Elaine Stokes is a landscape architect and educator focused on the critical adaptation of dismantled landscapes and infrastructures in the North American hinterland. Stokes studied architecture and urban design at Washington University in St. Louis and landscape architecture at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, where she graduated with distinction. She currently practices at Sasaki and previously worked at Stoss Landscape Urbanism, focusing on regional networks of public space where recreation, commerce and transit intersect. Her recent research explores the relationship between landscapes and fictional narratives, considering the ways in which riparian infrastructures promote certain cultural narratives at the expense of others. Her writings and exhibitions have been featured in digital and print publications, including Pidgin, WLA and various other edited collections, focusing on diverse topics including social justice within public spaces and the role of maintenance in landscape design.
Courses
Fall 2024 Courses
LDAR 226G-01 - LANDSCAPE RESEARCH, THEORY AND DESIGN
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Period Fall 2024
Credits 3
FormatSeminar
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LDAR 226G-01
LANDSCAPE RESEARCH, THEORY AND DESIGN
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
PeriodFall 2024
Credits3
FormatSeminar
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2024-09-04 to 2024-12-11
Times: W | 1:10 PM - 4:10 PMInstructor(s): Elaine StokesLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 305Enrolled / Capacity: 16Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This seminar will bridge the foundations of landscape theory, research, and design methods in order to frame a process for students to examine contemporary issues in landscape architecture and define research questions that would contribute to creating new knowledge in the field. The course will include guest lectures from practitioners creating a body of research in the field. This seminar initiates the thesis process by asking students to formulate their own proposals for research through design.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Enrollment is limited to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I, MLA-II Landscape Architecture
Wintersession 2025 Courses
LDAR W207-101 - CONSTRUCTED GROUND: TERRAIN AND LANDFORM
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Period Wintersession 2025
Credits 3
FormatSeminar
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LDAR W207-101
CONSTRUCTED GROUND: TERRAIN AND LANDFORM
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
PeriodWintersession 2025
Credits3
FormatSeminar
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-01-03 to 2025-02-06
Times: MTW | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 02/03/2025 - 02/05/2025; MT | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 01/27/2025 - 01/28/2025; TW | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 01/21/2025 - 01/22/2025; MT | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 01/13/2025 - 01/14/2025; MTW | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | 01/06/2025 - 01/08/2025Instructor(s): Elaine Stokes, John O'KeefeLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 307Enrolled / Capacity: 15Status: Closed
SECTION DESCRIPTION
This seminar explores the parallels between designing and constructing the ground. It's focus is on landform - analyzing it as part of a larger natural system; understanding its inherent opportunities and limitations; altering it for human use & occupation; and building it with varying construction methodologies. The means for this exploration will primarily be through three-dimensional representations with two dimensional contour plans; however, diagrams, sketches, sections, and narratives will be necessary throughout the semester.
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Enrollment is limited to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I, MLA-II Landscape Architecture
Spring 2025 Courses
LDAR 2203-01 - SITE | ECOLOGY | DESIGN STUDIO
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Period Spring 2025
Credits 6
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LDAR 2203-01
SITE | ECOLOGY | DESIGN STUDIO
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits6
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: MTH | 1:10 PM - 5:10 PM; M | 9:40 AM - 11:40 AMInstructor(s): Elaine StokesLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 200Enrolled / Capacity: 14Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
What do these words mean and what is their relationship to each other in the architectural design disciplines? Each word is packed with complex and evolving meanings that reflect the state of human knowledge about the environments in which we live and in which we intervene. Each word reflects our understanding of systems, physical, cultural and social, biotic and abiotic, as well as our aspirations to conserve, restore, or reshape those systems. Each word is ubiquitous in the contemporary quest to construct a sustainable, resilient future. But do we really understand what they mean? Are they critically interdependent or can they be considered separately? This studio will examine these questions with the twin objectives of establishing an evolving and dynamic understanding of the terms and generating working methods that respond to the complexities of scale encountered in the landscape.
Estimated Cost of Materials: $250.00
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Enrollment is limited to Landscape Architecture Students.
Major Requirement | MLA-I, MLA-II Landscape Architecture
LDAR 2265-01 - REPRESENTATION II
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
Period Spring 2025
Credits 3
FormatStudio
Mode In-Person
Start date
End date
LDAR 2265-01
REPRESENTATION II
LevelGraduate
UnitLandscape Architecture
Subject Landscape Architecture
PeriodSpring 2025
Credits3
FormatStudio
ModeIn-Person
Start and End2025-02-13 to 2025-05-23
Times: F | 9:00 AM - 12:00 PMInstructor(s): Elaine StokesLocation(s): Weybosset St Studios, Room 304Enrolled / Capacity: 14Status: Open
SECTION DESCRIPTION
The advanced course studies multimedia drawing It explores the possibilities with the material and content of two dimensional expression. The class encourages greater connections with the design studios by testing and reevaluating design work through the lens of phenomenology and seriality. Scale and composition are emphasized in the detailed and constructed drawings that are required in class. Individual investigations are developed throughout this advanced course to encourage a way of making marks that connect with the various modes of exploration in their studio work.
Estimated Cost of Materials: $225.00
Majors are pre-registered for this course by the department. Enrollment is limited to Landscape Architecture Students.
