Landscape architecture is a creative discipline situated at the interface between the cultural and natural worlds. The profession addresses design issues inherent in a range of landscape typologies and scales, from localized interventions to global systems. RISD's program prepares students to critically examine the increasingly complex issues facing these environments and to develop innovative design solutions.
What makes RISD's Landscape Architecture Program unique is its interaction with the College's other art and design disciplines. Students develop a common language that serves as a base for future development and discourse by sharing core courses. This cross-disciplinary framework encourages individual exploration and forms of expression.
At the core of the curriculum is the design studio, the forum for the investigation of aesthetic, ecological, cultural and technological issues. Student are challenged to think critically, work creatively, and develop a self-reliant design process. Integral to the curriculum is the study of drawing, history, theory, ecology, cultural geography, plants and technology. In addition, RISD students can cross-register for courses at Brown University, as well as study abroad or in other departments during the six-week wintersession.
