Landscape Design Theory RESOURCES: Design Objectives Ecology, Community, Delight, Archetypes, Design Methods, Structuralism & Design, Community Design, Single Tree Principle, Design with nature, Master Plans,
Thompson identifies 'beauty' as a key concern of landscape architects ([a modern parallel to the Vitruvian quality of 'delight'])and asks 'are there any underlying principles of aesthetics that will help us to recognise or create beautiful places?' (p. 13). This leads to a survey of aesthetics since classical times and a discussion of current biological theories. The latter includes the Savannah Hypothesis (Gordon Orians), Information Processing Theory (Rachel and Steven Kaplan) , Prospect and Refuge Theory (Jay Appleton) and Geoffrey Jellicoe's Theory of 'transparencies'. Thompson also has a chapter which discusses whether landscape architecture is an artform and two chapters which report on interviews with practicing landscape architects.
Review of Earth Art and Earthworks