precedent setting

Nearly a year ago we were busy developing concepts for an exhibition to display student work for the Rutgers University Landscape Architecture Department. These concepts grew and were developed into the pulse, a collaborative student effort that changed the face of the landscape architecture department. This past weekend at the New Jersey ASLA convention the pulse was awarded a merit award for communication in landscape architecture.

The pulse communicated student work to the public in a way that had never been done before in the department. It gave people who were unfamiliar with our profession and our curriculum the chance to understand it by looking at a variety of portfolios that spoke to a variety of work. We also communicated the design process of the pulse, from concept development to construction implementation, in the form of 8 boards. This narrative combined with the abstract form of the pulse to create a user experience that was truly unique and memorable.

The project also spoke loudly to our department chair and university Deans. A new course was developed and implemented this spring semester and will continue to challenge students to think about design across the spectrum of abstraction to implementation.

The pulse became more than just an exhibition; it morphed into a teaching tool and a form of design communication that has set the precedent for what Rutgers students can achieve in years to come.