Landscape Design and Planning
Landscape design questions test whether you can move from client program to a buildable, legible plan. Know the design process sequence: site inventory and analysis, program development, conceptual/schematic design, design development, construction documents. Traps appear when a question scrambles that order or asks which step a bubble diagram, planting concept, or dimensioned plan belongs to. Understand the vocabulary of form: line, form, texture, color, scale, proportion, balance (symmetrical/asymmetrical), rhythm, and focal point. Be able to distinguish functional diagrams (circulation, use zones) from form composition. Know circulation hierarchy (primary, secondary, service paths), spatial enclosure (floors, walls, ceilings of outdoor space), and the difference between master planning (long-range, multi-phase) and site design (single project).
A common trap is conflating "program" (what the client needs) with "analysis" (what the site allows). Another is treating a concept plan as a construction document. Questions may ask which drawing shows grading, dimensions, or materials - those belong to construction documents, not schematic design.
Worked rule of thumb: for a residential lot, allocate roughly 60-70% to planted/softscape and 30-40% to hardscape and structures, and keep primary circulation at least 4 ft wide (5 ft where two people pass). Check that every functional zone in the program appears on the concept before moving to design development.
Also review accessibility basics: 5% maximum running slope on accessible routes, landings, and clear widths. Design questions often hide a code or ergonomic constraint inside an aesthetic scenario.