Imagine you’re looking at a brand-new building. It has a beautiful façade, a reative layout, and the best interior design. However, there is no vehicular circulation leading up to it, no parking areas and no sidewalks or pedestrian circulation. There is no infrastructure to manage storm water runoff, and no landscaping, courtyards, or plantings to […]
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Imagine you’re looking at a brand-new building. It has a beautiful façade, a
reative layout, and the best interior design. However, there is no vehicular circulation leading up to it, no parking areas and no sidewalks or pedestrian circulation. There is no infrastructure to manage storm water runoff, and no landscaping, courtyards, or plantings to enjoy the outdoor space. It includes sustainable design, but fell short of LEED certification. A landscape architect can help with that. And this is only a fraction of what landscape architecture entails.
Landscape architecture (LA) is an extensive profession dating back to the mid-1800s with the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, “The Father of Landscape Architecture.” While landscaping and plantings are an important component, they are a relatively small piece of the puzzle. Landscape architects strive to seamlessly blend the technical detail of site engineering with the creative art of landscape architecture to create beautiful, sustainable, and functional outdoor spaces.
A majority of projects that involve LA are much larger than traditional residential projects. Landscape architecture is necessary for a variety of projects in multiple markets including K-12 and higher education, corporate facilities, parks & recreation, athletic complexes, and health care. In many cases, LA is an integral part of project development.
As pointed out by the American Society of Landscape Architecture (asla.org), “Thoughtful landscape architecture adds value to a commercial development by handling aesthetic and practical considerations, and addresses the growing public concern for the environment.”
Sustainable design and LEED certification are important elements of landscape-architectural services. “A landscape architect must consider not only what is best for the clients and users of a site, but also what is best for the environment,” according to SUNY-ESF. This is an increasingly important aspect of site design.
Landscape architects are responsible for site engineering that is technically sound. They create drawings similar to an architect’s blueprints, but, rather than design for construction of a building, LA drawings show design for the surrounding site. Just as a general contractor would use blueprints to construct a building, a site contractor uses the landscape architect’s construction documents to implement the site design.
Landscape architecture encompasses a vast array of services. In addition to site design, including storm water management, circulation patterns, and master planning, landscape architects are also qualified to assist with agency coordination related to project development. These organizations include the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Transportation, historic-preservation offices, planning boards, and other federal, state, county, and local agencies. Landscape architects also participate in community outreach to inform the public about potential or current projects.
Landscape-architecture firms often work as sub-consultants and are part of a larger project team.
Vince Pietrzak, a partner at Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture, views the opportunities presented from working in a team as imperative to encouraging innovative design. He says, “I believe that collaboration is an essential part in how we practice landscape architecture. Different points of view, expertise, and experiences broaden the design process and ultimately deliver the best design for our clients.”
LA firms also have opportunities to lead projects as the prime designer. In Appel Osborne’s case, these projects often involve outdoor athletic facilities. Simply put, landscape architects are responsible for all design outside the walls of a building.
It’s a common misconception that landscape architects focus solely on plantings and aesthetic landscaping. These professionals would be considered landscape designers. Another related profession, landscape contractors, are those who install elements of design conceived by landscape architects. There are some distinct differences between these professions and landscape architects. A landscape architect is required to have, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture. Beyond the degree, registered landscape architects are certified by the state to practice LA. Certification in New York State is achieved by passing a four-part licensing exam.
A popular college in the area with an established landscape-architecture program is the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). The college describes its landscape-architecture program as a holistic combination of the issues of nature, craft, art, technology, science, and professionalism.
Of course, the field of landscape architecture includes residential design, but the comprehensive picture of the profession is defined by solving a broad range of planning, site design, and site-engineering issues. Generally speaking, if you are thinking of pursuing a project that involves exterior site design and improvements, a landscape architect should be involved.
Tim Bonaparte is a partner at Appel Osborne Landscape Architecture in Syracuse. Contact him at (315) 476-1022.