As I finish my fifth studio, I’ve been contemplating the things I learned over the past few years as a student of landscape architecture. Sure I’ve learned about line weight, rendering, circulation, site analysis. I’ve learned about construction documents, scale, presentation. But I’ve also learned what I call the Tao of Design. Landscape architecture or religion? You decide.
1. It’s okay to make mistakes. In fact it’s great to make mistakes. It’s process.
2. When you go for something, really go for it. Get carried away.
3. Take breaks.
4. Where is your heart? Do what you love.
5. Follow your intuition.
6. How do you feel right now?
7. Be true to yourself.
8. Believe in yourself.
9. Be curious.
10. Be loose.
11. Be present. Where are you right now?
12. Meditate.
13. There are some things worth staying up late for. It’s probably not what you think.
14. Turn a glaring weakness into a feature.
15. Sometimes you can’t be afraid to spend money. The trick is knowing what to spend it on. But remember #1.
16. You can learn from every criticism. Even those you don’t agree with. Even those that are evil.
17. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
18. Ignore your limits.
19. There are many kinds of lines.
20. Indulge a whim.
21. Occasionally do things that have absolutely no purpose.
22. Have fun.
23. Balance the practical with the impractical.
24. Contemplate balance. Everything in moderation, including moderation.
25. Don’t be afraid to make a mess.
26. Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses.
27. Don’t be afraid of your strengths.
28. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
29. Don’t forget about the big picture.
30. Don’t forget scale and a North arrow.
31. When working with a sharp knife or other sharp object, be careful.
32. Use the right tool for the job.
33. Every so often, take a few steps back and look. Then take a few more steps back and look again. Every so often, just walk away.
34. Know when to say when. Know when you are done, then let go.
35. Sometimes really bad ideas turn into really good ones.
36. Sometimes really good ideas turn into really bad ones. (remember #1)
37. Question everything (remember #9, #30)
38. Make use of whatever comes your way. “The answers to all our questions are hidden everywhere, just outside our line of sight – that is, until we open our eyes a little wider and begin looking around us instead of just straight ahead. Then they jump out at us from everywhere, displaying themselves in all their stunning simplicity.”*
39. Everything takes three times as long as you think it will. Except those things that take 10 times as long.
40. Don’t rush. If you are going to do it, do a good job.
41. Look at the opposite perspective. Look at things multidimensionally.
42. There ARE things more important than studio. (remember #24, #29, #30)
43. What are you saying? What are you really saying?
44. Things always look different after a good night’s sleep.
45. Life is full of suffering. But if we learn how to blend our sufferings and our joys we can then come to an understanding of life.
46. Remember to Save.
47. Let go of the precious.
48. Let go of negativity.
49. Let go of ego.
50. Let go of restraints.
51. Let go of fear. Be free.
*Towler, Solala. Tao Paths: Long Life. Kansas City: Andrew McMeel Publishing. 2002
