Course Title: Landscape Architecture Design Studio 1

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Landscape Architecture Design Studio 1

Credit Points: 24.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ARCH1342

City Campus

Undergraduate

315H Architecture & Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

ARCH1342

City Campus

Undergraduate

320H Architecture & Urban Design

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016,
Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023,
Sem 1 2024

Course Coordinator: Ha Thai

Course Coordinator Phone: Contact via email

Course Coordinator Email: ha.thai2@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 100.08.02

Course Coordinator Availability: appointment by email


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None


Course Description

ARCH1342 Landscape Architecture Design Studio 1 introduces you to the discipline, discourse and culture of Landscape Architecture. Design studios expose you to a breadth of approaches to design in Landscape Architecture. From Studio 2 onward, studios will be vertically integrated so learning will be with students of varying levels. This encourages learning by example from more advanced students and gaining experience and sophistication as you progress through the program. Each semester you will select from a range of studios, allowing you to curate your design education.

ARCH1342 will expose you to a theoretical and practical body of knowledge to foster your understanding of design processes that engage with contemporary design issues. You will explore specific techniques for design generation, modes of drawing and making, and relevant communication techniques to position your work in relation to the studio theme and broader design practice. Throughout the semester, you will acquire increasing independence in developing, applying and testing your project and design skills within the studio brief.

Design Studio based learning and assessment relies upon continuous cycles of reviewing, feedback and reflection between staff, your peers and other students. Your work is presented verbally and critiqued during formal presentations. You will also submit a portfolio of drawings and images. Each semester, work from the design studio is presented as a part of a public exhibition.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

In this course you will develop the following program learning outcomes:

  • Critically apply a broad and coherent body of knowledge incorporating ecological, cultural, economic and ethical issues of landscape architecture in the medium of design using a range of design methods and practices.
  • Engage in design practice that is characterised by creative and critical thinking skills, analysis, and synthesis.
  • Communicate using a range of forms and media to clearly and coherently present ideas that are informed by the underlying principles and concepts of the technical and theoretical frameworks of landscape architecture.
  • Assume responsibility for own ongoing learning and use initiative and informed judgment to position ideas of practice in landscape architecture and across disciplines.
  • Reference technical and theoretical frameworks of landscape architecture to describe, critique, modify and adapt relevant and innovative forms of design for professional work in the discipline.
  • Demonstrate the capacity for design practice to be an agent for problem solving and change; and be able to engage this understanding through design to make decisions with some independence.


Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  1. Recognise landscape as a dynamic and constructed space in relation to site location, program, form and representation.
  2. Identify and apply relevant practical and theoretical design precedents in relation to landscape design
  3. Develop and present your design ideas from observation, concept and design generation and iteration at an introductory level
  4. Identify, describe and reflect on your experiences in terms of the skills and knowledge you have acquired through your studies and their transferability to other contexts.


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be exposed to a wide range of learning experiences. The primary mode of learning in the landscape design studio is through 'practicing and doing'. The employed techniques are framed by the studio project. Design studios are characterised by regularly verbally presenting, discussing, explaining and reviewing your work in a critique process with staff and students, using a range of drawings, models and other modes of representations. This process will be conducted in both formal and informal setting.

In addition learning experiences will typically include some or all of the following:

  • Project visits
  • Lectures
  • Site visits, including documentation and analysis
  • Peer discussions
  • Group work
  • Workshops



Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.

The University Library has extensive resources for Landscape Architecture students including a collection of reference books and journals.

The Library has produced a subject guide that includes quality online and print resources for your studies;  http://rmit.libguides.com/landscape-arch

There are services and resources available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the RMIT student website.


Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. 

Assessment occurs through a holistic evaluation of the completed design project in the form of a final presentation and portfolio. The grade is based on how well you meet the course learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.

The final project will be assessed holistically in the form of a portfolio submission and presentation of your design project to a review panel consisting of landscape architecture staff and an external panel member.

Assessment Tasks

Assignment 1: Exploring landscape as social-ecological systems, 30%, CLOs 1, 2, 3

Assignment 2: Sketching a place, developing landscape design ideas, 35%, CLOs 1, 2, 3

Assignment 3: Inhabiting the landscape, 35%, CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4

Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. 

If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. 

Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.