1. Exploring Landscape Design

2. Landscape Design Profession
Landscaping is a profession that includes designing, installing, and maintaining the outdoor environment.
This is a picture from the Biltmore Estate of Frederick Law Olmstead, a premiere landscape architect. He designed Central park in NY and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC… very famous dude.

3. There are three branches of the landscaping industry.
Landscape architects and designers
Landscape contractors
Landscape maintenance

4. What is a design-build firm?
Landscape businesses that handle everything from the initial contact with the client through the design and construction, as well as, long-term care and maintenance.

5. What is the difference between a landscape nursery worker and a landscape designer?
Landscape nursery worker is a professional who sells and installs landscape plants and related materials.

6. What makes a good design?

7. Balance

9. Balance- materials are distributed evenly on opposite sides of a central axis
Symmetric- one side is reflective mirror image of the opposite side (formal).
Asymmetric-each side has as much interest as the other, but is not a duplicate of the other side.
Proximal/distal-balances right and left as well as near and far.
Macro-range- viewer sees the landscape from the most distant vantage points.
Closer range- the views from other locations not as distant.

10. What type of balance do you see here?

11. What type of balance do you see here?

12. Focalization of interest
Selects and positions visually strong items in the landscape composition to create focal points.
Draws the eye of the viewer to one major feature in each use area, such as a corner planting or fountain.

13. Focalization of interest

16. Simplicity
Seeks to make viewers feel comfortable within the landscape.
Excludes any unnecessary changes in shape, color, direction, etc.
Repeating plant textures and colors to not have strong contrasts that clash.
For ex. Repeating burgundy throughout the landscape but with different plants and not using orange with red or pink.

17. Simplicity

20. Rhythm and line
Repeating something at a standard interval or pattern creates rhythm, and lines establish the shape and form of the landscape.
Replicating strong existing lines such as the lines of the house or pool. Functions of line plantings include foundation plantings, block a view, frame a view, and privacy.

22. Rhythm and line

25. Proportion
The size relationships between all the features of the landscape including vertical, horizontal and spatial relationships.
Proportion will maintain proper proportional relationships in a landscape between: buildings and people, building and plants, plants and people, plants and plants, masses and soils.

26. Proportion

29. Unity
All separate parts contribute to the creation of the total design.
Unity ties together the individual parts of each use area by: repeating prominent colors, construction materials, continuing interior design themes to outdoor rooms, repeat plant species, raise patios, decks, and porches to door level.

30. Unity

33. The Landscape Design Process
There has to be a plan, man.

34. Landscape process
Process is a sequence of steps to reach a goal.

35. Project development Need or objectives Design process
Accepting the design
Contracting
Subcontracting
Actual landscaping
Acceptance
Billing
Payment

36. Project maintenance Need or desire
Selecting landscape maintenance company
Landscape Co. assesses needs
Proposal
Acceptance
Co. schedules work
Work
Billing
Payment

37. Design process Includes site analysis and program analysis
Check out soils, do soil tests
Look at drainage
Measure site
Determine grading

38. Client interview
Ask client questions to gather information needed to design a plant
Questions about their lifestyle, likes and dislikes and budget requirements

39. Questions you would ask?

40. Site analysis

41. Site analysis
The designer examines the natural, man-made, cultural, physical and visual characteristics of the site.
Collection should be a thorough inventory of the site’s positive and negative qualities.
Identify existing features in the area(s) to be landscaped
Take measurements and photos for reference and scaling

42. What things are you looking to identify?

43. Sequential plans
Different plans are used at different phases of the design process according to need of detail.
This is sequential planning- each is increasingly more specific and detailed.

44. Functional diagrams
Begin the arrangement of the client’s program on the site.
Bubble diagrams(loosely drawn freeform shapes represent areas or spaces) also known as concept plans.
Help the designer make decisions concerning layout and sizes and use of each area.

45. Functional/ Bubble design
Family living area: Extension of the interior to the exterior. Serves for outdoor entertaining
Example: Pool, patio, grill, play area

46. Functional /Bubble cont.
Service Area:The portion of the landscape that is utilitarian. Normally close to the kitchen, on the side or back of house.
Sheds, trash cans, gardens, etc.
Not public or private areas

47. Functional / Bubble cont.
Private living Area: Typically attached to Master Bedroom.
Not in view of public, adult relaxing, small, should be screened.

48. Preliminary designs
Refine bubbles to show rough draft vision of how each landscape area will be shaped.
The landscape is given its form, type of materials to be used, and application of landscape design principles.

49. Preliminary designs, cont’d.
They are simple without real details.
Horizontal and vertical relationships between objects and areas are now included.
A number of preliminary designs may be show to a client before the final plans are made.

50. Final plans
Use suggestions and reactions of the client to make a master drawing that is graphically detailed and completely specific in its intent for the landscape.

51. Final plans Include precisely identified plants and other materials.
Specifics for contractors and subcontractors.
Graphics are designed to impress.

52. Computer Assisted Drawing
Auto CAD
A computer program that can help in designing
Used throughout design firms and trades

53. Graphics Lettering and numbers Can be done free-hand.
Can be done mechanically.
Can be done with computer.

54. Rendering Coloring of a design.
Aids in giving a visual concept to the client about what it will look like.
Drawing that can show the design from another view point other than plan view (bird’s eye).

55. Hand drawing instruments