

References

• Harvard University: A Framework for Theory Applicable to the Education of Landscape Architects (and Other Environmental Design Professionals; Carl Steinitz
• Harvard University: An Example of the Framework in Practice; Carl Steinitz

Resources

• State Government Victoria; 7.1 Application of the Steinitz Framework to Soil Health