Potential Phd topics in the Department of Landscape 2007-2008

The Department of Landscape has around 25 PhD students, funded from a variety of sources: UK research councils, University Studentships, overseas governments, and self-funded. We welcome applications for research in all areas of the Department’s research interests.

Although applicants are welcome to submit research proposals and topics that are of specific interest to them, and which they wish to investigate in depth through their own research studies, increasingly the Department encourages applicants to link with existing Departmental research projects and programmes, rather than proposing research topics that do not have such a link. The advantages to the applicant are that they will benefit directly from ongoing work, experience and expertise that is within the Department, and more often than not will be joining a team of other researchers that are working on similar or related projects.

The list of topics below have been identified by Department staff as being of particular interest during the current academic year.

Funding - Please note that there is no specific funding attached to any of these projects. They are therefore particularly suited to applicants who are already funded, or who may wish to apply to a research council to obtain funding.

Staff Name	Potential Phd Topics
Andy Clayden
Cathy Dee
Nigel Dunnett	Evaluation of plant groups and vegetation types for use on green roofs This work contributes to an established program which uses a standard methodology to screen and evaluate plants and vegetation types for green roof use (of all types), according to substrate depth, substrate type, irrigation regime etc. Specific genera, vegetation types and habitats, or geographic regions can form the basis of studies in this area. This is an on-going program that can accommodate a number of separate studies. Green roofs and biodiversity Green roofs represent an opportunity to create habitat and promote biodiversity (both floral and faunal) in dense urban development. Many different approaches have been promoted as to how this is best achieved (though, for example, use of recycled, reclaimed substrates, spontaneous colonization of vegetation, use of native species or local provenance plant material). This study will test such assertions, concentrating on both floral and invertebrate diversity. Pictorial Meadows on cleared sites in housing areas The concept of Pictorial Meadows (colourful meadows of directly-sown annuals) has been applied in a wide range of contexts (large and small-scale, public and private). Notably they have been used on ‘cleared sites’ to create temporary exciting landscapes on otherwise vacant sites in housing areas. The project will combine both social and experimental work – identifying views and perceptions of residents in selected areas of Sheffield, whilst also undertaking new trial work aimed at maximizing aesthetic impact and length of flowering display.
James Hitchmough
Anna Jorgensen	The cultural meanings of different British private garden planting styles. Why do people adopt different planting styles in their private gardens and where do these varied approaches come from? What do these planting styles signify about people’s values and their relationships with nature? The role of landscape in local and regional planning This study would continue the work done by Punter and Carmona in 1997 looking at the role of landscape in local and regional planning policy and the effectiveness of landscape related policies. The restorative potential of different types of urban nature Using techniques derived from environmental psychology (and possibly in collaboration with the department of psychology) this project would seek to determine the restorative potential of different natural urban environments. Are well-maintained parks more restorative than urban wilderness and do personal and cultural difference mediate the restorative effect of such settings?
Eckart Lange	Participatory approaches to landscape planning and design using new media and information technology Landscape aesthetics, analysis and visualization Implications of European policy directives (e.g. water framework directive, SEA) for landscape planning in the UK
Clare Rishbeth	Place orientation and ongoing attachment among asylum seekers and refugees. This PhD project would build on initial findings outlined in the Viewfinder Project (Link to my website), but focus more broadly on city orientation techniques of newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees. The research will address quality of life issues associated with access and use of the public realm and urban green/city space. Importantly, the research will involve action research projects with refugee support agencies and greenspace providers with the aim of formulating guidelines on supportive strategies for refugee integration in public space. Shared and diverse meanings of place in multi-ethnic urban communities. PhD to address multiple interpretations of heritage, privilege, accessibility and leisure, using a mixed urban location as a case study. The study could be based in any city in the world with a resident immigrant population, and would be anticipated to employ a range of creative qualitative methods. Theory should be linked with practice to ultimately focus on implications for landscape design, planning or participatory processes appropriate to the cultural context. Meanings of public landscapes and gardens among [Chinese] migrant communities. The research project would look at values of traditional garden design styles among Chinese populations in the UK. Alternatively, this could be adapted to focus on other migrant communities from other parts of the world. Walking and landscape experience How does movement on foot through a landscape create different opportunities for interaction with environment (physical, social, cultural)? How are people encouraged or discouraged to walk both in their daily routine and as a leisure choice? What aspects of the urban environment need to be addressed to encourage walking different groups? What is the relationship between the micro-detail of place and wider views?
Paul Selman	An investigation of links between landscape distinctiveness, environmental sustainability, social vibrancy and entrepreneurship. How is a high level of visual distinctiveness and environmental functionality sustained in a large-scale rural cultural landscape? This project would investigate specific local connections between social and economic entrepreneurship, and the maintenance or recovery of desired landscape attributes. The role of landscape within Local Development Frameworks and/or Regional Spatial Strategies. The new spatial planning system places a strong emphasis on supplementary documents, supporting the statutory Framework/Strategy. Some of these will relate in whole or in part to landscape, and will be effected through focused (often criterion-based) landscape policies. What is the evidence that these are having a positive effect and what mechanisms are proving most successful? Implementing landscape policy at the local level. Policies for sustainable landscapes often have a weak statutory basis and rely on incentives and persuasion, rather than control or direct ownership. In relation to individual development projects and proposals, what combinations of instruments have proved successful/ unsuccessful?
Kevin Thwaites	Restorative urban open space: health and well-being and its relationship to design in the urban outdoors. Urban dwelling: design implications of developing socially sustainable urban residential settlements. Design language: development of new geometric and spatial models for urban open space design.
Helen Woolley