BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which landscape architect is credited with designing New York City's Central Park alongside Calvert Vaux?
- Charles Eliot
- Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. (Correct answer)
- Jens Jensen
- Daniel Burnham
Correct answer: Frederick Law Olmsted Sr.
Frederick Law Olmsted Sr. and Calvert Vaux collaborated on the Greensward Plan, which won the 1858 design competition for Central Park.
Question 2: In planting design, a 'drifts' planting pattern is best described as:
- Single specimens placed at focal points
- Repetitive groups of plants arranged in elongated, irregular masses (Correct answer)
- Alternating rows of contrasting species
- A formal grid of identical shrubs
Correct answer: Repetitive groups of plants arranged in elongated, irregular masses
Drifts are elongated, irregular groupings of the same plant species that create naturalistic, flowing compositions in the landscape.
Question 3: Which concept describes the minimum connected land area needed to sustain a viable wildlife population?
- Edge effect threshold
- Minimum viable habitat patch (Correct answer)
- Carrying capacity corridor
- Biodiversity hotspot index
Correct answer: Minimum viable habitat patch
Minimum viable habitat patch refers to the smallest area that can support self-sustaining populations and is a core principle in landscape ecology and greenway planning.
Question 4: A 'permeable paver' system reduces stormwater runoff primarily by:
- Absorbing rainfall into the paver material itself
- Allowing water to infiltrate through joints or voids into a stone reservoir below (Correct answer)
- Channeling runoff to a central drain faster than traditional paving
- Evaporating moisture through a reflective surface coating
Correct answer: Allowing water to infiltrate through joints or voids into a stone reservoir below
Permeable pavers have open joints or voids filled with aggregate, directing stormwater into a subbase reservoir where it infiltrates into the native soil.
Question 5: The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map divides the country based on:
- Average annual rainfall totals
- Average annual extreme minimum temperature (Correct answer)
- Soil pH ranges and fertility
- Frost-free growing days per year
Correct answer: Average annual extreme minimum temperature
The USDA Hardiness Zone Map is based on average annual extreme minimum temperatures, helping designers select plants that can survive winter cold in a given region.
Question 6: In the LEED rating system, which credit category most directly rewards landscape architects for reducing site irrigation water use?
- Sustainable Sites — Heat Island Reduction
- Water Efficiency — Outdoor Water Use Reduction (Correct answer)
- Materials and Resources — Regional Materials
- Innovation — Pilot Credit
Correct answer: Water Efficiency — Outdoor Water Use Reduction
LEED's Water Efficiency category includes an Outdoor Water Use Reduction credit that rewards projects for using drought-tolerant plants, efficient irrigation, or no irrigation.
Question 7: Which of the following is a primary function of a detention basin in stormwater management?
- Permanently retaining water to support aquatic habitat
- Temporarily storing runoff to reduce peak discharge rates (Correct answer)
- Filtering nutrients through constructed wetland vegetation
- Recharging groundwater through infiltration only
Correct answer: Temporarily storing runoff to reduce peak discharge rates
Detention basins temporarily hold stormwater and release it slowly, reducing peak flow rates that would otherwise cause downstream flooding.
BLArch Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Bachelor of Landscape Architecture 3
Which landscape architect is credited with designing New York City's Central Park alongside Calvert Vaux?