What is Landscape Architecture?
Landscape architecture is the discipline concerned with the conscious shaping of the external environment. It involves planning, design and management of the landscape to create, maintain, protect and enhance external space for a diverse range of human needs. In their working lives landscape architects draw on a great diversity of skills and knowledge to plan, design and manage spaces which are sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, and fit for the specified purpose.
Their work combines scientific understanding and design creativity, as well as knowledge of manmade materials and structures together with an comprehension of land-use and ecosystems. Landscape architects work on urban and rural schemes and cover a diverse scale of projects ranging from long term proposals for landscape resource management to advice on the siting and potential impact assessment of proposed elements to the implementation and management of site construction.
The Professional
Landscape architects are experts in place and space, planning, designing and managing our open spaces in cities, towns and the countryside.
While architecture concerns itself primarily with buildings, landscape architecture is about place and space in all its forms, from city parks to areas of outstanding natural beauty, shopping centres to coastlines, urban regeneration to new developments and canal sides to historic gardens.
Landscape architecture is a chartered profession, drawing together the skills of architects, planners, environmentalists, engineers, horticulturists, surveyors and designers. The increased emphasis on sustainability, liveability and environmental conservation means that landscape architects' skills are increasingly in demand at home and abroad.
diverse profession, landscape architects draw on a great diversity of skills and knowledge to plan, design and manage spaces which are sustainable, aesthetically pleasing, and fit for the specified purpose. Landscape architects are involved in transforming run down environments as well as enhancing, improving and conserving our natural and built environment, creating inspiring places to live, work and relax.
Landscape Architects can work alone or as part of a team. With their broad overview, landscape architects are regularly the lead consultant of projects involving architects, engineers, planners, artists, ecologists and surveyors and, increasingly, are chosen as the master planners for large-scale projects. The spatial masterplanning for London's successful Olympics bid was led by one of our members...
What does it take?
Landscape architects need to have a range of skills and interests. Most importantly they need to have:
- A concern for the environment
- An understanding of conservation
- An appreciation of design
- Good communication skills
- A practical but creative outlook
Employment and salaries
Around 50 per cent of landscape architects work in private practices - others are employed by the public sector, for local authorities or government agencies such as English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and Countryside Council for Wales. There are also numerous opportunities to work overseas.
The increased emphasis at local and national level on the importance of the environment, green spaces, sympathetic and aesthetically pleasing development means that landscape architecture is a rapidly expanding profession and the demand for qualified chartered professionals has been outstripping supply for some time. Salaries are on a par with other professionals within conservation and the built environment and the variety of employment opportunities make landscape an exciting option.
