Practices of Landscape Architecture

This course presents the application of landscape ideas as a process of engagement and building amidst financial, legal, cultural, political, and professional contexts. The course aims to introduce conventions and circumstances that may be encountered throughout one’s career while stimulating new and creative, alternative dimensions of practice in a global context of universal agency.

Course content includes lectures, workshops and discussions led by the instructors and guests from around the globe, and incorporates student research, readings and discussion.  Though concepts appear iteratively throughout the term, early topics focus on design leadership and community agency, professional identity, firm marketing and business development, with visitors describing their career trajectories, firm development and working contexts, as well as their current endeavors. Topics then move to conventions and circumstances influencing legal, ethical, financial and operational aspects of practice, particularly those that can contribute to and detract from the success of firms and their projects.    During the third part of the course, academic trajectory, future impacts on practice and historic documentation practices are featured, in addition to the sharing of ongoing research by students. During the course, lecturers and work by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and LBGTQI people will be present. Issues of diversity and equity within the profession and in our work endeavors will be discussed throughout the course.

Recognizing that architecture, planning and landscape architecture share many aspects of practice, this course incorporates nuances and scope that are typically the focus of current landscape architectural practice itself, such as soils as a living medium; grading and planting; landscape architectural documentation and construction; landscape advocacy and stewardship; community contexts and agencies; and liabilities specifically associated with the practice of landscape architecture.

During this course students will develop the ability to:
1) Analyze and describe the various ways in which offices acquire work (particularly the Request For Qualifications and Proposal) and build their identity.
2) Demonstrate a familiarity with the vocabulary, concepts and processes associated with the financial management of a project and an office.
3) Describe the key elements contained in a contract for landscape architectural design services and typical points of negotiation, risk and opportunity.
4) Consider the role and requirements of professional licensure and professional associations, as well as ethics.
5) Describe the trade-offs involved with different types of practice and potential career trajectories, and begin to consciously build a professional network.

The first day of classes, Tuesday, September 3rd, is held as a MONDAY schedule at the GSD. As this course meets on Monday, the first meeting of this course will be on Tuesday, September 3rd. It will meet regularly thereafter.