This is a treatise on an attempt to translate a concept -- the driving principle of a design in the parlance of the design studios at the Louisiana State University School of Landscape Architecture -- into practice, form and function. If form follows function, as states the oft quoted proverb of design credited to Louis Sullivan, then perhaps as much attention should be given to the design of the function as the form. What this treatise will demonstrate is that function designed around a concept can result in physical manifestations, or forms, of that concept. In this case a concept was applied to a community development project. The project in turn created physical manifestations of the concept. The focus of this work is on a project begun in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The concept underlying the Baton Rouge project was to use active stewardship of the land and its people as a means of promoting economic and community development. This concept was put into practice through the creation of the Baton Rouge Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance, or BREADA, the function of which is to foster stewardship of land and community. Among the most evident forms borne of the concept and BREADA are the Red Stick Farmers' Market, the community garden project, and the recently-created Main Street Market in downtown Baton Rouge. Examination of the Baton Rouge project lead to a second premise. The concept that drives the design of the function and form can also guide the creation of the conditions necessary to produce the desired function and form. This includes such seemingly mundane aspects of a project's creation as how it is organized, funded, administered, evaluated, and staffed.

Since the end of World War II, many American cities have seen an outward migration from their core into open spaces along the citys edge. The urban/suburban sprawl phenomenon not only affects urban cores but the rural lands and open spaces surrounding them. As landscape architects, we study humans and their interactions with the environment and have an important position in making informed decisions about issues of sprawl and unmitigated growth in communities. This study was conducted to provide city and parish officials and planning boards with options for beneficial growth in St. Landry Parish, a rural parish in south central Louisiana. A study of Smart Growth and its ten principles was completed. Also, three areas Lancaster County Pennsylvania, Talbot County Maryland and the Wasatch Area in Utah - were examined for comparison and insight on how suburban sprawl had been mitigated in their communities. Recommendations for a comprehensive growth plan in St. Landry Parish were made based on the analysis of Smart Growth principles and case studies. It was determined that three Smart Growth principles would benefit the rural character and sense of place in St. Landry Parish. The principles were (1) preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas (2) strengthen and direct development towards existing communities and (3) foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place. Community involvement in the planning process and the establishment of community vision and goals were highly encouraged. Smart Growth can be used as a step stone in the planning process for St. Landry Parish.

This study used a post occupancy evaluation to assess the impact of an existing hospital garden on its users. Previous studies of hospital gardens have been of passive garden use. This study addressed gardens including physical therapy, while also considering the emotional, spiritual, and social aspects. The POE included behavioral observation, interviews with the designer and lead therapist, a staff survey, and a patient questionnaire. In light of historical information and contemporary theory, the results revealed issues to be addressed in the design process of future healing gardens, specifically those including physical therapy. The major issues included: the need for research of similar gardens when designing new ones and the consideration of all users in the design process, visibility of the garden from indoors and a strong indoor outdoor connection, provisions for inclement weather, accessibility, thoughtful plantings, careful maintenance, and volunteer support. These issues and contemporary theories were used to develop design guidelines specifically for gardens including physical therapy. These guidelines included designing goal-oriented spaces, using appropriate plant material, coordinating volunteer groups to support horticulture therapy, and increasing the dialogue between health care professionals and designers. The study concluded with the need for design professionals to be involved with initial design and site planning phases of hospital campuses. Simple landscaped areas and entrance beautification must not be substituted for healing spaces. Indoor gardens such as atriums and solariums need study. Future studies will require studying different populations for more specific garden design. The quantitative relationship between physical, emotional, spiritual and social healing may need defining to establish the permanency of gardens in health care settings and greater society. Landscape architects have the opportunity to use contemporary research to design gardens that impart healing to the human body in a new and profound way.

Landscape Architecture is a field that is in process of development in Mexico. However, although empirically, the landscape was considered in the past as part of the human's environment, and this is the Mexican heritage. Thus, this heritage is important to considered because is part of the people's identity, and therefore, vital to protect. However, Mexico focuses its attention to the preservation of its' national heritage in the fields of architecture and fine arts, leaving without protective regulations and guidelines the field of landscape architecture. The following thesis intends to create awareness in people of the importance of the landscape and of the importance of the history of landscape architecture that has been happening in Mexico. To accomplish this task, the Casa Cristo, designed by Luis Barragán was chosen as a case study. This case study involved the development of the first part of a Cultural Landscape Report (CLR). Since Mexico does not have any protective laws for its' landscapes, to develop the CLR it was use guidelines and processes proposed by National Park Service in the United States of America. The study contributes to the field of preservation in Mexico, and to encourage the protection of Luis Barragán's work, specially the Casa Cristo.

For several years, the department of Landscape Architecture at Louisiana State University has entertained the thought of offering alternatives to the thesis as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Landscape Architecture. In recent discussions with graduate faculty, it was agreed upon that the idea of researching this in more detail and organizing a collection of information about the consequences of such actions would be beneficial in the decision making process. Through surveys and interviews of numerous graduate faculties, students, and administrators and through careful analysis of program curriculums, this thesis explores the positive and negative consequences a MLA program might incur by offering alternatives to the thesis requirement.

General information about the development the United States Interstate System, different theories of urban design, and samples of projects developed under elevated highways structures were used to illustrate the issues associated to the development of elevated highway within urban areas. After building the framework for the study of the spaces below elevated highways a comprehensive study of the contextual, spatial, and functional characteristics of the spaces below the Interstate-10 at Perkins Road was conducted over a period of 9 months. As a result of this study a master plan was developed to addresses the issues affecting the spaces below the Interstate-10 overpass at Perkins Road and surrounding communities. The areas surrounding the Interstate-10 overpass are part large area known by locals as the Perkins Road Historic Business District. This area of northern Perkins Road is an active commercial corridor surrounded by large subdivisions. During the development of the Interstate-10 overpass on the 1960s this area suffered drastic changes causing the removal of businesses and relocation of entire families. Despite these adverse effects Perkins Road commercial corridor has maintained its unique character but the under develop state of the spaces below the Interstate-10 overpass have restricted further development of the area.

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.