Bowei Wang. The Nature of Ian McHarg’s Science

Although McHarg’s strive for landscape architecture to become a “hard science” and his strong believes in the English landscapes as designs “with nature in mind” drew him opposition from critics. McHarg’s promotion of the map overlaying process, and his writings on ecology and the preservation of nature which became to know as part of his legacy and contribution to the field of Landscape Architecture helped shape the way Landscape Architect view and gather inventory. The different layers of data complied together becomes a powerful tool for Landscape Architects, as it can inform us the ecological and culture significance of a site.