Concept and Practice of Park Design Course at Architecture College in Western China

The undergraduate education of landscape architecture in the school of architecture of Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology (XAUAT), based on the characteristics of Western China’s regional culture and natural environments, continuously explores its own cultivation mode and development direction. The Park Design course relies on the training characteristics and discipline advantages of architectural universities and, combined with the education philosophy of landscape architecture of XAUAT, has obtained certain teaching achievements and experience after eight years of exploration. On the basis of briefing the basic overview, teaching objectives and content of the Park Design course, this paper focuses on the teaching concept of the course, which is to “focus on process, enlighten thinking, and cultivate ability”. It means to emphasize a process (from landscape cognition to diagnosis and to design), and cultivate two ways of thinking (design thinking + planning thinking) and multiple abilities (basic skills + comprehensive skills). It also expounds in detail the design theme selection and teaching practice from the characteristics of “inheriting culture, emphasizing ecology and integrating innovation”.