The work of LANDSKIP seeks to impact the understanding of our environment by innovative use of survey and design instruments.
Whether small scale objects or large scale territorial surveys, landscape proposals emerge from the lab after a rigorous research process to reveal the nature and relations of the materials at hand.
We combine traditional, contemporary and emerging surveying and analysis techniques. This approach has generated tools and methods that adapt well to the local terrain, and our clients requirements, to efficiently address the unique landscape issues of each project.
Psyttaleia ferry, Athens GR 2017![]()
Whether small scale objects or large scale territorial surveys, landscape proposals emerge from the lab after a rigorous research process to reveal the nature and relations of the materials at hand.
We combine traditional, contemporary and emerging surveying and analysis techniques. This approach has generated tools and methods that adapt well to the local terrain, and our clients requirements, to efficiently address the unique landscape issues of each project.
Psyttaleia ferry, Athens GR 2017

Survey
Photogrammetry
Laser Scanning
Differential GPS
Photogrammetry
Laser Scanning
Differential GPS
Analysis
Terrain Data & Simulation
Plugin Development
Vegetation Mapping
Terrain Data & Simulation
Plugin Development
Vegetation Mapping
Workshops
Site Scanning
University Masterclasses
Biennials & Exhibitions
Site Scanning
University Masterclasses
Biennials & Exhibitions
Training
On-Site Instruction
Office Integration
Tool Development
On-Site Instruction
Office Integration
Tool Development
LANDSKIP was founded by Ilmar Hurkxkens and James Melsom in Basel, Switzerland. It does not operate as a traditional practice, but rather as a permanent laboratory. Its work has been published internationally and has received recognition with various workshops and exhibitions throughout Europe. This online platform serves to highlight the lab’s design research, initiate collaborations and share insights into recent projects.
James Melsom
Landschaftsarchitekt BSLA
is a practicing Landscape Architect collaborating in projects throughout Europe as member of the BSLA (Swiss Institute of Landscape Architects). As co-founder of the research laboratory LANDSKIP with Ilmar Hurkxkens he has worked throughout the world on landscape scanning, research, analysis and transformation projects.
From 2007 to 2017 he worked as a research scientist and teacher at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, ETH Zurich.
Since 2019 he is a Senior Lecturer in Landscape Architecture at the UTS Sydney.
From 2007 to 2017 he worked as a research scientist and teacher at the Institute of Landscape Architecture, ETH Zurich.
Since 2019 he is a Senior Lecturer in Landscape Architecture at the UTS Sydney.
Ilmar Hurkxkens
Doctoral Candidate ETH
is PhD researcher at NCCR Digital Fabrication
investigating the architectural potential of robotic landscape fabrication at the Chair of Landscape Architecture of Professor Christophe
Girot at the ETH Zurich.
In collaboration with James Melsom he founded LANDSKIP, a laboratory centered on the production and deployment of new technologies to create innovative instruments for landscape transformation. Recently he won the 2018 Digital Culture Work Contributions award of Migros-Kulturprozent in collaboration with Fabian Bircher as Ungenau Robotics.
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