LARC 131: Landscape Design History & Theory

“Landscape is a human conception, constructed of our goals and aspirations, built from necessity, greed, invention, and imagination. It is a mirror of who we are as a species, a society, a culture, a community.” – Beth Diamond

This course will examine human landscape interventions and imprints through time and space. We will explore historical landscape designs and plans at a variety of scales and contexts to develop diverse perspectives and understandings of our layered landscapes. Through lectures, readings, creative assignments, and discussions we will learn about how human ritual, attitudes, values, and behaviors shaped the framework for the built world today. The goals of the course are for students to build an understanding of landscape patterns and design movements, assemble inspirations, and reflect on and think critically about what should be brought (or left behind) from history to respond to the complex ecological issues and design projects we face today.

LARC 225: Landscape Graphics I

This introductory course to the Landscape Design major begins by looking at the breadth of landscape architecture work and the integrated design process used, including observation, analysis, iteration, critique, and presentation. The majority of the course is spent learning and exploring the various hand graphic communication techniques that landscape designers have as part of their toolbox to visualize and represent physical design ideas, from early brainstorming and inquiry through realization. Although graphics are not design in and of themselves, this course teaches the fundamental ways to begin thinking and working like a landscape designer.

LARC 335: Site Development

This course serves as an introduction to site engineering for landscape architecture. The course explores concepts and methods of grading and drainage design, and their functional and ecological implications. Students also build an understanding of ADA accessibility standards and sustainable stormwater management principles and design strategies. Through integrated site design assignments, students generate grading and drainage construction documents. The overall intent of this course is to prepare students to analyze and apply an ecological and artistic approach to grading and drainage for landscape design projects.

LARC 340: Site DESIGN STUDIO I

This studio explores sustainable residential, commercial, and/or mixed-use (MU) development at the site scale from planning to schematic design. We will investigate the bioregional challenges and opportunities of property development and discover ways to design landscape for sustained functionality, placemaking, and beauty. Projects will task you with creating plans and designs that are strongly anchored in theoretical concepts and ideas, embody the unique characteristics of the project site, and positively contribute to its ecological and cultural context. We will cover site design principles and theories, sustainable site design concepts and strategies, legal ordinances, lot layouts and organization, programming types and spatial requirements, and 3-D representation for site design. You will be encouraged to experiment, to realize concepts through clear interventions, and pursue the thoughtful execution of site solutions– taking concepts beyond collage and sketch models to discover a design’s true physicality. The studio focus is on both the design process itself and the resulting product, facilitated by specific studio projects, short lectures, readings, and in-class discussion and exercises.

LARC 432: SITE DESIGN STUDIO II

This studio focuses on site master planning and design that generates ecological, economic, and cultural value. You will be challenged to integrate the suite of skills acquired in other core courses, including graphics, site engineering, planting design, and construction. In the first part of the course, we will build understanding of landscape performance principles and tools through critical examination of lecture and reading materials and field experiences. The primary part of the course will involve application of landscape design knowledge and skills in a service-learning design project. Through this client-based experience, you will continue to advance your communication and professional skills through stakeholder outreach, representation, and verbal and technical written presentation.

        Want to be a community-engaged learning project partner? Contact us to get involved...

          Past Projects:

  • Oak Springs Community Park Master Plan, Bozeman, MT. Partners: City of Bozeman Parks and Recreation, Oak Springs Residential Owners Association.

  • Missouri Headwaters State Park- Trident Trail Extension Master Plan and Phase 1 Site Design, Trident, MT. Partners: Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Sacajawea Audubon Society, Holcim (US) 

  • Gallatin County Fairgrounds Integrated Stowmwater Design Project, Bozeman, MT. Partners: Gallatin County Fairgrounds, City of Bozeman Stormwater Program

LARC 440: Urban Planning and Design

The urban planning and design studio seeks to educate landscape designers to be leaders for vision-based change at community and regional scales. The course focuses on the environmental, social, and economic challenges and opportunities of developing an urban region, vibrant neighborhoods, and high performing green infrastructure. The first part of the semester explores topics including: city form, neighborhood and street design, sustainable urbanism, green networks, and urban landscape ecology. The second part of the course delves into developing design solutions, with a focus on master planning and design of neighborhoods, brownfield redevelopment sites, and public sites like streets and plazas.