LV EN RU DE FR

Park and Square

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Arhi1028, Material Studies of Outdoor Spaces

Arhi2067, Natural Landscape

ArhiB011, Digital Tools in Landscape Projects I

ArhiB014, Digital Tools in Landscape Projects II

Replaced course

Arhi2068 [GARH2069] Park and Square

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to learn the design process and to acquire the necessary knowledge for the development of a proposal for the improvement of the territory in parks and squares. In the lectures, students acquire the theoretical knowledge necessary for designing. In practical work, students learn practical skills in the design process. Students' achievements and results are evaluated with grades and final exams. The following topics are expected to be covered within the course: research of the existing situation, evaluation, and inventory of historical materials, legislation, planning principles, concept planning and development of sketch variants, development of greenery, covering and improvement concept, environmental accessibility and universal design, territory management. Within the framework of the study course, guest lecturers are regularly involved in the learning of current, thematic topics for the course.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Able to analyze and evaluate the current situation – develop the functional planning of the territory –practical work/cloister.
2. Able to develop a territory development concept (variants of idea sketches) – practical work/closing.
3. Can develop the detailing of the territory plan – selection of suitable elements – the concept of improvement elements and coverings. The concept of greenery - practical work/cloister.
4. Knows the presentation of detailed territory planning - visualizations, cuts, and windings – practical work/closing.
5. Able to develop detailed A1 / A0 format tablets of the territory development concept - practical work/cloister.
6. Able to justify and defend their idea – creating an explanatory description, developing a project presentation (speech), defending the project, preparing the tablet – practical work/closing/defending – exam.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The meaning and function of the park, planning principles, design process and linking of spatial planning with the adjacent territories of parks or squares (lecture 2 h).
2. Regulatory framework and evaluation principles of green areas of parks and squares, basic conditions in the design of historical territories (practical work No. 1 – 4 h, lecture 4 h).
3. Research and inventory of the existing situation of the territory, study of the topographic plan. Functional zoning of the territory, evaluation of conflict points (practical work No. 2 – 4 h,
lecture 4 h).
4. Research of examples of good practice in the design of parks and squares and evaluation of archival materials for the designed territory (practical work No. 3 – 4 h, lecture 4 h).
5. Development of conceptual planning and examples, development of sketch variants, final exam with a mark (practical work 6 h, lecture 4 h).
6. Universal design and environmental accessibility in parks and squares, suitability of appropriate solutions in parks and squares, examples and practice (lecture 4 h).
7. Compositional solution of the plan and justification of ideas, planned functional zoning, development of sketch variants, final exam with mark (practical work No. 4 – 4 h).
8. The scope of architecture in the outdoor space – scale, stylistics, design, environmental context, location and sight lines in the landscape. Roads and squares, parking lots – technical parameters and covering materials (lecture 2 h, practical work No. 5 – 4 h).
9. Selection of greenery appropriate to the character and function of the territory, types of park greenery and planning principles. Protection of trees in the design process, final exam with mark (lecture 4 h, practical work No. 6 – 4 h).
10. Detailing of the plan in AutoCAD software composition with an organized compositional solution. Preparation of the concept of territory improvement, covering and greenery – design (practical work No. 7 – 4 h, lecture 4 h).
11. Detailed presentation of the territory plan – development of visualizations, sections and contours, final exam with a mark (practical work No. 8 – 4 h, lecture 4 h).
12. Development of an explanatory description and correction of errors in territory improvement (practical work No. 9 – 4 h).
13. Planning of the construction process of parks and squares, maintenance and management of territories, taking into account the specifics of the project territory (practical work No. 10 – 6 h).
14. Presentation of the graphic composition of the work – tablet. Graphic design and composition of the tablet, types of information display (A1 or A0 format). Final exam with mark: draft of the tablet (practical work No. 11 – 4 h, lecture 2 h).
15. Final stage of the project presentation: presentation speech, clarifications and error corrections for the project tablets in black and white printout. Drawing up a presentation plan and presenting it in the audience (practical work No. 12 – 4 h).

16. Summary lecture. Presentation and defense of student works. Exhibition of student works (lecture 2 h).

Requirements for awarding credit points

Exam with a grade. Attendance at classes of at least 75%. All independent works have been developed, submitted and positively assessed within the specified time.
Works submitted after the specified time (unless there is a justifiable reason) will have their grade reduced in accordance with the assessment rules approved by the institute.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Practical work No. 1: study of the topographical plan, and evaluation of regulatory acts for the project territory.
Practical work No. 2: research the park or square for the existing situation and the existing functional zoning of the territory.
Practical work No. 3: a study of good practice in analog examples, evaluation, and compilation of archival and historical materials.
Practical work No. 4: development of the territory development concept, preparation of sketches for the project territory, and outline of the planned functional zoning.
Practical work No. 5: selection of landscaping elements and compliance with the project area.
Practical work No. 6: suitability and selection of greenery for the project area, the specifics and nature of the landscape taken into account.
Practical work No. 7: Preparation of drawings in digital format in AutoCAD.
Practical work No. 8: development of the most characteristic cuts and windings for the project area.
Practical work No. 9: Preparation of explanatory description and concept idea.
Practical work No. 10: fulfillment of territory management and maintenance conditions and implementation in the project territory in accordance with legislation.
Practical work No. 11: stylistic development of graphic material (A1 or A) tablets) and the tablet's visual overview, including the territory's scale and the developed details in the project area.
Practical work No. 12: Refinement of error correction, presentation speech preparation, graphic material completion, and printing preparation.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The evaluation of the study course depends on the cumulative evaluations of the practical works and the intensive amount of work, sketching, and developing ideas throughout the entire study course process.
The exam is an oral presentation of the student, defense of the improvement project developed within the studio course (A1 / A0 tablet and presentation speech).
The closure is the submission of works for assessment to the teaching staff, followed by a presentation of the work to the audience and a joint discussion between the teaching staff and students.
The student gets an evaluation for the closure of the set requirements are fulfilled and the work is handed in / defended within the set deadline. The closing grade decreases by 1 point if the closing is not completed in the planned week.
The study course can be rated "excellent" and "excellent" if the intermediate grades are not lower than "good", the "passed" rating has been received in all practical tasks and an additional task in the exam has been completed.

Compulsory reading

1. Dāvidsone I. Rīgas dārzi un parki. Rīga: Liesma, 1988. 159 lpp.
2. Baumeister N. New Landscape Architecture. Berlin: Braun, 2007. 350 p.
3. Harris C., Dines N. Time - Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 928 p.
4. Holden R. New Landscape Design. London: Laurence King Publishing, 2003. 191 p.

Further reading

1. Gēls J. Pilsētas cilvēkiem. Rīga: Jānis Roze, 2018. 270 lpp. / Gehl J. Cities for people. Washington: Island press, 2010. 270 p.
2. William H. Whyte. The social life of small urban spaces. New York: Project for public spaces, 2001. 125 p.
3. Simonds J.O., Starke B.W. Landscape architecture. A manual of environmental planning and design. Edition 4th. New York: McGraw –Hill, 2006. 396 p.
4. Bell S. Elements of Visual Design in the Landscape 2nd Edition

Periodicals and other sources

1. Rubene S., Ņitavska N. Metodiskie materiāli kursa projektam “Ainavu arhitektūrā un projektēšanā”. Jelgava, 2006.
2. Rubene S., Ņitavska N., Ziemeļniece A. Lekciju kurss “Ainavu arhitektūrā un projektēšanā “Power Point” programmā CD formātā”. Jelgava, 2007.

Notes

Compulsory course in full-time studies of MVZF study program "Landscape Architecture and Planning" (Bachelor).