Rhetoric and Argumentation in Landscape Design

Rhetoric and Argumentation

• Rhetoric is the argumentation technique aimed at creating or increasing the adherence of minds to presented theses, in order to set in motion a positive action or abstention from action.
• The goal of argumentation is to persuade the audience, not just convince them.

Audience and Loci

• The audience is the group of people to whom the designer/ speaker addresses their proposals and statements.
• Persuading the audience is necessary in design fields like architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and interior design, where social interaction is involved.
• The problem of the audience lies in the need to persuade them, rather than just convincing them through science-proved arguments.

Creating an Effective Argumentation

• To create an effective argumentation, an intellectual contact is necessary between the speaker/writer/designer and the audience.
• A set of factors is required to shape an argumentation, including:
  • A common language
  • A technique allowing communication
  • The ethos of the speaker/writer/designer (credibility based on academic and professional titles, expertise, etc.)
  • A positive attitude and posture of the speaker/writer/designer

Loci

• Loci are premises of a general nature that play a part in the justification of most of the choices we and people make.
• There are two fundamental Loci:
  • Loci of Quantity: relate to quantitative reasons, such as the superiority of a greater number of good things over a smaller number.
  • Loci of Quality: relate to the concept of 'unique', such as the value of rare and difficult to attain things.
• Other derived Loci include:
  • Locus of Timeliness
  • Locus of the Irreparable
  • Locus of Order
  • Locus of the Existent
  • Locus of the Essence
  • Locus of the Person

Examples of Loci

• Locus of Quantity: World's Tallest Buildings in 2023
• Locus of Quality: CopenHill - Amager Bakke Power Plant (BIG, Copenhagen, Denmark, 2019)
• Locus of Timeliness: Act Now Climate App (United Nations)
• Locus of the Irreparable: Climate Change Impacts (The World Bank Group)
• Locus of Order and/or Locus of the Existent: Climate Change Synthesis Report (UNDRR)
• Locus of Essence: Pôle de recherche scientifique et technique de Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallée (Pargade Architectes, 2014)
• Locus of the Person: Time Magazine Cover (December 23rd, 2019)

Conclusion

• Rhetoric and argumentation are essential tools for designers to effectively communicate their ideas and persuade their audience.
• LOCI are 'common places' that deal with values and hierarchies, and can be used to shape arguments and analyze how others propose or discuss their projects.