Contemporary Landscape Design in Asia

This course is intended as an exploration of the broad phenomenon of contemporary landscape design in Asia, concentrating especially on China, Japan, and India. Given the wide range of cultures and project types in Asia, the class will focus on several topics, including: the conservation and interpretation of important historic landscapes and gardens; landscapes linked to significant infrastructure improvements; the creation of new urban plazas and pedestrian areas; the design of new recreation areas, especially parks; commercial and entertainment landscapes; and larger scale plans for environmental management or tourist development. The course will meet in lecture and discussion sessions. Lectures by the instructor will be supplemented with presentations by people especially familiar with the cultures and topics under discussion.