APL8023 : Landscape Architecture Studio 3: Materiality of Landscape
- Offered for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Ms Stef Leach
- Visiting Lecturer: Mr Scott Matthews
- 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 2 Credit Value: | 30 |
| ECTS Credits: | 15.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
- To develop an understanding of the materials used in landscape architectural design.
- Engage with the relationship of material, form, construction and space.
- Build essential landscape architectural skills that will assist you in the production of spatial form.
- Consider norms of production, documentation, material life cycles and performance in the context of the climate and biodiversity crises.
Outline Of Syllabus
The syllabus will cover the following topics:
- Climate and biodiversity emergency: retention and re-use of materials, adaptation and carbon impact calculation for hard landscape construction
- Introduction to materials used in landscape architecture design and their impact in the experience, quality and environmental performance of a scheme
- Community engagement and co-design
- Live making of structures
- Hydrology (including sustainable urban drainage systems) and topography
- Interdisciplinary collaborations
Students synthesize knowledge gained from lecture materials through a series of small exercises and a collaborative design project set by tutors where they creatively retain, reuse, select and detail hard landscape materials and elements.
Aims and objectives of the collaborative design project are linked to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: 3 (good health and well-being), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), 10 (reduced inequalities), 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and 13 (climate action).
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 74:00 | 74:00 | Completion of weekly exercises |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 6 | 3:00 | 18:00 | Core subjects include: Materiality of Landscape in the context of the Climate and Biodiversity Crises, Climate Positive Design, Levels and Drainage (including Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems), Street Furniture Design and Active Travel. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 3:00 | 18:00 | In Studio Design Tutorials. Students seen in groups of 5/6. Includes formative feedback. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 6 | 3:00 | 18:00 | Core subjects include: Materiality of Landscape in the context of the Climate and Biodiversity Crises, Climate Positive Design, Levels and Drainage (including Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems), Street Furniture Design and Active Travel. |
| Guided Independent Study | Project work | 1 | 160:00 | 160:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 2 | 5:00 | 10:00 | Site visits to local schemes. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Module talk | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Total | 300:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Module talks, workshops, lecture materials and site visits introduce students to a range of materials, landscape elements and techniques. Students synthesize knowledge gained from lectures and workshops through:
- a series of small construction exercises
- a small-scale design project set by tutors where they creatively select and detail hard landscape materials and elements.
Students are supported in their learning through lecture, site visits, module talks, design tutorials and design tutorials and reviews are also the principle means through which students receive feedback on their progress, and tutors assist and encourage students in the development of their projects.
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.
Staff:Student Ratios for tutorials and critical reviews to be a maximum of 1:12 and for workshops a maximum of 1:15 to comply with Landscape Institute requirements.
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 | 2 | M | 100 | Design project, individual work. Students present their work in person for review. |
Zero Weighted Pass/Fail Assessments
| Description | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | A | Series of short practical exercises have been designed to put into practice the knowledge on landscape construction gained through weekly lectures and workshops. |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design/Creative proj | 2 | M | Design project, group work. Student groups present their work in person for formative review. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
Module talks, workshops, lecture materials and site visits introduce students to a range of materials, landscape elements and techniques. Students synthesize knowledge gained from lecture materials through:
- a series of small exercises
- a small-scale design project set by tutors where they creatively select and detail hard landscape materials and elements.
Students are supported in their learning through lectures, site visits, module talks, design tutorials and critical review Design tutorials and reviews are also the principle means through which students receive feedback on their progress, and tutors assist and encourage students in the development of their projects. 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.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- APL8023's Timetable