Teaching in Texas A&M University

Land 319 Landscape Architectural Design Theory

Spring 2001 - 4 credit hours

Prerequisites: LAND 318 and LAND 329

Instructors: Christopher D. Ellis, Ph.D.

                    Rm. 332 Langford Architecture Center, 845-7857, ellis@taz.tamu.edu

                    Office hours: Friday 1-3pm (or by appointment)

                    Taner R. Ozdil, MLA

                    Rm. 314 Langford Architecture Center, 845-1079, taner@tamu.edu

                    Office hours: Wednesday 11-12am (or by appointment)

                    Ming Han Lee, MLA

"Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood, and probably themselves will not be realized; make big plans, aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble logical diagram, once recorded, will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever growing insistency."

- Daniel Hudson Burnham (1846-1912)

Course Content                                                                                                                                  

LAND 319 a continuation of LAND 318 and will introduce students to basic landscape architectural design theory and fundamental principles of site design.  Design theory will be introduced through readings, a series of design exercises, and precedent studies during the first half of the semester.  The development of this knowledge will culminate in a final “real-world” design project during the second half of the semester.  The focus of this course is to advance a students’ ability to develop strong design concepts and to communicate their ideas through 1) choice of materials and forms used in design, 2) visualization expressed in models and graphics, and 3) written and oral presentations.

General Course Objectives                                                                                                                 

The goal of this course is to encourage students’ individual design creativity and to augment this with some basic design principles.  The objectives of this course are for students:

1. to understand landscape architecture as a design process that leads to a product.

2. to learn how to develop and apply strong design concepts and imagery.

3. to understand the formation of human scale space and spatial connections.

      4. to understand to opportunities and constraints of using landforms, structures, and plants in design of the landscape.

5. to learn how to produce office quality visual, oral, and written presentations.

Expectations and Student Responsibilities                                                                                           

Students of LAND 319 are expected to spend 16 hours a week (including 8 hours in class) at 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 319 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 critics every time and for class presentations.

3.            Participate class in group discussions actively. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss or criticize 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.

Evaluation                                                                                                                                         

Attendance is mandatory for all classes and field trips. Absence due to health-related problems, emergency situations, or mandatory participation in university-excused activities may be excused, providing that written proof is provided.  Students must be adequately prepared for all class periods (i.e., read all assigned materials before class, have all presentation materials prepared by due dates, evidence of progress organized before individual desk critiques). Assignments should be completed independently and on schedule.

Active participation in and out of class is crucial for developing the skills taught in this course.  Students are expected to bring a high level of energy and enthusiasm to the classroom.  While design work will be carried out at the studio desks during class time, students are also urged to complete as much work as possible within the studio space outside of class time.  Learning how to receive and provide constructive criticism on design concepts and solutions is essential for the successful execution of design processes.  Much of this is learned in conversations with you classmates outside of class. Performance will be determined as follows:

            Concept Imagery board   5 %   

            Precedent studies average  10 %

            Project 1          10 %

            Project 2          10 %

            Project 3          10 %

            Final project 25 %

            Quiz Average 20 %

            Participation (attendance, preparation, participation, improvement)            10 %

            Total            100 %

Note: Late submission of work will result in a reduction of 5% of full grade for each half hour late.

Semester Outline                                                                                                                                        

Week 1 -         Concept development and imagery, understanding the spatial landscape

                        1/17                 Introduction to LAND 319

                                                Assign Imagery boards and Readings

                                                Assign Precedent Studies Groups

                        Due 1/19:    Booth and Hiss chapter 9 “Form Composition”

                                                QUIZ on Booth and Hiss chapter 9

                                                Concept Imagery (unmounted)                                                                                               

Week 2 -            Landforms & geometries

Due 1/22:            Imagery Boards (Mounted pictures or color printouts on foam-core)

Due 1/24            Booth and Hiss chapter 2 “Outdoor Rooms”

                        QUIZ on Booth and Hiss chapter 2

                        Assign Landform Models

Due 1/26            Concept

Booth and Hiss chapters 10 “Spatial Composition”

                        QUIZ on Booth and Hiss chapters 10

Original landform (existing contours) on trace

Week 3 -             Landforms & geometries

Due 1/29             Precedent studies I

Due 1/31             Preliminary Landform Designs (proposed contours) on trace

                        Booth chapter 1 “Landform”

                        QUIZ on Booth chapters 1

Due 2/2             Booth chapter 4 “Pavement”

                        QUIZ on Booth chapters 4

Week 4 -             Landforms & Structures

                        Due 2/5             Landform models, contour plan (blackline print), and 1 page concept statement

                        Due 2/7       Begin landform/structures design

                        Due 2/9            Concept

Structures and Materials Imagery (not mounted)

Booth chapters 3 “Buildings”

                                                QUIZ on Booth chapters 3

Week 5 -            Landforms & Structures

                        Due 2/12            Precedent studies II

                        Due 2/14            Preliminary landform/structures plan and section on trace

Booth Chapter 5 “Site Structures”

                                                QUIZ on Booth Chapter 5

                        Due 2/16     Plan, section, and perspective on trace. Imagery mounted

Week 6 -             Landforms, Structures & Plants

                        Due 2/19         Landform/structures plan, elevation, perspective (blackline print), mounted imagery and 1 page concept statement

                        Due 2/21         Begin landform/structures/plants design

                        Due 2/23            Concept and supporting imagery (plants, structures, landform, materials)

Booth chapter 2 “Plant Materials”

                                                QUIZ on Booth chapter 2

Week 7 -             Landforms, Structures & Plants

                        Due 2/26            Precedent Studies III

                        Due 2/28            Preliminary landform/structures/plants design on trace

                        Due 3/2       Plan, section, perspective on trace 

Week 8 -             Landforms, Structures & Plants

                        Due 3/5            Construction details of structure on trace

                        Due 3/7            Concept imagery mounted

                        Due 3/9            Landform/structures/plants plan, elevation, perspective, construction detail (blackline print), mounted imagery and 1 page concept statement

*** SPRING BREAK ***

Week 9 - 14            Final project

A detailed program outlining the design schedule and due dates will be given at the start of the project.  The following is a list of requirements that will be included in the program:

Booth and Hiss chapter 5 “Site Measuring and Base Map Preparation” (QUIZ)

Booth and Hiss chapter 3 “Design Process” (QUIZ)

Booth and Hiss chapter 6 “Site Study and Design Program” (QUIZ)

Booth and Hiss chapter 7 “Functional Diagrams” (QUIZ)

Concept imagery and statement

Site analysis

Pin-ups and design critiques

Presentation Drawings and Models

Final presentations

Required Text Book                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Booth, Norman K. and James E. Hiss. 1991. Residential Landscape Architecture: Design Process for the Private Residence. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Required Readings On Reserve                                                                                                

Booth, N.K. 1983.  Basic Elements of Landscape Architectural Design. Waveland Press, Inc. Prospect Heights, Illinois.

Lyall, S. 1991. Designing the New Landscape. Van Nostrand Reinhold. New York.

PLEASE NOTE: All student projects are property of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning according to Texas A&M 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 projects will be made available for students to reproduce for portfolios.

Help for Students with Disabilities                                                                                                        

The American 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 Office of Support Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of Koldus Building.  The phone number is 845-1637