Causal Study of Design Studios in the Landscape Architecture Program of Iran: Educational Contents of Landscape Design Studio I

The Landscape Architecture program in the educational and research system of Iran is no more than two decades old. As a professional discipline, its theoretical and practical grounds need to be developed to assist in training professionals and localization purposes. Also, training for design, as the core of the pedagogy and practice in landscape architecture, requires the broadening of concepts, procedures, and professional tools. Results of a comparative study of the course description of Design Studio I in the Master of Landscape Architecture program in Iran and that of top-ranked universities all around the world imply that Iranian landscape design programs have a less research-based curriculum. This study seeks to present a theoretical framework for the educational content of landscape design studios with a causal approach to the current courses provided in Iran—with an emphasis on Landscape Design Studio I. The survey consists of comparison of the course descriptions of Landscape Design Studio I in Iranian universities with those of top universities of other countries using random sampling. Also, semi-structural interviews were held with nine tutors of landscape design studios using the contextual survey method. Content analyses of responses demonstrate two general points of view of Iranian tutors: 1. environmental and natural values; and 2. aesthetic and architectural values of open space design. Therefore, educational contents and approaches must be more elaborated by detailed descriptions. After discussions, the proposed framework for the Landscape Design Studio I course description is introduced.