What is “Landscape Architecture”?

Landscape architecture is a design profession which combines aspects of art, horticulture, soil science, architecture, and civil engineering. Landscape architects are responsible for layout, material selection, planting design, and often site grading, for all areas between the exterior walls of a building or structure and the property line of the project site. In some cases, landscape architects are asked to develop master plans for areas extending beyond a specific site or neighborhood, and at this scale there begins to be some overlap between the roles of a landscape architect and an urban planner.

What does a Landscape Architect do?

As alluded to in the above description, the scope of the landscape architecture field is very broad; different landscape architects and LA firms may have different specialties or areas of expertise. Landscape architects are commonly involved in many different types of projects, and perform a variety of roles including:

• Helping a client with the initial site selection, which may include analysis and/or a feasibility study
• Any assistance with permitting processes that may be required
• Development and refinement of the program and site plan
• Construction documentation/detailing
• Construction administration
• Coordination with other members of design team, if applicable
• Occasionally, peer reviewing the work of other design professionals for QA/QC  purposes

Landscape architects regularly work both in and out of the office. Common job duties include:

• Meeting with clients and/or other design professionals that may be collaborating on a project
• Research and gathering of data for analysis to help the client make informed decisions
• Preparation of concept sketches and rendered plans to communicate design ideas to both the client and other members of the design team (if applicable)
• Research and selection of plant material for installation, and later during construction, tagging the material itself at the nursery or garden center to ensure a suitable specimen that conforms to project specifications
• Preparation of detailed construction drawings, details, and project specification describing the exact contents of a design and the products to be used
• Observing the construction process and providing guidance to the contractor and/or client as needed. Review of materials submitted by the contractor for approval prior to use or installation. Preparation of field reports to document progress and site conditions along the way.

What is the difference between a landscape architect and a landscape designer?

While landscape architects and landscape designers may have similar educational background and have some overlap in the types of work they do, a critical difference is that landscape architects will have completed an accredited landscape architecture degree and be licensed by the state they work in. Projects in the public domain which involve grading and/or other accessibility issues will usually require a licensed landscape architect. Landscape designers often work on residential-type projects, limited in scope to planting design and perhaps hardscape installation (but not usually involving significant grading changes).

Do Landscape Architects also build and maintain the projects they design?

Some do, although this is much more common among landscape designers and other non-licensed professionals. Firms which also offer in-house construction and/or maintenance services are known as a Design/Build firm. A firm’s website will typically state exactly what services they offer, and may be able to direct you to a reputable contractor or maintenance company if they do not offer those services.

How do I locate a Landscape Architect or a design firm to work with?

The American Society of Landscape Architects maintains a database of registered landscape architects and firms that operate in each state. Within this database, registered firms can be filtered by firm name, city, state, country, firm type, and an assortment of areas of expertise you might be looking for.

If you have determined that the scope of your project is more suited to hiring a landscape designer, the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) may be able to help direct you to a local landscape designer.

It also doesn’t hurt to ask around! Ask others in your community if they can recommend a professional, especially if they have recently completed a project similar to what you are looking to achieve. Referrals from others you trust can be a good way to vet a designer’s communication skills and the quality of their work before engaging them.

How can I verify whether or not someone is a landscape architect?

Contact your state licensing board if you wish to check a professional’s licensure status. Some states will enable you to confirm this online through a state government web portal.

This sounds like an interesting profession! How do I become a landscape architect or landscape designer?

Becoming a landscape architect not too complicated, but compared to being a landscape designer or gardener it is a more involved process, owing to the requisite educational and licensure requirements. The general steps for becoming a landscape architect are as follows:

1. Complete either a bachelor’s (BLA or BSLA) or master’s (MLA) degree at an accredited landscape architecture program, or your country’s equivalent if not in the US. As landscape architecture studio courses are often both space-and-resource intensive* , and often involve close coordination with plant science or horticulture classes, these programs are commonly found at large flagship state universities that are able to dedicate the facilities to house the specific needs of a design studio.
2. Once an accredited degree is obtained, work experience will be required in order to establish eligibility to sit for the licensing exam. Pursue work as an entry-level designer, working under the guidance of a licensed landscape architect with 10+ years of experience.
3. From this point, the requirements will begin to vary by state. Most states will require a minimum of 2 years of professional experience in order to sit for the licensing exam. This is the most important step – be a sponge for information while fulfilling the professional experience requirement! Accredited landscape architecture degree programs provide an excellent base of knowledge to build on, but there is so much to cover that they simply cannot cover all the material required to obtain licensure.
4. Establish a Council Record with the Council of Landscape Architecture Registration Boards (CLARB). Although the profession’s national trade organization is the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), CLARB oversees and administers the actual licensure process.
5. Follow CLARB’s steps and instructions for registering for and taking the Landscape Architect Registration Exam (LARE), as well as any state-specific requirements for the jurisdiction for which you are looking to become licensed. This step will involve locating a local testing center at which to take the four sections of the LARE.
6. Once you have passed all four sections of the LARE, contact CLARB to have your results sent to the licensing board in your jurisdiction. Once approved, you will be granted a license to practice.

Each of the steps beyond #2 above may vary slightly from what is described due to each state having its own set of requirements. CLARB has information on state-specific requirements on their web portal.

The requirements to become a landscape designer are much less well-defined, although in a similar sense learning on the job working under an experienced professional is the most powerful and the most useful. Any expertise that can be gained about design theory, plants, construction methods, drawing, effective communication, and in some cases business management, will be useful. It is strongly recommended that aspiring landscape designers join the APLD, or at least commit to following its Code of Professional Standards.

*Design studio classes often involve the creation, manipulation, and presentation of large-format drawings and prints, and so require ample layout space. In addition, the computer programs commonly used in developing renderings and other presentation materials often require robust hardware to operate smoothly, meaning that space must be apportioned for dedicated computer labs. Most design firms use many of these same programs in professional practice, so it important for students to have an environment within which to develop these skills.

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LINKS:

APLD Website

https://www.apld.org/

ASLA Firm Finder

https://www.asla.org/ISGWeb.aspx?loadURL=firfin

CLARB Web Portal

http://www.clarb.org/