The Department of Landscape Architecture’s focus on Urban Ecological Design. This design practice integrates site, landscape, and people in a way that is functional, artful, and engaging. Urban Ecological Design is an interdisciplinary approach that addresses emerging local, regional, and global issues in five key areas: (1) design as activism, (2) design for ecological infrastructure, (3) design for ecological learning and literacy, (4) design for human and environmental health, and (5) design for social and environmental justice. The Urban Ecological Design Minor exposes students to these themes, with flexibility in the courses students choose to undertake.
Program Requirements [25 total credits, minimum 2.0 grade in all courses counting toward the Minor]:
20 credits of LARCH courses open to non-majors, which includes but may not be limited to:
- LARCH 210 Environmental Design and Sustainability (5 credits, NSc, Autumn)
- LARCH 212 Designing the Future (5 credits, A&H, Spring)
- LARCH 300 Introductory Landscape Architecture Design Studio (6 credits, A&H, Winter/Summer)
- LARCH 322 Introduction to Planting Design (3 credits, A&H, Spring)
- LARCH 341 Site Design and Planning (3 credits, A&H, Autumn)
- LARCH 352 History of Landscape Architecture (5 credits, A&H/SSc + Writing, Autumn)
- LARCH 353 History of Modern Landscape Architecture (5 credits, A&H/SSc + Writing, Winter)
- LARCH 361 The Human Experience of Place (3 credits, A&H/SSc + Diversity, Winter)
- LARCH 363 Ecological Design and Planning (3 credits, NSc, Spring)
- LARCH 423 Plant Identification + Management (3 credits, Spring)
- LARCH 454 History of Urban Landscapes and Environments (5 credits, SSc + Writing, Spring odd years)
- LARCH 490-497 Study Abroad Courses (credits will vary)
- LARCH 498 Special Projects, when offered by a faculty member (credits will vary)
5 credits of courses 200 level and above from within the College of Built Environments (ARCH, BE, CEP, CM, URBDP) or from ESRM or GEOG
Students interested in declaring the Urban Ecological Design Minor must contact their major adviser. For all other questions about the Minor, please contact the BLA Advisor, Jennie Li (jencyli@uw.edu).