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Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts

Unit Outline

History and Theory of Landscape Architecture


LACH1010
SEM-1, 2015
Campus: Crawley
Unit Coordinator: A/Prof Christopher Vernon

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(Cth).
Copying of this material by students, except for fair dealing purposes under the Copyright Act, is prohibited. For the purposes
of this fair dealing exception, students should be aware that the rule allowing copying, for fair dealing purposes, of 10% of the
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the course material itself
The University of Western Australia 2001

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Unit details
Unit title
Unit code
Availability
Location

History and Theory of Landscape Architecture


LACH1010
SEM-1, 2015 (23/02/2015 - 20/06/2015)
Crawley

Credit points

Mode

Face to face

Contact details
Faculty
School
School website
Unit coordinator
Email
Consultation hours
Lecturers

Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts


Architecture, Landscape & Visual Arts
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/
A/Prof Christopher Vernon
christopher.vernon@uwa.edu.au
To be Advised

Name

Position

Email

Telephone Number

Christopher Vernon Unit Coordinator christopher.vernon@uwa.edu.au 6488 1565

Tutors
Unit contact hours
Lecture capture system
Online handbook

Associate Professor Christopher Vernon


Contact details as per above.
Lectures: 2 hrs per week; tutorials: 1 hr per week
LCS is implemented for this unit.
http://units.handbooks.uwa.edu.au/units/LACH/LACH1010

Unit description
This unit surveys the history and theory of landscape architecture, predicated upon the belief that knowledge of this subject is essential
to a landscape architects capacity to responsibly create places appropriate to our own time. It examines key places and figures who
have defined the intellectual and creative possibilities in landscape architecture, temporally ranging from antiquity through to the
twentieth century. The unit does not consider designed landscapes in isolation. Alternatively, they are examined as encapsulating wider
cultural concerns. In concert with an overview of Western design traditions, the unit also addresses Eastern approaches as expressed
in India, China and Japan.
This unit surveys the history and theory of landscape architecture, predicated upon the belief that knowledge of this subject is essential
to a landscape architect's capacity to responsibly create places appropriate to our own time. It examines key places and figures who
have defined the intellectual and creative possibilities in landscape architecture, temporally ranging from antiquity through the twentieth
century. Attention is also given to climatic changes since these historical landscapes were originally created. The unit does not
consider designed landscapes in isolation. Alternatively, they are examined as encapsulating wider cultural concerns. In concert with an
overview of Western design traditions, the unit also addresses Eastern approaches as expressed in India, China and Japan.

Learning outcomes
This unit explicitly focuses upon embedding students research abilities by studying shifts in the theoretical and practical (e.g.
technological) approaches of landscape architects throughout the period covered, as exemplified in selected design case studies. This
is assessed via a verbal presentation and a 1500-word written essay (including footnotes and bibliography). The unit explicitly focuses
upon embedding communication skills by (1) the development of competent writing skillsstudents acquire competency in essay
structure, referencing and bibliographical conventions; (2) oral presentationsstudents demonstrate competency in the verbal and
visual presentation of a landscape architectural case study and analyse it in relation to its social, intellectual and historical context; (3)
critical information literacy skillsstudents determine relevant information sources and interpret them competently to develop an
understanding of concepts related to the cultural and theoretical contexts of some key landscape architectural projects and their
designers; and (4) interpersonal skillsstudents demonstrate skills in listening to and responding to arguments in relation to the
meaning and intentions of key landscape architectural concepts and works, through participation in interactive seminars and
discussions.

Unit structure
This unit comprises two lectures and one tutorial per week.
All lectures will take place in the Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts (ALVA) building, room G.22, on Wednesdays, from 3.00 until
5.00 pm. Tutorials will take place for one hour in ALVA, room 2.05 on Tuesdays at 0900.

Unit schedule
Week

Date

Lecture Topic

Readings (from Jellicoe text) Tutorial

1 - 25 Feb
2 - 03 Mar
2 - 04 Mar

Wednesday Unit Introduction


Tuesday
Tutorial
Wednesday The Ancient world, Egypt & Meso-America pp. 10-19, 108-114, 98-105.
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3 - 10 Mar
3 - 11 Mar
4 - 17 Mar
4 - 18 Mar
5 - 24 Mar
5 - 25 Mar
6 - 31 Mar
6 - 01 Apr
7 - 14 Apr
7 - 15 Apr
8 - 21 Apr
8 - 22 Apr
9 - 28 Apr
9 - 29 Apr
10 - 05 May
10 - 06 May
11 - 12 May
11 - 13 May
12 - 19 May
12 - 20 May
13

Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Tuesday
Wednesday

Tutorial
Greece & Rome
Tutorial
The Middle Ages & Islam
Tutorial
China & Japan
Tutorial
Renaissance Italy
Tutorial
Renaissance France
Tutorial
Mughal India
Tutorial
The English Landscape Garden
Tutorial
The United States of America
Tutorial
The Modern Landscape
Tutorial
IN-CLASS TEST
Non assessment week

pp. 116-137.
pp. 138-153, 40-47.
pp. 68-97.
pp. 154-177.
pp. 178-191.
pp. 48-55.
pp. 232-247.
pp. 278-283.

ESSAY DUE

pp. 285-343.
IN-CLASS TEST

Assessment
Assessment overview
Typically this unit is assessed in the following way(s): (1) tutorial presentation; (2) short essay; and (3) end-of-semester examination or
test. Further information is available in the unit outline.

Assessment mechanism
# Component

Weight Due Date

1 Tutorial Presentation 20%


2 Essay
50%
3 In-Class Test
30%

Weekly Schedule
Week 10 - 06 May
Week 12 - 20 May

Assessment items
Item Title

Description

Submission Procedure for Assignments

Tutorial
Students, working in groups, will make a 20 minute
Presentation tutorial presentation on a designed landscape case study
or theme taken from one of the lectures. Your
presentations are to be illustrated via PowerPoint. The
allocation of lectures will be made by your tutor in the
week 3 tutorial. The presentation will be assessed on the
basis of clarity of description and evidence of wider
reading and research (presentations are not to be simply
a summary of the lecture).
Essay
Students are required to select either a landscape design Essays are to be submitted no later than 4PM on the
key case study for analysis or a research question from designated day to the Resource Room and should not
the list below.
exceed 2500 words, preferably typed, double spaced, on
A4 paper. There are computers available on the fourth
Essay Case Studies (Option 1)
floor in the Faculty for this purpose.
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Egypt)
The City of the Gods: Teotihuacan (Mexico)
The Acropolis of Athens (Greece)
Hadrian's Villa (Italy)
The Alhambra (Spain)
Classical Gardens of Suzhou (China)
Kyoto Imperial Palace Gardens (Japan)
Villa Lante (Italy)
Bomarzo (Italy)
Vaux le Vicomte (France)
Versailles (France)
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The Taj Mahal (India)


Humayan's Tomb (India)
Castle Howard (England)
Blenheim Palace (England)
Monticello (USA)
Central Park (USA)
Park de la Villette (France)
Essay Questions (Option 2)
Define and discuss the ancient Greek and Roman
concept of 'genius loci' or 'spirit of the place'.
In what ways might the Taj Mahal be described as
symbolising paradise on earth?
Andre LeNotre's design of the garden at Versailles is
often said to be symbolic of the human desire to control
the natural world. Do you agree with such an
interpretation? Why or why not?
What are the specific ways in which the designers of
English landscape gardens drew upon the idea of the
natural world in the 18th and 19th centuries? In addition,
discuss what social functions the gardens served.
In the view of Frederick Law Olmsted, why is it important
that cities include public parks? What role did parks play?

Essays are to be submitted no later than 4PM on the


designated day to the Resource Room and should not
exceed 2500 words, preferably typed, double spaced, on
A4 paper. There are computers available on the fourth
floor in the Faculty for this purpose. Concise, wellsupported arguments are necessary rather than length of
argument. Your essay will be assessed on the basis of
your ability to articulate a coherent, well researched and
considered response to the chosen topic. More
specifically:
Coherence and Consideration in Argument and
Response
Organisation
Analysis and background to the question
Clearly Stated Thesis
Consistency of Argument
Quality of Research
Extent and number of references
Appropriateness of references
Clarity of Presentation
Clear and correct grammar and expression
Adherence to Submission requirements
Use of scholarly conventions in referencing.

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In-Class
Test

Students will be given images of case studies discussed


in lectures. Students are then to identify and
contextualise the projects and their designers. They will
be required to write, in essay format, a critical response
to one of a choice of questions, drawing upon the case
studies. Assessment will be based upon clarity of writing
a response, along with evidencing a broad understanding
of the key concepts introduced in the unit, and an
awareness of significant projects discussed in the
lectures and in the readings, and the historical contexts
and the issues and ideas pertaining to them.

Textbooks and resources


Recommended texts
Geoffrey and Susan Jellicoe, The Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the Present Day(London: Thames
and Hudson Ltd, 1987).
Charles W. Moore, William J. Mitchell, William Turnbull, The Poetics of Gardens (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1988).
Philip Pregill and Nancy Volkman, Landscapes in History: Design and Planning in the Eastern and Western Traditions (New York: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999).
Patrick Taylor, The Oxford Companion to the Garden (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009).

Other important information


Enrolled students can access unit material via WebCT (Moodle from 2012)
Enrolled students can access unit material via the LMS in units that use LMS

Building clean-up and folio collection (for units with folio submissions)
Studios are expected to be left clean and tidy. Drawing boards are to be cleaned. Students must remove all personal property
immediately after the submission of their folio. If the content of a folio is used for exhibition then the student must write their name on
the back of the work so that when the exhibition is demounted collection is simplified. If staff or the Faculty wish to reserve work for
reproduction and/or accreditation purposes then this should be negotiated with individual students.

Attendance
Attendance is required at all lectures, tutorials and workshops. These are the primary means of consultation with your Unit Coordinator
and Teaching Assistants. Do not expect questions relating to content missed through unjustified absence to be answered. Additionally,
it will be assumed that students have read all relevant course materials.

Authenticity of work
For Studio units, the Faculty may prevent your continuation in this unit if you fail to meet requirements for attendance at
classes to establish the authenticity and originality of your work.
Submissions
The ALVA Submissions policy is available at:
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/

Submission of Late Work


All assessment tasks are due no later than 4pm on the date indicated in the unit's Assessment Mechanism Statement, with the
exception of in-class assessment items such as tutorial presentations. Any assessment task which is submitted after the time
indicated in the assessment mechanism statement without a formal approved extension will be considered LATE and appropriate
penalities will be applied. Information on penalties can be obtained in the Faculty Policy on Submissions
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Extensions
The Faculty approves extensions only in exceptional circumstances in order to ensure that all students are treated fairly and that
submission date schedules, which are designed to produce ordered work patterns for students, are not disrupted. Extensions may be
authorised only by the allocated Faculty Course Advising Office or a delegated representative. In all cases, requests for extensions
require the submission of Special Consideration form no later than three University working days after the due date.
Students are encouraged in the strongest possible terms to familiarise themselves with the Faculty Policy on Extensions available
at http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/policies/.

Return of Student Work


Marked assessments submitted on time will be made available for collection by students at least one week before the next assessment
in the unit is due (if it is related to the previous assessment), or no more than four weeks after submission, whichever is sooner.
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Special Consideration
For information regarding special consideration please go to:

http://www.student.uwa.edu.au/course/exams/consideration
Faculty Safety Inductions
The ALVA Health and Safety Induction (Part A) must be completed online by all students enrolled in a unit taught by the Faculty. This
online module is available for self-enrol via LMS. Completion of the Part A induction will ensure after-hours access to the ALVA Building
(including computer labs) is enabled.
The ALVA Workshop Induction (Part B) runs in Week 1 of each semester, and must be completed if the unit involves use of the
Workshop. Your Workshop Induction lasts for five years, after which you will be required to attend a refresher. Please refer to
http://www.alva.uwa.edu.au/students/facilities for more information on Inductions and Workshop close-down period.

Material and Equipment Costs


Costs specific to individual units will be communicated to students in this unit outline or early in semester.
All sites will require students to wear protective helmets; students needing to purchase a certified protective helmet may do so from
Alsafe Safety Industries Pty Ltd, 177 Bannister Rd Canningvale. Students must wear appropriate clothing when visiting building sites;
open toed shoes and sand shoes will not be accepted and students will not gain entry to site with these shoes. The sites also require
steel capped boots to be worn this is a condition of accessing these sites. These can be bought from Army Surplus stores or
borrowed, they are a worthy investment as will be required on future building sites of your own.

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