Academic Director 

Michela Rossi

Co-director

Roberto De Paolis

Scientific Committee

Maurizio Vogliazzo, Michela Rossi, Margherita Azzi Visentini, Roberto De Paolis

With the patronage of 

DISFLOAL Distretto Florovivaistico Alto Lombardo (Northern Lombardy Floriculture District)

Partners

• International partners: OSU Oregon State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Italian partners: Parks and Protected Areas Office of the Province of Como, City of Como Parks and Gardens Department, Minoprio Foundation, Northern Lombardy Floriculture District, ASCE (Association of Significant Cemeteries of Europe), Peverelli Srl, Rattiflora Srl.

Educational goals

The aim of the course is to provide specific skills in planning and organising design activities, applied to the study and creation of green spaces and facilities linked to outdoor spaces. The subject areas into which the course lessons are divided are: industrial design (design of outdoor spaces, lighting design), landscape design, draughtsmanship (survey and representation of green spaces), history of architecture/art (history of gardens). The course includes a series of preliminary theoretical talks on the technical and cultural prerequisites of garden design during the first week; these will be followed by a design workshop, in which the basic technical skills will be integrated into a final seminar-type design experience, with design workshops applied to specific environments (specific urban spaces, memorial gardens and cemetery landscaping, water landscape design). 

Course programme

The course provides an introduction to the most important problems involved in the planning and design of small areas where there is close integration between the built structures and planted vegetation. It will focus on both public areas and private ones intended for more "domestic" use of the space; in which even a minimum use of botanical and naturalistic elements are integrated with the  built structures complementing and characterising them, thus making the outdoor areas adjacent to homes and public venues more usable and/or upgrading limited and/or small-sized urban environments (private gardens, terraces, large entrance halls, small squares, areas where streets widen, former construction sites, vertical gardens …). The course includes a series of preliminary theoretical talks on the technical and cultural prerequisites of garden design during the first week; these will be followed by a design workshop, in which the basic technical skills will be integrated into a final seminar-type design experience, with design workshops applied to specific environments directly involving companies operating in the horticulture business: specific urban spaces where landscape plays an important role (to be identified, and possibly indicated by the local government; memorial gardens and cemetery landscaping; water landscape design).

Organisation of the lessons

The first week provides for frontal lecturing and preliminary practical lessons, which will be divided into:

• modules of 4 hours (not consecutive) for each of the following subjects: history of gardens; elements of garden botany; design of outdoor spaces; landscaping and planting design; cartography and representation of parks and gardens 
• individual 2-hour lectures: lithology; outdoor lighting; irrigation; garden maintenance; photography; materials for outdoor use 
• integrated visits and practical lessons: techniques for live drawing and photography; visit to a historical garden 

The second week will be wholly devoted to the workshop, beginning with a full-day seminar to present the specific subjects to be covered, and will end with assessment of the projects produced by a scientific committee and their exhibition at the “Orticolario” show, which will be held at Villa Erba in Cernobbio (CO) from 5 to 7 October 2012.

Teaching language

Italian

Venues

Palazzo Natta, Como (via Natta 14).
Villa del Grumello and the hothouses at Villa del Grumello, Como (via per Cernobbio 19).

Certificates issued 

Participants will receive a certificate issued by the Politecnico di Milano as proof that they have taken part in the workshop. Participation in the workshop is worth 5 university credits (CFU) issued by the School of Design. Students enrolled at the Politecnico di Milano can request that the credits be recorded in their extra-curricular career activities.

Cost

1,000 Euro including enrolment for the course and accommodation (in the Foresterie Guest Quarters at Villa del Grumello).

Eligible students 

The course is intended for students, with degrees in architecture, design, agricultural and forestry sciences and professionals who wish to gain in-depth knowledge on garden design subjects.  

Admission criteria

Analysis of CVs and portfolios.

Deadline for enrolment 

Postponed until the 9^th of September 2012

Minimum number of enrolments

This course will be held if a minimum of 15 participants is reached.

Information and Contacts

Contacts, information on the programme and on enrolment procedures:

michela.rossi@polimi.it 
roberto.depaolis@polimi.it 

Enrolments:

summerschool@polimi.it 
telephone: +39.031.3327434 (from 9 am to 12 noon)