This thesis explores the use of criticism in the landscape architectural design studio. Criticism is a very useful tool in the communication of ideas and the evaluation of designs, yet its application in design studios has not reached its full potential in the discipline of landscape architecture. To develop an understanding of criticism as a pedagogical tool in the design studio, along with faculty and students expectations of criticism, this thesis uses a two-step approach. The first step explores the intentions of critique used by design instructors during desk crits and juries. The second step explores the students perceptions of the criticism they receive during desk crits and juries. The findings from both the faculty and students will be compared to discover both the faculty and students expectations and the reality of the design studio critique. Although very little literature exists on the theories of landscape architecture criticism and its use in the design studio, the first portion of this thesis explores theories of criticism borrowed from art, literature, and architecture; landscape architectural criticism; history of the design studio; and the use of criticism during desk crits and juries in the design studio. This thesis combines this research with the qualitative and quantitative data collected from design instructors and students, in order to gain an understanding of their expectations of criticism as a pedagogical tool, and the reality of its use in the design studio. The thesis research culminates into a suggested framework or structure for giving criticism, which could be utilized during a design jury.

This document investigates Louisiana State Universitys progress in becoming a fully accessible campus, specifically in regard to student housing and the surrounding amenities such as laundry facilities, dining facilities and recreational areas. The benchmarks used for determining this include the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Universal Design Handbook and surveys of other campuses that have made greater strides in this area. This document seeks to determine the extent to which Louisiana State University has become accessible for wheelchair users and bring to light examples of areas of difficulty in the housing cluster area. Equally important in this document are issues of aesthetics and the consideration of the psychological ramifications of mandated architectural components such as ramps and curb cuts being placed in out of the way areas, thereby creating a hierarchical disadvantage for physically impaired users of the campus and lessening the quality of the overall experience. The overarching intention of this document is to provide a framework for improving accessibility in order to bring the entire university community together in fully accessible spaces.

This thesis explores the urban landscape of Baton Rouge through the eyes of the children. It seeks to understand the affect that planning and design decisions have on the lives of the children and the way that children perceive their urban environment. By examining the way others have studied the urban space I develop my own approach of exploring cities and understanding the urban life. Originally, I conduct informal observations in the study area and I generate my questions relating to the spatiality of the children. Secondly, I research to find possible design and planning decisions that may explain or justify the construction of the urban landscape as it is presented today, and specifically the presence of the urban boundaries. At the end, through childrens drawings and their words, I explore the way children understand the urban boundaries and the way these boundaries influence their spatiality. The evaluation of childrens perception of their urban environment stresses the importance that planning and design decisions and emphasizes designers power, through their work, in other peoples lives.

This study resulted in the development of design guidelines used to create a contemporary exedra, in relationship to commemoration in the landscape. Through research and field investigation, an assessment of forms, materials, uses and locational characteristics of the exedra provides an understanding of the dynamics of the relationships between the elements of the exedra. By understanding the historical and commemorative nature of the exedra, landscape architects can utilize the form to create freestanding or structurally-integrated exedral forms as a solution to the identified need for the development of human-scale, urban places which commemorate people, places, and events.

This study examines and analyzes the sustainable development indicator data and determines what improvements and recommendations are needed for East Baton Rouge Parishs development. This thesis has identified methods and indicators for studying sustainable developments, studied patterns of sustainable developments in the East Baton Rouge Parish to identify trends and developed recommendations that would encourage sustainable development in the East Baton Rouge Parish. It forms fourteen sustainable principles that would encourage sustainable development in East Baton Rouge Parish and a framework for a sound development.

C. C. Pat Fleming practiced landscape architecture in Houston and the surrounding South from the 1920s through the 1990s. He came to be considered one of Houstons preeminent landscape architects, and his role in the profession cannot be overlooked. This thesis traces the evolution of Flemings design style over the course of his career, analyzing a selected cross section of his works against three design movements that occurred during his lifetime: the Beaux-Arts tradition, the Colonial Revival movement, and the Modernist movement. For investigating the work of Pat Fleming, the method of historical research is used. A historical context study is conducted, covering design and social movements during Flemings lifetime that relate to his work. This context study covers the international movements of Beaux-Arts, Classical European styles, and Modernism. The national trend of Colonial Revivalism is examined along with the regional mode of Southern gardens. The local context of Houston, Texas (Flemings residence and primary place of practice), is then examined. After establishing an historical context, case studies of various Fleming projects are presented. Works for critique are chosen which illustrate Flemings different design modes and those which portray an evolution of his sensibility. Flemings work was found to have evolved from his Beaux-Arts training to incorporate Modernist principles. This evolution was tentative at first: he characterized his more modern designs as informal. A persistent Beaux-Arts principle throughout his work is the use of axiality, even in many modern works. He remained heavily deferent to the architecture of the buildings and homes he designed for; however, in areas more distant from those buildings and homes, Fleming engaged in convincingly naturalistic design. His early connections with respected architects and prominent families afforded him significant opportunities. His personality, evocative of Southern gentility, was gracious and inviting to clients who sought his workespecially those clients whose tastes stemmed from Colonial Revivalist inclinations. Flemings engaging personality allowed him to closely observe how his clients lived and to design for that lifestyle.

This study establishes a set of guidelines for designing a therapeutic garden for autistic children. To understand how a garden may provide benefit, the literature on healing gardens is reviewed. The history of gardens in hospital settings and other healthcare institutions is examined. In addition, published work on the effects of nature on stress and health outcomes and theories as to why nature is restorative is included in the review of the literature. Because the focus of the study is outdoor environments for autistic children, published works on childrens outdoor environments and the topic of play are reviewed as well. The nature of autism and its characteristics are studied to determine the strengths, deficits, and needs of the autistic child as well as current treatment methodologies in use today including whether these treatments would lend themselves to an outdoor environment. Informal interviews with professionals who work with autistic children on a daily basis give insight into these treatment methodologies. A field study conducted at a facility for autistic children in New Orleans allowed observations of autistic children and the professionals who work with them providing first hand information about the nature of autism and implementation of treatment methodologies. Based on the extensive literature review, informal interviews, the field study, direct observation, and the writers own experience of teaching autistic children in New Orleans for a year, design guidelines are established.

American cities are facing unprecedented development pressures. Urban populations in particular are increasing and diversifying, land as a resource is becoming more valuable, and designers/developers are challenged to creatively maximize space for all land uses. As urban populations grow, space for burial of the dead may become limited thereby prompting communities to consider alternatives to traditional burial. The increase in numbers of cremation already points to this trend. In addition to the spatial limitation issues there also exist issues of social and cultural limitation. Ethnic diversity is rapidly increasing and within each group one finds different traditions and needs regarding burial and memorial. This diversity of trends is often ignored in cemeteries today. Considering the pressures for land in urban areas and the dramatically shifting demographic in the United States, it seems appropriate to reevaluate our use of all land including cemeteries. This thesis will explore fnctional considerations associated with burial, as well as other social needs in order to develop guidelines for efficient and socially responsive burial.

The profession of landscape architecture has struggled with public perception since the mid-nineteenth century. Community programs, coloring books, and educational toolkits are just some of the methods employed in the profession's attempt to improve public perception. Very little research has been conducted to test the efficiency of these educational attempts. The goal of this thesis is to create a Web-based program to effectively educate young members of the public. The program uses five "mini lessons" to present information about landscape architecture to the student. Links to the World Wide Web are scattered throughout the program to supplement lesson material. A "chat" is available for those students interested in communicating with a professional landscape architect. To assess the effectiveness of the program, information is collected from answers submitted by student users from within the program. From a total of sixteen questions, twelve are modeled after Bloom's Taxonomy to provide an analysis of student comprehension. The remaining four questions allow the student to express opinions and suggestions for program improvement. Although little literature exists that explores the evaluation of a Web-based educational landscape architecture program, surveyed literature does suggest its potential success. This study suggests that students can effectively learn about landscape architecture through use of such a program. This Web-based program can be used as an initial step in the development of more sophisticated Internet-based methods of educating high school students or the general public about the profession of landscape architecture.

This study is about humor and its application in Korean traditional space, which merges culture, design, and preservation. The purpose of the research is to seek humor as a significant design concept in Korean traditional space, and establish it through the examples. The examples focused on are found in temples and palaces since those are relatively well preserved Korean traditional spaces. Each humor in the examples is interpreted based on culture and the mentality of the age, such as religion, ideology, and customs. Also, forms and functions of humor are examined. Through the design analyses of case studies, unique characteristics of Korean traditional humor were found, and the importance was also discussed. Unlike that of Western countries, humor in Korean traditional space is soft, metaphoric, and human. Moreover, the humor creates intimacy and a unique sense of place so that it attracts viewers. Namely, humor is one of the significant design elements which has potential to be applied and developed for the future. Ultimately, this study will become an essential design guideline for both Korea and the western world.