112 W. Center St., Suite 700
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone (479) 575-4945
Fax (479) 575-7429
112 W. Center St., Suite 700
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone (479) 575-4945
Fax (479) 575-7429
The studio sequence is designed to build proficiency over time. Projects gradually expand in scale, scope and resolution, culminating in the fifth year final project.
First year: Awareness and Skill Building
Emphasis is placed on fundamentals: how to see, how to draw. The design vocabulary and the rudiments of drafting are introduced. Students learn how to make volumes and space tangible, and begin to reveal their own understanding of landscape and space.
Second Year: Dig In
Students begin to learn specifics about manipulating landforms in projects that are typically small in scale. The development of a theoretical site allows students to explore the idea of landscape narrative. Students also study memorials to develop an understanding of the role of meaning within landscape.
Third Year: Systems Analysis
The study of social and environmental systems is introduced. Students learn how to observe and record how people use spaces, and how to work with and modify landscape to accommodate human inhabitants. Students also study ecology. Field trips give them hands-on experience in reading a landscape: types of soils, the age of vegetation, traces of human impact and so on. A typical project could include the development of a park system or a transportation-oriented community design.
Students learn to analyze urban systems and great examples of city districts. To prepare for a project, they will look at an overall area, then design a discrete piece such as a retail area, plaza or public park. Students also begin research and analysis in preparation for their final, fifth-year project.
Fifth Year: Hands On
In this capstone studio, students address a “real world” project that offers preparation for professional-level work in landscape architecture. Students are guided by faculty in landscape architecture and associated disciplines, and in some cases by real clients. The course concludes with a formal oral presentation and a comprehensive project report.