LAR-27306 Garden- and Landscape Architecture: a Design and Cultural History

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

Dutch

Contents:

THIS COURSE WILL NOT BE GIVEN IN 2010/2011
A series of lectures combined with literature study and a field seminar.
It has often been remarked that any new assignment in landscape architecture takes place in what is almost always a historic environment. It is therefore necessary that landscape architects know about historical developments in design and place making and are able to analyze, evaluate and understand historic landscapes in our contemporary society. In line with the study of historic landscape artifacts in the widest sense (including architecture and urbanism), this course will also look at the development of the profession of landscape architecture. From which different traditions did it grow, how did it come into being?
This course on the design and cultural histories of garden art and landscape design in Europe, the US and non-western cultures like China and Japan will focus on the period from c. 1500 to the present. It outlines these histories in relation to the history of art, nature, technology and culture in general and tries to interpret their scientific and artistic meaning within the current debate on the goals of landscape architecture among the other design disciplines.
During a 5-day seminar in a city outside the Netherlands we will apply acquired knowledge through study, drawn and written analysis, discussion and the execution of assignments in situ.

Learning outcomes:

After this course students will have gained:
- knowledge of the field of global garden and landscape design and related cultural issues from a historic perspective;
- an ability to consider main issues in the writing and understanding of landscape history;
- insight into the historic relationship between landscape design, science, technology and art, architecture, urbanism and culture;
- visual literacy and an ability to read, analyze and interpret different types of designed historic landscapes;
- an ability to name and place important designers, designs, places and dates and to see them in context;
- a critical understanding about the relationship between history and theory and contemporary design practice;
- some understanding of the importance of reading historic text on landscape design;
- an adequate use of vocabulary and terminology.

Activities:

Lectures, discussion, visual and textual analysis, literature studies, excursion with assignments

Examination:

Written examination, active participation in excursion with oral, written and drawn results.

Literature:

Elisabeth Barlow Rogers, Landscape Design. A Cultural and Architectural History, New York, Harry N. Abrams, 2001 ISBN 0 8 09 4253 4 (or later edition).