Computer Laboratory

Located on the 4th floor of Kennedy Hall next door to the studio space, the Department of Landscape Architecture’s Computer Lab provides students with a full suite of the most recent, industry-leading graphic software products for drafting, 3D modeling, and design visualization. The Lab contains 15 PC workstations as well as two 42” large-format plotters. Students can work in the Lab 24/7, either in person or by requesting remote access to individual computers.

In addition to providing a wide range of standard products like Microsoft Office, our Lab computers are equipped with the most advanced applications used in the field of landscape architecture:

  • ArcGIS: used to create, analyze, manage, and share geographic information
  • ArcScene: for viewing GIS data in 3D
  • AutoCAD: computer-aided design and drafting
  • Illustrator: vector-based graphics editing
  • InDesign: desktop publishing and page layout
  • Lumion: Cutting-edge image rendering and animation
  • Photoshop: raster graphics editing
  • After Effects: digital visual effects and motion graphics editing
  • Premiere Pro: timeline-based video editing
  • Revit: building information modelling software
  • Rhinoceros 3D: commercial 3D computer-aided design application

Student Laptop Recommendations

While the department provides and maintains a high-end computer lab, we recommend students have their own computers. Students are strongly encouraged to purchase a personal laptop computer compatible with all relevant design and 3D modeling programs used throughout the curriculum. In addition, students should ensure adequate computer capacity to accommodate extensive file storage and new software releases.

In addition to a personal laptop, students should plan to acquire the following programs:

  • Adobe Creative Cloud: featuring Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and a broad range of Adobe products, this monthly subscription is free for students in the Department while they enrolled in classes during the semester while at Cornell. Please note: students only have access if they are actively enrolled in classes and will lose access during the summer semester.
  • Autodesk: students in the Department receive free educational access to Autodesk products (AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D) during their time at Cornell.
  • Rhinoceros 3D: available at a significant student discount at the Cornell Store.
  • ArcGIS: Esri provides higher education students free access for one year to its ArcGIS platform. Students may also consider QGIS, a free open-source geographic information system program.

Students looking to purchase a personal laptop should consider the following computer specifications. Please be aware, the Department highly recommends purchasing a PC, not a Mac. Many programs will not run properly on a Mac:

Laptop Specifications

PC Specifications
  • Ryzen 5 or higher OR Intel i7 or higher processor
  • At least 32 GB of RAM
  • 512GB to 1TB storage memory (consider an external hard drive)
  • Minimum three-year warranty (recommended)
  • Theft and damage insurance (recommended)
  • A discreet graphics card, either an Nvidea RTX 4050 or higher OR an Nvidea A1000 or higher
  • Expect to spend a minimum of $1,500
Mac Specifications
  • Apple MacBook Pro
  • Minimum M4 chip
  • 32 GB of RAM
  • 512GB to 1TB storage memory (consider an external hard drive)
  • AppleCare three-year warranty (recommended)
  • Expect to spend a minimum of $1,900