Will LAs always be at the mercy of architects?

This has been my experience with the LA profession as well. Will it change? Maybe in a generation or two, but not overnight. Not to sound pessimistic, but after 8 years in the field it really wears on you.

I’ve only worked in architetcs and developers offices. The developer was great…the one with the money is the boss. Within the architects offices, you still have old school egos who think you plany pansies all day, and then you have some who appreciate the skills ans what a lifesaver you can be. I can’t tell you how many times and to how many people I tried to prove our worth beyond being just a consultant to come in at the end to make their building look pretty. I used to lay out the site from the get go; give them a footprint area; deal with the civils with their engineering, and their mistakes; coordinate the building with the site with regards to codes (this was a HUGE area where we can be helpful, 90% had serious issues); brought the architecture into the landscape/hardscape; and dealt with third party LAs to get them up to speed when they were brought on board.

Architects really cannot be trusted to deal with the site, they just do not understand it. And with how complicated buildings are getting, most just leave it to engineers. I think we should advertise ourselves as SITE architects, rather than simply landscape. Its been an uphill battle all the way.

I have less ‘office’ experience than you perhaps even though with my residential design experience while in school and prior to school I probably have more like a decade of ‘professional experience,’ but what I can offer is this; I interned at two large (40+) offices while in school and now work at a two person operation (my boss and I).

In my opinion, it is MUCH more challenging working in the small office. It can feel like the boss is peeking over your shoulder every minute, you hear about financial woes and feel it, and I think the work tends to be much more conservative (especially now) because you really can’t afford to lose a client.

All things considered, I can only hope my experience in a small office is good for me as a professional and I think it will be. Sure, the design work is conservative and safe for the most part, but I’m getting my hands on things I wouldn’t work on for years in a larger firm.

I’ve been able to design a new logo, letterhead, cut sheets, respond to RFP’s/RFQ’s, complete compile and file annexation and master plan applications, bring projects through CD and even some CA, design subdivisions, all sorts of site plans, work closely with consultants, and design a few pretty cool projects.

I think I’d be drawing sections all day if I were working for a big firm. At least I keep telling mysel f that.