Architectural & Garden

Landscape architecture is the art, planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation of the land and the design of man-made constructs. more...

The scope of the profession includes architectural design, site planning, estate development, environmental restoration, town or urban planning, urban design, parks and recreation planning, regional planning, and historic preservation. A practitioner in the field of landscape architecture is called a landscape architect.

What is Landscape Architecture?

Activities of a landscape architect can range from the creation of parks and greenways to the site planning for corporate office buildings, from the design of residential estates to the design of civil infastructure and the management of large wilderness areas or reclamation of degraded landscapes such as mines or landfills.

Landscape architects work on all types of external space -- large or small, urban or rural, and with 'hard'/'soft' materials, hydrology and ecological issues. They work on:

• The form, scale and siting of new developments
• The civil design and public infrastructure
• The site design for schools, universities, hospitals and hotels
• Public parks, greenways, golf courses, theme parks and sports facilities
• Housing areas, industrial parks and commercial developments
• Highways transportation structures, bridges and corridors
• Urban design, town and city squares and pedestrian schemes
• Large or small urban regeneration schemes
• Forest, tourist or historic landscapes and historic garden appraisal and conservation studies
• Reservoirs, dams, power stations, extractive industry applications or major industrial projects
• Environmental assessment, planning advice and land management proposals.
• Coastal and offshore developments

The most valuable contribution is often made at the earliest stage of a project in generating ideas and bringing flair and creativity to the use of space. The landscape architect can contribute to the overall concept and prepare an initial master plan, from which detailed designs can subsequently be prepared. He or she can also let and supervise contracts for construction work, prepare design impact assessments, conduct environmental assessments or audits and act as an expert witness at enquiries on land use. He or she can also support or prepare applications for capital or revenue funding grants.

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