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The use of transects for resilient design: core theories and contemporary projects

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A Correction to this article was published on 23 March 2021

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Abstract

Context

The concept of the transect is derived from a scientific method of investigating a sequence of environments by sampling geographical cross-sections of the target region. Many environmental theorists, including Patrick Geddes and Ian McHarg, have adopted the transect to pursue an ideal relationship between nature and human settlement. Transect planning provides an essential perspective on and transdisciplinary platform for mitigating today's urban problems and social changes. Transects have been especially widely used in urban resilience projects designed to prepare for future uncertainties stemming from climate change.

Objective

In this context, this study reveals the strengths of the transect method for urban resilience and landscape sustainability in the current era.

Method

This study first examines the theoretical background of the transect as evidenced in the history of environmental planning, including in the work of Patrick Geddes and Ian McHarg, as well as the study of contemporary urbanism. Additionally, this work describes the distinctive characteristics of the transect method through an analysis of recent urban resilience projects.

Results

Historically, transect use has furthered the pursuit of a synergistic relationship between nature and human beings. Leading theorists have adopted different perspectives on the environment and pursued various philosophies of urban planning. Many urban and landscape projects have actively taken advantage of the transect method and its foundation in ecological thinking. Through an examination of certain contemporary urban resilience projects, the main characteristics of the transect method can be deduced, including: (1) multiscale and multidirectional analysis, (2) spatiotemporal design, and (3) heterogeneous patterning.

Conclusion

This method-oriented research offers new insights into the current study of landscape ecology, landscape architecture, and environmental planning, and reveals the potential of the transect method for resilient design.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks Frederick Steiner, Dean of the Weitzman School of Design, and Richard Weller, Chair of the Landscape architecture Department, at the University of Pennsylvania for their guidance and support as well as the editor, Jianguo Wu, and the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments on the development of this paper.

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  1. Department of City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

    SaMin Han

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Correspondence to SaMin Han.

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The original online version of this article was revised: In the original publication of the article, table 1 was incorrectly published and the correct table is given in this correction.

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Han, S. The use of transects for resilient design: core theories and contemporary projects. Landscape Ecol 36, 1567–1582 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-020-01172-9

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