Although animals are ubiquitous in the landscape, they are hardly ever directly involved in landscape architecture. Designs are rarely made with the animal as a co-user of the landscape in mind, let alone that the animal is given space to co-design the landscape. Yet animals are undeniably more than just passive co-users: through their activities, they also shape the landscape. People interact with animals in the most diverse ways, and every landscape design changes their habitat as much as it changes ours. In this regard, landscape architecture holds some important keys to shaping the various relationships people establish with animals in their environment. There is therefore a clear need for reflection around and a vision of the place of animals in landscape architecture. 

This research project aims to explore the role landscape architecture plays in shaping a shared space for humans and animals. Through in-depth interviews, the study of recent developments in landscape theory, animal philosophy and animal studies (animal studies) and a series of Socratic conversations with students of landscape and garden architecture, landscape development and green management, we want to arrive at several philosophically stimulating visions around the meaning landscape architecture can and should have in shaping a space shared by humans and animals.