[Fred Besancon]

B.Arch – very useful as an undergraduate degree and background before going into landscape architecture.

[Fred Besancon]

I don’t know an official answer, but the first thing that came to mind is that roof pitches are typically measured where the first number is the vertical number.  Most of the building codes are architecturally focused (as the name implies).  Perhaps this is the reason why…

[Fred Besancon]

I recently took and passed the CSE and have several resources for those studying for the exam.  Some of the resources I found helpful I used when I studied the CSE for architecture exam (I’m also a licensed architect).

1. John Denson’s study guide, sample question e-book, and web site, http://www.cselandscapearchitect.com;  John’s e-books and web site quizzes were very useful to structure my studying, especially his plant lists
2. For CEQA and general planning / zoning understanding, read Bill Fulton’s Guide to California Planning;  his book is the textbook for understanding all things about California planning; I highly recommend the book.  While reading the whole thing is overkill for the exam, I enjoyed doing that it to better understand the background to the various regulations and court cases that structure much of our profession;  the CEQA part is very useful
3. David Douchette’s web site and material for the CSE-Architecture, http://californiasupplementalexam.com;  David has an extensive series of materials that includes books, tests, and audio companions.  What I highly recommend is the series of podcasts he produced (accessible via his website and iTunes).  While his audience is architecture-candidates, I found his 30 minute podcasts very useful in understanding some of the regulatory / contract items that may appear in the exam.  His latter podcasts began to deal with the process of studying for the exam and not the exam’s content (e.g. setting up goals, study schedule, motivation, studying habits, et cetera) which is just as useful for us taking the CSE-Landscape Architecture; I never purchased his books, but I imagine that their content will not be useful for the CSE-Landscape Architecture
4. Pass x Flash:  flash cards for the CSE-architecture;  while much of the content is building-specific, there are many flash cards that test agency reviews / approval, process, et cetera
5. What struck me about the CSE-Landscape Architecture exam was how California-centric it was as compared to CSE-Architecture which dealt with larger professional issues. This may seem obvious, but understand all the state regulations – CalGreen, lighting standards, wildfire, CEQA, wetlands, coastal agencies, plants, contracts, Practice Act, et cetera. Know when different regulations are triggered on a project:  for example, what triggers an irrigation audit, CEQA review, SWPPP, et cetera (the Pass x Flash CSE cards were helpful for this
6. YouTube:  after going through the above topics, I found watching videos on topics like wildfire protection, backflow preventors, irrigation design, native plant selection, et cetera very useful to see the ideas I had been reading about
7. Agency web sites:  very useful to browse the various state agencies and the “About Us” and “Project” pages;  I ended up surfing the agencies’ project pages for my local area to tie in their responsibilities to places I know about and understand their jurisdictions
8. WUCOLS – great free online book and very useful in understanding the underlying concepts and calculations for irrigation design and plant hydrozones
9. CSE Legal Resource Guide by Alexander van Gaalen:  free PDF, though donation strongly suggested.  Made for architecture-candidates, this PDF is a compilation of various web sites and FAQ’s for various state agencies, California laws, et cetera; 
10. Plant ID:  I ended up making many flash cards for my iPhone and iMac with a program called Mental Case.  Whenever I had a free moment I would review various plant lists from John Denson’s study guide
11. Your office:  don’t overlook using your time at the office to dovetail with exam preparation;  I can’t think how many times while studying for the exams I had to deal with the same material at work within a day or so (e.g. wildfire protection, fire access, wetlands, CalGreen, accessibility, et cetera). 
12. CalGreen:  read the code – it isn’t long, but useful to understand what regulations apply to our work as landscape architects; available free online via the State of California web site

 Otherwise, good luck!

[Fred Besancon]

Here are a several more thoughts / suggestions to add to the mix.  Some of which probably have been addressed by others, but maybe in a different way:

• Networking:  Another way to meet professionals is through your local design schools and trying to get involved as a TA or serve on design juries.  I imagine its different in NYC, but here in San Diego the local architecture program often is searching for locals, including recent grads, to help serve on design juries.  Having a landscape architecture background or field experience helps too since most professors are looking for expertise outside of the traditional architect coming in giving the usual comments.  For me personally, I ended up serving on some juries which led me to further discussions with a local professor / landscape architect who ended up using me on side projects and got me to start teaching a variety of courses.
• Job packages versus portfolios:  I don’t what you’ve been sending to firms Kelly, but I found that given g a small sampling of work rather than my full portfolio very helpful.  First, this allowed me to select key projects specific to each office.  This approach also allowed me only to show the best of my work while not giving away my whole show and (hopefully) having the firms wanting to see more.   I combined the school work with a CD-ROM of a couple slideshows of school projects / PDFs for them to look at too to help make the package stand out more.  I know that works because the firm I work for now later made a similar little package when going after a project and said it was inspired by my job package.
• Being specific to each office:  It took a bit more time, but I did my research for each office I sent work to as much as possible (web sites, visiting their work, talking to others who knew of them) so that the cover letter spoke directly to them and what skills I could offer that they would probably need.  If I was fortunate to talk to someone on the phone, then I could show off that knowledge of their work and how interested I was.
• Habitat Management / Non-Office Work:  Don’t short shrift your field experience.  If ecology / restoration is a professional interest, then use that to your advantage.  I would think that background speaks considerably to what differentiates you from others.  That’s the great thing about landscape architecture – its a field that takes in a lot of experiences.
• Unscheduled Visits:  I found it very helpful to drop off my resume packages in person was helpful.  Once in a while it may end up with me getting to talk to someone, but most importantly for me was just seeing the place.  If I did end up talking to someone later on the phone or even getting an interview, I could rehearse mentally being in that space versus going in cold and trying to take in all in.  Also, you can learn a lot seeing how an office is set up after you visit some…
• Timing:  You may not be getting a response now because they are not hiring, but the work load can change dramatically in a matter of days.  A job package coming after a firm just landed some big projects will do wonders.  Check back with the firms later to let them know that you are still active in your search
• Follow up:  After finishing grad school I remember there was one firm here in San Diego I really wanted to interview at and was dismayed when I didn’t hear anything back.  After a couple weeks, I called to see if my job package went to right people.  Later that day, I got a call back for an interview – someone the package got lost in the boss’ stack of papers.  After interviews, I also would follow up a couple days later with a thank you card that I made that had samples from my portfolio to remind them of the interview.
• ASLA Web Site Portfolios / Make yourself stand out:   After grad school, while spending time pulling together work and cleaning it up, I spent a lot of time downloading and looking at other portfolios on ASLA’s web site.  I went in looking for what made strong portfolios and what worked in terms of organizing / presenting information.  Of course having strong work helps, but I found in looking at other portfolios that a poorly organized book can diminish the quality inside (images too small, bad layout, poor typography, et cetera).   I also kept asking myself what do I offer to a prospective employer and how I distinguish those abilities / skills / attitudes different than others?

Good luck!

[Fred Besancon]

Hey Brian – how’s it going?  Blast from the past in seeing your name.

To follow up on Brian’s point, and to speak highly of my time at RISD, one of its great assets is that you can enroll in Brown University’s Sheridan Teaching Program.  It’s a year-long course that helps prepare one to teach in higher education.  RISD has developed its own seminar series that tags along with Brown’s that looks at what it means to teach in a design- or art-oriented school.  

Elaine, one thing I would caution you is this idea of going to grad school to learn ‘design.’ From what I’ve seen, every school is a ‘design’-oriented school.  The question though is what you mean by ‘design?’

In looking at your list, I would say that each as a different attitude towards the premise of design and what are its chief drivers.  No school is right or wrong, but its really about what your values are.  Are you more sustainability focused, or are social issues more important?  My alma mater, RISD, was great for me, but I know others I went to school with had difficulty with the program because it didn’t align with their professional / personal values.

I found what was a tremendous value was taking a considerable time off between undergraduate school and graduate school (eight years) to begin to get a sense of what I want to pursue (there was also a career change from architecture to landscape architecture). In looking at other architects and landscape architects I know and respect, did a similar route.  I found that working for other designers I respect, I learned design from different points of view, learned design issues / thinking at a variety of scales, understood the professions at a great depth, and picked up a lot of useful technical information I could bring to bear back at graduate school.

If you stick with the plan to get a master’s degree immediately, go to each school and see what each promotes in their work.  Speak to many students in each program and to faculty in a candid way.  I remember asking candidly different programs what I was after and getting candid responses back.  Look beyond the portfolio and glitzing images and towards the profession each program seeks to provide.

And let me know if I can give you any more info on RISD.

[Fred Besancon]

I can help describe RISD and its thesis process (RISD ’08). At RISD’ all graduate programs require a thesis to graduate, though how that is defined depends on the major. In the landscape program, you choose a thesis topic or open question which is researched through design. In some respects, the actual site is not as critical as thinking it as a proving ground for what you want to explore.

For example, I was interested in exploring how landscape design can be thought of as a changeable, amendable infrastructure that communities. I had friends who looked at how how of the concepts of aerodynamics can be used to analyze circulation (Air Force pilot), one looked at how Chinese calligraphy can inspire movement in design, et cetera. Essentially anything goes, as long as you can support it with theory, design, writing, and hard work.

The thesis process is one of the reasons I wanted to go to RISD – the overall theme at the campus is having everyone find their values and voice as an artist / designer. As one professor who came out of UPenn’s program described it, “most students are asked to think their way out of a problem, you RISD student make your way through it.”

As for double majoring, I don’t know how that would work. My gut reaction is that you would have to do a each program separately as each has a full curriculum, and that illustration is very, very hard to get into. That said, another great asset at RISD is the “wintersession” where you are encouraged to take classes outside of your department. I was able to take a couple great illustration courses. I also know a number of artists who went through the oh program to further their art exploration.

A last thing to consider is that RISD architecture and landscape programs have a strong focus on how to design such that regardless of your background, you will have to take “design principles” your first term there. It’s a hard class to explain, but it sets up the fundamental methods and views on what design is all about. I came into RISD with a bachelor of architecture and about eight years of professional experience in architecture and that class fundamentally changed how I perceived materiality and process.

Other pros – great location near Boston and NYC, very supportive faculty, great camas denies amount students, inspirational art and design being made everywhere you look, etc.

I can easily go on about the program. I loved my time there and my experiences and look back to that with fondness, and admittingly, a wish to do it again. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

[Fred Besancon]

Just to chime in, in looking at developing order in the landscape (or architecture), you have to be clear as to your intent and how you construct the site.  Ultimately I believe all design in an imposition on the site so we have to be clear as to what we are trying to do and why.  Another way to put it is to determine your reaction to the current site / program conditions and then act upon those in a coherent, , deliberate, legible way.  

I recommend looking at some of Marc Treib’s essays, notably “Traces Upon the Land: The Formalistic Landscape” and “The Content of Landscape Form.” I’ve used those articles when teaching students about the basics of landscape design.

[Fred Besancon]

Another program to look at is RISD – namely its connection to Brown University which includes Brown’s Sheridan Center for Teaching. 

A number of MLA students (myself included) have gone through this.  The Sheridan program is a one year long series of lectures, workshops, and seminars focusing on how to learn to teach at the university level.  What was helpful was that RISD hold its own seminars where you look at how to apply teaching techniques in a art / design setting.  RISD also makes it easy for master’s students to teach during the school’s Wintersession term (a short 6 week term focused on experimental courses).  I found the Sheridan program very helpful as I got into teaching part-time locally.

 

If you are interested, try getting a hold of Nancy Friese at RISD who was the liason between the campuses while I was there back in ’08 (she also teaches in RISD’s art education program).

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