Design Software and system

Too funny, Andrew……*smile*. 

Hey, there’s nothing WRONG with being “Old School”.  Fredrick Law Olmstead was “Old School”….and he was a fairly successful Landscape Architect….at least that’s what I was taught & could tell from visiting Central Park in NYC!

If LA’s feel they need to produce drawings via autoCAD or other computer software programs….that’s great.  But, if you have excellent drawing skills….and you can manage your project load without computer software……I don’t personally see WHY you would make the change.

Andrew….you already know how I feel about all of this.  I just think way too many LAs are too wrapped up in all of the various computer software programs they know and don’t know…..that they sort of tend to foget what we do………..create & design!  If you’re an expert with computer software programs…..BUT, your graphics and designs are weak…..you’re NOT (in my opinion) a competent Landscape Architect.  I’ve seen too many autoCAD drawings that look like spaghetti……because, the LA didn’t understand line-weights…how to make the construction drawings “read”.

I have never used “computer software” during my LA career of 36+ years…..don’t need it either.  I focus on my efforts on the best possible creative designs…..and graphics and ensure that all of my projects are within my client’s budgets.  If I felt I needed assistance with autoCAD or other computer software….I feel sure I could find a young LA…but, I just have never needed those services…….and I have NEVER had a client request that I produce their projects on autoCAD…not one.

I have no problem with old school. I wish I had those skills.

There has to be a reason why Allan feels the need to use software. Maybe his hands are not what they used to be. Maybe he is required to use CAD to interact with other professionals. I don’t know, but I know he wants to change for some reason. I’m not going to judge him on that, but I will try to offer one person’s perspective that he can take or leave.

I clearly have no problem with people using whatever resources they have or can have to do what they need to do whether it is using landscape architecture as a means to make a living as a graphic designer, or using an alternative method of producing representations for the purpose of transforming the land into a planned result – graphic or otherwise..

I always have to wonder just how well the actual hand graphics of Olmsted (no “a” in Olmsted), Lancelot Brown, or Beatrix Farrand, would be received in a landscape architecture studio class today. Are they that good, or do we project the success of the built work onto those drawings and see what we want to believe?  … how much was finished off by staff?

I also have to wonder if these folks would have taken advantage of technology if it were available to them.

I’d bet money on Olmsted working in BIM, maybe getting CATIA to work for his needs.  He’d probably have a dedicated programming staff to create plug-ins his needs and laughing at the rest of us for being shoe-horned into using software meant for engineers and building architects.

Allan,

If you are doing planting plans out of a nursery for your customers I would expect that you’d be looking for something with a quick learning curve so that you can produce foundation planting plans, accent gardens and an occasional walkway or patio layout. There are actually some half decent software programs available to do that in some bookstores or places like Best Buy. Some do plan and 3d at the same time and also have a separate program that allows you to drag and drop plants onto photos to show what it might look like built. Some are a little cheesy, but it really depends on what you want to accomplish.

If it shows the layout of the planting to the customer and they can buy and install the plants from the plan then it gets the job done. Even if it looks a bit cartoony, if you can make it an affordable service to the customer or a profitable service to you (some do this for free to move product whether LAs like it or not) people will be happy with the results.

I fooled around with one about 10 or 12 years ago when Best Buy gave a choice of three free software products off of a certain rack. It would be very adequate for whipping off quick foundation plantings with very little learning.  However, I don’t know that it would be faster than whipping something off on graph paper with a pencil. The only advantage would be that you’d also have a 3d image to go with it. Trying to get the building to look like their house would blow the efficiency of that out the window, but if your customers would be satisfied with an abstract house you’d be fine. I think the one I had was called something like Real Landscape Architect or Real Landscape Designer …. something like that. It was definitely a lot less than $100 …. maybe thirty something.

You are not going to want to go through the learning curve of something like AutoCAD for the type of work I described above. Forgive me if my assumption is wrong, but you are not giving us much to go on.

I believe Tosh K understated the ‘learning curve’ aspect of the whole thing. It takes quite some time before you can get something satisfying out of your time investment.

If you are already :

– busy

– good at the techniques you use

I’d  suggest you focus your spare time improving your skill-set where you’re good, and hire someone to do the computer things (not like there’s a lack of freelancers around).

Will save you headaches, frustrations, and let you focus on the creative side of things.

Now, if you’re really decided to step in a whole new arena, pay yourself some intensive training course(s). 

Andrew……tend to agree with you here.  As I mentioned above…..I came to learn that the “learning curve” to become proficient with autoCAD is very steep. 

Like I stated, when I was at Texas A&M….everything was taught via “hand drawing”.

Approx. 15 yrs. later, I took an 8 day autoCAD intro. course……it was just long enough for me to REALIZE……there ain’t no way.  No better way to say that.  I was running a business and was up to my EARS in design projects, so there just was no time to get through that “steep learning curve”….to learn autoCAD.