Project-Based Collaborative Education in Landscape Architecture: A Culturally Responsive Approach in the Suzhou Ancient City Workshop

This article examines how project-based learning (PBL) and culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP) can be integrated within landscape architecture design. Using the 2025 Suzhou Ancient City Ring Joint Design Workshop as a case study, the paper analyzes how authentic cultural contexts, heritage conservation challenges, and urban regeneration needs were transformed into learning opportunities through collaboration among universities, local stakeholders, and industry professionals. An analytical framework consisting of cultural context, collaborative learning, design practice, and educational outcomes is proposed. Findings show that authentic projects, field investigations, expert mentoring, and multi-stakeholder participation supported students’ development of cultural understanding, complex problem-solving skills, collaborative communication, and project management awareness. The study argues that PBL and CRP are mutually reinforcing approaches that help bridge the gap between academic learning and professional practice in landscape architecture education.