LAND 321  SPRING 2003:   LANDSCAPE DESIGN IV

INSTRUCTORS:      Nancy Volkman, Associate Professor

                                                305 Langford Bldg. A

                                                979 845-5041

                                                nvolkman@archmail.tamu.edu

                                                Office hours: MW 10-11:30 or by appointment

                                    Taner R. Ozdil, Assistant Lecturer

                                                318 Langford Building A

                                                979 458-0628

                                                taner@tamu.edu

                                                Office hours: MW 11:40-12:40 or by appointment

INTRODUCTION:    Landscape Design IV is the continuation of the three previous landscape design courses that you have taken, and falls midway through the studio sequence.  This is a stage at which you are expected to work somewhat independently in those areas that have been covered in previous studios, so that we may use class time to focus on new issues and problems.  This studio may be quite important to you, since it immediately precedes the summer when many of you will be seeking internship positions.

This fourth studio in the landscape architecture design sequence provides an opportunity for students to consolidate their design and technical skills to organize and resolve a typical landscape design project of moderate scale and complexity. In this studio all aspects of design process and technology are incorporated into assigned projects for clarification and review, to include project organization, design to meet the program with comprehensive emphasis on human factors, natural factors, grading, planting, irrigation, lighting, and graphic communication with plans, schematic details and perspectives. Some projects may respond to an authentic client and user group with complex site conditions.

The theme for new work in this studio is "Urban Design and Community Design—Influences of Human Settlement on the Landscape".  The primary content of faculty presentations, discussions and projects will be:

• Sustainable urban design
• Community participation in the design process
• Integrating design process and programming into urban/community based project
• Systems approach to integrating human and natural processes in the landscape
• Decision-making at multiple levels of project investigation
• Complex project organization and management

The semester’s work will consist of two major design projects, two smaller projects, readings, quizzes, and a design journal.  Each design project will have sub-components or phases, with a substantial amount of work carried out during studio time.  Our first project will address the needs of a small art gallery/center on an urban site.  The second project will deal with a community design for a redevelopment area within a major city.  The third project will involve user input into the design of a small urban park.  Our final project, as yet undetermined, is intended to be a public design competition.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:  Our principal objectives are:

Lead class members to an awareness with key urban design issues, and develop their abilities to deal with the issues and potentials found in urban areas.

Make class members aware of the potential and issues related to community-base design and planning

Prepare each member of the class to constructively address landscape issues at the master planning and sub-regional scale.

Develop each student’s awareness and ability to use concepts related to design programming and process.

Develop each student’s awareness and ability to design using current and future standards for sustainable development.

To assure that all class members are up-to-date on current standards of universal access, and be able to skillfully incorporate the standards into a functional and aesthetically pleasing design.

We would like the class as a whole to consider both group and individual academic objectives and add them here or in your sketchbook/journal:

LEARNING METHODS:    This semester we will have regular faculty presentations at least once a week.  Your familiarity with material covered in class, whether during project work, on a field trip, or in lectures will be evaluated through quizzes.  The quizzes will also cover material from the assigned readings.  There will also be at least two field trips during the semester connected to projects.   As usual projects will be discussed primarily through critiques that may be group crits or individual desk crits.  At the end of each project or phase there will be a design jury.  When the days for the jury are determined we would like the class to choose jurors from within and without the department/college.  We encourage each class member to maintain a design journal (which is different from lecture and reading notes) that documents your ideas for a project, sketches, evaluations of built designs, etc.  This journal will be submitted during and at the end of the semester for consideration as part of the instructor’s evaluation.  Also remember, at the end of the year there will be a departmental review of your work for the entire semester.  For this review you must display all of your work (both design and construction) from the year, in its original, full-sized format.

All final project work are to be submitted in digital format to the Class Folder, as well as in a digitally produced poster.  Both are required for your project to receive a grade.  Specific submission requirements will be given later.

Design Journal:  A design journal is a record of your thoughts about landscape architecture.  It can include notes/sketches about the project you are working on, ideas that you observe or read about and formal sketches.  You are also strongly encouraged to draw free hand sketches of landscape scenes on a regular basis as a way to improve your drawing and perspective ability.  Notes & Drawings are to be kept in a single bound document such as a sketchbook, spiral or hardback notebook. Please use “Architecture: Form, Space & Order” by Ching, Francis D.K as reference to font style and page compositions.  There will be specific assignments to be done for each project in the sketchbook, but our evaluatation will also be based upon additional work done.

EVALUATION OF WORK AND GRADING STANDARDS:

The components of the course will receive the following weightings:

            Projects (each weighted by number of days taken up)     including

Instructor evaluation of progress, assistance to class, etc           85%

            Quizzes and other assignments                                                             15%                   

Grades will be assigned according to the following standard:

A 90-100        Excellent work, with only minor errors or omissions.  All project requirements are met well.  Approaches professional work.

B 80-89          Good work, with some obvious errors or omissions.  Some project requirements are not met well.  Very good student work.

C 70-79          Average work.  Numerous or significant errors or omissions.  Important project requirements not met.  Average student work.

D 60-69          Work not adequate for advancement to next studio level.  Extreme number or significance of errors and project requirements not well met.  Below average student work.

F Below 60    Work completely inadequate for level of class.  Failing student work.

No grade 0   Work not submitted by due date and time, that is late work will not be accepted for a grade.  If you have a legitimate excuse and are unable to turn in your completed work you must turn in all work completed up to that time to be eligible for an extension on your project. 

ABSENCES:   For an absence to be excused it must meet University guidelines as outlined in the student handbook.  Regular attendance is the best way to assure improvement in your work.  By attendance we mean being physically present and working in a diligent manner on the project then underway.  If you are merely physically present but not working or working on non-class activities you will not be considered present for class credit.  To be considered present you must also be present during the entire class period, unless specifically excused.  This means be on time, stay the entire studio (lecture and lab) period, have your current work ready for review, and have all materials and equipment necessary to work during the studio period.  Attendance may be taken at any time during the class and may be taken more than once.  Attendance and participation will be considered as part of the instructor evaluation for each project grade

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

HANDOUTS: All course handouts (syllabus, quizzes, notes, project statements etc.) are the property of the instructors and the University.  As such, permission in writing is required before making any copies other than those for your own personal use.  Any unauthorized use of class materials will result in an F for the semester.  

 We reserve the right to alter conditions and requirements should need arise during the semester.

SEMESTER READINGS:  Readings will be assigned to accompany each project..  They will be available at the desk in the TRC.   The readings will be the subject of the quizzes given throughout the semester.