Ontwerpend landschapsonderzoek (OLO) voor Nederland in 2120 : een duiding van aard, achtergronden, meerwaarde en aanpak

This report contains a further explanation of the method of “research through design”. The reason for writing this report is the perspective “A more natural future for the Netherlands in 2120” (Baptist et al, 2019), in which research through design has been applied. Three main questions are central: what is “research through design”?; what is the added value of this way of thinking and acting?; what does a working method for the use of research by design look like? In this essay, the method has been refined to research through landscape design in view of the themes of the landscape architectural projects at Wageningen University & Research. Making creative leaps from the existing situation to future situations and vice versa – where induction and deduction alternate – is crucial in research through design.The added value is expressed in the approach to the unstructured problems of future (spatial) development. Designing makes it possible to further examine situations that are not yet known. The strategic significance for scientific research and advice is also important. Making designs necessitates the integration of existing scientific knowledge. Applying it in practice means a “test” of the extent to which that knowledge actually helps in solving problems. But it also contributes to formulating new (practice-oriented) research questions where existing knowledge is not yet adequate.