How to become A Landscape Architect

They weave their magic across the land with trees, flowers, lakes, and walkways...they blend architecture, landscape, and gardening to create a scenic plot...they weave the beauties of nature into a fantastic narrative. They are Landscape Architects!

• Landscape Developer
• Landscape Designer
• Landscape Planner
• Environmental Designer
• Cultural Landscape Architect
• Land Planner

What do Landscape Architects do?

A Landscape Architect would typically need to:

• Design, plan, and oversee construction on parks, gardens, housing schemes, scenic roads, country clubs, and golf courses; develop or restore outdoor spaces by making the best use of the environment while respecting its needs
• Confer with clients, engineering personnel, and architects, collaborate with estimators, and coordinate bids from landscaping contractors
• Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans
• Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas, soil condition, existing landscaping, or the proximity of water management facilities
• Prepare conceptual drawings, graphics, or other visual representations of land areas to show their predicted growth or development over time
• Prepare graphic images or sketches of proposed plans using computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software, and present them to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups
• Integrate existing land features or landscaping into proposed designs while developing planting plans to help clients garden productively or aesthetically
• Collaborate with architects or related professionals on whole building design to maximize the aesthetic features of the structures or the land while improving energy efficiency
• Identify and select appropriate sustainable materials such as recycled wood or recycled concrete boards for structural elements or recycled tires for playground bedding
• Create landscapes that conserve water by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants and rainwater harvesting or gray and reclaimed water systems
• Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities
• Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate the quality of materials, work or subcontractors, and advise clients or construction personnel
• Provide follow-up consultations for clients to ensure landscape designs are maturing or developing as planned
• Research the latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field

As a Landscape Architect, you will spend your time both in the field, collecting information from different worksites as well as in an office, drafting plans, designs, and budgets. You may also have to meet with clients and workers involved with project planning or design at both locations.

Depending on the size of the organization you work for, you may be required to travel further away for worksites. Landscape Architects take up projects in rural areas to develop sustainability and maximize economic productivity. However, you will also find yourself working in urban areas to enhance community life and social interaction.

Since site visits involve working in all weather conditions, protective clothing is required on some occasions.

Your working hours as a Landscape Architect may fluctuate. Despite a standard 37-hour, five-day week, you may have to work evenings and weekends. Tight deadlines, in particular, may result in irregular work schedules, although shift work is rare.

The majority of landscape architecture jobs are available in private practices. There is a small portion of professionals who work for local authorities. If you have built up your design and business skills to a high level, have acquired a large amount of experience, and established a client base, self-employment is also a possibility. When looking for job vacancies, you can refer to recruitment agencies specializing in architecture, environment, and construction.

Landscape Architects are generally employed by:

• Construction & Engineering Consultancies
• Environmental Agencies
• Commercial Landscaping Companies
• Local Authorities
• Housing Associations
• Private Practices
• Water Companies
• Government Advisory & Heritage Agencies
• Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

Landscape Architects may join the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), a non-profit and non-government organization. IFLA represents and promotes the profession and discipline of landscape architecture and its related arts and sciences on a global scale, with member associations in different geographic regions.

Members can join hands with their counterparts to establish high professional standards and foster their profession’s influence on aesthetics, public welfare, and balanced ecological systems. The IFLA also provides its individual and corporate members a platform for various activities and a channel for them to share knowledge, skills, and experience internationally.

• Building and maintaining a diverse skill set to manage teams of architects, engineers, artists, and IT specialists
• Limited time and financial resources for providing consistent, high-quality project results
• Designing aesthetic and pleasing spaces while taking into account long-term environmental and social effects
• Managing and balancing the expenses of irrigation, repairs and upgrades
• Implementing and incorporating new and modern sustainable practices without discarding previous ideas and systems
• Finding ways to contribute to green infrastructure and design conversations between communities, cities, and nations
• Communicating the importance and extent of the landscape architecture profession and gaining respect from other design and architectural professionals

Since landscape architecture is a detailed and complex profession, work experience that displays your interest and commitment to the profession is desirable. If your degree program does not offer a year of industrial placement, it is advisable to look for summer internships or part-time work through applying speculatively to private landscape practices.

Alongside landscape-based work, experience in design and environment-related volunteer work is considered relevant to landscape architecture. In locations where a license is needed, newly hired but non-licensed Landscape Architects would be required to intern under a licensed Landscape Architect for their work experience to count towards licensure. Interns may build their technical skills while gaining a deeper understanding of the daily operations, such as recruitment, fees, and budgets.

Your study program’s design studio component may assign you projects that offer hands-on experience in working with computer-aided design and drafting (CADD), model building, and other design software.

A bachelor’s or master’s degree in landscape architecture is the common basic requirement for entry into the profession. Bachelor’s degrees usually last four to five years with the option of undertaking a year-long internship.

An undergraduate degree in another field is not a deterrent to enrolling in a master’s degree program in landscape architecture, which normally takes two to three years of full-time study. Courses within the program typically include design & construction, landscape ecology, site design, the history of landscape architecture, plant & soil science, and professional practice.

In some locations, if you do not have an accredited bachelor’s degree, then completing an accredited conversion course from the licensing authority may still allow you to enter the profession. Completing a conversion course generally takes 18 months to two years of full-time study.

Eligibility for licentiate membership in some locations requires the successful completion of an accredited undergraduate or postgraduate course or an accredited conversion course. It is followed by a self-paced, one to three year-period of mentored experience, carried out while you work. Completing the experience eventually leads to an oral exam which earns you chartered status credentials as a Landscape Architect. The process develops your knowledge, understanding, and professionalism in landscape architecture and ensures that you have the required competencies for chartered status.

In other locations, while a license is necessary and can be obtained through the passing of an exam conducted by an accredited authority, it is advisable to check the specific requirements of the experience and qualifications that you need to apply for a license. For candidates without a degree in landscape architecture, alternative paths usually require more work experience and may lead to a license.

Licensed Landscape Architects may obtain voluntary certification from an accredited authority that may make it easier for them to acquire a license to work in other parts of the country. Some locations or states have their registration exams to test for competency on issues specific to them, such as earthquakes or hurricanes. Other specific problems may include laws, environmental regulations, plants, soils, climate, and other characteristics unique to the location or state.

From an apprentice or intern, you will advance to a Junior Landscape Architect, Landscape Architect, Project Manager, and then even self-employment as you boost your experience and skills. As you advance, you would take charge of bigger projects, manage a team, or sometimes specialize in certain areas.

After obtaining a license and gaining work experience in all phases of a project, Landscape Architects may progress to Project Managers who lead entire projects, schedule meetings and deadlines, and outline budgets. You may also advance to the Associate level where your earning opportunities increase by gaining a profitable stake in a firm.

With enough relevant experience alongside strong commercial awareness, you may progress to the role of a Consultant, become a Partner in private practice, or start your firm. An alternative route would be lecturing at higher education institutions either full-time or part-time, to complement your other work experience.

You can further your career as a Landscape Architect by assuming greater responsibility, managing projects, and a team, or specializing in a specific area. Your progression rate will be in proportion to your ambition and speed of acquiring additional knowledge and skills.

Earning credentials such as licensure or chartered member status in accredited organizations of Landscape Architects requires you to carry out a certain minimum number of hours of continuing professional development (CPD) every year. Organizations typically provide information about CPD days and other useful events on their websites.

Continuing professional development is the holistic commitment of professionals towards enhancing personal skills and proficiency throughout their active careers through work-based learning, a professional activity, formal education, or self-directed learning. CPD allows Landscape Architects to upskill continually, regardless of their age, job, or level of knowledge. It stops practical and academic qualifications from becoming outdated while allowing individuals to identify any knowledge gaps and progressing to a new specialism.

Bridging the Distance to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Landscape Architects contribute to several UNSDGs in both developed and developing countries through their diverse aims and projects. The most obvious links of the profession are goal 13, which deals with climate action, goal 14, which focuses on life below water, and goal 15, which looks at life on land. In particular, Landscape Architects can help the world attain goal 11, which is to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.” Its targets include providing universal, safe, and inclusive access to public green spaces.

Landscape architecture has the potential to contribute to the other goals as well. Goal 2 aims to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.” When working in rural areas with agricultural communities, Landscape Architects aim to increase land-use efficiency and productivity of smaller farms, introduce and strengthen sustainable agriculture methods, and provide people with better access to markets.

Landscape Architects can contribute towards fulfilling the goals of improved health and wellbeing for all, equitable quality education and lifelong learning, sustainable water management and sanitation, affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, and, last but not least, a global partnership for sustainable development. Specializations Some of the specializations that you can pursue later in your career as a Landscape Architect include site planning, urban design, land development, parks and recreation, heritage conservation, and ecological and environmental planning.

The term “Landscape Architect” was coined in 1828 after a Scotsman published a little-known book titled Landscape Architecture of the Great Painters of Italy.

As a Landscape Architect, you will draw out and enhance the beauty of landscapes in various contexts and settings, branching out into newer and more refreshing concepts with your creativity, knowledge, and experience, always remaining rooted in a deep respect for the environment.

Use local problems to invent generic solutions and global challenges to solve local issues. Think small in large-scale projects and think big in small-scale ones. Design total projects, yet don’t design everything. Aim for pure nature and devices that help people experience it. Trigger senses. Above all, make sense.