SESSIONAL COURSES

The sessional courses of the Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) programme provide progressive studio-based learning from micro-scale landscape interventions to urban and regional landscape systems, culminating in a comprehensive thesis design research project.

LA 6802 (6 Credits): Landscape Design Studio 1

Allied Course: LA 6821 (Theory)

This course introduces the students to the rudiments of micro-scale landscape design such as site mapping and contextual analysis, comprehending site needs and program requirements, and deriving a design concept, visual-spatial experience design, planting design, embedded ecological awareness, temporality and phases of design and maintenance etc. In this studio, the concerned scale informs the relationship between architecture and landscape architecture. As an allied skill, landscape representation techniques will be introduced and practiced within the studio's scope.

LA 6804 (6 Credits): Landscape Design Studio 2

Prerequisite Course: LA 6802 (Sessional Course)

This course introduces the students to the urban and regional scales i.e., meso and macro scales, analysis of land use, ecological connectivity, landscape as infrastructure, native landscape systems and their use in contemporary challenges such as climate change, sea level rise, global warming, urban heat island effect or other emergent natural/man-made calamities. In the process of research by design, students will learn the techniques of case study analysis, deriving design strategies and principles and their application through spatial design. As an allied skill, geographic information systems, spatial configuration analysis, visual programming language or any other relevant software will be introduced and practiced within the scope of the studio.

THESIS STUDIO (6+9 = 15 Credits)

The thesis studios 1 and 2 are the culminating phases for the master’s degree that entail a capstone project under an assigned supervisor from the MLA programme, which emphasizes the design research skills of a student and application of their gathered knowledge in designing landscapes to meet multi-scalar challenges in a certain context.

LA 6810 (6 Credits): Thesis Studio 1

Prerequisite Course: LA 6804 (Sessional Course)

The Thesis Studio 1 encompasses the groundwork for the thesis project, i.e., problem statement, research question, literature review, site analysis, case study analysis, deriving design principles/strategies, and envisioning possible design outcomes.

LA 6812 (9 Credits): Thesis Studio 2

Prerequisite Course: LA 6810 (Sessional Course)

This is the final phase of the thesis design research and entails the application of design principles to multi-scalar landscape design, submission of a completed thesis report containing the design research process and outcomes, thesis defense, exhibition poster, model, etc.