Catalog Description

An introduction to the history narrative of landscape architecture through the development of ideas and principles related to context, designer, and text. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and consent of graduate advisor.

Course Objective

The objective of this course is to present a concise but clear analysis of the development and handling of outdoor spaces and it relationship to the allied arts throughout the ages with special emphasis for the period of ancient times to 1900.

Course Content

Although the profession of landscape architecture was not established until 1858 with the design of Central Park by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the art of design on the land and the development of outdoor space had been practiced since the beginning of time.

In recent times, there has been much emphasis upon man's built environment. Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe in his book, Landscape of Man, stated:

"The world is moving into a phase when landscape design may well be recognized as the most comprehensive of the arts. Man creates around him an environment that is a projection into nature of his abstract ideas. It is only in the present century that the collective landscape has emerged as a social necessity. We are promoting a landscape art on a scale never conceived of in history."

Many historian will attempt to separate and establish "periods" and "styles" of the history of outdoor space in order to embalm them in a chronological order. This approach is unrealistic because history is not static--it is dynamic and outdoor space must be studied in relationship to the social, economic cultural, and political conditions. It is very important for the historian to be in close contact with contemporary conceptions as they evolve from historic precedents. Only then can he relate and detect the trends and traditions of the past with the present.

The following is a list of units which will be covered in this course:

Unit & Subject Matter Covered

1. Introduction, Egypt and the Near East
2. Greece & Rome
3. Hispano-Arabic
4. Middle Ages to Renaissance
5. Italian Renaissance & Baroque, Spaces & Villas
6. French Tradition & Andre LeNotre
7. English Renaissance & The 4 P's
8. William Kent, Lancelot Brown & Humphry Repton
9. Review & Mid Term Exam
10. The Garden Prince & Joseph Paxton
11. Early US: Settlement Patterns- North & South & The Public Domain
12. Victorian America & A.J.. Downing
13. Frederick Law Olmsted - Central Park
14. FLO - Landscape Architect
15. Coincidental Conservation and Charles Eliot

Final Examination Date set by University

Prof. Miller will be in residence on alternate weeks to give lectures and to participate in discussions. The other week is to be used for the required readings and to view videos which will cover related material to the lectures.

Textbooks

The textbooks for this course are:

1. The Landscape of Man by Geoffrey and Susan Jellicoe, Thames and Hudson Publishers, Available in paperback.

Supplemental material covering lectures may be made available from time to time. This material may be purchased for the cost of printing.

Required Readings

Required reading list will be handed out in class with page to be read These books and other material will be available on reserve in the Architecture Library. Students will be responsible for these readings on examinations.

Suggested Video/DVD Viewing

1. The Black Robe
2. Jefferson in Paris
3. Dangerous Liaisons (first seven minutes)
4. Vatel
5. Three Coins in the Fountain (introduction with walk through Villa D'este)
6. Barry Lyndon

Evaluation

Examinations may be multiple choice, completion, or essay. Make up exams will be essay or oral. The Mid Term is 50 % , Final Exam is 50 % of Final Grade. The final exam may contain comprehensive questions.

Teaching Faculty

E. Lynn Miller, FASLA, R.L.A.

Mr. Miller received his B.S. Degree in Ornamental Horiticuture from West Virginia University and his Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from Harvard University. He is an Emeritus Professor of Landscape Architecture at The Pennsylvania State University where he taught for 35 years. He was a Visiting Professor at the Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal, Tsinghua University in the Peoples Republic of China, and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. In 1992 he was the ASLA Congressional Fellow with the House Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment. In 1995 he received the Outstanding Educators Award from the Council of Educators of Landscape Architecture. He is the co-author of The Classic McHarg: An Interview. His most recent book is Fresh Fish: A Civil War Prisoner's Story. His private design projects include the Toftrees Planned Community and the Urban Park of Oporto, Portugal. The latter has been selected by the Portuguese Society of Civil Engineers as one of the 100 most significant projects in Portugal in the 20th Century. He was a member of the University of Texas team which was one of the finalists on the Flight 93 memorial competition. He is an avid biker and has biked across the US from El Paso, Texas to St. Augustine, Florida. His interests are in farmland preservation and the natural, cultural and historic landscape. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and a Registered Landscape Architect in Pennsylvania.