Low Cost, Computer-Aided Landscape Design Using The
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HORTSCIENCE 25(3):353-356. 1990. imagination. As a result of the “Apple for a Teacher” program, the configuration de- Low Cost, Computer-aided Landscape scribed above costs less than $2500, as op- posed to more than $7500 for professional Design Using the Macintosh Computer CAD systems based on IBM-compatible ma- chines and attendant software. For schools Caula A. Beyl1 on a limited budget, using a Macintosh for Department of Plant and Soil Science, Alabama A&M University, teaching landscape design, aside from other uses, provides further justification for their Normal, AL 35762 purchase. For large-scale production, a faster Abstract. Computer-aided design (CAD) is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool for configuration could contain a hard drive with landscape architects and designers. This has created the need for a simple-to-use, a minimum of 20 MB memory and the inexpensive, and readily available configuration for introducing computer-aided design LaserWriter laser printer. However, the sys- on a limited budget to landscape students. This introduction to computer-aided land- tern described above is perfectly adequate for scape design can be accomplished easily and accurately using the 512K Macintosh most applications and certainly for teaching computer and the software package MacDraw. Techniques are reported for shading, the techniques described below. The Macin- layering, and customizing plant and groundcover symbols, allowing a personal touch tosh computer also has the inherent advan- that is lacking in some more-advanced CAD packages. Computer-generated pages can tage of being “user friendly”. Students be collaged to make full-sized landscape drawings, which are then copied onto repro- exposed to its use adapt readily to the simple duction vellum. In this manner, the design capability is not limited by the size of the “point and click” procedure of the Macin- minter. This design configuration is currently in use and was used to generate the tosh graphic interface (a variation of visual design and the symbol illustrated. learning), one of the first types of learning skills acquired (Lehrer, 1988). In an age that is characterized by the term ple Computer, Cupertino, Calif.), with the “computer-aided”, some familiarity with readily available, inexpensive software Manipulation of scales and transfer of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is increas- package MacDraw, are reported in this pa- existing features ingly important for students of landscape de- per. Techniques reported here permit the sign or landscape architecture. However, creation of symbol sets unique to the partic- Scales are a vital part of any landscape implementation is a difficult task, particu- ular style of the designer. This capability design and must, therefore, be easy to ma- larly for small- to medium-sized institutions avoids the drawback of some other landscape nipulate and customize in a worthwhile CAD that cannot afford higher-priced CAD con- design software packages that merely supply system. MacDraw displays rulers bordering figurations because of budgetary considera- a preprogrammed set of symbol templates the screen during the creation phase that do tions or lack of focus on landscape disciplines. with no allowance for personalized tech- not appear when the finished product is Techniques for doing customized landscape nique or that provide only relatively simple printed. These rulers are displayed by se- designs using the Macintosh computer (Ap- circle-line graphics (Robins et al., 1984) that lecting the option “Show rulers” from the cannot accomodate shadows or other spe- “Layout” menu, and mark the position of cialized effects. the mouse on both horizontal and vertical scales for precise alignment of objects. The Received for publication 10 Apr. 1989. Mention landscape ruler standard is the 1/8" = 1'0" of of a trademark or proprietary-product does not Configuring the system the architect’s scale; however, the need for imply its approval to the exclusion of other prod- Materials used to execute the computer- a flexible work environment is also accom- ucts that may also be suitable. The cost of pub- aided design featured in Fig. 1 included a odated by the feature “Custom Rulers. .” lishing this paper was defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. Under postal regula- Macintosh computer with 512K memory, in the Layout menu that allows scales to be tions, this paper therefore must be hereby marked keyboard, mouse, accessory disk drive, Im- adjusted to centimeters, such as the 1” = advertisement solely to indicate this fact. agewriter printer, the software program 10’ of the engineer’s scale, and permits the ‘Associate Professor. MacDraw, a working disk, ample paper, and choice of the number of divisions between HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 25(3), MARCH 1990 353 Fig. 1. A portion of the landscape plan of ‘Hillcrest’, residence of the president of Alabama A&M IJniv., drawn using the techniques described in this paper, printed using a LaserWriter, collaged into one large drawing, and then copied onto reproduction vellum for blueprinting. major ruler marks. The designer can, there- polygon’s shape to be adjusted, after the in- landscape design are easily created using the fore, choose the scale to correspond with the itial drawing, until its shape exactly fits the MacDraw “tools” by constructing compos- most commonly used architectural and en- desired contours. The latter can then be ites made from different geometric shapes gineering scales. The zero point of the ruler smoothed by using the “Smooth polygon” (Fig. 2). The symbols featured show step- is normally “locked” into the upper lefthand option found in the “Edit” menu. by-step how they were built and what com- corner of the screen, but it can be “un- The second method of entering scaled in- mands or tools were used. Many variations locked” and repositioned to any point on the formation into the computer requires the use on a created symbol are possible by simply screen. This arrangement is convenient for of additional hardware. ThunderScan (Thun- changing the fill pattern slightly or by alter- drawing existing features, such as a building dexware, Orinda, Calif.), a digitizer de- ing its contours or interior. MacDraw also or house, where the measurements are taken signed for the Macintosh, works well for this accomodates the designer who wishes to draw predominantly from one comer of the build- purpose. The original drawing must be cut symbols freehand on the screen using the ing. into 20 × 25-cm pieces and sheet fed through mouse. The symbols for an “existing tree” If the site has an existing spot survey or the Imagewriter printer. As each piece of the and “existing woodland border” (Fig. 1) were scale drawing, this information can be en- entire drawing is entered, it can be enlarged made using this “freeform” tool. They were tered in one of two ways. Most simply, a or reduced proportionally to fit the chosen first drawn in large scale and then reduced grid of lines is superimposed onto the exist- scale of the final drawing. The important proportionally to the final size using the ing scale drawing. This grid should corre- features are then traced using the MacDraw MacDraw sizing handles with the shift key. spond to the grid found in the MacDraw work “tools”. After enough detail has been cap- Freehand drawing in a larger scale and then area (typically l-inch or l-cm intervals). Each tured, the original ThunderScan image can reducing to the desired size helps minimize feature of the site can then be easily trans- be erased. This redrawing minimizes use of the awkwardness that can accompany mov- ferred to the work area by drawing or “past- computer memory and improves picture ing the mouse over short distances. ing” the appropriate symbols. Dimensions quality over that of the original Thunder&an Symbols are easily shaded by first select- of the house and contour lines in the land- image, since MacDraw was designed for the ing the symbol, duplicating it, filling the du- scape design featured in Fig. 1 were trans- production of laser-quality printing. plicated version with the density pattern of ferred in this way. The contour lines were shade desired, and then sending it behind the drawn using the “polygon” tool from the original. This ability to layer one object on Creation of symbols tools palette on the lefthand side of the top of another without destroying the one MacDraw screen. The “Reshape polygon” Symbols representing trees, shrubs, underneath is very useful in landscape design option found in the “Edit” menu allows the groundcover, and other aspects of the typical drawing. 354 HORTSCIENCE, VOL. 25(3), MARCH 1990 invisible border or any one of the fill pat- terns. If a designer wishes to use a particular hand-drawn symbol, it can be scanned and used later in the landscape drawing in a man- ner similar to that described above for en- tering site information. Examples of hand- drawn graphics, scanned and then used to create a virtually unlimited library of avail- able graphics symbols, are shown in Fig. 3. Labeling Labeling and titles can be placed directly on the drawing using the “text” tool. Text, like any other symbol, can be repositioned at will. An arrow can be positioned at the end of a line, or specialized symbols can be drawn using, for example, the Taliesin font set. Various styles of lettering, such as ital- ics, boldface, shadow, and outline, are available. Printing and transfer to vellum Printing a full-sized drawing does not re- quire a printer that conforms to a specific size. The drawing can be any size from 20 × 25 to 122 × 244 cm. When the drawing is printed, it is divided into pages that can then be collaged together to make the full- size drawing. This collaged version can then be duplicated on reproduction vellum for making blueprint copies.