ADVANCED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE - Lecture 1

ADVANCED
LANDSCAPE
UNITY
UNIVERSITY ARCHITECTURE
Architecture & Urban Planning
Department
Year Group V
LECTURE I – Elements of Visual Design in the Landscape
De c e mb e r, 2 0 2 1
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
ADVANCED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
Elements of Visual Design in the Landscape
CONTENTS
Introduction  Our environment of mountains, hills, plains, water, woods, vegetation, buildings and
The Three-Tier Structure artifacts provide myriad of landscape patterns that we see.
Basic Elements  To make sense of this, different theories of aesthetics and visual perception have been
Variables in play.
Organizations
 In order to understand our surrounding, we need to be able to separate each constituent
part and then identify it to relate it back to the whole scene.
 Landscapes can be analyzed in a rational manner to aid the understanding of their
visual qualities.
 Science the patterns we see are formed from the arrangements of different
components, it is an obvious starting point to describe and classify them.
 Every object that makes up one of these components can be regarded as ‘Basic
building block’.
 Depending how we see these objects, we can treat them as one of four basic elements
marking a position in space. (One dimension, Two dimension and Three dimension)
 These relate to dimensions found in Euclidean Geometry and as such are regarded as
simplifications of the real world.
UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

Architecture & Urban Planning Department - Year Group V By: Fitsum G. Addis Ababa , Ethiopia
CONTENTS
Introduction  However, the real world displays a rather more complex type of geometry called
The Three-Tier Structure ‘Fractal’.
Basic Elements  In fact most of the human influenced world is fairly strictly Euclidean while parts of
Variables the natural world demonstrate true fractal geometry.
Organizations
 For purposes of analysis, we need to understand the attributes of each basic element
before we see how they interact.
 Further more, we need to see the effects different variables and methods of
organization have on the patterns produced.
 A good design is one where the chosen variables and modes of organization are
positive and harmonious.
 A bad design is where they are negative and disharmonious, irrespective of personal
taste or preference.

CONTENTS
Introduction  Is a studied organization of the elements of visual design in a landscape.
The Three-Tier Structure  It consists of three structures namely:
Basic Elements
 Basic Elements
Variables
Organizations  Variables and
 Principles of Organization

CONTENTS
Introduction  Has no dimension but marks a position in space.
The Three-Tier Structure  Point features can be associated with assertions of power or ownership and can be
Basic Elements symbolic in all kinds of ways.
Point
Line  Small objects can be seen as points.
Plane
Volume
Combination of Elements
Variables
Organizations
Fig. The memorial to Yuri Gagarin, located on the banks of the River Volga at Samara in Russia

CONTENTS
Introduction  Extending a point in one direction creates a line.
The Three-Tier Structure  Lines can be implied by the location of points.
Basic Elements
Point  Lines can be imaginary yet still exert influence.
Line  Edges of planes can be seen as lines.
Plane
 Lines can have qualities such as broken,
Volume fuzzy, clear(Simple), variable width.
Variables
Organizations
Fig. Power lines running across this landscape in British Columbia, Canada,

CONTENTS
Introduction  A one-dimensional line is extended to produce a two-dimensional plane.
The Three-Tier Structure  Planes can be flat, curved or twisted.
Basic Elements
Point  Planes can be implied as well as real.
Line  Planes in different positions may enclose space.
Plane
 Naturally perfect planes are few.
Volume
Combination of Elements  Faces of built forms are planes.
Variables  Planes can be used as media for other treatment.
Organizations
Fig. Yorkshire Dales in England, Stone walls create a strongly

defined pattern of lines across the landscape.

CONTENTS
Introduction  Volume is the three-dimensional extension of a two-dimensional plane.
The Three-Tier Structure  Volume can be solid or open.
Basic Elements
Point  Solid volumes can be geometric or irregular.
Line  Buildings, landforms, trees and woods are all solid volumes —mass in space.
Plane
 Open volumes are defined by planes or other solid volumes to create enclosed space.
Volume
Combination of Elements  Interiors of buildings, deep valleys and the space beneath the forest canopy are
Variables  all open volumes.
Organizations
 From two dimensions we move to three and so gain volume. There are two types.
Solid Volume- Three dimensional element forms a volume or mass.
Open Volume- Volume of space is enclosed by planes.
 Solid volumes can be geometric.
 Euclidean solids like cubes, tetrahedrons, spheres and cones are classic examples.

CONTENTS
Introduction
The Three-Tier Structure
Basic Elements
Point
Line
Plane
Volume
Variables
Organizations
(a) Geometric solid volumes:

typical Euclidean forms.
Fig. An interesting vertical plane formed from the closely
(b) Irregular solid volumes; spaced trees which have been clipped to produce the
soft and rounded, hard and angular. ‘Hundred-foot-high hedge’ at Meiklour, Perthshire,
Scotland.

CONTENTS
Introduction  It is rare for one basic element to exist in isolation.
The Three-Tier Structure  Distinctions between elements may be blurred. A feature also
Basic Elements known as fractal.
Point
Line  Distance may change the perception of which element is
present.
Plane
Volume
Variables Some examples of the interchangeability of elements in
Organizations combination.
(a) A single point when multiplied can become a line…
(b) …or a plane… …as can a number of lines, either flat or
curved.
(c) The edge of a plane is a line…
(d) while a number of planes can be a line…
(e) …or enclose a volume.

CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Elements
Point
Line
Plane
Volume
Variables
Organizations
Fig. A sinuous open volume created by a pergola and covered in

a dense thatch of laburnum: a recreation of the woodland
canopy tamed by man. Bodnant Gardens, Gwynedd, Wales.
Fig. Cathedral Grove,Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

CONTENTS
Introduction  Elements exist in isolation or as a one of a number.
The Three-Tier Structure  Greater numbers usually mean more complexity.
Basic Elements
Variables  Number is expressed in different ways.
Number  Ratios and series of numbers can be found.
Position
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations

CONTENTS
Introduction  There are three primary positions forms in space may occupy.
The Three-Tier Structure Horizontal- parallel to the horizon
Basic Elements
Variables Vertical- perpendicular to the horizon and man’s upright
Number position.
Position Diagonal- Between the two, oblique.
Direction  Points are positioned with respect to the space they occupy.
Orientation
Size  Lines can cause visual forces and tension depending on how
Shape they are positioned.
Interval  Positionings may imply different meanings.
Texture Parallel/Perpendicular- Stable, balanced
Density Diagonal- Unstable, dynamic
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations

CONTENTS
Introduction  Elements may be positioned according to a certain direction.
The Three-Tier Structure  The shape of an element may imply direction.
Basic Elements
Variables  Lines in a landscape may produce a sense of direction and invite the observer in to the
Number composition.
Position  Natural elements show direction according to forces such as wind and waves.
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Sierra Nevada, California, USA.

CONTENTS
Introduction  Orientation is a combination of position and direction.
The Three-Tier Structure  Orientation literally means ‘facing east’.
Basic Elements
Variables  There are three types of orientation:
Number  According to compass direction.
Position  Relative to ground plane.
Direction  Relative to viewer.
Orientation
 Disorientation may be the aim of a design and carry
Size symbolism with it.
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Fig. A number of directions which can be
Time expressed by elements
Light
Visual force
Fig. The design of the roof of the Sydney Opera House gives the component
Organizations forms a distinct direction, perhaps reflecting the wind in the sails of ships

CONTENTS
Introduction  Size concerns the dimensions of elements and depends on system of measurements.
The Three-Tier Structure  Extremes include tall/short, big/small, wide/narrow, shallow/deep.
Basic Elements
Variables  Large, tall or deep forms are impressive and have been used to exert power.
Number  Smaller forms may be valued for their low impact.
Position
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Religious buildings are usually oriented in a particular way. Here
mosques in Cairo, Egypt, are oriented so that worshippers face Mecca.

CONTENTS
Introduction  Shape is one of the most important variables.
The Three-Tier Structure  Lines, planes and volumes all have shapes.
Basic Elements
Variables  Shapes range from simple and geometric to organic and complex.
Number  Complexity of shapes is important for design unity.
Position
 Natural shapes are usually irregular but some are geometric at a small scale.
Direction
Orientation  Plants, especially trees, display a wide range of shape and form.
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Geometric linear shapes. Fig. Geometric planar shapes (Regular Vs Irregular)

CONTENTS
Introduction  Shape is one of the most important variables.
The Three-Tier Structure  Lines, planes and volumes all have shapes.
Basic Elements
Variables  Shapes range from simple and geometric to organic and complex.
Number  Complexity of shapes is important for design unity.
Position
 Natural shapes are usually irregular but some are geometric at a small scale.
Direction
Orientation  Plants, especially trees, display a wide range of shape and form.
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. A sinuous line of a road winding across an undulating landscape; its shape is compatible with the
landform and so no tensions are created. South Dakota, USA.
CONTENTS
Introduction  The spacing between elements can be an integral part of a design.
The Three-Tier Structure  Intervals can be equal or variable, regular or irregular.
Basic Elements
Variables  Complex patterns of mixed intervals occur at varying scales.
Number  Regular intervals are found in the layouts of many towns and cities.
Position
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Expressions of different interval possibilities.

CONTENTS
Introduction  The spacing between elements can be an integral part of a design.
The Three-Tier Structure  Intervals can be equal or variable, regular or irregular.
Basic Elements
Variables  Complex patterns of mixed intervals occur at varying scales.
Number  Regular intervals are found in the layouts of many towns and cities.
Position
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Trees planted at equal intervals in a small plantation in France. The regularity of the tree size
combines with the regularity of spacing to produce a somewhat formal result.
CONTENTS
Introduction  Texture is related to interval.
The Three-Tier Structure  Texture depends on the sizes of the elements and the intervals between them.
Basic Elements
Variables  Texture is relative, ranging from fine to coarse.
Number  Plants have different textures both in their constituent parts and in their whole
Position appearance.
Direction  Land use patterns show a range of textures.
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Fig. Mountainside in Austria Fig. Urban layout in the suburbs of Chicago
Organizations

CONTENTS
Introduction  Density is related to interval and texture.
The Three-Tier Structure  Gradations of density are common in transitional zones between land use or vegetation
Basic Elements types.
Variables
Number  Urban landscapes show density patterns related to function.
Position
Direction
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color Fig. Examples of gradation of intervals and
Time textures
Light Fig. In this example from Devon in England, the textures vary greatly.
Visual force
Organizations

CONTENTS
Introduction  There are several methods of organizing and describing color.
The Three-Tier Structure  A color circle is a good arrangement to show the relationships between different colors.
Basic Elements
Variables  Color may be described in terms of and individual’s perception of:
Number  Hue- name of colors
Position  Value- relative lightness or darkness of a color.
Direction  Intensity- refers to the purity of the hue also known as ‘Chroma’.
Orientation
Size
Shape
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Hue, Value and Intensity
. diagrams respectively.

CONTENTS
Introduction  All objects or landscapes change over time.
The Three-Tier Structure  Time is marked in relation to natural cycles, the universe and our lives.
Basic Elements
Variables  Time can be registered as cyclical or progressive.
Number  Change occurs over variable time intervals.
Position
 Seasons are one of the more important ways of dividing time.
Direction
Orientation  The life spans of humans, animals and plants are other registers of time.
Size  Time is also involved in motion and a moving observer’s position.
Shape
 Time is also measured by growth and decay.
Interval
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Growth to decay cycle .

CONTENTS
Introduction  We need light in order to perceive the environment.
The Three-Tier Structure  Light sources can be natural or artificial.
Basic Elements
Variables  The amount, quality and direction of light are important.
Number  Natural light contains all visible wavelengths.
Position
 Light can be ambient or direct.
Direction
Orientation  Color is dependent on light.
Size  Light quality involves the strength of the light and clarity of the atmosphere and is one
Shape important variable.
Interval
 Lighting direction is the other variable, whether side, back, front or top lit.
Texture
Density  Artificial light gives complete control over any desired effects.
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations .

CONTENTS
Introduction  Sensations of movement can be present in static images or objects.
The Three-Tier Structure  The position of elements and their shapes can suggest an illusion of visual movement or
Basic Elements force.
Variables
Number  The action of visual forces can be contradictory or complementary.
Position  Visual forces are ever-present in landforms-running down ridges and convexities and up
Direction valleys and concavities.
Orientation  Shapes or lines superimposed on the landscape interact with visual forces in the
Size landform.
Shape
 Compatible shapes corresponding to visual force will produce a more resolved, unified
Interval
result.
Texture
Density
Color
Time
Light
Visual force
Organizations Fig. Visual forces operating in different ways .

CONTENTS
Introduction
Basic Elements
Variables
Organizations
Objectives of Design
Diversity
Spatial Cues  To be continued…
Structural Elements
Ordering


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ADVANCED

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

Fig. Yorkshire Dales in England, Stone walls create a strongly

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

(a) Geometric solid volumes:

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

Fig. A sinuous open volume created by a pergola and covered in

Fig. Cathedral Grove,Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

UNITY UNIVERSITY Lecture- I Dec, 2021

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