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Master of Landscape Architecture Class of 2018 (Tromsø)
Program of study
Master of Landscape Architecture Class of 2018 (Tromsø)
Master i Landskapsarkitektur kull 2018 (Tromsø)
| Course | 2018 Autumn | 2019 Spring | 2019 Autumn | 2020 Spring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | ||||
| 10 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 10 | ||||
Studio Course | 24 | |||
| 6 | ||||
| 30 | ||||
| Sum | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
The Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO) is an autonomous and specialized university college offering professional master’s degree on the highest level in architecture, design and landscape architecture as well as PhDs and three post-professional and experience-based masters in urbanism, architectural conservation and landscape architecture. AHO was established in 1945 and is highly ranked internationally. AHO comprises about 700 students and 120 staff.
AHO is located in the former Oslo power plant at Maridalsveien 29 situated in a revitalized former industrial area near the river, Akerselva. Recent newcomers in the immediate vicinity include the University College of Art, Westerdal’s School of Communication and Mathallen, a cluster of food shops, delis and restaurants.
Master of Landscape Architecture is a professional degree that encompasses a curriculum of the widest range of relevant subjects demanded and requested in the profession. The curriculum includes eleven fulltime terms including six obligatory basic semesters, four eligible terms on the masters level and one last term, the eleventh, for designing and writing of the Master’s Thesis.
Landskapsarkitekter utdannet ved AHO evner å etablere et selvstendig faglig virkefelt, bidrar med originale betraktningsmåter og løsninger og utøver faget på et høyt internasjonalt nivå.
Landskapsarkitekter som har fått graden Master i landsakapsarkitektur ved AHO kan praktisere faget på grunnlag av kunnskaps- og ferdighetsfelt som er definert i EUs profesjonsdirektiv og IFLAs standard for landskapsarkitekturutdanning.
De kan praktisere faget landskapsarkitektur gjennom kunstnerisk og vitenskapelig undersøkelse, ideutvikling og arkitekturprosjektering i ulike skalaer og format
- kjenner fagets naturgitte, miljømessige, samfunnsmessige, kulturelle og teknologiske forutsetninger,
- behersker fagets arbeidsmåter, verktøy og uttrykksformer og evner å bruke disse i prosjektering på en målrettet, profesjonell og eksperimenterende måte,
- har kunnskap om fagets historie, egenart og plass i samfunnet, og evner og bruke denne kunnskapen i eget faglig arbeid,
- kan orientere seg i forskning- og utviklingsarbeid innen faget og evner å bruke denne kunnskapen både i prosjektering og arkitekturkritikk.
Landskapsarkitekter utdannet på AHO kan på en reflektert måte ta ulike profesjonelle roller og er dyktige i samarbeid med andre faggrupper:
- De kan formidle landskapsarkitektfaglig arbeid, eget og andres, til legfolk og fagfolk på et profesjonelt og akademisk nivå,
- evner å reflektere over eget arbeid og bryte egen forståelsesramme
- tar ansvar for egen læring og faglig utvikling, kan reflektere over og posisjonere eget faglig bidrag i forhold til etiske problemstillinger i praktisering av faget.
Our pedagogical approach is based on problem solving through exploration, conceptualization and design followed by solution oriented lectures of a wide range, enhancing the students’ capability to decode, analyze and solve the challenges.
During the education the students are given written assignments linked to theoretical subjects and tasks. The pedagogical approach also includes discussions, presentations, critiques, literature studies and project assignments.
The teaching is research- based and some of the studio courses are closely linked to AHO’s research projects. This implies that the students relatively early in the education have to be familiar with scientific writing, articles and literature. Research process, ethics and results are explained and demonstrated as an integrated part of the teaching. Special emphasis is given on teaching processing, decoding and interpreting of texts and literature, engaging in source criticism and use of references. Research and Development (R&D) run by the AHO academic staff is highlighted through teaching and tutoring.
The study program counting 90 credits (ects) in addition to a master’s thesis (diploma) counting for 30 credits (ects).
The two years consits both mandatory courses and elective courses. The Master’s Thesis is an independent and self-selected task.
The education is ICT supported. To monitor the study and the studio courses basic skills in coping with digital tools are needed. Access to a private PC /Mac is also required. Adequate program training is offered as well as access to relevant licenses.
Digital communication Moodle in addition to internet is used throughout the study. The Moodle platform handles schedules, study plans, handing in assignments, lectures, literature lists etc. Moodle is the digital communication tool between faculty and students. The AHO students are also given a special AHO e-mail address that is mandatory as a communication source between AHO and students throughout the whole study and a private file for storing information, etc.
AHO benytter den digitale læringsplattformen Moodle. Her finnes informasjon om studiet, timeplaner, forelesningsnotater, innleveringer og annet.
Upon completing the basic education (bachelor level) the students are offered the opportunity to spend a period as exchange students. AHO has a wide variety of formal exchange and cooperation agreements which the students can choose among like the European: Erasmus+ and the Nordic: Nordplus. Separate agreements are also possible to arrange although they must be pre-approved by the Committee for Access and Recognition (OGU) in order to be accredited as an inclusive part of the study.
The master’s programs at AHO are designed and developed for you interested in the contect between development pattrns and landscape, how we manage natural resources, design the environment in different scales and how the cimate changes affect the desig of our environment and concersely. To attend the studies at AHO you should be critical and constructive, creative and innovative. You are intent on attaining complex and relevant knowledge in addition to embracing the importance of cultural context and social conditions.
12 803
Successful completion of 90 ECTS, successful completion of a pre-diploma report, approved by an advisor and the head of department.
The diploma semester at AHO is an independent research and design task on a theme chosen by the candidate. In consultation with a chosen advisor, the candidate is to produce a complete work of exceptional quality contributing to the discipline’s dis-course.
∙ An ability to give form to architecture through artistic and scientific research
∙ An understanding of the given natural, social, cultural and technological conditions that govern architectural, urban and landscape design work
∙ A mastery of the methods, tools and media inherent in architectural, urban and landscape design
∙ An awareness of architecture’s, urban and landscape design’s historical, societal and theoretical underpinnings
∙ An ability to communicate ideas and results to professional and laypersons
∙ An independent and responsible attitude to individual learning
∙ An understanding of one’s own individual position with the discipline
The diploma semester is an independent study whose methods and topics are to be outlined in an approved pre-diploma brief. Interim presentations and a final presentation is mandatory.
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks required | Presence required | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annet - spesifiser i kommentarfeltet | Required | 2 mid term reviews |
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project assignment | Individual | Pass / fail | Report and presentation of diploma project. External censors |
| Exercise | - | Pass / fail | Hovedmodell og potteklare plansjer, samt abstract 1-4 A4-sider med tekst og bilder. Etter denne innleveringen kan studenten kun jobbe med formidling av prosjekt, ikke utvikling. |
| Exercise | - | Pass / fail | Oppheng av prosjekt og innlevering av skissebøker, utstillingsmateriell, prosessmateriale etc. Ved teoretisk prosjekt leveres trykket utgave. |
65 302 Ebb and Flow
Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture or Architecture
This course explores how different approaches in landscape theory opens for transdisciplinary conversations on Arctic issues such as indigenous peoples rights to land- and seascapes, climate change, biodiversity, multi-species migration, and consequences of increased human activity such as tourism, resource extraction, and new infrastructures in outfields and coastal zones.
The objective of the course is threefold: Firstly, to theoretically explore past, present and prospected futures of subarctic sea- and landscapes. Secondly, the course aims at giving the students a positive reading- and writing experience. Thirdly, in collaboration with researchers from the social, human, and natural sciences, to provide an advanced introduction to the northernmost landscapes of Scandinavia and Sápmi as a point of departure to understand changes in Arctic territories.
The landscape theory course is structured around a lecture series with invited experts and step-by-step assignments in academic writing that culminate with a seminar and a book edition. The course is the third of its kind and builds on experience from the theory courses Small Stories Grand Narratives in 2016, and The Global North and the High North in 2017. The students in the previous two courses deserve credit for actively taking part in co-creating the course.
Knowledge of:
- Approaches in landscape theory and cartography
- Contemporary Arctic discourses
- Research design and development of research questions
- Research ethics with an emphasis on issues regarding visual representation (maps, photos, diagrams)
Skills in:
- Analysing academic texts
- Academic writing
- Experimentally combining written, visual and oral modes of communication.
- Peer reviewing
General competence in:
- Transdisciplinary approaches
- Methodology in qualitative research
- Literature search
- Developing personal strategies to keep updated on central discourses regarding Arctic territories
- Attending the lecture series, and participating in conversations with guest lecturers
- Step-by-step assignments in reading and analysing the course literature, making diagrams, texts, and maps as a way to explore concerns, develop individual research questions and add layers of reflection.
- Attending lectures on methods of structuring a written academic paper, structuring the oral presentation; and restructuring the paper into a book chapter.
- Writing week
- Peer review
- Oral presentation at a student-organised seminar
Book design in a student-organised publication
A curriculum of 15-20 texts will be made available at semester start, and additional texts will be provided during the semester.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolio assessment (Vurderingsmappe) | Individual | Pass / fail | Oral and written examination with external sensor, the final book chapter will be assessed as passed/fail. The teacher will evaluate the student’s progress and participation in discussions throughout the semester. English reading and academic writing skills, as well as knowledge of Arctic conditions, may be unequally distributed in the student group when we start the semester, willingness to help each other with overcoming obstacles will be taken into consideration in the final evaluation. |
| Workload activity | Comment |
|---|---|
| Individual problem solving | It is mandatory to read and analyse the course literature, to hand in all designated deliverables, and to participate in lectures, tutorials, at joint reviews and the seminar. |
65 403 Ecology for Landscape Architecture
Admission to AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS).
The course is part of the Tromsø Academy of Landscape and Territorial Studies and requiers that the students live in Tromsø for the duration of the course.
An introduction to ecology for landscape architecture.
The terms ecology/ecological will be examined and defined. The focus will be on how ecology as science has relevance for landscape architects as inspiration, information and qualification in their work and their design.
Fundamental ecological theories, terms and concepts describing different plant types or plant forms, including their traits, coupling to soil, soil organisms and ecological function, are central to the course. It will be emphasized how ecological function is linked to plant form and thus how design based on plant form has a link to ecological function.
The course will also introduce the term biodiversity, including examples of how biodiversity is an integrated part of ecosystems and essential for ecosystem services. Examples of naturally vegetated areas in cold climates and borders towards these will be given particular focus.
Teaching and learning are centred on lectures, oral assignments, small laboratory and phytotron-based project work and includes training in and introduction to:
- What is ecology
- How plant form and function is linked
- How plants, soil and soil organisms are coupled
- Design and ecological interpretation
- Biodiversity
- How biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services are linked
In addition, a significant amount of the course will be focused on the interpretation of existing landscape architecture projects, how they have integrated ecology and how ecology can be integrated more.
The course will work in close collaboration with the parallel studio course “Lofoten Biosphere” and give ecological input applicable to the project. The integrative approach of both courses will be supported by tutoring and participation in group-reviews for the studio project by the teachers.
Knowledge:
- Definition and delimitation of the terms ecology and ecological
- Basic knowledge of how exterior plant traits and form are linked to ecological function and how these change over a year
- Basic knowledge of the relationship between plants and soil, with particular emphasis on:
- Ecological niche as a term and how an ecological niche is reflected in anatomy, physiology and basic living conditions for individual species
- The concept of ecological interaction and associated concepts such as competition, facilitation and symbiosis between species
- The concept of ecological processes and related concepts such as decomposition and nutrient cycling in soil
- Definition of the term biodiversity
- Knowledge of how biodiversity is an integral part of an ecosystem and ecosystem services
Skills:
- Confident with the definition of ecology as a term
- Can explain differences in anatomy, physiology and ecological function for different growth forms such as forbs, grasses, shrubs and trees, at a basic level
- Can integrate abstract ecological concepts into the understanding of how plants and soil work together in a system
- Can provide an interpretation of ecological function based on the plants present in a given landscape
- Confident with the definition of biodiversity, ecosystem and ecosystem services as terms
- Can identify how and to what extent ecology is integrated into existing landscape architecture projects
General competence:
- Basic understanding of ecology as a relevant discipline for landscape architecture
- Knowledge of the climate laboratory and experimentation with plants and soil
- Know examples of ecological concepts applied to plants and soil
- Know examples of how biodiversity is central to ecosystem services
- Explain ecological content, written and orally
- Ability to be inspired by ecological concepts and theory in the development of landscape architecture
- Teaching will be provided in the form of lectures, seminars/workshops and lab/field work
- Joint reviews where students submit individual or group work will be an important part of the training
- The contact between teachers and students takes place in one-on-one discussions, in groups or in plenum.
The course responsible prepares the required reading list.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Individual | Pass / fail | Written report to be discussed in an oral exam, assessed as passed/failed. |
65 505 In flux: Exploring the tidal zone on Tromsøya - 1 semester
Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture or Architecture from university or university college.
Recommended previous knowledge:
Working knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. CAD and GIS an advantage.
The studio course sets out to explore the dynamic tidal zone in northern Norway using the 24-kilometre coastline around Tromsøya as the central case. This zone, known as “fjæra” in Norwegian, is not only home to some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the north, but also holds great culture-historical value. The tidal zone provided different resources used in the traditional household and was an important interface between sea and land. In the northern sea-culture where agriculture and fishing were interweaved or integrated, the landing place or “lendinga”, where the boats came ashore or left for sea, was often regarded as the most important place on the farm. As such “lendinga i fjæra” can be regarded a symbol of the fishing-farmers way of life, a place of public significance in northern Norway. In many cases, these landing places were shared by several farms, forming a common or “allmenning” that would function as a social arena.
The tidal zone in northern Norway continues to be of great importance today, although more modern forms of living almost entirely have replaced the traditional sea-culture. The zone is still home to valuable ecosystems, despite the fact that human interventions, such as land reclamation to sea, compromise their diversity and productivity in many cases. The interface between sea and land still holds public significance, although recreational activities might have replaced work-related activities. However, all in all, the tidal zone seems to have lost cultural significance as a public domain since the middle of the 20th century.
As part of the studio course, students will be asked to investigate how the tidal zone can gain cultural significance as a public domain through design interventions that not only meet the needs of contemporary life but also reflect on and take into account the rich natural and cultural heritage of the tidal zone. A field trip connecting various coastlines around Northern Norway will allow students to get acquainted with different types of tidal zones and understand the Tromsøya fjæra from a larger perspective. The idea is to work with design interventions that might be relatively modest in scale while addressing changes and processes on a larger scale. Working with material qualities and atmospheres linked to the continuous changes in the zone – a zone in flux – will be a central task throughout the semester. Students will be asked to formulate a landscape architectural program informed by the site. Rather than superimposing a given program on to the site, the idea is to develop the program from the site itself.
Knowledge about
- The North Norwegian tidal zone from geological, ecological and cultural perspectives
- The study of landscape transformation
- Landscape architecture as an instrument in the management of natural- and cultural heritage
Skills in
- Collecting, recording and representing aesthetic experiences in the landscape
- Mapping and modelling landscape transformation
- Visual communication / architectural drawing
General competence in
- Independent collection and production of relevant knowledge for the development of landscape architecture, e.g. analysis of material and spatial conditions
- Independent and reflected use of different representation techniques
- Design conceptualisation and experimentation
- Collaboration with peers in research and design development
- 7-10 days of mandatory fieldwork
- Three separate one-day seminars with guest lecturers
- A two-week workshop with Berlin-based office Raumlabor
- App. 12 weeks of design research and development
Work effort:
- Participation in fieldwork, lectures, tutorials, workshops and joint reviews
- Hand in of all deliverables described for each phase of the semester
Other:
- Selected text will be provided for each phase of the studio course
- Students will have access to workshop facilities
- Fieldwork is supported financially by AHO
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation | Individual | Pass / fail | Oral examination with an external sensor. The final project will be assessed as passed/failed. |
65 605 Lofoten Biosphere
Admission to AHO and successful completion of three years bachelor level studies (180 ECTS).
The course is part of the Tromsø Academy of Landscape and Territorial Studies and requiers that the students live in Tromsø for the duration of the course.
Recommended prerequisite knowledge: Working knowledge of hand-drawing/sketching, Adobe InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop, CAD (Civil 3D). Basic 3D modelling and GIS experience an advantage
This studio takes the local Lofoten initiative to become part of the UNESCO Biosphere as a point of departure. The students will develop projects that can support and promote sustainable development in the region with a particular focus on ecology and practises in the landscape.
Launched in 1971, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an Intergovernmental Scientific Programme that aims to establish a scientific basis for the improvement of relationships between people and their environments.
MAB combines the natural and social sciences, economics and education to improve human livelihoods and the equitable sharing of benefits, and to safeguard natural and managed ecosystems, thus promoting innovative approaches to economic development that are socially and culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable.
The studio will run parallelly and collaborate closely with the new theory course «Ecology for landscape architecture». This combination will inform the students in defining their design programs within the scope of the studio. The teachers of the ecology course will also tutor in the studio- work and be part of group reviews.
The Arctic face climate and industrial changes that affect the ecosystems and the human settlements. The knowledge and know-how that is produced by studying these changes closely where they happen transfers to a more general range of landscapes across the world.
Knowledge: Local knowledge and site-specific project work will provide and produce knowledge especially on ecology concerning spatial conditions and human practices in the landscape, with particular focus on sub-arctic conditions included the northern social and political context for the practice of landscape architecture.
Skills: The studio seeks to develop the students’ ability to acquire knowledge and develop their sensitivity to input from site, science and culture as well as the specific local context. The studio aims at training the skill to make this knowledge instrumental to the development of strong concepts and design proposals with artistic quality. The studio will work with drawing/sketching, digital tools, physical models and presentation/communication of ideas/designs.
General competence: The students are expected to learn how to use their knowledge and skills to conceptualize, coordinate and execute integral designs rooted in the specific local context and the knowledge of human-made and natural systems with special awareness of approaches to development that is ecologically sustainable and socially and culturally appropriate. The studio aims to develop an awareness and critical reflection on topics that contribute to the general professional and public discourse and to position their work in relation to this.
The students will work with chosen localities in Lofoten and the themes described above. The studio will work with models, mapping, visualisation tools and design development. The students will also be involved in on-site field investigations at localities in Lofoten with a planned study-trip/site visit during the cod-fishing season in February. This field-work will also include collaboration with the ecology teachers as well as other scientists at the University of Tromsø.
The studio will also include a ten-day study-trip to Canada where students will engage in fieldwork on ecological systems together with landscape architecture students from The University of Calgary. The trip is supported financially by funds from The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education.
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project assignment | Group | Pass / fail | Final studio work is presented in group review evaluated by external sensors. Details on deliverables will be provided with the detailed studio plan but usually includes digital presentation and exhibition of model work together with printed posters/boards. |
| Workload activity | Comment |
|---|---|
| Excursion | Lofoten (NO) and Calgary (CA) |
| Attendance | Lectures, tutorials, workshops and group reviews have expected attendance at 90%. Mandatory hand in of all designated deliverables. Mandatory attendance to oral examination with external sensors. |
65 701 Pre-Diploma Landscape Architecture (Tromsø)
Successful completion of 60 credits. Last semester before diploma. Knowledge of Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign is recommended, as well as CAD and GIS.
The pre-diploma semester at AHO is an independent research task on a theme chosen by the candidate. In consultation with the course teacher, fellow students and a chosen advisor, the candidate is to produce a report that details a topic to be studied, an approach or methodology, a spatial program and a plan of work. This report is the foundation of the diploma work.
- An understanding of the complexity of a chosen site and research topic.
- An ability to frame landscape architectural research.
- An understanding of the different conditions that govern landscape architecture.
- An ability to communicate ideas and plan project work.
- An understanding of one’s position within the discipline.
The course is an individual research assignment with periodical supervision and one interim presentation of the different research components. It concludes with a pre-diploma report in an A4 format containing the following elements:
- Description of the research topic and research question.
- Site presentation including maps dealing with selected issues (min. three maps). These can be used to present an analysis of the site, highlight existing qualities, etc. The chosen scale should be adapted to the printed A4 format and the content of each map.
- Reviews of relevant literature (min. three examples). These can be books, articles, reports or other relevant sources. Each review should include a summary of the chosen literature and a paragraph highlighting the relevance of this piece of literature for the diploma work.
- Summaries and discussions of interviews with experts (min. three interviews). In this context experts are people with specific knowledge relating to the chosen topic and or site.
- Presentations and evaluation of reference projects (min. three reference projects). Each review should include a brief description of the essential elements of the chosen reference project and a paragraph highlighting the relevance of this reference for the diploma work.
In addition to these required elements, the pre-diploma report includes a cover page, an identification page and a table of content. It can also include pictures, diagrams, timelines, historical records and any other element that supports the research question.
The pre-diploma report should be contained within 35 pages (not including cover, identification, table of content or other title pages).
A detailed schedule for the pre-diploma course will be provided at the start of the semester.
| Mandatory coursework | Courseworks required | Presence required | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annet - spesifiser i kommentarfeltet | Not required | One interim presentation |
| Form of assessment | Grouping | Grading scale | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report | - | Pass / fail | Please, see above for specifications. |