Selection of electives must be approved by the Program Director. Applied problem types, at various scales, emphasize procedures and skills needed for the translation of research, site analysis, programming and conceptual ideas into physical design and three-dimensional form. Emphasis is on the development of critical thinking, spatial literacy and design process skills. This studio develops fundamental knowledge of landscape design principles and applications through readings, discussions, workshops and studio exercises. This studio is designed to raise and resolve issues of theory, method and application which are relevant to large, complex, and partly undefined physical development problems.
Emphasis is on the examination and application of site planning processes and principles.
An interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning is used to address relevant environmental, social, aesthetic and economic issues. Projects will explore current theory, precedent and applications for the preservation, design, planning, and management of both natural and constructed green areas within and adjacent to the city. Projects will range from regional to site-specific proposals for the development and revitalization of the public and private realm including open space systems, parks, streets, gardens and related infrastructure. The studio focuses on creating urban landscape designs that meaningfully respond to contextual social, political, economic and built-form issues. The sites and problems of this studio are selected to reveal contexts for design unique to metropolitan landscapes with specific emphasis on the Greater Toronto Area.