MLA Student Projects Featured in Climate Art Book

In the Winter 2025 semester, the second-year Master of Landscape Architecture students in the Community Design studio course participated in a community design competition organized by the Land Art Generator Initiative (LAGI), founded and supported by architects and artists Robert Ferry and Elizabeth Monoian. The students had a first-hand opportunity to propose creative solutions for a remote island in Fiji, aiming to provide energy and clean water to the community through innovative land art installations.

Although the MLA students did not win first prize, several of their projects were deemed worthy of inclusion in the forthcoming book Climate Art: Powering Island Communities in the 21st Century. Land Art Generator Initiative and Fiji, published by the University of Chicago Press. Below is a description of the site and project, highlighting how land art can advance climate solutions.

About the book:  "Journey to the remote village of Marou, Fiji, where clean energy and water systems have been designed as destination artworks supporting a population threatened by a warming planet. Climate Art presents dozens of innovative design ideas for building a culturally vibrant post-carbon world in harmony with people and place.  The natural beauty of Fiji’s Yasawa Archipelago attracts visitors each year to its beaches and waters. Yet this idyllic setting coexists with the challenges of a warming planet. As the world surpasses the 1.5 degrees Celsius climate threshold, remote coastal communities must adapt quickly. Climate Art explores the outcomes of a global design competition hosted by the Village of Marou, showcasing innovative solutions for resilient clean energy and water systems designed as destination artworks." -  from University of Chicago Press book website.