The course will invite four rising stars in the field of landscape architecture to deliver four different design workshops. The invited designers will bring cutting-edge knowledge and approach from the pioneering design studios to the class.  The workshop aims to let students learn the critical design philosophy, methods, and approaches adopted by influential design studios.  Moreover, the course aims to let students build up professional networks and initiate their career plan by communicating with and following successful role models.

Unlike a conventional design studio, the workshop is expected to be more intense, but we aim to let students finish majority of the work within the three-day workshop rather than letting them have a large portion of work needs to be completed in the final weeks.  The workshop may include a wide variety of activities, such as on-site investigations, seminars, discussions (brainstorms), working model making, sketch and collage making, quick rendering of conceptual drawings, etc. The activities will be specified by the invited instructor to fit their unique topic, objectives, and methods.

This course, led by Dr Sajjad Muhammad, teaches how to make cities safer and more resilient to disasters using high-tech tools like mapping software and machine learning. It focuses on Sustainable Development Goals related to city safety and climate change awareness. Students will learn about disasters and community resilience in busy cities like Hong Kong. They will also practice using mapping tools and machine learning to plan for disasters and make cities stronger. The course uses real-life examples to show how to prioritize safety and communicate plans with different groups. Overall, students will gain a deep understanding of disaster planning and how to use advanced tools to make cities safer and more sustainable in the face of emergencies. This course stands out for its focus on urban resilience and disaster risk reduction using cutting-edge technology and a unique set of mapping tools.