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Professor Niall G. Kirkwood FASLA
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
In early February of 2010 I will leave the winter's snow, ice and bitter cold of the Boston area in the United States to come to Korea for what promises to be an exciting and challenging academic sabbatical away from my home at Harvard University.
I am delighted to be immersing myself once again in Korea's wide range of beautiful natural landscapes- the mountains, forests and coastline, to interact with faculty and undergraduate and graduate landscape architecture students at Korea University and other institutions of higher learning, to travel the land by rail and road to many urban centers, towns and communities and to engage with Korea's deep and rich culture and friendly people.
Coming to Korea over the last seven years on short visits I have constantly sought out any opportunity to interact with a wide range of Korean colleagues, administrators, professors, students as well as leading design and planning practitioners on the important issues of alternative and sustainable cities of the future in Korea and the interaction and relationship of these urbanized areas with the natural national landscape. In particular I have been particularly drawn to the ways in which a densely populated country such as Korea has taken it upon themselves to go beyond simply economic and development concerns to address the sustainability and interaction of the natural and built geography of the landscape.But why does today's Korea exert such an interest for those involved in the design and planning of new cities, towns and communities or the regeneration and expansion of existing centers of population?
I would offer that Korea is not only a leading country of the 21st Century through its trading influence internationally and global manufacturing power but more significantly through how it has responded positively and creatively to a range of current global conditions such as biodiversity loss, the specter of climate change, population densification and the effects of economic recession, as well as capitalizing on global achievements such as ease of trans-continental movement, technological advancement, social freedoms, and bio-political knowledge. Simply put, Korea has generated fresh and bold planning ideas such as the ecological city that have reshaped urban space and that are a source of civic pride and are closely studied around the world.
From my observations I have found that the Korean people are diligent, kind and friendly and the country's rich and diverse natural, cultural and spiritual resources and belief in seeking harmony with nature are the basis for its much admired modern way of life, yet still grounded in the ways of the traditional and the natural. I have often been quoted as saying that I came late in life to visit Korea through personal circumstances and attentions that focused more on Western landscapes. and that it is likely if my forays to Korea had taken place when I was younger this sabbatical would have taken place a long time ago.
Landscapes tell stories- stories of a nation, a country, a people, long and honorable history. I have found that in the tradition of the world's great landscapes, (think the Italian countryside, the Arabian deserts, the Wilderness forests of Alaska) the present Korean landscape is a great democratic ground, teeming with civic life, natural beauty and creativity for people of all ages and positions in life. I cannot wait to be there.
Prof. Kirkwood with faculty host Professor Sim Woo-kyung of Korea University
Dr Niall G Kirkwood FASLA is Professor of Landscape Architecture and Technology and Founder and Director of the Center for Technology and Environment at Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. In 2010 he will be a Visiting Professor at Korea University, Seoul, teaching and carrying out research on the contemporary Korean Landscape.
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하버드대, 해외홍보처, Kirkwood, 금수강산, 서울, 도시전문가, 고려대 
