Issuu

Design MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Landscape Architecture +

Environmental Planning

CONTENTS Program Mission and Goals

Faculty

Students

Raleigh, North Carolina

Program Curriculum

Studio Work

Education Opportunities

Application Information

Brochure Last Edited: 10/19/2026 Project Credit: “Ciudad Tlatelolco: Return Home“ by Halina Pyzdrowski, Anna Early, and Jacob Bratsch, 2026 ASLA Urban Design Honor Award Cover Image Credit: Choe Levy

OUR MISSION Inspire and equip students to design socially and environmentally responsive landscapes impacting communities across multiple scales and global territories.

OUR GOALS 1 2

Experience of Learning Cultivate cultural literacy, empathic skills and critical thinking to expand existing disciplinary knowledge and professional leadership.

Production and Transfer of Knowledge Create, apply, and engage through research, scholarship, and innovation within and beyond the LAEP community.

Cultural Competency

Community of Practice

Scaling UP:

Faculty Ecology:

Champion a culture of belonging and well-being in everything we do and where ALL are welcome.

Engage and give back to local, national, and global communities through internal and external collaborations and partnerships.

Increase the recognition and visibility of LAEP through an expanded footprint with impacts at regional, national, and global scales.

Value, cultivate, and support LAEP’s faculty as integral members of our academic community and mission.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE + ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING (LAEP) Welcome Letter Thank you for your interest in our nationally ranked* North Carolina State University Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program! This LAAB*accredited, STEM-designated program prepares graduate students for the demands of professional practice, research, leadership, and community engagement. Our work is grounded in science and design and rooted in North Carolina’s three distinct ecologies—from the coast to the Piedmont to the Appalachian Mountains—which inform our teaching, research, and design work. Together, we learn from these regional conditions, expand that knowledge through global perspectives, and bring it home to strengthen communities across the state. As part of the Department of Landscape Architecture + Environmental Planning (LAEP), faculty and students are advancing the discipline and addressing critical topics of the profession by exploring the complexities found across environmental conservation and ongoing urbanization. Students engage with design projects across a range of scales, from site-specific parks and civic spaces to community and regional planning that contribute to the experiences and well-being of entire neighborhoods and regions. Resilient landscapes that address the stewardship of natural resources and the impacts of environmental disasters are integral to the MLA program, and these focus areas are aimed at mitigating present socioecological challenges. As department head, I envision expanding the lens by which we continue to explore our habitat through a broader understanding of multiple geographies, territories and ecologies, and the cultural values of communities across the globe. As a STEM-designated MLA program, international graduates may be eligible to engage in Optional Practical Training (OPT) in the United States. This designation also expands opportunities for landscape architects to pursue project and research funding through STEM-related sources. Please contact me directly at maria_bellalta@ncsu.edu, or Carla Delcambre, Director of the Graduate Program, at cfdelcam@ncsu.edu, if you have questions or wish to visit the College of Design to learn more. We look forward to welcoming you. Warmest regards,

María Bellalta, FASLA, IFLA She/Her/Hers Professor and Department Head Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Director for Global Engagement College of Design North Carolina State University

DIFFERENT TRACKS TO COMPLIMENT YOUR BACKGROUND We offer three Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) program tracks to invite students with various educational backgrounds:

MLA Track III Curriculum

First Professional LAAB Accredited Degree 78 - 81 credit hours The LAAB Accredited Track III curriculum is intended for graduate students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than landscape architecture, architecture or related design disciplines.

MLA Track II Curriculum

First Professional LAAB Accredited Degree, Advanced Placement Track 63-69 credit hours This curriculum is designed for graduate students with prior degrees in landscape architecture, architecture, or related design programs that are not LAAB accredited; and/or for graduate students seeking concurrent degrees in Architecture, Urban Design or Urban Planning.

MLA Track I Curriculum

Post Professional Degree 30-48 credit hours This curriculum is designed for graduate students with prior LAAB accredited undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture. Note: This is not an LAAB Accredited Degree program.

*#17, Best Universities for Landscape Architecture in the US, Edurank, 2025 *LAAB, Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board *STEM, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

OUR FACULTY

Sharon Joines

María Bellalta

Kofi Boone

Meg Calkins

Carla Delcambre

Nilda Cosco

Andy Fox

Celen Pasalar

Gavin Smith

M. Elen Deming

Dong Jae “DJ” Yi

Mark Hoversten

Charles A. Flink II

Preston Montague

Travis Klondike

Emily McCoy

Benjamin Monette

Rodney Swink

Ph.D. Interim Dean of the College of Design, Professor of Industrial Design

FASLA, PLA Professor University Faculty Scholar Director, Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL)

FASLA Director, Initiative for Community Growth and Development Leaders Council Member

FASLA, IFLA Professor and Department Head, Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning

Ph.D. Associate Professor

PLA, ASLA Lecturer

FASLA Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor University Faculty Scholar Interim Director of the Graduate Program (DGP)

Ph.D. Professor

ASLA Assistant Research Professor Associate Director, Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL)

FASLA, FCELA, SITES AP Professor

DDES, FASLA, FCELA Director, Doctor of Design Professor (DDES)

ASLA, PLA Associate Professor of Practice Principal, Design Workshop

ASLA, PLA Associate Professor

Ph.D. Student Lecturer Community Designer and Researcher

ASLA, PLA Assistant Professor of Practice Principal, Mud

Ph.D. Research Associate Professor Director of Programs for the Natural Learning Initiative (NLI)

Ph.D., FASLA, FCELA, AICP Professor

FASLA, PLA Professor of Practice Sr. Associate for Planning + Development, Place Economics

Jesse Turner

Mark Hough,

Art Rice

Robin Moore

Austin Bowman

Andrew Harrell

Matthew Babb

Stephen Faber

Jeff Israel

Adam Walters

Mary Archer

Brandon Dupree

Nikki Evans

Lanaya Jeffers

PLA Assistant Professor of Practice Principal, Lift Environmental Design

Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) Communication Designer

FASLA Lecturer, Chair, Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board (LAAB)

ASLA, PLA Assistant Professor of Practice Project Manager, Stewart Design

FCELA Professor Emeritus

ASLA, PLA Assistant Professor of Practice Surface 678

MCP, Honorary ASLA Professor Emeritus Investigator- Senior Manager Natural Learning Initiative (NLI)

ASLA, PLA, ISA Arborist Assistant Director, The Initiative for Community Growth and Development

ASLA Lecturer Planner + Project Manager, McAdams

Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) Design Associate

University Program Specialist

Associate-ASLA, SITES AP Lecturer RATIO Design

Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) Design Assistant

LAEP University Program Associate

LA+EP Administrative Support Team 7

OUR STUDENTS STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS Student American Association of Landscape Architecture (SASLA) SASLA plans several technical workshops, social events and brown bag seminars with practitioners, and provides important input and advice to the faculty about the curriculum, courses, and the overall quality of the program. SASLA also manages the Department’s Professional Development Mentor Program which pairs students with practitioners and the Peer-to-Peer Program which pairs incoming students with second and third-year students.

Women in Landscape Architecture (WxLA) Women in Landscape Architecture (WxLA) is a student group in association with the SASLA that reaches out to the professional community to strengthen networking opportunities for women in the profession. WxLA hosts networking events regularly throughout the school year, attended by NCSU students and faculty, with local professionals.

National Association of Minority Landscape Architects (NAMLA) The National Association of Minority Landscape Architects (NAMLA) is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in Los Angeles, California, in 2020. Its purpose is to increase minority representation at all levels of landscape architecture practice and academia by supporting and disseminating the landscape architecture knowledge, skills and creativity of minorities while challenging the longstanding status quo that has limited people of color from having decision-making roles on how U.S. landscapes are apportioned, designed, and taught.

Peer to Peer Program (P2P) To help our new incoming students transition to the department, SASLA implemented a “buddy” system wherein each new student is paired with one of our continuing second or third-year students. This program is intended to connect you with someone who may be able to answer some of your questions and help you learn the “ropes” during your first semester in the department. You will receive an email message explaining this program to you and introducing you to your new peer buddy.

Professional Development Mentor Program The Mentor Program connects LAEP students with practitioners having first-hand knowledge of and experience if the profession. Pairing new students with new mentors is planned for early October. If you are a returning student and have already been paired with a mentor, please continue communicating with your mentor. The co-chairs of the Professional Development Mentor Program will announce plans for the program at the beginning of the fall semester.

Student Advisory Group The Student Advisory Group plays an important role that influences the making of our high performing/high quality MLA program. The Department Head and DGP and 9-12 students typically meet 2-3 times during the semester (on Wednesdays during the lunch hour, lunch provided) to discuss range of topics of concern to students. This past year, for example, the Student Advisory Group raised and discussed concerns about courses required in the first year that led to the making of curriculum adjustments and improved course delivery coordination to be implemented this year. While there are about 12 people serving in this Group, (3-4 representing each year in the program), the meetings are open to all who want to participate. Please inform the Department Head or DGP if you would like to serve. 8

SETTING OUR STUDENTS UP FOR SUCCESS The Raleigh/Triangle area provides many opportunities for students to experience careers in Landscape Architecture. Students work in local firms for summer internships or part-time positions during the semester. Every year, a career fair is held that provides an opportunity for students to connect with these local firms. Some common places our students work include: Ryan Anderson May 2024 MLA Graduate

“My experience at the MLA program at NC State provided a really good balance of teaching the core skills needed to practice in the field of landscape architecture while also providing opportunities to explore and connect my own personal niche interests to the field through research and studios. Outside of the required classes, I was able to pursue my interest in coastal ecology and resilience through a research assistantship and the KIETS climate action scholar program, which allowed me to pursue an independent project-based internship in Hawai‘i. The professors at NC State genuinely care about helping students fully realize their interests within the field, and can become really valuable mentors beyond academia. I also feel like the courses allow students to learn so much from each other through studios and collaborative projects which is immensely valuable. Since graduating, I’ve been working at Surface678 in Durham which has been a great opportunity to apply what I’ve learned from NC state to projects going on in the Triangle area. I feel that the education at NC State has prepared me quite well for working in a firm, and it’s great to get to work somewhere with other NC State graduates.”

WITHERSRAVENEL https://withersravenel.com/

DESIGN WORKSHOP

https://www.designworkshop.com/

URBAN DESIGN PARTNERS https://urbandesignpartners.com/

SURFACE 678

https://surface678.com/

TOOLE DESIGN

https://tooledesign.com/

KIMLEY HORN

https://www.kimley-horn.com/

STEWART

https://wearestewart.com/

LAND DESIGN

https://landdesign.com/

RATIO

https://ratiodesign.com/studio/raleigh/

ARROWHEAD

https://www.arrowhead-nc.com/ 9

STUDENT RESOURCES Studio Spaces Landscape Architecture studios are located on the second floor of Kamphoefner Hall. Joint studios delivered with Architecture faculty and students are also delivered in Brooks Hall. The studios are air conditioned. Access is controlled with key codes. Each student in the LAEP Department who is enrolled in a studio is provided with a desk and chair. Each desk has lockable storage and serves as the student’s home base “work station.” Studio infrastructure includes high speed WiFi, ceiling mounted electric extension access, and a digital equipment cluster consisting of several desktop workstations loaded with the same licensed software applications as the machines in the College’s computer labs, and small and large format printers.

College of Design Materials Lab The Materials Lab for wood and metal applications is a resource available to all College of Design students and faculty. Landscape architecture students use the Lab to build site models. This facility provides space, equipment, and trained personnel to assist students in working with wood, metal, and plastic. It includes an extensive range of power equipment, hand tools, and large scale CNC router. Students are encouraged to use the lab resources to explore form, materials, and construction methods. The Lab is staffed with highly trained specialists who provide instruction and “check out” students in the safe and proper use of the equipment. In addition, there are three laser cutters in a separate room with their own specialized filtration and exhaust ventilation systems, capable of cutting up to 1/4 inch in cardboard, cardstock, wood or certain specified plastics. Usage of the laser cutter by landscape architecture students has dramatically increased during the past two years as students discover the ease of being able to produce models.

William Bayley Information Technology Laboratory The William Bayley Information Technology Laboratory provides computer-based and communications-related equipment and facilities in support of an orchestrated professional design education. The facility provides three central computer labs/classrooms, 10 distributed departmental computer “clusters,” and a lending service of computing, audiovisual, and photographic and video equipment. Students are permitted to check out equipment and return it, normally within 24 hours. The Central Labs are open for use ninety-one hours a week. Use of these facilities is limited strictly to students currently enrolled in College of Design courses. All students are introduced to the William Bayley Information Technology Laboratory as they enter the Landscape Architecture program. They are expected to make full use of the equipment, software, and expertise that is available through the lab. Application of computer and information technology is a requirement of most of their curricular courses. 10

NCSU LIBRARIES Harry B. Lyons Design Library

Harry B. Lyons Design Library, a branch of the NCSU Libraries, is located in Brooks Hall and houses a comprehensive collection of design-related books, periodicals, slides, videos and DVDs. The Design Library collection is especially strong in the areas of architecture, landscape architecture, and graphic and industrial design, although all Library of Congress classifications are represented.

D.H. Hill Library The D. H. Hill Library, the main library at NC State University, is located within a 10 minute walk of the College. Patrons can use the main library reference service twentyfour hours a day, five days a week; reference service is also available through chat, text messaging, email, and instant messaging from early morning until midnight most days. The NCSU Libraries are ranked forty-first among research libraries in the nation. The Libraries’ collection comprises 4.3 million volumes and 69,223 print and electronic serial subscriptions.

James B. Hunt Library The James B Hunt Library is located on Centennial Campus. “At the core of the vision for the Hunt Library is the ability for our students, faculty, and partners to immerse themselves in interactive computing, multimedia creation, and large-scale visualization— tools that are enabling revolutionary ways to see and use information. In bringing together a state-of-the-art research library with the Institute for Emerging Issues, the Hunt Library is an international destination for those who seek to explore how collaborative spaces and innovative applications of technology can inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, scientists, researchers, and humanists.” All electronic databases, e-journals, and e-books provided by the NCSU Libraries are available to Design students. Patrons can log into electronic resources from their studio workstations, from computers located in the library, or from remote locations. Patrons can also check their borrowing account and renew materials online. • A number of collections in architecture, horticulture, and natural resources are available in the Special Collections Research Center at D.H. Hill Library. Landscape architecture students and faculty may also find materials of interest at the university’s Natural Resources Library. Students and faculty can request that material at other libraries on campus be delivered to the Design Library. • The NCSU Libraries is a member of the Triangle Research Libraries Network, and NC State University students and faculty may use the libraries at Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and North Carolina Central University. They may also have materials delivered from Triangle libraries or from libraries across the nation through interlibrary loan. 11

RALEIGH AND THE TRIANGLE AREA The Triangle Area is a wonderful place to live, work and study. Long known as a “city in a park,” Raleigh, N.C., boasts a lushly planted environment and many offerings for outdoor recreation — more than 10,000 acres of parkland. The Triangle area is also growing and brimming with culture and opportunities to explore. Home to major sports arenas and outdoor amphitheaters, performing arts theaters, top-notch cultural institutions and museums, award-winning restaurants, and scenic surroundings, the Triangle area is rich in technology, research, culture, and ecology. With festivals such as the Hopscotch Music Festival, SparkFest, Moogfest, and several free festivals offered throughout the year in the area, there is something for everyone’s unique interests. A variety of galleries and museum’s offer the chance to explore and find inspiration. The North Carolina Museum of Art is one of the premier visual arts museums in the Southeast, and is unique in it’s integration of art into the landscape. There are a growing number of ways to easily travel to and through many of the area’s attractions. Utilize one of the bike share programs, hop on a scenic greenway (Raleigh is home to over 180 miles), take the bus, or take the Amtrak train from the stunning new Raleigh Union Station. You are only a few hours away from both the beach and mountains. There is so much to explore and we can hardly wait to welcome you!

THE CURRICULUM Track III Curriculum MLA 81-90 Credit Hours

*Subject to change

First Professional LAAB Accredited Degree The LAAB Accredited Track III curriculum is intended for graduate students with undergraduate degrees in fields other than landscape architecture, architecture or related design areas.

1 FIRST YEAR

2 SECOND YEAR

3 THIRD YEAR

FALL

LAR 501

Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture Studio

LAR 503

Housing, Planning, and Community Studio

LAR 508

Urban Design + Global Engagement Studio

LAR 514

Visual Systems and Processes 3

LAR 518

Computational Design and Parametric Modeling

LAR 519

Landscape Performance and Metrics

LAR 533

Theory and Criticism

LAR 534

History of Landscape Architecture and City Form

LAR 536

Applied Research or Advanced Elective

LAR 543

Plant Systems and Taxonomy

LAR 527

Grading and Site Systems

Open Elective (optional)

TOTAL CREDITS: 15 SPRING

SPRING

LAR 502

Regional Analysis and Conceptual Frameworks Studio

LAR 504

Civic Spaces & Construction Documentation Studio

LAR 515

Advanced Visualization

LAR 551

Public Policy and Design

LAR 517

GIS: Natural and Built Analytics

LAR 535

LAR 544

Ecological Systems

LAR 528

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

LAR 509 or

Final LA Degree Project Studio 6

LAR 506 or

Design + Build

Research Methods

LAR 507

Advanced Topics Studio

Construction Materials and Methods

LAR 550

Professional Practice

Open Elective (optional)

TOTAL CREDITS:

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

Track II Curriculum MLA 60-69* Credit Hours Advanced Placement Track, First Professional LAAB Accredited Degree This curriculum is designed for graduate students with prior degrees in landscape architecture, architecture, or related design programs; also graduate students obtaining concurrent degrees in Architecture, Urban Design or Urban Planning. *IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a sample curriculum. The actual required courses, number of studios (either 4 or 5), and credit hours will be determined based on transcript review from the applicant’s undergraduate degree and a portfolio review after completion of the first semester in the NCSU MLA program.

1 FIRST YEAR

2 SECOND YEAR

FALL

LAR 503

Housing, Planning, and Community Studio

LAR 508

Urban Design + Global Engagement Studio

LAR 543

Plant Systems and Taxonomy

LAR 519

Landscape Performance and Metrics

LAR 533

LA Theory and Criticism

LAR 536

Applied Research or Advanced Elective

LAR 534 Grading and Site Systems

History of Landscape Architecture and City Form

LAR 527

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

TOTAL CREDITS: 15 SPRING

SPRING

LAR 504

Civic Spaces & Construction Documentation Studio

LAR 517

GIS: Natural and Built Analytics

LAR 544

Ecological Systems

LAR 528

Construction Materials and Methods TOTAL CREDITS:

3 15

LAR 509 or

Final LA Degree Project Studio 6

LAR 506 or

Design + Build

LAR 507

Advanced Topics Studio

LAR 550

Professional Practice

LAR 551

Public Policy and Design

Open Elective (optional)

TOTAL CREDITS: 15

TRACK I CURRICULUM MLA 33-48 Credit Hours Post Professional Degree This curriculum is designed for graduate students with prior LAAB Accredited undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture. CURRICULUM A Studios

Seminars

30 TOTAL CREDITS: 48

This program is for graduate students with an LAAB Accredited undergraduate degree in landscape architecture who are not licensed landscape architects. Note: This is not an LAAB Accredited Degree program.

CURRICULUM B LAR 536

Applied Research or Advanced Elective

LAR 509

Final LA Degree Project Studio 6

Curriculum Area, Advised and/ 24 or Free Electives TOTAL CREDITS: 33 This program is for graduate students with an LAAB Accredited undergraduate degree in landscape architecture who are licensed landscape architects.

ELECTIVE COURSES OFFERED CODE

COURSE NAME

LAR 445/582.601

Sustainable Design and Development

LAR 520

Environment and Culture

LAR 582.611

Computational Design and Parametrics

LAR 546

The Landscape Imperative

LAR 552

Survey of Natural Hazards & Disasters

LAR 582.009

Intro to Real Estate Development

LAR 582.004

Walking and Drawing

LAR 582.602

Smart and Healthy Cities

LAR 554

Disaster Resilient Policy, Engineering, and Design

LAR 582

Biophilic Design

LAR 582.XXX

Urban Planning Seminar

LAR 607

Natural Hazards, Disasters, and Climate Change Adaptation Lecture Series

LAR 535

Environmental Social Equity and Design

LAR 543

Landscape Performance and Metrics

LAR 545

City Planning, Landscape Architecture, and the Public Realm

LAR 630

Independent Study

LAR 650

LA Internship

LAR 697

Independent Study for Design Research Project

LAR 582.XXX

AutoCAD and Drafting Fundamentals

LAR 221/582.601

Intro to Environment and Behavior

*Note: This is a non-exhaustive list; subject to change.

The studio introduces students to landscape architectural design by focusing on fundamental problem solving, and graphic concepts, methods, and skills that set the stage for more advanced studies.

E. Carrabus St.

Manassa T. Pope Heritage Museum

Lincoln Theatre Shaw University Student Housing

The Pope House Stronachs Plaza

The Lawn

Mixed-Use 20 Story Structure S. Wilmington St.

Mixed-Use Structure with Community Rooftop Garden

The Playground S. Blount St.

In this first landscape architecture studio, students discover and explore ideas of landscape architectural design. Several studio projects serve as vehicles to learn concepts and methods associated with design thinking, placemaking, and representation. Various representational methods including drawing, physical, and computer modeling are learned and applied to explore site conditions, program relationships, scale, and placemaking.

The Scuplture Walk

E. Lenoir St.

Stronachs Park Raleigh, North Carolina Kathleen Elliott, LAR 501

Image Credit: Kathleen Elliott, Fall 2022

1860

1900

1930

1960

LAR 501 18

LAR 501: Fundamentals of Landscape Architecture Studio

2020

ecology unveiled

symbiotic learning within nature’s classroom

800’

bioretention planting zones

1600’

Elissa Boster | LAR 502: Site Design & Environmental Planning Studio | Spring 2024

connecting research, education, and the natural environment in schenck forest by unveiling the ecological and hydrological processes on-site.

cr ee

kr d

Carolina allspice Calycanthus floridus

)

American beautyberry

Itea virginica

Callicarpa america

bandwidth

ill

site drainage toward creek system

ivi

schenck forest masterplan

eastern redbud river birch

Taxodium dystichum

ea ve n

Bald cypress

25’

Virginia sweetspire

ed w ar ds

conn

high elevation flat topo

older tree stands

wa d

10’

Amelanchier canadensis

ite

ti o hy d r

5’

Serviceberry

young hardwood forest

greenway access

water flow from roadway

flowering dogwood

sloped border research stands

longleaf pine restoration

minimize impact to site hydrology by utilizing bioretention areas and existing flat topography

symbol

witch hazel

create an accessible educational trail loop for outdoor learning spaces

common name

botanical name

height & spread

river birch

Betula nigra

30-70’ 40-60’

bald cypress

Taxodium distichum

50-70’ 20-30’

eastern redbud

Cercis canadensis

20-30’ 25-35’

service berry

canopy

392

bald cypress

30’

60’

150’

sourwood

preserve exisiting mature trees

393

(40

399

398

400

397

acce

ADA accessible trail loop

connection to existing trail network board walk

(387)

(3 88 )

(402 ) (4 (40 01) 0) (399 )

) 98 (3

(3 9 (396 7) ) (395 ) (39 4) (393 ) (392 ) (391 ) (390 )

deck

89 )

Amelanchier canadensis

15-25’ 15-20’

flowering dogwood

Cornus florida

15-25’ 15-30’

witch hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

15-30’ 15-20’

sourwood

Oxydendron arboreum

20-30’ 10-15’

+ LP 390.5

1 39

accessible boardwalk indoor-outdoor deck area

indoor-outdoor connectivity

20’

40’

200’

entry drive loop

entry garden drop off area

enhanced trail networks

50’

391

shrubs

preservatation of mature trees on-site

30’

bioretention

10’

wash station

396

outdoor classroom

understory

395

394

connect the site to existing trail systems and research areas throughout the forest

upland d edge

planting schedule

serviceberry

program goals

ponding area

bioretention

carolina allspice

Calycanthus floridus

6-12’ 6-12’

florida flame azalea

Rhododendron austrinum

8-10’ 8-10’

oakleaf hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia

4-8’ 4-10’

virginia sweetspire

Itea virginica

4-8’ 3-6’

american beautyberry

Calycarpa americana

3-8’ 3-6’

sweet pepperbush

Clethra alnifolia

5-10’ 4-6’

dwarf witchalder

Fothergilla gardenii

1.5-3’ 2-4’

redtwig dogwood

Cornus sericea

5-9’ 5-10’

+ LP 390.5 392

bioretention

dro

p-o

39 2

ve g e

re e

In this studio, students examine natural and built systems to understand how natural elements and their associated ecologies are composed of water bodies, green patches, corridors, flora and fauna, etc, contrasted with understanding the built systems that frame urban developments, including mobility networks, neighborhoods, institutional and commercial districts, cultural amenities, and parks and public space. The course works alongside GIS to enable students to analyze and visualize these systems through compelling representations that inform meaningful design concepts. Image Credit: Elissa Boster, Spring 2024

393

grasses + groundcover

university research enhancement

connection to site ecology

outdoor learning opportunities

perennials

cattail sedge

Carex squarrosa

2-3’ 2-3’

coral bells

Heuchera ‘palace purple’

1-2’ 1-1.5’

common yarrow

Achillea millefolium

1-3’ 1-4’

rattlesnake master

Eryngium yuccifolium

4-6’ 3-6’

purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

3-4’ 1-2’

existing loblolly pine/ hardwood forest

2% en try

FFE: 394.5

LAR 502 LAR 502: Regional Analysis and Conceptual Frameworks Studio

In this studio, the scale of the design exploration expands to address large scale planning parameters including the distribution of a complex built and open space program and associated community needs. The arrangement of programmatic elements onto the landscape and the relationship between the two–built and natural– are expressed as a comprehensive planning framework. This design process is informed by community engagement and cultural value. Note: images for reference only.

LAR 503 20

LAR 503: Housing, Planning and Community Studio

Civic Spaces and Construction Documentation is a studio exercise to equip students with technical skills for designing and documenting an urban open space in the built environment. Typical projects may include a museum plaza, the entry to a music hall, an urban square, among others. Students produce a ‘mock’ set of documents to master the graphic standards for conveying the construction materials and methods of the industry. These drawings comprise grading, layout, and planting plans, as well as construction details– benches, paving, and rain gardens, for instance–and demonstrate that students are ready to engage in professional practice. Image Credit: Andrea Padilla

LAR 504 LAR 504 Civic Spaces and Construction Documentation Studio

This studio explores principles of sustainability through a design-build sequence that progresses from concepts, design development, the production of construction documents, to the implementation of a built project on campus. Students engage with industry partners who provide materials for the project, and they produce cost-estimates to understand the viability of design ideas and their financial implications. Healthy environments for students and communities in which to thrive is a theme at the center of these tangible scale projects, and students are encouraged to apply sustainable practices through planting plans with native species, the design of stormwater collection basins, and locally sourced wooden benches.

Wood Hall, 2023

Syme Hall, 2018

Owen’s Refuge, 2015 Syme Hall, 2010

Image Credits: Design Build Studio Artists Backyard, 2011

Artists Backyard, 2016

Wood Hall, 2024

LAR 506 22

LAR 506: Design + Build Studio

Advanced Topics Studios engage students in the research, development, and application of experimental and best practices related to current and emerging topics in landscape architecture and environmental planning. Integrating and reinforcing knowledge developed throughout the curriculum in history and theory, site works, graphic representation, research methods, environmental analysis, and professional practice, students investigate complex questions and test design approaches across multiple scales. The work shown here was produced in a Coastal Dynamics Design offering of 507, in which students applied these methods to the changing conditions and design challenges of coastal landscapes. Image Credit: Ryan Anderson and Hannah Clarke, Spring 2024 Coastal Dynamics Design

LAR 507 LAR 507: Advanced Topics Studio

This iteration of LAR 507 engaged students in community-based planning and design in Mitchell and Yancey counties following the impacts of Hurricane Helene. Working closely with local communities and the nonprofit Mountain Strong, students conducted site analyses, facilitated community workshops, and evaluated landscape conditions to better understand vulnerability to flooding, evacuation needs, and the social and physical effects of disaster. Students developed traumainformed design strategies that support recovery while preparing communities for future environmental events. Image Credit: Amelia Holdstock, Liliana Teta, Allie Richards, Morgan Miller; Spring 2026

LAR 507

Hurricane Helene Recovery in Western NC

LAR 507: Advanced Topics Studio

In this advanced studio, students explore urban planning theory and urban design fundamentals and apply both to infrastructurallycomplex sites with the goal of providing students exposure to large-scale urban design and planning principles as part of the landscape architecture profession. Additionally, LAR 508 addresses challenges of urbanization and environmental stewardship and is guided by cultural values of the communities inhabiting global territories.

ECO

Temperate Subhumid Semiarid Temperate

Ecotones Over Topography Once the largest lake in the Valley of Mexico covering approximately 5,700 sq-km and 150 m deep in some areas, has been drained from extensive anthropogenic activity and use. Being majority a saline lake, it developed a unique ecosystem and regulated the basin’s temperature keeping it a relatively mild climate.

Semicold Subhumid

Temperate Subhumid Semiarid Temperate

Mexico City 1

LAR 508 LAR 508: Urban Design + Global Engagement Studio

Through comprehensive inventory and analysis, explorations of geographical and urban contexts at multiple scales support the development of both master plan and site-specific frameworks for understanding urban growth. As part of the MLA program, engagement with global contexts prepares students to approach design as environmental stewards and informed global citizens. The intent of this scale of a project is to explore new urban design and planning paradigms for urbanization across other territories of the world while also expanding students’ worldviews and the capacity of the design discipline. Image Credits: Jules Mainor and Fall 2024 507 Advanced Studio students.

This offering of LAR 508 reenvisions urban design principles over a 287 block area in Mexico City, to inspire a renewed framework for global urbanization. The challenges of overlapping environmental risks, infrastructural limitations, and social and economic inequalities inform a comprehensive masterplan for sustainable urban growth. The plan considers Mexico City’s colonial history, while highlighting the cultural values of indigenous communities and traditions derived from their territory. Increased mobility, lively mercados to enhance the local economy, and colorful native plantings along blue-green infrastructure systems, invite people to return to the streets amid a landscape of memory that promotes community well-being and urban sustainability.

Taller de

10 M Calle

Image Credits: Jules Mainor, Bicicletas Melissa Dominguez

Residencial

Danza Guarderia

Cafe

Boutique

Gimnasio

Tienda

28 M Calle Commercial

LAR 508

I NCO R P OR AT I N G C O M M UN ITY Incorporating the government’s vision for redesigned streets, Jane Jacobs’ “Eyes on the Street” theory, and our research on economic LAR 508: Urban Design + Global Engagement Studio growth, we envision a network of streets where everything you need 26 is within walking distance. We plan to introduce three distinct types of streets: residential streets focused exclusively on bicycle traffic, ensuring

Restaurante Mexico City 2

In this final studio, students define or ask a design question founded on a comprehensive understanding of the lessons learned throughout the MLA curriculum and implemented through a design project that resolves or provides a proposal for that question. They must demonstrate mastery of analysis and investigation, design at multiple scales, technical skills, including design media and visualization and civil and structural engineering principles, landscape performance, policy and ethics, and standards of professional practice. Deliverables include analytical drawings, master plan, pilot projects, and details that capture the value and feasibility of the design proposal as a contribution to disciplinary knowledge.

MLA Oral Exam Co-Creating Climate Resilience in Informal Settlements the Role of Landscape Architecture

North Carolina State University Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Tatiana Veloso Spring 2024 Committee Chair: Celen Pasalar, PhD

Photo by Nayani Teixeira

Image Credit: Halina Pyzdrowski, Anna Early, and Jacob Bratsch (top); Tatiana Veloso (bottom)

LAR 509 LAR 509: Final Degree Project Studio

CONCURRENT DEGREES Master of Architecture (NCSU) Landscape architecture students have the opportunity to earn a dual degree in both landscape architecture and architecture. DGP and Department Head review of academic work plans are required.

Master of City and Regional Planning (UNC Chapel Hill) NC State’s landscape architecture students can combine their landscape architecture education with studies at UNC Chapel Hill to pursue a dual degree in city and regional planning. You must apply and be admitted separately to each program. Students may apply to both programs at once or may choose to apply to a second program during the fall of their first semester. Consult your DGP or Department Head.

CERTIFICATES Disaster Resilient Policy, Engineering, and Design Certificate The imperative motivating the Graduate Certificate in Disaster Resilient Policy, Engineering and Design is to educate the next generation of practitioners and scholars to apply knowledge gained in the classroom and in the field to reduce the rise in disaster losses and assist communities to adapt to a changing climate.

City Design Certificate The Graduate Certificate in City Design focuses on design at the scale of the city, and within neighborhoods and urban districts. Studios and seminars focus on the, challenges, and opportunities facing communities and cities in the 21st century, with a particular emphasis upon principles of sustainability and urban ecology.

Public Interest Design Certificate Public Interest Design (PID) is a participatory and issue-based design practice that places emphasis on the “triple bottom line” of sustainable design that includes environmental, economic, and social challenges across the world. PID seeks to broaden access to the benefits of sustainable design to all.

Real Estate Development Certificate The Real Estate Certificate Program, students and industry professionals enroll in classes that emphasize building resilient and sustainable communities, with a focus on architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, financing, and environmental sciences. To do this we’ve built our program in collaboration with 4 colleges while maintaining independence at every level of our structure. Please visit the Graduate School website for more information: https://grad.ncsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/program-development/graduate-certificate-programs/

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL) The mission of the Coastal Dynamics Design Lab (CDDL) is to organize and lead trans-disciplinary research and design teams to address critical ecological and community development challenges in vulnerable coastal regions and shoreline communities, with a concentrated focus on Eastern North Carolina and the MidAtlantic coastal plain. https://www.coastaldynamicsdesignlab.com/

Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) is a research and development, community engagement, and professional development unit of the College of Design. They have employed several LAEP students as research associates. Embracing the overall land grant mission of NC State University, the NLI mission focuses on design applications to support the health of children, their families, and the outdoor spaces of daily life: “Creating environments for healthy human development and a healthy biosphere for generations to come.” NLI works in four areas: Design Assistance, Research and Evaluation, Professional Development, Information Dissemination/communications. https://naturalearning.org/

Just Communities Lab The Just Communities Lab aims to support the impact of environmental justice strategies by co-creating with communities. The lab explores how we can use landscape architecture, design, and planning to rethink how we protect people, ecosystems, and environments. Their work emphasizes the importance of education by finding ways to help people who live in those areas discover the beauty and value of their own local communities and habitats. Just Communities follows a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) model, working in communities to effect change. All of the work is done directly in communities and in partnership with other entities. https://design.ncsu.edu/research/just-communities-lab/

The Pappas Program The Pappas Program champions community building through placemaking by fostering student and professional growth in design-focused, STEM-integrated real estate development education and applied research. The Pappas Program strives to cultivate a robust community of interdisciplinary community development leaders, empowering them to shape our growing region through meaningful placemaking, innovative research, and engagement. Grounded in NC State University’s land-grant mission, we aspire to excellence in teaching, the practical application of knowledge, and collaborative problem-solving. Integrating design, science, technology, and diverse academic perspectives, we aim to equip our students with the comprehensive skill set needed to plan, design, and build a future for our State that is both equitable and prosperous. https://communitygrowthnc.ncsu.edu/

ORAL EXAMS All MLA students in their final semester are required to successfully complete the MLA Oral Examination. The purpose of the MLA Oral Examination is to provide students with the opportunity to reflect upon their years of study in our program and to (1) present their views on what they believe is a major or significant imperative that motivates their pursuit of a career in landscape architecture and environmental planning AND (2) to explain their own approach or strategy or process for undertaking a design/planning project. To illustrate their points students are encouraged to address how their design and landscape thinking evolved by showing examples of work they themselves produced during their time in our program as well as to incorporate research, readings, and/or examples derived from and credited to others. 29

FINANCIAL AID MLA Students can apply for Teaching and Research Assistantships with faculty in the Department of Landscape Architecture + Environmental Planning. Teaching assistants are involved in the process of developing course syllabi, course materials, delivery, grading, and other tasks assigned by the instructor. Research assistants are responsible for a wide variety of tasks related to research, scholarship and engagement activities of faculty members. If you are interested in learning more about teaching or research assistantships within the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, please contact the specific faculty member or Department Head, María Bellalta.

SIMPLE PAID ASSISTANTSHIP: • Assigned to work with a specific class and instructor • Paid a flat rate based on predetermined number of hours • No academic credit for the course

GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT PLAN (GSSP): • Assigned to work with both a specific class/ instructor and the department/department head • Paid a flat rate based upon a predetermined number of hours worked per week • Receives tuition for the semester (fees not included) • Receives health care benefits • No academic credit for the course

MASTER’S SUPERVISED TEACHING: • TA registers for LAR 685, Master’s Supervised Teaching • Not paid • Acquires teaching experience under the mentorship of a faculty member who assists the student in planning for the teaching assignment • Faculty member observes and provides feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluates the student upon completion of the semester • Academic credit is documented on the official transcript

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIPS The Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department offers multiple academic scholarships to qualified applicants. Additionally, there are many fellowships, scholarships and funding opportunities available from outside sources. The NCSU Graduate School provides links to national listings at: https://grad.ncsu. edu/students/fellowships-andgrants/national/

APPLY TODAY! ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS Minimum 3.0 GPA from all previous study at the college level. Applicants with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 will be considered and conditional acceptance must be approved by the Graduate School. All applicants must use the online system and provide the following: þ Personal Statement stating career objectives, prior experience, intention of graduate study, and their relevance to the selected program at NC State University. þ A portfolio of work. Portfolio should demonstrate applicant’s intelligence, creative potential, passion for landscape architecture and design, and breadth of experience through a collection of graphic, photographic, and written material. Portfolio should be no larger than 10 mb. þ Uploaded unofficial transcripts for each institution attended (official transcripts will be required if admitted). þ Three uploaded letters of recommendation from people who know your academic record. þ TOEFL or IELTS scores for international students only (TOEFL institution code for NC State is 5496). þ Residency statement for US citizens only (http://go.ncsu.edu/NCRes). þ Personal résumé (include under “PDF Documents” in the online system). No admissions decisions will be made on the basis of email correspondence.

For International Students

Acceptable minimum online TOEFL score (combined score of 80 and at least 18 on each individual component); OR minimum IELTS score for international students (overall band score of at least 6.5 in each individual component). International students with at least one year of full-time study at a four-year US College or university do not have to submit TOEFL and/or IELTs scores.GRE Scores are not required.

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Design MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Landscape Architecture +

Environmental Planning