APL8021 : Landscape Architecture Studio 1: Strategies, Forms and Narratives for Contemporary Landscapes.
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Usue Ruiz Arana
- Demonstrator: Mr David Barter
- Owning School: Architecture, Planning & Landscape
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 30 |
| ECTS Credits: | 15.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
To develop:
- landscape design skills for adaptation and resilience through experimentation and site-based design projects
- drawing and representation skills through skill-building workshops and exercises.
- an evolving ethical framework for decision-making focused on inclusivity, de-centring human agency in design and designing for others.
Outline Of Syllabus
Students will undertake:
- studio projects: a warm-up introductory group project (not assessed) and two interrelated design projects during the semester intended to enable students to learn the language of landscape for deciphering existing landscapes, and for embedding narratives in designed landscapes.
- drawing and representation skills workshops: through a series of activities students explore the practice of drawing as a fundamental and inseparable part of the landscape architecture discipline and to engender an experimental critical personal approach to drawing and representation for beginners and experienced alike.
STUDIO PROJECTS:
Design projects aims and objectives are linked to the following United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals: 3 (good health and well-being), 10 (reduced inequalities), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 12 (responsible consumption and production), 13 (climate change), 14 (life below water) and 15 (life on land).
The warm up introductory project focuses on space and form as the most important visual, physical and aural characteristics of any landscape.
Design Projects 1 and 2 focus on city inhabitants that are often overlooked in design (typically animals and children). The purpose of the projects is to reflect on and consider under-represented users as clients of a designed landscape. For design project 1, students work in teams of mixed backgrounds for the design a local site, sharing skills and knowledge, and to get familiar with studio design tuition. For design project 2, students work individually.
The projects typically include:
- Site Survey and creative response to under-represented users' needs
- Critical site analysis
- Concept development including site-wide strategy
- Action plan
- Planting and management strategy
- Sketches and visualisations
In studio small group tutorials are provided on a weekly timetabled basis to provide students with required feedback to progress the design. Design tutorials are supported by lectures, workshops (tutor-led and student-led), and field trips. Design projects 1 and 2 are assessed during critical reviews.
DRAWING AND REPRESENTATION SKILLS WORKSHOPS
Students will take part in weekly workshops to develop their drawing and representation skills, alongside the studio projects. Topics covered typically include baseline analysis, vision and concept, AutoCAD, photoshop and InDesign, and collaging and visualisation.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 4 | 3:00 | 12:00 | Core subjects include: reading the landscape, writing the landscape, landscape narratives, more-than-human design, soundscapes, landform, child-friendly cities |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 4:00 | 8:00 | Critical review projects 1 and 2. Groups of 5/6 |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 7 | 4:00 | 28:00 | In Studio Design Tutorials. Students seen in groups of 5/6. Includes formative feedback. |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 214:00 | 214:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 9 | 3:00 | 27:00 | Drawing and representation skills guided workshops |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 3:00 | 6:00 | Two site visits to carry out guided fieldwork |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Drop in surgery for design project 2 |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Introduction to landscape architecture, module and warm up project |
| Total | 300:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The design studio is the integrative environment where students can synthesise knowledge from other modules and develop their understanding and skills in the context of a design problem set by tutors. Students are supported in their learning through briefings, lectures, guided fieldwork, group tutorials, drawing and representation workshops and critical reviews. Design tutorials and reviews are also the principal means through which students receive feedback on their progress.
The design studio pedagogy is centred on a dialogic and responsive approach to students’ own creative work and research. Landscape Architecture pedagogy is reliant on a high proportion of independent learning to support the design process. The MOF hours are consistent with this approach.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design/Creative proj | 1 | M | 40 | Design project 1 (group work) |
| Design/Creative proj | 1 | M | 50 | Design project 2 (individual work) |
| Reflective log | 1 | A | 10 | Reflective drawing and representation skills diary |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The design projects presented by the students on completion of the module capture and synthesize the knowledge and skills developed throughout the semester through site visits, briefings and lectures, small group tutorials, workshops and critical reviews. The critical reviews for Project 1 and 2 are linked to summative assessment. The critical review for Project 1 is carried out in teams, preparing students for the individual critical review for Project 2.
The reflective log presented by students on completion of the module captures and synthesizes the critical drawing and representation skills developed throughout the semester through workshops and guided activities.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- APL8021's Timetable