Undergraduate Course: Landscape Architecture Design 2A (ARCH08040)
Course Outline
| School | Edinburgh College of Art |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is an important transition from previous design courses in that it expands the scale of planning and design and it also enables knowledge and skills from ARCH08045 Landscape Theory 1B to be applied. The course is project-based, supported by some lectures, and introduces landscape planning at a watershed level, linking aspects of landscape character, sensitivity and capacity for change to landscape ecology and principles of sustainability. It combines group-based activities on strategic planning with individual territorial planning and site based design which follow on from and are informed by each preceding element and at decreasing spatial scales. |
| Course description |
The course consists of a project which includes the description, analysis, planning and design of a river drainage catchment as a landscape. This also forms a unit of sustainability and the course uses this as a means of integrating several different planning, design and ecological aspects as well as demonstrating how to work within a hierarchy of different scales. The learning aims focus on an ability to understand how sustainability relates to landscape, the development of planning and design skills at different scales in order to achieve sustainable development and in building the knowledge base needed for this kind of landscape planning and design.
The course is highly structured and is organised into four distinct phases: three group-work based and 1 individual-based:
Phase 1 (group) involves background research into a number of themes (1 theme per group) in order to build up the knowledge base for the project. The work of each theme is made available for sharing by each group in Phase 2. The work will be presented as a report.
Phase 2 (group) develops a landscape character assessment (2a) and a landscape ecological analysis (2b) of the entire area as a basis for the strategic planning stage. The work will be presented as a 2-part report.
Phase 3 continues group work and applies the Phase 2 analytical outputs to develop both an integrated sensitivity and capacity strategy for either renewable energy or flood management (3a) and also to plan an improved ecological structure for the area (3b). The work will be presented as a 2-part report
Phase 4 (individual) is where a specific recommendation from the strategy for both the energy/flood management and ecology strands are developed into a spatial intervention. The work will be presented as a series of posters.
At each of the four phases these outputs will build up into an integrated portfolio of materials which will, on completion, form the assignment for the final (summative) assessment.
Lectures, field trips, interim presentations, formative assessment and studio consultations form the learning framework and main means of interacting with the teachers.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed
Landscape Architecture Theory 1B (ARCH08045)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | Sketching materials, field trip travel costs (around £15 per head) |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | This course is primarily project-based with some introductory lectures so it is relatively easy for visiting students to join. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 40 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 14,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 40,
Fieldwork Hours 8,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Formative Assessment Hours 7,
Summative Assessment Hours 7,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
118 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% portfolio. Each of the first three phases will produce a report in A3 landscape format, probably about 20-30 pages of maps, images and text while the final individual work should comprise up to 4 A1 sheets.
The portfolio assessment is based on all of the learning outcomes that are weighted equally. You must pass all learning outcomes. Failure of one learning outcome will result in a Forced Fail (FF) outcome. |
| Feedback |
The course is based on a comprehensive project that you complete as a series of 4 phases submitted for formative assessment. In the detailed programme the due dates for submission of each phase and the final work will be given; each phase broadly lasts around 25% of the semester. These usually coincide with a formal oral presentation of the work of each stage to the teachers and class as a whole, when some verbal formative feedback is also given. On completion of each phase you will be given written formative feedback on your work.
The Learning Outcomes for the course will be used to give qualitative feedback for each of the four phases as follows:
Phase 1 will be subject to formative assessment on part of LO 1 (research).
Phase 2 will be subject to formative assessment on part of LO 1 (analysis) and LOs 2 and 3
Phase 3 will be subject to formative assessment on part of LO 1 (planning) and LOs 2 and 3
Phase 4 will be subject to formative assessment on part of LO 1(design)
Written summative feedback on the whole project will be given after final submission of a portfolio of work. Summative feedback will include grading based on the course learning outcomes. All of the learning outcomes will be weighted equally. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Apply skills and knowledge in the planning and design of large scale landscapes
- Demonstrate an understanding of landscape character sensitivity and capacity as a means of achievening sustainable landscape development
- Demonstrate an understanding of the main principles and concepts of landscape ecology
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Reading List
Bell, S. (2012) Landscape: Pattern, perception and process (2nd Edition, Routledge, Abingdon
Foreman, R. (1986) Landscape Ecology. Wiley.
McHarg, I. (1969) Design With Nature. Garden City,NY.
Bell, S. and Apostol, D. (2008) Designing sustainable forest landscapes. Taylor and Francis
Countryside Agency/SNH (2002) Landscape Character Assessment Guidance for England and Scotland
Forman, R. and Godron, M. (1986) Landscape ecology. Wiley, New York |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
In this course you will learn about key theories and practices in landscape architecture covering project-based background research, analysis, planning and design at different scales. You will also build up skills in separating relevant from irrelevant information, in interpreting information from different sources and in presenting this effectively using a range of media. You will develop skills in teamwork, in managing and coordinating tasks and in delivering quality products to meet deadlines. You will increase your abilities in making presentations, in presenting arguments and in defending your decisions. . |
| Keywords | landscape planning,landscape character,landscape ecology,landscape sensitivity and capacity |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Simon Bell
Tel: (0131 6)51 5828
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Karen Biggar
Tel: (0131 6)51 5803
Email: |
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