Book excerpt: This inspiring and thought-provoking book explores how recent innovations in landscape architecture have uniquely positioned the practice to address complex issues and technologies that affect our built environment. The changing and expanding nature of "landscape" make it more important than ever for landscape architects to seek innovation as a critical component in the forward development of a contemporary profession that merges expansive ideas and applications. The editors bring together leading contributors who are experts in new and pioneering approaches and technologies within the fields of academic and professional landscape architecture. The chapters explore digital technology, design processes and theoretical queries that shape the contemporary practice of landscape architecture. Topics covered include: Digital design Fabrication and prototyping Emerging technology Visualization of data System theory Concluding the book are case studies looking at the work of two landscape firms (PEG and MYKD) and two academic departments (Illinois Institute of Technology and the Rhode Island School of Design), which together show the novel and exciting directions that landscape is already going in.