CLA Landscape Design & Aesthetics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which design principle refers to the visual weight and stability achieved when unlike elements are arranged to create equilibrium on either side of a central axis?
- Symmetrical balance
- Asymmetrical balance (Correct answer)
- Radial balance
- Proximal balance
Correct answer: Asymmetrical balance
Asymmetrical balance uses different elements of equal visual weight to create equilibrium without mirroring across an axis.
Question 2: In landscape design, 'borrowed scenery' is a concept originating from which design tradition?
- French formal garden
- English landscape garden
- Japanese garden (Correct answer)
- Italian Renaissance garden
Correct answer: Japanese garden
Borrowed scenery (shakkei) is a Japanese design technique that incorporates distant landscape features as a compositional backdrop.
Question 3: A designer uses a repeating pattern of ornamental grasses at 4-foot intervals along a path. Which aesthetic principle is primarily employed?
- Emphasis
- Rhythm (Correct answer)
- Unity
- Contrast
Correct answer: Rhythm
Rhythm is created through repetition of elements at regular intervals, guiding the eye and creating a sense of movement.
Question 4: Which color scheme pairs hues that are directly opposite each other on the color wheel?
- Analogous
- Triadic
- Complementary (Correct answer)
- Monochromatic
Correct answer: Complementary
A complementary color scheme uses colors directly opposite on the color wheel, creating maximum contrast and vibrancy.
Question 5: The Golden Ratio (approximately 1:1.618) is most directly applied in landscape design to determine:
- Plant spacing for soil health
- Proportional relationships between design elements (Correct answer)
- Slope ratios for grading
- Irrigation pressure calculations
Correct answer: Proportional relationships between design elements
The Golden Ratio guides proportional relationships between elements, such as the ratio of a garden bed's length to width, to achieve natural-feeling harmony.
Question 6: A landscape architect specifies 'negative space' in a plaza design. What does this refer to?
- Areas designated for shade structures
- Open, unoccupied areas that define or enhance featured elements (Correct answer)
- Below-grade utility zones
- Spaces with negative grading slopes
Correct answer: Open, unoccupied areas that define or enhance featured elements
Negative space is the intentional void or open area around and between design elements that gives them visual definition and breathing room.
Question 7: Which sensory design consideration involves using plants with varying leaf textures — fine, medium, and coarse — to add visual interest?
- Color theory application
- Textural contrast (Correct answer)
- Seasonal layering
- Structural repetition
Correct answer: Textural contrast
Textural contrast uses the visual and tactile qualities of plant foliage at different scales to create depth and interest in a planting plan.
CLA Landscape Design & Aesthetics 2
Which design principle refers to the visual weight and stability achieved when unlike elements are arranged to create equilibrium on either side of a central axis?