LA 5010
Composition and Theory I
Introduction to landscape architectural design through a series of course modules that engage students in discovering, knowing and engaging the full potential of the landscape medium. In this process-oriented studio students will develop design proposals for real and imagined sites drawing on knowledge and principles from art, aesthetics, science, nature and culture. Each module sequence will also be integrated with the companion LA 5050 course and emphasize the unfolding and emergent nature of designerly thinking, making and doing.
Topics
- Students will gain an introductory understanding of the meaning(s), language and vocabulary of landscape through direct engagement and experience in observing, recording, assessing, and designing landscape sites that are both real and imagined. In addition, students will be exposed to historical and contemporary design theories and practices through such things as lectures, readings, films, excursions, and field trips.
- Through design exercises students will learn how to creatively work with the expressive medium of landscape by using aesthetics, time, space, form, composition, architecture, narrative, ecology, plants, landform, climate, hydrology, culture, and phenomena, to name a few.
- Students will gain an introductory understanding of landscape architecture as an act of placemaking - wherein the relationship between people and their environment is activated, integrated, and enhanced.
- Students will learn and practice habits of collaboration, critical inquiry and reflection that are integral to the design process and to studio culture. Large and small group critiques, written and group reflection exercises, collective projects and activities, and studio discussions and dialogues will all be part of creating a supportive and interactive learning environment and studio culture.
- Students will learn and practice the landscape architectural design process as a set of integrated, enfolding and unfolding design acts involving site selecting; site investigating, assessing, evaluating, analyzing; site programming and planning; site structuring, ordering, functioning; site imagining and representing and; site constructing.
- While being exposed to specific design methods and strategies, students will be supported and encouraged to probe and discover their own creative voice and approach to landscape architectural design based on their individual interests, background, values, and perspectives.
- Student will learn how to conceive and represent persuasive landscape architectural design proposals and solutions in the form of carefully crafted drawings and models and well considered written and verbal presentations.
- Through integrated design and representation exercises and projects, students will learn how the acts of landscape seeing, representation, and making continually interrelate and inform one another.
Official roster learning outcomes
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027