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Landscape architecture

ASSIGNMENT MICHEAL ABEBE _ _ _ _ 0259/2006

What is Landscape ..?

Landscape design, like painting, sculpture, and architecture, is a form of art. “Design” is defined as “the planned arrangement of elements to form a visual pattern” in David Laurer’s Design Basics.

The opposite of design is to place elements by chance or at random. Landscape design differs from other three-

dimensional art forms in that it is dominated by the color green and it is a living form that continues to change with its component plants’ adaptation, nutritional status, and pest problems. Its technical considerations may include irrigation, lighting, water features, and the need to accommodate “hardscape” features such as streets, sidewalks, and walls. A landscape’s functional needs must also be satisfied in the design.

Elements in design are form, line, texture, and color. In landscape design, additional elements of sound (chimes, or the sound of water in rivers, the ocean, or waterfalls) and fragrance can also be included. Design elements are arranged according to design principles. These include order and unity, scale and proportion, balance and harmony, and rhythm and repetition. Design themes such as Japanese, tropical, or contemporary can also unite the design components in a distinct fashion.

Landscape, in both senses, includes the physical elements of geophysical defined landforms such as (ice-capped) mountains, hills, water bodies such as rivers, lakes, ponds and the sea, living elements of land cover including indigenous vegetation, human elements including different

forms of land use, buildings and structures, and transitory elements such as lighting and weather conditions.

Combining both their physical origins and the cultural overlay of human presence, often created over millennia, landscapes reflect a living synthesis of people and place that is vital to local and national identity. The character of a landscape helps define the self-image of the people who inhabit it and a sense of place that differentiates one region from other regions. It is the dynamic backdrop to people’s lives.

Landscape can be as varied as farmland, a landscape park, or wilderness.

The earth has a vast range of landscapes, including the icy landscapes of polar regions, mountainous landscapes, vast arid desert landscapes, islands and coastal landscapes, densely forested or wooded landscapes including past boreal forests and tropical rainforests, and agricultural landscapes of temperate and tropical regions.

Landscape may be further considered under the following categories: landscape art, cultural landscape, landscape ecology, landscape planning, landscape assessment and landscape design. The activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land is named landscaping.

What is landscape design…?

Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space between landscape architecture and garden design

Landscape design focuses on both the integrated master landscape planning of a property and the specific garden design of landscape elements and plants within it. The practical, aesthetic, horticultural, and environmental sustainability are also components of landscape design. It is often divided into hardscape design and softscape design. Landscape designers often collaborate with related disciplines such as architecture and geography, soils and civil engineering, surveying, landscape contracting, botany, and artisan specialties.

Design projects may involve two different professional roles: landscape design and landscape architecture.

Landscape design typically involves artistic composition and artisanship, horticultural finesse and expertise, and emphasis on detailed site involvement from conceptual stages through to final construction.

Landscape architecture focuses more on urban planning, city and regional parks, civic and corporate landscapes, large scale interdisciplinary projects, and delegation to contractors after completing designs.

There can be significant overlap of talent and skill between the two roles, depending on the education, licensing, and experience of the professional. Both landscape designers and landscape architects practice landscape design.

What is element of landscape design…?

1_ Rhythm and repetition The principle of rhythm and repetition tends to achieve visual unity. Golf courses have a natural aesthetic appeal because of the repetition of grassed areas. Water features, the ocean, lakes, and rivers achieve an effect because of The repetition of water. Many people take pictures of sun sets over the ocean because of the outstanding color of the setting sun and the stark simplicity of the sky and ocean. sand dunes and deserts is also visually appealing. Even a walkway that curves to the front door of a residence can give a strong feeling of rhythm to a landscape, even when the rest of the landscape is not that good.

2_ Scale and proportion Scale and proportion can refer to individual plants or the relationship of the plants to the architectural structure. If a ti plant has a diameter of 6 inches from one end of the foliage to the other end, the plant may be in good proportion below 1 foot or be out of proportion above 2 feet. Single-trunk tree ferns and palms may be in scale when young but out of proportion when old. Large trees such as monkey pods are generally too large for small lots but are fine for large parks 3_ Balance and harmony

The use of line can be a strong element in design. Vertical lines, for example, can impart an emotional lift to a design. coconut trees, cook pines, bamboo, and ironwood trees have been used as vertical elements in landscapes. In the U.S. Northwest, conifers can be used in the same way. The use of horizontal lines in hedges and the stairs of buildings can impart a solid, grounded feeling. One use of the principle of balance and harmony would be the juxtaposition of a single large tree on one side of a residential lot with many smaller trees on the other side of the lot. Even the use of complimentary colors can provide a balance between the colors (Itten 1970). For

example, one part of yellow balances three parts of violet, one part of orange balances two parts of blue, and one part of red balances one part of green.

… To be continue…