April is National WORLD Landscape Architecture Month! The designation was made in 2008 by the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA).
We have a new T-Shirt design in our Land8 Shop that will help promote our profession. I encourage everyone to “spread the love” by wearing the shirt and telling friends and neighbors, and even strangers on the street, bus, and in the supermarket why Landscape Architecture is a vital profession. Education starts on the street. Now, let’s get moving…
Click the images above to purchase.
Published in Blog
Chad Weinand
Do you have an alternative “I H8 LA” t-shirt for those of us who are unemployed and ready to find a new career? I am not sure my kids will care what my t-shirt is promoting (they would be the only ones who would see me wear this t-shirt)……….
sang
wow…..i like it…^_^
John Gordon
Andrew; Aren’t those tees a trifle ‘elitist?’ Landscape Designers (LD’s) are people too!
Deborah Christman
Like the shirts. However, unless they get close enough, someone might think I miss my old home town….(I don’t).
Andrew Spiering
Chad, You are hilarious! I’ll think of something for you…
John, I think you might find this discussion interesting.
John Gordon
Andrew: Thanks, I read through the discussion and posted this comment:
LA’s and LD’s (before Frederick Law Olmsted coined the term, “Landscape Architect” were all Landscape Gardeners. And that includes our esteemed predecessors who were practicing architects as well as landscape designers. And before that, artists and sculptors were frequently also architects and landscape designers. So, historically, Landscape Architects are self-proclaimed ‘newbies’ in the progression of ‘Designers on the Land.’ (Norman Newton’s term)
I’ve been a Landscape Designer for more than fifteen years, studied for several years at two different community colleges in Maryland, and recently, have taken all the first and many of the second-year LA courses (as well as an MLA-level course) at the University of Maryland. So I appreciate the distinction between LA’s and LD’s in the 21st century.
Of course LA’s need a four-year BLA degree (for starters) and LD’s need only to hang out their shingle. But, in all fairness, LD’s who are successful are those who have a) a multitude of life experiences, b) a lot of training in the profession [yes, LD is a profession] and experience, and c) the ability to assess a site, imagine the possibilities, and plan on paper accordingly. The foregoing is, essentially, Fletcher Steele’s definition of the responsiblity of an LA!) In the University of Maryland’s LA program, there are NO courses specifically related to Residential LD. Apparently, LA’s who specialize in residential design have assimilated the principles learned in their four-year LA programs and incorporated those principles into their practice. Well and good.
But realize, also, that there are zillions of homeowners who appreciate good design but cannot afford the luxury of a LA’s fees.’ And, I suggest, there are many LA’s who simply have no time for the ‘small potatoes.’ LD’s are (I’m guessing…) 98 1/2% residential. Are we competitors? Not really.
I know at least one LA who is furious that state practice laws have, in some cases, prevented LD’s from doing what they know very well how to do. There is simply no reason why both professions should not practice what they do best and cease interfering with the other.
John Gordon
Andrew: I hope you were able to sell more than a few at LABash! And thanks for the blog from Las Vegas!
REASEYH SAOPHOL
I wanna be a landscape architect yet unfortunately, there is no landscape architecture school in my country, Cambodia. I am now doing architecture at a university. I wish there will be a landscape course available here soon. However, I would spread the word I love LA to my friends and family and tell them what and how important it is.
JEREMY PETER BIRKBECK
Hi Andrew
You have to be applauded for your efforts but a T Shirt with `I love LA ‘ at a distance and in the street suggests to me Los Angeles! I am aware that the words Landscape Architect are written below.
I dont like being negative but perhaps a pithy comment of around five or six words might be more fitting. Below are a few quick thoughts – message on front and back with phone number of the LI on the back
` Help the environment – use a Landscape Architect’
`Understand the value of your countryside – use a Landscape Architecct’
` Helping you to appreciate your local community – use a Landscape Architect
`Working with others to enhance your community – use a Landscape Architect
The message needs to be simple and effective and easily understood. Also a pont of contact is handy.
Just an idea and I’m sure that many others will come up with better straplines.
Sincerely
Jerry
Rico Flor
Not to be too picky, Andrew, but to use a non-english-speaking expat phrase, “Same thing, same thing”. It’s the iconic I-heart-NY tee shirt lovingly adopted by the City of Angels. Harhar.
But more importantly, great that the US has a national landscape architecture month. I feel we should have that in our place. There’s a ratio like tens of thousands of archies to less than 300 larchies in the Philippines. What I do know is that March is our Board Exam month, and we just got 15 new warm bodies two weeks ago. So we celebrate simultaneously. Maybe not the exact, same thing, but similarly landscape architectural.
On another matter, got any tee shirt design that caters to the international market? Like that smiley thing…or maybe the Land8 brand? Ka-ching. Ka-ching. Hmm?
Cheers!
Andrew Spiering
Rico, Yes indeed. We have several Tees with the Land8 logo in our shop. Check them out here – http://www.cafepress.com/Land8
Andrew Spiering
Jeremy,
Good idea. Although, these shirts are meant to start a conversation with someone near enough to see the words “Landscape Architecture.” I would encourage you to have a message ready for someone who asks, “What does a Landscape Architect do exactly?” Then, hand them a business card and ask them to stop by your shop.
Rico Flor
I read it somewhere that IT IS World Landscape Architecture Month, partly on account of FLOs birthday, probably coincidentally due to Earth Day too.
Gee, everyone’s entitled to stand up, rejoice, or honk a horn or two for larkies!
David Lorberbaum
Andrew,
Is there a link to the store on the website besides this post? Maybe I am just not seeing, but I have tried looking and have not found a link. Just let me know if there is one and I am just missing it.
Thanks,
David