Course

Module 1: Site Analysis, Documentation & Research Methods

Survey techniques: topography, vegetation, access, orientation, hydrology; site inventory and mapping (manual and digital tools); case study methodology and comparative matrix; study of rural/semi-urban settlements and their evolution; socio-cultural mapping: user behavior, traditions, community dynamics; tour studies and documentation presentations

Module 2: Site Planning & Landscape Design Theory

Principles of site zoning, land use distribution, circulation; Landscape elements: terrain, vegetation, water, shade, and wind flow; Built–unbuilt relationships, thresholds, edges, transitions; Water-sensitive design: drainage, harvesting, reuse; Landscape as narrative and memory: cultural, symbolic, and ecological meanings.

Module 3: Land & Building Design Studio

Site-responsive massing and clustering strategies; Design of community spaces: health, education, public gathering; Integration of infrastructure: sanitation, water supply, energy; Use of local materials, construction techniques, and spatial typologies; Design of built and unbuilt spaces as a cohesive system

Module 4: Writing, Communication & Reflection

Design narratives: writing about process, context, and intent; Visual documentation: diagrams, annotated drawings, collages; Reflective journals: learning from community, tradition, and site; Oral presentation skills and review preparation; Integration of writing with portfolio and report submissions

Course Objectives

• To build advanced skills in site planning and landscape integration through design interventions for rural and semi-urban contexts.
• To develop the ability to undertake survey research, field studies, and documentation of built and natural environments.
• To design community spaces and clusters responding to socio-cultural patterns, ecological contexts, and local lifestyles.
• To inculcate sensitivity towards climate-responsive, resource-efficient, and low-impact design using local materials and traditional practices.
• To enhance students’ abilities in analytical writing, reflective thinking, and visual storytelling through design narratives and reports.

Course Outcomes

After completing this course, students will be able to:

CO1: Conduct site surveys, analysis, and case study documentation to inform site-specific design strategies.

CO2: Design land and building-based interventions for rural/semi-urban contexts, incorporating community needs and spatial equity.

CO3: Integrate principles of landscape design and ecological conservation in spatial planning.

CO4: Apply climate-responsive and low-energy design principles using local materials and vernacular knowledge.

CO5: Communicate design ideas effectively through drawings, physical models, writing, and oral presentations.

Evaluation Pattern

1. Simon Swaffield, Theory in Landscape Architecture: A Reader, First Edition, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002.
2. B. Jackson, Discovering the Vernacular Landscape, First Edition, Yale University Press, 1984.
3. Elizabeth Baker, The Other Side of Laurie Baker, First Edition, COSTFORD, 1991.
4. Amos Rapoport, House Form and Culture, First Edition, Prentice-Hall, 1969.
5. Brian Hackett, Landscape Design: A Historical Survey, First Edition, A & C Black Publishers, 1971.
6. Regional case studies from INTACH, HUDCO, WRI, and local development agencies