Agr, Lndscp & Envir: SL:Ecological Landscape Design

Studio course synthesizing work from fields of landscape ecology and landscape design, exploring ecological design alternatives at multiple scales, and developing multifunctional landscape solutions. Prerequisites: Junior standing; ALE 2370 or one course in ecology plus one course in design or drawing.

Prereqs enforced by the system: ALE/PSS 2370. Also acceptable: One course in Ecology plus one course in design or drawing; Minimum Junior standing; For instructor permission contact Stephanie.Hurley@uvm.edu for an override; You must send the instructor a list of prerequisites taken, and specify your standing as a junior, senior, or grad student, as well as your 95#. PACE students by permission and override.

Ecological Landscape Design is a lecture + studio course that advances ecological principles, exploring landscape designs that benefit ecosystems and people. Through lectures, discussions, site visits, studio exercises, design critiques, and a real-world final project, students explore design precedents, conduct research, and practice the iterative process of landscape design. Learning from the fields of landscape ecology, environmental planning, community planning, and landscape architecture—including topics in habitat creation and restoration, city planning, water management, and equity and environmental justice— we will explore both well-established and recently-innovated ecological landscape design projects at multiple scales, from small sites to whole cities and watersheds. Inspiration will be drawn from precedent studies, lessons from the natural world, and our own creative abilities.

Attendance, including engagement in groups, is expected for all lectures and studio time both days. Our semester-long projects address design challenges on real sites in Vermont. We will learn techniques for critiquing our own work and constructively evaluating the work of fellow students, while refining graphic communication and presentation skills. We will follow the landscape design process from site analysis and context analysis, through conceptual, schematic, and detailed design phases, and develop multifunctional solutions to site-specific design problems.

Example Evaluation Criteria: Class Participation (includes attendance, in-class discussion of readings, engagement during lectures, etc.): 15% Sketchbook Prompts: 20% LAM Assignment & Peer Reviewed Journals: Powerpoint Presentations: 12% Peer Critique Exercises: 3% Studio Project (50%): Full details of project will be introduced in late January Site Analysis and Context Analysis (Group): 10% Conceptual/Functional Diagrams: 5% Schematic Designs (Group): 15% Supplemental Drawings, incl. Evidence of Individual Research: 5%x3 drawings = 15% Design Narrative (Group): 2% Overall Presentation Layout and Oral Presentation (Group/Individual): 3% Total: 100%