Landscape Architect Discusses Design Philosophy at Harvard Design School Event

Landscape architect Catherine Mosbach spoke about considering climate, surrounding architecture, and local culture while designing landscapes at a talk hosted by the Harvard Graduate School of Design Tuesday.

Mosbach, who founded the award-winning Paris design firm Mosbach Paysagistes, shared architectural drawings for five projects she pitched in architecture competitions and walked through her design process for each.

During the event, Mosbach focused on three different climates for landscapes she designed, and how each environment shaped her approach to planning the landscapes.

Mosbach explained how she harnesses moisture in arid desert environments. She said she implements a process of catching the humidity present in the air to support local vegetation and “bring back life” to her project sites.

Mosbach said she works with the seasonal changes in precipitation in continental climates.

To account for flooding caused by melting snow in Switzerland, Mosbach looked at a water-regulation system commonly used in the Alpines. The method incorporates channels surrounding the building that become rivers during the spring and prevent flooding.

Mosbach also talked about designing buildings in tropical regions. One particular project in Taiwan included design elements such as water channels and ponds meant to capture and redirect rainwater.

“In monsoon season, it’s also 80% of the park full of water,” Mosbach said.

Mosbach said she designs landscapes to interact with surrounding buildings. She showcased her designs for the University of Zurich, where vegetated terraces were built into each floor of the building. According to Mosbach, this was an effort to integrate buildings with their surrounding landscapes.

“We bring an alternative way to introduce a dialectic between the architecture and landscape,” Mosbach said.

Mosbach also spoke about the importance of familiarizing herself with local culture and people of the sites where she works.

“You need to spend time to observe and to understand the feeling and everything,” Mosbach said.

Mosbach also emphasized that she feels overjoyed when she sees local beneficiaries enjoying her landscapes.

“I am really really happy when I see the behavior of the people in the places I grow,” Mosbach said. “They don’t need any explanation. They don’t need any narrative. They understand. They can be free. That’s the best gift a landscaper can get back.”