Tree-Building Relationships

Dr Gary Winn, architect and arboriculturist has a professional career straddling built and natural environments. His research utilised a systems thinking approach to architecture that included building and environmental systems, enabling understanding of both environments as one interacting system. He refers to tree-building relationships as arbitecture(R) and considers himself as a practising Arbitect(R). Despite an exiguous amount of published literature investigating the effects of arboricultural knowledge on UK architects' design practice, factors influencing the practice of incorporating trees within their designs have not previously been fully considered. The research presents a contribution toward this issue, through an interpretative, qualitative study, comprising design workshops that investigated the incorporation of arboricultural topics and the resulting features of success. The research found that, acquired arboricultural knowledge and a holistic approach to design solutions have multiple benefits, including deeper engagement with site contexts. Additionally, application of acquired arboricultural hard skills revealed changing attitudes toward tree-building relationships, with conflict emerging as a contributing mechanism. Stakeholders confirmed positive responses to receiving arboricultural knowledge, contextualising trees and practice within a variety of situations, including well-being, sustainability and design opportunities. An unabridged version of the research may be viewed in The British Library.