LAND 254 : Landscape Architectural Communications I (3 credits)

Fall Semester 2005

Class Time:       MW 1:50 pm - 4:00 pm.

Class Room:     A300/348, Langford Arch. Center

Instructors:       Dr. Byoung-Suk Kweon, Section I: Hand Graphics

                           Office: A 329, Telephone: 458-1133 

                           Email: bkweon@archmail.tamu.edu

                          Office Hours: MW 12:30-1:30, or by appointment.

Dr. Taner R. Ozdil, Section II: Computer Graphics

Office: Williams 0008G, Telephone: 458-0628

Email:  tozdil@archmail.tamu.edu

Office Hours: MW 12:50 pm – 1:50 pm, or by appointment.

Prerequisite:   ENDS 115 or instructor's permission

COURSE SYLLABUS

I.            INTRODUCTION

Graphics are the language of design.  The ability to develop and document design ideas and to communicate your ideas to others is essential for success in any design profession. This course will focus on the symbolic and representational hand drawn and computer graphics that are the basis for the development and communication of design ideas.

II.         COURSE DESCRIPTION

 Through a series of studio project exercises, this course will teach students basic hand and computer drafting and landscape design graphic presentation techniques. It will also introduce to students basic concepts and principles of graphic composition.    The course is organized into two sections: traditional graphics and computer graphics. The traditional graphics section will concentrate on techniques of drafting plans, sections, elevations and perspectives.  The computer graphics section will focus on digital photography, image processing, and 2D & 3D CAD drafting.

III.                 COURSE OBJECTIVES

This course is designed to teach students the following:

Both Sections

1.        To teach basic drafting techniques (line quality control, use of scale, etc.)

2.        To teach how to use shade and shadow and value contrast to express a sense of light and depth.

3.        To teach how to use graphic composition elements, concepts and principles to organize their design graphic presentation.

Hand Drafting Section

4.        To teach basic types of landscape architectural communication graphics (plan, section, elevation, and perspective).

5.        To teach skills of drawing basic landscape features (vegetation, water, building, ground, and people).

Computer Drafting Section

6.        To teach digital image production and processing.

7.        To teach basic CAD drafting in 2 and 3 dimensions

IV.              TEACHING METHODS

Studio projects--The course will be taught primarily through a series of graphic exercises.  Studio projects will be on going and will vary in duration ranging from one to four class periods. 

Lectures --Lectures and reading assignments relevant to each studio project will be given at beginning of and or during each project.  These lectures will be used to present new projects and to demonstrate new graphic techniques.

Sections – The class will be taught in two separate sections with one section learning hand drafting and the other learning computer drafting.  At the mid-point of the semester, the sections with switch instructors and learn the other drafting technique.

V.             COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Students of LAND 254 are expected to spend 12 hours a week (including 6 hours in class) on average in order to complete course assignments.  Never expect that scheduled regular class time is adequate enough to finish all the course assignments with satisfactory quality.  All students in LAND 254 are required to do the following:

1. Attend all classes. Attendance is mandatory! Absence due to health-related problems, emergency situations, or mandatory participation in university-excused activities may be excused, providing that a written proof is provided.

2.             Be adequately prepared for instructor's desk critiques every time and for class presentations.

3.             Participate class in-group discussions actively. Students are strongly encouraged to review and discuss each other's work both inside and outside the class. 

4.              Complete course assignments independently or make your own contribution and submit all the assignments on time.

5.             Communicate with the instructors actively and inform the instructors of any concerns and suggestions you have for this class in timely fashion.

Please notice: All student projects are property of the department according to the university policy. Although most projects will be returned to students after they are graded, some student projects will be kept by the department for the purpose of accreditation review and as teaching references for future classes. However, those kept projects will be available for students to take photographs for their portfolios.

VI.                CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE

The student’s final grade will be calculated as the standard average of the overall performance scores in sections I and II:

                Final Grade = Section I(45%) + Section II(45%) + Portfolio(10%)

where, A =                 90 – 100

           B =                  80 – 89

           C =                 70 – 79

D =                 60 – 69

F =                 0 – 59

VII.                TEXTBOOKS

The following books are required for this class and are available at MSC Bookstore:

Reid, G. W. (2002). Landscape graphics: Plan section, and perspective drawing of landscape spaces. NY: Watson Guptill.

Willmore, B. (2004). Adobe Photoshop CS Studio Techniques. Berkeley, CA: Adobe Press.

Frey, D., (2004). AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005. Sybex (TBA)

Additional articles for reading may be circulated throughout the semester

Other recommended books:

Ching, F.D.K. (1996). Architecture form, space, and order (2^nd ed.). NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

Davis, D. & Walker, T. (1999). Plan graphics (5th ed.). NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Walker, T. (1989).  Perspective sketches (5th ed.). NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.

Sullivan, C. (2004). Drawing the landscape (3^rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

VIII                REQUIRED MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

All of the drawing materials that you have accumulated in earlier ENDS courses including, but not limited to:

Drafting equipment:

                Board Cover

                An engineer's scale

                An architect's scale

                T-square 36" minimum

                Triangles (45 and 60 degree)

                A circle template (up to 3" dia.)

Paper products:

                A roll of yellow tracing paper (24" wide)

                A roll of white vellum paper (24” wide)

Pencils:

                Drafting pencils (5B, 3B, HB, 2H, 4H, 2/each)

Digital media:

At least 2 blank recordable CD-ROMs

A storage device such as external hard drive or Iomega Zip disks (100 MB or 250 MB okay)

                Personal Digital Camera (optional but quite useful)

Other materials:

                Masking Tape or Tape Dots

                Erasers

                Pencil sharpener             

                Fixative

                3”x5” index cards (white)

                2 - White foam core mounting boards at 24” x 36”

                Spray mount (glue in a spray can)

IX.                ADA POLICY STATEMENT

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities, in Room 126 of the Koldus Building or call 845-1637.