Case Study Investigation (CSI)
Case Study Investigation (CSI) supports faculty-student teams working with practitioners to measure built landscapes’ environmental, social, and economic benefits and show the value of sustainable design.
Funder: Landscape Architecture Foundation
Due Dates: November 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT (Faculty and firm/project applications)
Funding Amounts: Student stipend: $4,500 for one case study or $9,000 for two; six-month program
Summary: CSI supports faculty-student teams partnering with practitioners to quantify built landscapes’ environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Key Information: Faculty and project partners apply jointly but submit separate applications; projects must be built and open for at least one year.
Description
The Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Case Study Investigation (CSI) is a collaborative research and training program for faculty, students, and practitioners. Faculty-student teams work with project designers to measure the environmental, social, and economic benefits of exemplary built landscapes. Teams develop research plans, conduct site visits and field data collection, and produce Case Study Briefs for LAF’s Landscape Performance Series.
CSI bridges research and design practice by developing evidence that demonstrates the value of sustainable landscape solutions. It emphasizes valid, defensible, replicable metrics and methods that non-experts can use with limited time and resources. LAF provides training, iterative feedback, and opportunities for teams to interact. Final case studies undergo peer review before publication.
