Andrea Johnson is researcher, designer and educator whose work explores the intersection of urban landscape infrastructure, socio-environmental flux and climate uncertainty. As the former research director at Terreform Center for Advanced Urban Research, she coordinated numerous publications including the forthcoming book Home Grown, a speculative proposal for NYC’s food systems, with strategies ranging from adaptive agricultural practices to local waste processing.
Johnson’s ongoing research explores the role of design in distributive energy systems as a catalyst for social and environmental justice. As a 2020–21 Landscape Architecture Foundation Fellow, she developed design and planning methodologies to phase out NYC’s peaker power plants. In August 2021, Johnson was named the Regional Plan Association Kaplan Chair for Urban Design. During the fellowship year, Johnson will work with Renewable Rikers, a coalition of criminal and environmental justice advocates, to develop design visions for the island, free of jail use and dedicated to renewable energy infrastructure and other remedial uses.
Before joining RISD’s faculty, Johnson taught at The City College of New York’s Spitzer School of Architecture, where she is also an alumna.
Courses
Fall 2023 Courses
LAEL 1020-01 / LDAR 1020-01 - ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LAEL 1020-01 / LDAR 1020-01
ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
PeriodFall 2023
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: M | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Andrea JohnsonLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course examines current issues raised by the design of built environments and explores the cultures, conditions, events, attitudes and design works of the past that form the ideological, physical and practical background against which today's landscapes are made, interpreted and valued. Critical to this course will be the establishment of frameworks for historical inquiry, the refinement of research methodologies, and the development of multiple perspectives through which to question and understand and the designed environment.
This course is recommended for NCSS concentrators.
Offered as LAEL-1020 and LDAR-1020.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I Landscape Architecture
LAEL 1020-02 / LDAR 1020-02 - ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LAEL 1020-02 / LDAR 1020-02
ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
PeriodFall 2023
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: M | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PMInstructor(s): Andrea JohnsonLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course examines current issues raised by the design of built environments and explores the cultures, conditions, events, attitudes and design works of the past that form the ideological, physical and practical background against which today's landscapes are made, interpreted and valued. Critical to this course will be the establishment of frameworks for historical inquiry, the refinement of research methodologies, and the development of multiple perspectives through which to question and understand and the designed environment.
This course is recommended for NCSS concentrators.
Offered as LAEL-1020 and LDAR-1020.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I Landscape Architecture
LAEL 1020-01 / LDAR 1020-01 - ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LAEL 1020-01 / LDAR 1020-01
ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
PeriodFall 2023
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: M | 10:00 AM - 1:00 PMInstructor(s): Andrea JohnsonLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course examines current issues raised by the design of built environments and explores the cultures, conditions, events, attitudes and design works of the past that form the ideological, physical and practical background against which today's landscapes are made, interpreted and valued. Critical to this course will be the establishment of frameworks for historical inquiry, the refinement of research methodologies, and the development of multiple perspectives through which to question and understand and the designed environment.
This course is recommended for NCSS concentrators.
Offered as LAEL-1020 and LDAR-1020.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I Landscape Architecture
LAEL 1020-02 / LDAR 1020-02 - ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
Period Fall 2023
Credits 3
FormatLecture
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LAEL 1020-02 / LDAR 1020-02
ISSUES IN LANDSCAPE HISTORY
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Liberal Arts Elective
PeriodFall 2023
Credits3
FormatLecture
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2023-09-06 to 2023-12-13
Times: M | 2:00 PM - 5:00 PMInstructor(s): Andrea JohnsonLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This course examines current issues raised by the design of built environments and explores the cultures, conditions, events, attitudes and design works of the past that form the ideological, physical and practical background against which today's landscapes are made, interpreted and valued. Critical to this course will be the establishment of frameworks for historical inquiry, the refinement of research methodologies, and the development of multiple perspectives through which to question and understand and the designed environment.
This course is recommended for NCSS concentrators.
Offered as LAEL-1020 and LDAR-1020.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Preference is given to Landscape Architecture Students.
