LV EN RU DE FR

Sustainable Landscape Development

Course developers

Course abstract

The study course provides knowledge about sustainable landscape development planning at different management levels and scales. During the study course, students acquire knowledge about regional planning and its regulatory framework. Within the course, the basic principles of sustainable landscape development planning and their characteristic parameters, preconditions and standards are learned.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge of the various theoretical aspects of urbanisation as a basis for the understanding, interpretation, applied and critical assessment of various information; knowledge of municipal planning processes and approaches to landscape planning. Assessment of acquired knowledge — Practical work No.1-4 and 7.
Skills to identify and apply the most appropriate sustainable development solutions in landscape architectural projects and landscape plans. Assessment of acquired skills — Practical work No.5, 8, 9, 11. Thematic seminars.
Competences to estimate existing landscape architecture projects and plans, as well as to develop new ones in accordance with the principles of sustainability and industry-recognized certificates. Assessment of acquired competencies - Practical work No.6 and 10. Laboratory works 1-5. Characterization of rural settlements or urban environment from the point of view of a landscape architect.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Lecture. The concept of region. Regional diversity and types, the essence of the "regional approach". Regionalization processes and stages. (2h) Practical work No.1 Spatial planning of sites in times of change: trends in landscape architecture. (2h)
2. Lecture. Regional policy. Classification and approaches of regional policy. Typology of national regional policies in Europe. (2 h) Practical work No.2 Capacity and assessment of coworking of landscape architects and other branch related specialists in the spatial planning process. (2 h)
3. Lecture. Guidelines and objectives of Latvia's regional policy. Regional development plans. Basic principles for regional planning. Territorial approach and sectoral policies. Regional policy-making for sustainable development. (1 h)
4. Lecture. Regional economy. Traditional growth models of regions and approaches to sustainable development. Regional economic development planning strategies. (2h)
5. Lecture. Green growth. Green economy. Ecological footprint. Circular economy. (2h) Practical work No.3 Circular economy solutions for improving the living environment in the context of sustainable development. (2h)
6. Lecture. State and local government competence in Latvia and abroad. Local government functions, their grouping. Local economic policy. Economic stimulus instruments. (1h) Practical work No.4 Solutions for improving the performance of municipalities for sustainable landscape management. (2h)
7. Lecture. Place branding. Place branding strategies. (3 h) Practical work No. 5 Place branding approach for defining a national image and creating a site identity. (4 h) Laboratory work No.1 Determination of the identity of town or settlement and characterization of the basic elements. (6 h)
8. Lecture. International organizations and planning documents in the field of regional development, spatial planning and landscape management. (4h) Practical work No.6 European Landscape Convention implementation, analysis of places recognised for “Landscape Award of the Council of Europe”. (2h)
9. Lecture. Guidelines for sustainable development of Latvia. Spatial development perspective. "Green deal". (1h) Practical work No.7 Current and future climate change in Latvia and in the world. (2h) Laboratory work No.2 Site dominants and specific landscape elements and structures. (6h)
10. Lecture. The concept of sustainability, the formation and evolution of definitions and understanding. Environmental, economic, social and cultural dimensions of a sustainable landscape. (4h) Practical work No.8 Assessment of UN Sustainable Development Goals. (2h)
11. Lecture. Landscape sustainable development planning at different scales. Sustainable management of urban resources. Forms of sustainable cities and green infrastructure development models, territorial development plans, functional zoning, multimodal mobility. Sustainable infrastructure. (4h) Laboratory work No.3 Lighting – the factor forming the environment. Motives and approaches for highlighting of sites elements. (6h)
12. Lecture. Principles of sustainable planning in rural areas. Urban forests. (2h) Practical work No.9 Analysis of ecosystem services in rural and urban landscapes. (2h)
13. Lecture. Principles and solutions of sustainable planning in the urban environment. Approaches and principles for the development of coastal and abandoned areas. Vertical gardens. Community initiatives to promote sustainability. (2h) Laboratory work No.4 Visual assessment of rural settlements or urban landscape. Assessment and proposals for panoramic enrichment. (6h)
14. Lecture. The importance of sustainable landscape design at the local level. Territorial planning of urban environment activities. (2h) Practical work No.10 BREEAM and LEED certificates and evaluation criteria. (2h) Practical work No.11 Analysis of examples of sustainable landscape development planning. (2h)
15. Lecture. Sustainability certification systems. Aspects of certification systems. Benchmarks for sustainable landscape design. Approaches to evaluating the principles of sustainable landscape design. Sustainable design solutions for buildings and sites in different climatic zones. (4h) Laboratory work No.5 Sustainable design solutions in urban environment. (6h)
16. Thematic seminars. Approaches for the design and operation of sustainable sites. Examples. (6 h)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Class attendance not less than 75%. The developed laboratory and practical works were submitted and successfully evaluated in time. Attendance and presentations at seminars. For works submitted after the specified time (if there is no justifiable reason), the mark is reduced by 1 point. The final grade of the study course consists of the average of all grades of submitted laboratory and practical works, presentations in seminars.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Development and preparation of laboratory and practical works for defence. Literature studies for in-depth acquirement of study course topics and presentations in seminars.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

The development of laboratory and practical works, presentations in seminars are evaluated according to their compliance with the issued task, as well as according to the compliance with the formatting requirements for elaboration of study works.

Compulsory reading

1. Vaidere I., Vanags E., Vanags I., Vilka I. (2006) Reģionālā politika un pašvaldību attīstība Eiropas Savienībā un Latvijā. Rīga: Latvijas Universitātes Akadēmiskais apgāds, Latvijas Statistikas institūts. 296 lpp.
2. Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework (2011) M. Richter, U.Weiland (eds.). 235 p.
3. Basics Landscape Architecture 02: Ecological Design (2011) N. Rottle, K Yocom (eds.). AVA Publishing. 184 p.
4. Bokalders V., Bloka M. (2013) Ekoloģiskās būvniecības rokasgrāmata. Kā projektēt veselīgas, racionālas un ilgtspējīgas ēkas. Rīga: Biedrība Domas spēks. 691 lpp.
5. Kurše P., Athauss D., Gabriēls I. (1995) Ekoloģiskā būvniecība. Rīga: Preses Nams. 398lpp.
6. Ņitavska N., Zigmunde D. (2013) Zaļas pilsētvides plānošana. Rokasgrāmata. Jelgava: Zemgales plānošanas reģions. 114 lpp.
7. Vides un ilgtspējīga attīstība (2010) M. Kļaviņš un J.Zaļoksnis (red.). Rīga: LU akadēmiskais apgāds. 334 lpp.

8. Skujāne D., Ņitavska N., Markova M., Spāģe A., Grīnfelde I. (2022). Teritoriju plānošana un integrēta dabas resursu pārvaldība. Pārrobežu sadarbības programmas 2014-2020 projekts "Sticky Urban Areas", Latvijas Biozinātņu un tehnoloģiju universitāte, Jelgava. 71 lpp. ISBN 978-9984-48-401-3

Further reading

Bendere R., Teibe I, Pacina J.M., Sunnsets H., Kasparinskis R., Kudreņickis I., Šmigins R., Vidužs A., Burlakovs J. (2016) Klimata izmaiņas, ko rada antropogēnie procesi - atkritumu un notekūdeņu apsaimniekošanā. Rīga: Biedrība Latvijas Atkritumu saimniecības asociācija. 145.lpp.
2. Kennen K., Kirkwood N. (2015) Phyto: principles and resources for site remediation and landscape design. New York: Routledge. 346 p.
3. Kļaviņš M., Blumberga D., Bruņiniece I., Briede A., Grišule G., Andrušaitis A., Āboliņa K. (2008) Klimata mainība un globālā sasilšana. Rīga: LU Akadēmiskais apgāds. 174 lpp.
4. Makhzoumi J., Pungetti G. (1999) Ecological Landscape Design and Planning. London: E&FN Spon. 330 p.
5. Roehr D., Fassman-Beck E. (2015) Living Roofs in Integrated Urban Water Systems. London: Routledge. 178 p.
6. Steiner F., Butler. K. (2007) Planning and urban design standarts. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. 436 p.
7. Štrausa S., Brencis R., Ziemeļniece A., Vulāns A. (2011). Ēku energoefektivitāte klimata maiņas apstākļos: mācību palīglīdzeklis. Jelgava: LLU. 90 lpp.
8. Thompson I.H. (1999) Ecology, Community and Delight. London: E&FN Spon. 188 p.
9. Thompson J.W., Sorvig K. (2018) Sustainable Landscape Construction, Third Edition: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors. Washington: Island Press. 502 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Topos. European Landscape Magazin. Munchen:Callwey. ISBN 3-7667-1593-3
2. Vides Vēstis: Vides aizsardzības kluba žurnāls.Rīga : Vides aizsardzības klubs. ISSN 1407-2939. Pieejams: http://www.videsvestis.lv/e-zurnali/
3. National Geographic. [tiešsaiste]. Official Journal of the National Geographic Society. ISSN: 0027-9358. Pieejams: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/
4. Latvijas Architektūra: arhitektūras, dizaina un vides apskats. Rīga: Lilita, 1995- Burtn. ISSN 1407-4923
5. Journal of Landscape Architecture (Jola). [tiešsaiste] Online ISSN: 2164-604X. Pieejams: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rjla20
6. Landscape Architecture and Art. [tiešsaistes žurnāls] Online ISSN: 2255-8640. Pieejams: https://llufb.llu.lv/Raksti/Landscape_Architecture_Art/

Notes

Compulsory course in full-time studies of VBF study program "Landscape Architecture and Planning" (Master of Professional Higher Education). The study course is also taught in English.