Virtual Gardens

Prerequisites: GSD 2106 or GSD 2107 or permission of instructor. Proficiency with computing and willingness to adventure.Course Description: Examines the special problems and opportunities involved in creating digital landscape models -for digitally literate landscape designers and others who wish to maximize the value of 3D modeling and animation for representing landscapes and landscape phenomena. Special emphasis on techniques and software for modeling the essential elements of landscape – landform, vegetation, and water – and representing dynamic and interactive processes in the landscape — movement, growth, interaction, e.g. Lecture/Workshop format, exercises using state of the art computer systems and a variety of software. Course exercises will be presented in a \’gallery\’ on the World Wide Web. Exercises will include: -Modeling essential elements: Terrain, Vegetation, and Water -Integration of Elements: Virtual Gardens -Animation & Choreography; Movement through Landscape -Dynamics & Movement of the Landscape -A Final Synthetic ProjectPedagogic Objectives: This course is designed for GSD students who have mastered intermediate 2D and 3D digital modeling skills and wish to explore the complications associated with modeling landscapes and landscape elements. Each student will use a variety of software and techniques to create several digital landscape models, including a final project — a \’virtual garden\’ — of some complexity.Time Commitment: 6-12 hours/week, and final project completion and presentation during exam week.Basis of Final Grade: There will be five exercises (60%) and a final project (40%). Grading will take account both of the technical aspects of the exercise and of the design content and graphic quality of the work that is presented.