Designing stepping-stones landscapes: a 2D perspective does not lead to more standardization than an in-situ perspective

Previous research found that when participants across the lifespan could be the architect of their own stepping-stones landscapes, they create nonstandardized configurations with gap-width variation. Yet, architects often use standardized dimensions in their designs for playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas. To scrutinize why architects tend to seek for more standardized designs than the examined target users, we tested the hypothesis that the difference is caused by a different perspective during the making process. After all, landscape architects generally design on 2D maps, while the participants designed in situ. We asked 67 participants to design a stepping-stones landscape on a 2D map and 67 other participants to create the landscape in situ. Contrary to our expectations, we found no indications that designing on a 2D map leads to more standardized configurations. We end with discussing other characteristics of the design processes that could potentially explain the omnipresent standardization in design.