11172 Landscape History and Theory 1

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Architecture
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject explores the significance of landscape architecture in the face of existential imperatives raised by climate change. The range of topics covered includes: the history and current state of earth systems and climate science; past and present climate institutions and policies at the local, national and international level; climate imaginaries in art and the environmental humanities; climate futures scenarios and the issue of intergenerational justice. All of these extra-disciplinary approaches are paired with a constant interrogation of landscape architecture’s agency — both practically and conceptual — in relation to the climate problematic, including examination of concrete projects and policy proposals, and specific geographical and ecological territories of climate precarity and vulnerability.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1.	Demonstrate an understanding of key events, contexts, issues and practices in climate history and theory with respect to the design of landscape
2.	Demonstrate an understanding of how landscape architecture has changed in time and place and of the social, political and cultural implications of climate
3.	Demonstrate an understanding of the diverse artistic and organisational roles practices have played in response to climate
4.	Demonstrate an understanding of the methodologies involved in studying climate history and theory as a scholarly discipline
5.	Demonstrate an understanding of the relevance of climate history to decisions made in designing landscapes.
6.	Demonstrate an understanding of systems of the biophysical earth and how they inform the way climate is framed in contemporary and historic discourse
7.	Demonstrate an understanding of some of the basic vocabulary used in to describe climate and landscape architecture

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

Formulate an ethical position and develop approaches to advocate for equitable and just landscapes that deliver positive impacts. (C.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

This subject allows students to:

Reflect on and engage in self-critique and critical thinking
Demonstrate initiative, collaborative ability, and collegiality
Increase his or her awareness of the significance of history and theory for the understanding of development and change in architecture
Help provide students with some of the disciplinary knowledge necessary to becoming literate in the fields of architecture and landscape architecture
Develop the ability to communicate ideas effectively in a variety of ways including oral, written, visual, physical and digital;
Foster an attitude to learning that leads to enthusiastic lifelong pursuit of knowledge and skills.

Teaching and learning strategies

Weekly online: 1-hour lecture; 2-hour tutorial

week 10 symposium; please note that due to week 8 and 9 both falling on NSW public holidays, we will have a 5-hour symposium and workshop in week 10. you must available for this entire session which will run from 12pm - 5pm.
Weekly at home: 2- 3 hours of reading and/or 5 house other assessment work including:

The subject will be delivered through a combination of illustrated lectures, independent work, assigned readings, group work and discussions and tutorials.

Please note: the material delivered in the lectures complements the material covered in the assigned readings and tutorials. In order to fully understand the subject, you must attend all the lectures and tutorials and do the assigned reading.

OPELA, English Language Framework

An aim of this subject is to help you develop academic and professional language and communication skills in order to succeed at university and in the workplace. To determine your current academic language proficiency, you are required to complete an online language screening task, OPELA (information available at https://www.edu.au/research-and-teaching/learning-and-teaching/enhancing/language-and-learning/about-opela-students) [or a written diagnostic task]. If you receive a Basic grade for OPELA [or the written diagnostic task], you must attend additional Language Development Tutorials (each week from week [3/4] to week [11/12] in order to pass the subject.These tutorials are designed to support you to develop your language and communication skills. Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a Fail X grade.

Content (topics)

Themes presented in the subject may include:

impacts of technology;
cultural and social concept of climate;
geophysical understand of climate and earth systems;
ideas and practices of avant-gardism;
utopianism and revolution;
earth law and climate justice;
climate as a historical contingent concept;
the role practices play in climate discourse;
geo-politics and cross-cultural exchange, particularly the response to climate change, and new design responses to these themes.
Anthropocene and industrialisation.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: AT1 - weekly reading and lecture reflections

Intent:

Weekly reading and lecture reflections - in this task you will demonstrate your comprehension and critically thinking in relation to the lectures and readings. Feedback will be given in intermim to ensure that you are following the correct acedmic writing approach.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1, 2, 6 and 7

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

.1, .2, .2 and C.1

Type:

Reflection

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

40%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Comprehension of assigned readings.	25	1	C.1
Submission of thoughtful questions about the readings on a weekly basis.	25	2	.2
Comprehension of critical climate concepts from the lecture and assigned readings as demonstrated in analytical problems done in group work.	25	7	.1
An understanding of the theoretical issues influencing climate and landscape architecture and their impact	25	6	.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: AT2 - extended writing exercise

Intent:

More extended writing exercise - prepare a positioned narrative essay, which situates your lived experience in relation to climate change and ecologic concerns. Present on an A1 piece of paper as textual-visual propersition.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

3, 5 and 6

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

.2 and C.1

Type:

Essay

Groupwork:

Individual

Weight:

60%

Criteria linkages:

Criteria	Weight (%)	SLOs	CILOs
Comprehension of assigned readings.	25	3	C.1
Submission of thought-full and crtixal questions which contribute to Volume agenda	50	5	C.1
A command of the vocabulary of Climate	25	6	.2

SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Minimum 80% attendance is required at lectures and tutorials and will be recorded. Students who miss more than 20% will not be assessed.

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

It is a requirement of this subject that all students complete OPELA [or a written diagnostic task]. Students who received a Basic grade in the OPELA [or the written diagnostic task] are required to attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials in order to pass the subject. Students who do not complete the OPELA and/or do not attend 80% of the Language Development Tutorials will receive a Fail X grade.

Required texts

Key reference books will be placed in the library closed reserve to ensure that all students undertaking this subject
have access to them. Students are encouraged to use UTS library and other public libraries in Sydney.

Other required, recommended and reference texts will be listed and updated in CANVAS.

Other resources

There is a series of films and videos listed in the subject outline that complement the material covered in the lectures.