Academic courses
July 30, 2024 2025-07-30 8:54Academic courses
Academic courses – Landscape Architecture department
Alternative Forms of Recreation and Tourism
The course objective is to broaden and deepen the students’ knowledge in the field of ecologically oriented forms of recreation and tourism – ecotourism, cultural recreation and tourism, agrarian (rural) recreation and tourism, etc. The content of the lecture material is related to the various specialized forms of recreation and tourism, the steps in developing investment projects for tourist routes, as well as clarifying the features and content of a tourist trail. Through the practical classes, the lecture material is supplemented, and students develop habits and skills to carry out analyzes, assessments and design proposals for tourist routes, eco trails and recreational infrastructure facilities.
Lecturers:
Basics of Genetics – Ecology and Environmental Protection (EEP)
Goal and objectives of the course:
The aim is to introduce the students with the methods for the study of lows for heredity and variability of the living organisms and protection of the genetic variability and genetic resources of the biological species.
The main tasks for the realization of the aim are related with the receiving of knowledge from the students for the biochemical basis of heredity, gene and its functional conditions, the organization of the genetic material in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, biological and genetic significance of the mitosis and meiosis, Mendel’s lows for the heredity, gene interactions, genetics of the sex, classification of the variability, genetics of the ontogenesis, population genetics, sources of initial plant material, methods for conservation of valuable genetic resources, natural and artificial selection, using of methods for increasing of biological diversity by introduction of new species and sexual hybridization.
Basics of Hydrology
Compositions with Flowers
The discipline “Compositions with flowers” is taught to students of landscape architecture in their third year and it is an optional course. After the discipline “Floriculture” it allows acquisition of skills for proper implementation of flowers in green areas. The theoretical training provides knowledge about history and classification of flower compositions, peculiarities in the development of flowers in terms of life expectancy and ornamental effect, rules for construction of the main types of compositions, some special groups of plants and their place in park areas. This includes also the contemporary aspects of flowering as vertical gardens and trends in floristics. Practical activities include design of nine types of compositions with flowers under specific conditions and requirements. For some of them are provided possibilities for construction.
Lecturers:
Construction and Maintenance of the Green Areas
The building and planting technologies used in the green areas construction and maintenance in urban and rural environment are discussed.
“Construction and Maintenance of the Green Areas” is mandatory and specialized subject, based on the technical and engineering characteristics of the building materials and the biological traits of the plants. The following course is based on experience, obtained in several foregoing as education process subjects: “Building materials”, “Engineering”, “Botany”, ”Phytocoenology” and “Floriculture.”
The subject allows the students to obtain skill concerning their practice in construction and maintenance of all details of typical park building, in planting and breeding of ornamentals: trees, shrubs and herbs, as in design and keeping all kinds of lawns.
The subject also focused building and planting technologies, applied in the construction and maintenance of some specific green areas as roof and vertical gardening.
Lecturers:
Contemporary Urban Planning and Territorial Planning
The “Contemporary Urban Planning and Territorial Planning” course is geared toward students enrolled in the Ecology and Environmental Studies master’s program. This course provides an overview of contemporary urban planning and covers a wide range of topics, including:
- 20th century concepts of cities of the future;
- Renovation of city centers and utilization of underground spaces;
- Landscape architecture in urban areas;
- Aesthetic and energy issues in cities;
- Current state and tendencies in the development of urban planning in Bulgaria, including the interaction of various factors: development of residential areas, demographic changes, overall infrastructure, ecology, sustainable development, an urban planning development strategy for Bulgaria through 2020, and others.
Decorative Nurseries
Development of Areas for Recreation – Ecology and Environmental Protection (EEP)
This is course is part of the Ecology and Environmental Studies master’s program and covers the following topics:
- Main concepts related to the development of areas for recreation;
- Rules and regulations;
- Evaluation of the territories used for recreation;
- Current state and tendencies in the development of areas for recreation;
- Existing national and regional plans and protocols for the development of recreation areas, and others.
Drawing and Composition
The course “Drawing and Composition” is an integral part of the preparation of students in drawing and basic theory of composition. The course includes lectures on art history and exercises aimed to present elements of the landscape. Lectures provide basic knowledge about the specifics of styles in architecture and fine arts and regularities in their evolutions. Theory of styles is studied by all professionals with a creative focus, to expand their outlook and artistic potential. The exercises aim to teach students to the basics of lighting and shading of building volumes with the principles of natural lighting and perspective. Tasks include the basic skills of stylization, abstract-geometric and ornamental composition whose manifestations are obvious in the design and implementation of parks and gardens from antiquity to the present day.
Lecturers:
Drawing with Park Perspective
The aim of subject “Drawing with landscape perspective” is to form in student base skills in visual representation park area and its base elements – nature and architectural details with method of perspective and graphical methods of drawing. It will formed in student culture of imaging and will be an way in the process of projecting.
Lecturers:
Floriculture
The subject of “Floriculture” concerns one of the most important parts of the landscape design: the flowers. The information about flowers as live objects with an aesthetic appearance is divided in two parts: first, so called Floriculture – Common part deals with plant biology, ecology and propagation. The second part, named Floriculture – Special part studies in taxonomic order different families, genera and species in morphological (life span, root and stem type), eco-biological (inflorescence and environmental requirements) and breeding (propagation and production) aspects. Different kind of cultures is included: cut-flowers, evergreens, potted plants, annuals, biennials and perennials as well. Information about more than 170 genera is included; a detailed description and production tips about the most popular ornamentals are also proposed.
Lecturers:
Forest Parks
The course “Forest parks” is profiling for students in “Landscape Architecture”. It belongs to a group of specialized disciplines for fundamental training. Its goal is to provide knowledge about the natural and artificial components of forest landscapes.
The course provides students with basic theoretical knowledge of the constituent parts of the forest, the interaction between forest and environmental factors, for signs of plantation forestry, etc. Particular attention is paid to methods for forming spaces forest parks and landscapes, methods of reconstruction of existing inferior and degraded plantations and landscape taxation, as an approach for preliminary studies on the field because it gives much more detailed characterization of forest landscapes than forest inventory, which describes mainly wood stock and calculate the growth of plantations. Based on census landscape project envisages the implementation of actions to improve conditions in the forest recreation areas, and to improve the environmental sustainability of forests.
The course “Forest parks” is composed of two sections: “Biology of the forest” and “Structure of forest parks.”
Lecturers:
Genetics and Breeding of Ornamental Plants
Goal and objectives of the course:
By this course of education, the students receive knowledge for the lows of heredity and variability, for the selection and breeding of ornamental plants.
The aim of section “Genetics”, is to introduce the students with the knowledge in heredity and variability of living organisms on molecular, cell, organism and population level in the natural and artificial populations. The aim of second section is to learn the specific methods of genetics and breeding and their application in the work with ornamental plants.
The main tasks for the realization of the aim in section “Genetics” are related with the receiving of knowledge from the students for the biochemical basis of heredity, gene and its functional conditions, the organization of the genetic material in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genetic basis of the propagation, Mendel’s lows for the heredity, gene interactions, genetics of the sex, cytoplasmic inheritance, types of biological variability, genetics of the ontogenesis, population genetics and genetic transformation.
The main tasks for the realization of the aim in section “Breeding” are focused to the receiving of knowledge from the students for sources of initial plant material and methods for its conservation, natural and artificial selection, using of methods for increasing of biological diversity by introduction of new species and sexual hybridization, alternation of the heredity by mutagenic factors.
History of Park Art
The subject belongs to the group of subjects giving specialized fundamental preparation.
The lectures serve as a theoretical basis which acquaints the students with the following basic periods of the Park & Garden Arts History:
- Ancient world – Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, China & Japan, Mavritania, India.
- Italian Renaissance. French Classicism. European Baroque. English and European free style parks. Park & Garden Arts in Russia. Park & Garden Arts in Europe and America in ХІХ and ХХ centuries. Contemporary landscape architecture achievements.
- Park & Garden Arts in Bulgaria during Middle Ages, Bulgarian Renaissance and after the Liberation. First landscape architects and Bulgarian residencial parks. First Bulgarian public parks and gardens. Contemporary Bulgarian public parks and gardens.
The seminars are conducted in manual redesigning of the most popular world examples of the Park & Garden Arts and learning some of the details of their compositional schemes.
LITERATURE:
I. Basic: Lectures, Shtilianov Vl., 2011.
II. Recommended : Kuleliev,I., Park & Garden Arts History, 2007
Hydrology
Interior Landscaping
The subject belongs to the group of elected subjects and aims to give a specialized training to the students in “Landscape Arhitecture” in the following areas:
- Plants biological characteristics and environmental requirements in interior landscaping.
- Adaptation possibilities of ornamental plants in the unfavorable conditions in the interior spaces.
- Engineering facilities in interior landscaping.
- Aesthetic principles and compositional devices.
The lectures provides students with basic theoretical knowledge which introduce them in the matter of interior landscaping and acquaints them with the stages of its design and implementation.
The seminars are conducted in one term . During the term the students are taught how to put into practice the theoretical knowledge by drafting of interior planting in existing interior spaces in public buildings. The projects are accompanied by specific details and bills of quantities.
Literature:
I. Basic: Lectures, Shtilianov Vl., 2011.
II. Recommended : Scrivens, St., Interior Planting in Large Buildings, 1990.
Irrigation for Landscaping
Irrigation Settlements
Landscape Ecology
The course “Landscape Ecology” introduces structure, function and dynamics of different ecosystems (local, regional, zonal and global). During the course are discussed the relationship between the spatial structures of these ecosystems and to develop their balance models.
Lecturers:
Landscape Planning
The course aims to acquaint students with the principles, requirements and regulations in developing strategies and landscaping plans in the field of landscape planning and arrangement of different types of landscapes, depending on their functional purpose. The lecture material is divided into four sections. The first section clarifies the nature, specific features and current state of landscape planning. The second section covers the theory related to the structure of different types of landscapes. The third section deals with the problems related to the arrangement of the landscape as an environment for recreation and tourism. The fourth section includes the methods of landscape planning and development of landscaping plans. The practical classes are directed in several aspects. Projects are being developed for:
- landscaping of sites and facilities of the transport infrastructure;
- planning of recreational landscapes – campsites and recreation centers.
Students use various methodologies related to:
- detailed analysis of environmental factors and potential of the site;
- assessment of the recreational qualities of the territory from ecological, aesthetic and functional point of view;
- harmonious development of the landscape through the proper distribution of human activities and the use of natural resources.
Some of the projects are developed on a competitive basis, together with various organizations with which the university has cooperation agreements. The practical training in the course is circumferential and includes visiting or passing through many sites and territories related to landscape planning and design – resort areas, holiday villages, campsites, disturbed industrial areas, roadside landscapes, etc.
Lecturers:
Landscape Protection – Ecology and Environmental Protection (EEP)
The course “Landscape protection” has practical and applied nature. The students of “Ecology and environment protection” study natural landscapes and relationship between their components according to factors of landscape area and human role in it. Horizontal and vertical structure, their function, dynamic and evolution of landscapes, methods and approaches for their studying and classification are investigated.
The subject studied the treat of irrational use of natural resources, pollution of the environment and disruption of natural landscapes. The course includes study of landscapes on the territory of our country acquiring theoretical and practical training for landscape-ecological and landscape-aesthetical assessment with a view to their optimal natural and urban development.
Lecturers:
Landscape Science
The “Landscape science” has a fundamental character. The students get knowledge about natural environment and its complex nature trough engineering and biological based training. The relationship between landscape components are studied based on the factors of environment and the role of humans in it. Horizontal and vertical structure, their function, dynamic and evolution of landscapes, methods and approaches for their studying and classification are investigated.
The subject studied the treat of irrational use of natural resources, pollution of the environment and disruption of natural landscapes. In this way student gets basic and applied training on the problem of interaction between human and environment. The course includes study of landscapes on the territory of our country acquiring theoretical and practical training for landscape-ecological and landscape-aesthetical assessment with a view to their optimal natural and urban development.
Lecturers:
Ornamental Dendrology
Ornamental Dendrology course provides a basic knowledge about the morphology, biology, ecology and geographical range of woody ornamental plant species (trees and shrubs), their implementation in the landscape design, and their importance in the landscaping of urban and non-urban areas. A special attention is given to the performance of the species in the specific environmental conditions in urban and industrial territories.
Lecturers:
Park Architectural Design and Construction
Lecturers:
Park Sites with Specific Functions
Park sites with specific purposes include: botanical parks, zoos, cemeteries, amusement parks and sport’s parks, protective and insulating plantations, park’s exhibits, school camps and residences.
These categories park sites participate as separate units of the green system of settlements and included in determining the extent of greenery. The parameters of the lands for sports, cemetery and protective sealing areas are legally defined. Other types of park facilities with specialty designation shall be developed depending on the area of land designated by the investor’s requirements.
The program covers the basic principles for the composition of vegetation lane network and refracted through the specific nature and requirements for the construction of these special-purpose properties.
The training program addresses all regulations for this category of park facilities.
Lecturers:
Phytodesign in Interior
The training course in “Interior and exterior plant design” aims to propose to the students of specialty “Interior and furniture design”, Master degree “Design of city environment” basic knowledge in plants morphology, ecology and biology of in-door plants as general and about the widespread ornamentals in particular. The lectures are divided in two parts: first concerning life span of the flowers, ecological factors and their influence upon the plants, grown in the interior. The second part deals with the most popular ornamentals among the ferns, conifers, mono- and dicots. Flowers with seasonal and round year ornamental appearance are discussed. Practical guides for breeding plants in the interior are also proposed. A survey of some technical problems concerning indoor plant decoration is provided. Basic information about most popular outdoor annuals for balconies and terraces is included.
Lecturers:
Products of Design in Green Areas
The course “Products of Design in Green Areas” aims to familiarize students with the basic principles of composition in design. The course provides basic knowledge and skills of the design of parks and gardens. The idea of the course is to build knowledge and skills. Students could use the park facilities they have already been working on and whose features they are familiar with. The tasks are associated with building the spatial composition of geometric objects and design of so called “Fontanka”, fence and park area with a memorial element. The last two tasks are oriented to the application of design in already developed open spaces. The lectures include familiarization with the main reppresentatives of the different styles and questions related to the interdependence of form, function and material.
Lecturers:
Theory of Colors and Shapes
The course “Theory of colors and shapes” presents to the students different aspects of shape, color and their mutual links with compositional construction. The focus of the exercises is on the construction of various types of flat and three dimetional compositions based on the use of symmetry, asymmetry and a combination of both.
In terms of colors tasks are graded according to their complexity. The first task is based on the principle of mohnohromic color. In each subsequent composition colors are used to increase their numbers, and the principle of interaction among them is different from the previous. The structure of the compositions is comprised of rectilinear and curvilinear shapes, forms with a combined specifics or geometrical objects.
The concept of the construction of the compositions is related to their deployment in one or more planes. The course is directly tied to the specifics of the exercises. Its content is oriented to an introduction of principles of color science, tabular and prostranestvenoto building compositions.
Lecturers:
Theory of Park Art
The subject belongs to the group of subjects giving specialized fundamental preparation . The major purpose of this subject is to provide the students with knowledge in the following basic fields:
I.The basics, styles and concepts of landscape architecture
II. Basic components and elements of Landscape Architectural Design
III. Planning and space composition
IV. Aesthetic principles and composition devices
The lectures serve as a theoretical basis which acquaints the students with park & garden arts matter. Plants are given special attention during the course since they are the basic elements of the spatial design.
The seminars are conducted in two terms. During the first term the students get acquainted with the basic requirements and the most essential concepts necessary for designing of the separate components of the park art (relief, plants, pavements, architecture, sculpture and water). Also, they acquire graphic skills to draw the elements of these components (trees, bushes, lawns, flower patterns, building materials, park elements, aquatic surfaces etc.) During the second term the students are taught how to put into practice the theoretical knowledge gained in the first term and they develop their graphic skills by designing their own preliminary designs.
Literature
I. Basic:
- Lectures, Shtilianov V., 2011.
- Handbook “Theory of Park Design: theoretical formulations and graphic skills” , Shtilianov V., 1997 ( second edition 2005 ).
- Handbook “The Park Arts”, Shtilianov V., 2009.
II. Recommended:
- Stoychev A. – Park and Landscape Art, 1960
- Fomina L. – Basics of Park Art, 1988
- Booth, N. K. – Basic elements of Landscape Architectural Design, 1983.
- Clouston B. – Landscape design wint plants, 1977.
Urban Park Design
The subject of “Park planning in the cities” is one of the main courses, included in the education schedule of the specialty “Landscape architecture”. It aims to give a profound knowledge about the main requirements, which the contemporary urban planning imposes on the design, measurement and layout of green places in a certain settlement.
Green systems, as a part of the General urban plans of the cities propose conditions for creative and complex formation of the environment that harmonized to the urban planning
In the education program the following topics are discussed:
* Green places of public utilization that include parks, municipal gardens, gardens and road side vegetation in the cities
* Attending green places – including green places attached to residential, resort, public, production and sport buildings
* Park planning of villages – new guides for using them in the context of recreation
* Principles, concerning park planning in mountain, costal, spa- complexes, student and children campuses.
Lecturers:
Urban Planning and Territorial Planning Basics
The “Urban Planning and Territorial Planning Basics” course is geared toward Ecology and Environmental Studies students and provides an introduction to the main principles of this discipline. The material is presented in two parts. The first part covers the basic theory of urban planning, including the various elements of the urban environment, the structure and the functional zoning of cities, and the current urban plans. The second part of the course presents an in-depth analysis of the factors affecting the urban planning process, and the method of environmental impact evaluation of these urban plans.
Urban Planning and Territorial Planning
The “Urban Planning and Territorial Planning” course is geared toward Landscape Architecture students and provides an introduction to the main principles of this course. The material is presented in two parts. The first part covers the basic theory of urban planning – the various elements of the urban environment; the basic structure and functional zoning of cities; the characteristics of the various types of zones: residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational; the zoning infrastructure; and the current urban plans. The second part of the course presents an in-depth analysis of the factors affecting the urban planning process, the various existing urban plans, and the method of environmental impact evaluation of these urban plans.
Lecturers:
Water Resources
Курсът по “Градоустройство и териториално устройство” има за цел да запознае студентите от специалност “Ландшафтна архитектура” с основните принципи на градоустройството и териториалното устройство. Материалът е разработен в два раздела:
- В първия раздел са разгледани основите на теорията на градоустройството – различните селищни елементи – урегулирани поземлени имоти, квартали, улици, улични кръстовища и улични възли, площади; плановата структура и функционалното зониране на населените места; характерните особености на различните видове зони – жилищни, централни, производствени зони и зони за отдих, въпросите на техническата инфраструктура, основните планове и проектни материали (Общи и Подробни устройствени планове).
- Вторият раздел е посветен на проблемите на териториално-устройственото планиране. Анализирани са факторите и предпоставките за устройство на територията, съвременните проблеми на териториалното устройство, процедурата по Оценка на въздействието върху околната среда на устройствени планове и други теми.
