Have you heard about landscape architecture? Read to learn more about what landscape architecture is.
What a Landscape Architect Wants You to Know About What They Do
Landscape architects do many things. We design parks, plazas, green roofs, gardens, public art, fountains … and the list goes on. It is a broad and flexible field with professionals working across many sectors. Yet there are many myths about what we really do — how we work, what qualifications we have and what kind of work we don’t do. To dispel some of the myths about the profession, here is a breakdown of things to know about landscape architects.
What Do Landscape Architects Do?
Landscape architects design and plan outdoor spaces. The landscape section sketch shown here is a great example of a landscape architect’s design process. It shows the relationship to the home and important views and begins to develop spatial orientation for the layout.
When working on residential landscape architecture, we design and plan gardens, plantings, pools, paving, stormwater management and more.
Landscape architects are licensed and trained to design landscapes, not to build them. This means that we work primarily through design drawings to collaborate with clients, architects and contractors.
Landscape Architecture Is a Regulated Profession
Becoming a licensed landscape architect is a rigorous process that’s managed by individual states. Obtaining a license requires an accredited degree in landscape architecture, work experience under the supervision of a licensed landscape architect, passing a series of technical exams and thousands of dollars in fees. Landscape architects can be licensed in multiple states to work in different places.
People are often surprised at the level of rigor required for a landscape architecture license. Licensing and regulation are important for health and safety reasons and to ensure the highest level of professional standards.
