Landscape Architect Course

Lesson 1 • History and Evolution of the Discipline

Traces landscape architecture from ancient gardens to contemporary practice. Establishes historical context that informs modern design decisions throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Professional Roles and Project Types

Defines the landscape architect's scope across residential, commercial, civic, and ecological projects. Students map career pathways and understand interdisciplinary collaboration.

Lesson 3 • Reading and Interpreting Site Context

Teaches students to observe and document existing site conditions as the starting point for design. Connects environmental reading skills to informed design responses.

Lesson 1 • Synthesizing the Site Inventory

Integrates topographic, hydrological, soil, and ecological data into a unified site analysis document. This synthesis becomes the evidence base for all subsequent design proposals.

Lesson 2 • Soil Science for Designers

Introduces soil texture, structure, pH, and bearing capacity as design constraints. Soil knowledge directly informs plant selection, grading, and infrastructure placement.

Lesson 3 • Topography and Landform Analysis

Covers contour reading, slope calculation, and landform classification. Accurate topographic analysis is essential for grading, drainage, and spatial organization in design.

Lesson 4 • Ecological Communities and Biodiversity

Surveys plant communities, habitat types, and ecological corridors relevant to design sites. Ecological literacy enables designers to protect and enhance biodiversity.

Lesson 1 • Technical Drawing Conventions

Teaches standard drafting conventions including scale, symbols, north arrows, and title blocks. Technical accuracy ensures drawings are readable by contractors and regulatory reviewers.

Lesson 2 • Planting Plan Graphics

Focuses on representing plant material in plan and elevation using standard graphic conventions. Clear planting graphics are critical for contractor interpretation and permit submissions.

Lesson 3 • Freehand Sketching and Ideation

Develops quick sketching skills for capturing spatial ideas during design exploration. Freehand fluency accelerates concept generation and client communication throughout the design process.

Lesson 4 • Rendering and Presentation Graphics

Covers color rendering, material representation, and layout composition for client presentations. Compelling presentation graphics increase design approval rates and client confidence.

Lesson 1 • Planting Plans and Specifications

Covers producing complete planting plans, schedules, and written specifications for construction. Accurate documentation ensures correct installation and forms the basis for contractor bids.

Lesson 2 • Ecological Planting Approaches

Introduces native plant communities, pollinator gardens, and habitat-based planting design. Ecological approaches align design with environmental stewardship and regulatory expectations.

Lesson 3 • Plant Identification and Characteristics

Builds a working plant palette covering trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses, and groundcovers. Accurate plant knowledge is the foundation of every planting design decision.

Lesson 4 • Planting Composition Principles

Applies design principles to arrange plants for structure, seasonal interest, and ecological function. Composition skills transform plant lists into cohesive, layered landscape experiences.

Lesson 1 • Surface and Subsurface Drainage Design

Teaches swale design, catch basin placement, and subsurface drain systems for site water management. Effective drainage prevents erosion, flooding, and structural damage to landscape installations.

Lesson 2 • Erosion and Sediment Control

Covers temporary and permanent erosion control measures required during and after construction. Erosion control planning is a regulatory requirement on most graded sites.

Lesson 3 • Grading Plan Production

Guides students through drafting a complete grading plan with spot elevations, contours, and drainage arrows. Grading plan proficiency is required for permit submission and contractor coordination.

Lesson 4 • Grading Principles and Earthwork

Covers finished grade design, slope standards, and cut-and-fill balancing for site projects. Proper grading ensures accessibility, drainage, and structural stability of all landscape elements.

Lesson 1 • Steps, Ramps, and Accessible Design

Applies accessibility standards to the design of steps, ramps, handrails, and level changes. Inclusive design is both an ethical obligation and a regulatory requirement on most projects.

Lesson 2 • Retaining Walls and Grade Changes

Covers gravity walls, segmental block, timber, and concrete retaining wall types with structural considerations. Wall design must address lateral earth pressure, drainage, and safety requirements.

Lesson 3 • Site Structures and Furnishings

Covers pergolas, fences, gates, seating, lighting, and signage as integrated site design elements. Site furnishings must be detailed for structural adequacy, material durability, and design coherence.

Lesson 4 • Paving Materials and Selection

Surveys concrete, asphalt, unit pavers, stone, and gravel for pedestrian and vehicular applications. Material selection balances aesthetics, durability, maintenance, and budget constraints.

Lesson 1 • Programming and Needs Assessment

Teaches client interviewing, program development, and functional requirement documentation. A thorough program prevents scope creep and aligns design outcomes with client expectations.

Lesson 2 • Concept Design and Schematic Development

Guides students through concept generation, bubble diagrams, and schematic design refinement. Concept clarity at this stage reduces costly revisions during later design phases.

Lesson 3 • Construction Administration and Closeout

Covers site observation, submittal review, change order management, and project closeout procedures. Effective construction administration protects design intent and client investment during building.

Lesson 4 • Design Development and Documentation

Covers refining schematic designs into coordinated design development drawings and specifications. This phase resolves material, dimension, and coordination decisions before construction documents begin.

Lesson 1 • Park and Open Space Planning

Teaches park programming, spatial organization, and phased development planning for public open spaces. Parks must balance active recreation, passive use, ecology, and long-term maintenance capacity.

Lesson 2 • Streetscape and Public Realm Design

Covers street tree placement, pedestrian zone design, and planting in constrained urban rights-of-way. Public realm quality directly influences walkability, economic vitality, and community well-being.

Lesson 3 • Landscape and Land Use Planning Integration

Connects landscape design to land use planning, zoning, and comprehensive planning processes. Designers who understand planning frameworks can influence policy and shape better built environments.

Lesson 4 • Urban Landscape Systems and Green Infrastructure

Examines urban tree canopy, green corridors, and connected open space networks as infrastructure systems. Systems thinking at this scale requires integrating ecology, mobility, and social equity.