Academic Catalog

HORT 60G: LANDSCAPE DESIGN: 3-D COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Units: 3
Hours: 2 lecture, 3 laboratory per week (60 total per quarter)
Advisory: HORT 45 or an equivalent computer-aided design course strongly recommended.
Degree & Credit Status: Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: CSU
Grade Type: Letter Grade Only
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Export drawings to printers and external files.
  • Produce three-dimensional renderings of designs.

Description

Introduction to three-dimensional (3-D) software for computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), specifically for landscape-related applications. Emphasizing 3-D drawing setup, software features, drawing creation, and editing, this course will teach designers how to turn their 2-D drawings into photorealistic and interactive renderings for client presentations. Import and export of project site photos, images, CAD drawings, and final renderings.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Exhibit an understanding of the principles of three-dimensional (3-D) computer-aided design and drafting (CADD).
  2. Discuss the different types of 3-D software available to landscape designers.
  3. Perform drawing activities in 3-D using CADD software.
  4. Create photorealistic and interactive 3-D renderings.
  5. Import and export of project CAD drawings, site photos, images, and final renderings.

Course Content

  1. Principles of 3-D computer-aided design and drafting
    1. Overview of basic principles and options for executing designs
    2. Uses and practical applications based on drawing type
    3. Perspectives and renderings (types and uses)
  2. Types of software for creating and enhancing 3-D drawings (examples)
    1. Vectorworks Landmark
    2. Realtime Landscaping Architect
    3. SketchUp Pro
    4. Dynascape
    5. Enscape
  3. 3-D drawing activities
    1. Set up 3-D drawings
    2. Drawing tools
    3. Navigating around the drawing
    4. Editing and manipulating drawings
    5. Image and plant libraries
    6. Keyboard shortcuts for commands
  4. Photorealistic and interactive 3-D renderings
    1. Rendering techniques (textures, shadows, topography, etc.)
    2. Creating animations
    3. Enhancement tools for 3-D renderings
  5. Importing and exporting
    1. Importing CAD drawings (DWG, PDF, JPEG, and similar graphic files)
    2. Importing site photos and other images
    3. Exporting renderings (PDF, JPEG, OBJ, STL, and FBX, or similar graphic file formats)
    4. Preparing drawing for different print formats and printing

Lab Content

  1. Practical training in the use of 3-D CADD software in preparing landscape designs for professional use
  2. Students are expected to practice and gain proficiency in the lab setting
  3. Lab content examples
    1. Drawing setup
    2. Creating a drawing using 3-D-drawing tools
    3. Drawing enhancement using rendering tools and libraries
    4. Manipulating drawings using flyover and editing tools
      1. Changing layers and classes
      2. Adjusting views and perspectives of project
    5. Printing and exporting renderings
  4. Converting 3-D drawings into 2-D drawings

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

1. CADD laboratory with computer work stations, CADD software, and a multi-media projection system; and/or student provided laptop computer with minimum system requirements to run software.
2. Students provide printer supplies and other relevant drafting equipment or supplies necessary to complete exercises and projects.
3. Students provide drawing storage media (USB thumb drive or equivalent).
4. When taught online, on-going access to computer with email and internet access.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Participation
Class exercises
Class projects

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lectures
Discussions
Lab activities
Assigned reading activities

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Slatter, Tamslin. Residential Garden Design with Vectorworks. 2022.

Wiuggansa, Jiadare. Sketchup 2025 Guide for Beginners: Mastering 3D Modeling. 2024.

Vectorworks software - Vectorworks Getting Started Guide (free online guides and videos)

Realtime Landscaping Architect software (free online guides and videos)

Sketchup Pro software (free online guides and videos)

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Students will be required to work on drawing assignments outside of class, where they will prepare 2-D and 3-D drawings recreating scenes and plans typically found in landscape design
  2. Reading assignments will include reading approximately 10 pages per week from the online guides or textbooks

Discipline(s)

Ornamental Horticulture