The Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF) announced that their Case Study Investigation (CSI) program is accepting applications for 2021. CSI is a research-driven program funded by LAF to allow students and faculty to form teams that conduct case studies in the landscape architecture field. These teams are aided by leading practitioners' expertise to document the different effects of exemplary, high-performance landscape projects. The teams are supported by a student research assistant and led by a CSI Research Fellow.

 

LAF's CSI program runs annually from February through August. The association explained that "during the spring, faculty-student teams work with firm liaisons to develop the research plan and case study narrative. Site visits and field data collection are primarily conducted during the summer. The academic teams use this information to craft the performance benefits and document the project in the online Case Study Brief format. Throughout this process, LAF provides training, iterative feedback, and opportunities for interaction among teams. Final case studies undergo a peer-review process and are published to the Landscape Performance Series in the fall."

In their announcement, LAF went on to describe the responsibility the applications have to uphold safety standards in regard to COVID. The statement read, "Applicants are responsible for understanding any limitations and adjustments that will be necessary to complete their CSI work in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic's impacts on both universities and CSI projects." The application requires individuals to consider the following factors: site performance, site access, site operating status, and faculty-student status.

You can learn more about LAF's CSI program here: https://www.lafoundation.org/what-we-do/research/case-study-investigation