Author: Land8: Landscape Architects Network

In today’s world, a luscious, smooth, green carpet of a lawn in every garden is a given. No one seems to think or care about the strain that such high-maintenance greenery puts on the environment. The necessary water, herbicides and pesticides, the exhaust fumes of the machinery used to cut it — it is all an enormous burden we put on the surrounding natural environment. Fortunately, we have a choice — and John Greenlee proposes an excellent solution in his book “Meadows by Design”. Overview

The author of “Meadows by Design” is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the subject that it makes the reader want to go out and tear down their lawn right away. Greenlee’s passion for meadows shines through every page of the book. He answers all the main questions you might ask. Why is a meadow a great alternative to a lawn? How to do you establish a sustainable meadow? Which plants to should you choose? How to do you maintain it successfully? The author starts by explaining the meadow’s advantages, writes about the rules of design, and proceeds to include an extensive list of the best meadow plants. The reader is led skilfully through the incredible world of grasses and introduced to the best garden meadows around. All this is beautifully illustrated by the acclaimed garden photographer Saxon Holt. The meadows in the book are shown as incredibly rich ecosystems, safe and friendly spaces for pets and children, and a desirable part of every garden. Get it here! Why should you buy this book? This book will teach you all you need to know to start seriously thinking about establishing your own meadow. It is a wonderful resource for amateur gardeners and landscape architects alike. The author’s knowledge and passion is simply priceless. The book, despite being literally a meadow encyclopedia, is a pleasure to read. Greenlee’s pen is incredibly light; the narrative flows easily, keeping the reader engrossed in the book from beginning to end. The rich illustrations make it a veritable jewel. The book is truly inspirational and a must have for anyone who is interested in modern design, ecology, and sustainability. Keep it in your library to show to any customer you might want to persuade into letting you design a meadow, and make sure you get to know the content thoroughly before you sit down to design your first meadow. Get it here! About the authors: John Greenlee Ornamental grass expert, nurseryman, and experienced designer, John Greenlee has created numerous meadows since 1984. He is a TV personality, a nursery owner, and is also the author of “The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses.” Saxon Holt A lifelong gardener, book author, and an acclaimed garden photographer. Holt owns a library of more than 200,000 images — PhotoBotanic.com. Publisher: Timber Press, Inc. Type: Hardcover Page length: 278 pages Book review by Marta Ratajszczak Featured imge:  Mayovskyy Andrew / shutterstock.com

Here at LAN, we love trees. Just check out our hit article Top 10 Sacred Tree which highlights some of the wolrds most special tress in all of their awesomeness. The benefits of trees are widely known, but there are some amazing facts about trees that you might not know and will surely blow you mind! 8. A balance of carbon and oxygen A single 30-meter-tall mature tree can absorb as much as 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds) of carbon dioxide in a year, which over it’s lifetime is approximately the same amount as would be produced by an average car being driven 41,500 kilometers (25,787 miles). The same tree could also produce 2,721 kilograms (5,998.78 pounds) of oxygen in a year, which is enough to support at least two people. According to the University of Melbourne, because trees grow faster the older they get, their capacity for photosynthesis and carbon sequestration increases as they age.

7. Trees and wildlife

You probably knew that trees were good for wildlife, but did you know just how good? For example, the common English Oak (Quercus robur) can support hundreds of different species, including 284 species of insect and 324 taxa (species, sub-species, and varieties) of lichens living directly on the tree. These in turn provide food for numerous birds and small mammals. The acorns of oak trees (which don’t usually appear until the tree is around 40 years old) are food for dozens of species, including wild boar (and now more commonly pigs), jays, pigeons, pheasants, ducks, squirrels, mice, badgers, and deer.

6. Who needs a compass?

When lost, it is possible to use trees to assist you in navigation. In northern temperate climates, moss will grow on the northern side of the tree trunk, where it is shadier. Failing that, if you find a tree that has been cut down, you can observe the rings of the tree to discover which direction north is. In the northern hemisphere, the rings of growth in a tree trunk are slightly thicker on the southern side, which receives more light. The converse is true in the southern hemisphere.

5. Saving energy and money Most people know that trees near buildings can raise property prices by an average of 14 percent in the U.K. and as much as up to 37 percent in the U.S. But trees can also have an impact on the energy used for heating and cooling a building, reducing air conditioning costs by as much as 30 percent and saving 20 to 50 percent on energy for heating. This is because as well as providing shade, a large tree can also transpire as much as 378.5 liters (100 gallons) of water into the air per day. This has a cooling effect roughly equivalent to 10 single room-sized air conditioning units operating 20 hours a day!

4. Did trees really kill the dinosaurs?

There is a theory that the evolution of tall, woody, flowering trees (angiosperms) might have played a pivotal role in the extinction of the dinosaurs. It is believed, by some, that the speed at which flowering plants evolved on Earth (possibly spurred on by rapid climate change) occurred too quickly for dinosaurs to adapt their diets. Flowering plants are better at producing oxygen. With the rapid increase in flowering plants, scientists suggest that the metabolism of large herbivorous dinosaurs might have increased to the point that they could not eat enough food to sustain their increased metabolism. 3. Self-defense and communication Trees are masters of both self-defense and communication. Scientists have found that when attacked by insects, trees can flood their leaves with chemicals called phenolics. These noxious compounds are distasteful to tree pests and can even impede their growth. What’s amazing is that once a tree is attacked, it will “signal” to other nearby trees to also start their self-defense, before they are attacked! Methods of communication include releasing chemicals into the wind and possibly even sending chemical or electric signals through the michorizal network of roots (a network of shared fungus fibers). 2. The biggest and the best Contrary to popular belief, the tallest trees in the world are actually the Coast or Californian Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), and not the Giant Redwoods or Wellingtonia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Even though both species of trees are sometimes referred to as Giant Redwoods, the Sequoia grows slightly taller, with the tallest recorded at 115.7 meters (379.7 feet). This behemoth, called “Hyperion”, can be found in Redwood National Park, California, (although its exact location is not disclosed for fear of vandalism). 1. The oldest living thing on Earth The oldest living organism on Earth is believed to be the “Pando” colony of Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) in Utah, also known as the Trembling Giant. The colony of trees covers some 41.7 hectares (103 acres) and is estimated to weigh nearly 6,000,000 kilograms (6,600 tons), making it also the heaviest known organism. Being a clonal colony, the tree “trunks” all share identical genetic makeup. It is estimated that parts of the inter-connected root stock that links the colony together is in excess of 80,000 years old!

There are many interesting facts about trees. You probably know most of the more common facts, but did you know about tree communication or about the oldest living tree on Earth? If you know of any more amazing facts we might have missed, please let us know in the comments below.

Article written by Ashley Penn Featured image: tr3gin / shutterstock.com

Landscape architect Brodie McAllister gives us his thoughts on what new landscape architecture professionals need to know in the first years of their career: At university, you have to balance deadlines for design and written work with a social life and the pressures of funding your place. You are challenged to let your imagination “fly” then pulled back to Earth with the consideration of practical details. This, to an extent, prepares you for the workplace after you graduate.

 However, nothing prepares you for work quite like “work”. 
What should you know or do, beyond what tutors have probably told you, to succeed in those first couple of years? It can be a bit of a hard landing when you finally get a job — there may be initial feelings of elation as you are released into the “real world” and a sense of independence. But in time, reality can “kick in” if your expectations are unrealistic. I want to offer some candid advice from my own experience, with a couple of anecdotes thrown in, so it isn’t necessarily beholden to some official line. 
1. This isn’t boot camp



Remember, your job isn’t a continuation of college, and the employer doesn’t owe you training. This is business. Most employers will have a sense of responsibility toward mentoring you and guiding you to the experience you need to pass professional exams (e.g. Chartership in the U.K.). However, they are not obliged to — and some donʼt. Be the type of employee you would employ if it were your business — because the deadlines and time sheets are about money now, too, not just ideas. Itʼs expensive running an office, and the business owner is the one taking the main risks. 2. Be a sponge  Learn as much technically/contractually as you can and get broad experience as soon as possible so you can branch out and do your own thing, if that’s  what you want. You will make mistakes, so learn from them. For example, you may struggle toward some project deadlines or to reach or understand the presentation standards required. Donʼt worry. Keep working hard in an organized way and show keenness to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge. The best comeback from a mistake is to go on to impress them. Use those first couple of years to find out what might be your preferred area of specialization, and keep working toward that. For some, there is nothing more liberating and satisfying than eventually being your own boss. You can take all the credit! 3. Pack your bags, we’re off

  Always grab the chance to work abroad. When I graduated, it was the start of a world recession. I thought that it would be better to suffer the recession abroad, while getting a great life experience. I chose New York and then San Francisco because, through reading magazines, I had admired what the profession did there. It was not easy working in difficult times, classified as a “temporary alien”, but I had a terrific four years and got some extraordinary experience, meeting wonderful people along the way. The work we do can be international, and the experience you gain can give you the perspective you need to pursue that. Who knows, you may like it so much you stay. 4. Take off the rose-tinted glasses Don’t always expect to do the fun, creative design work in the early stages of training. This depends on which country you are in. My experience in the U.K. as a young graduate was that I did get the responsibility of the conceptual design work on huge projects. I thrived on it. But then there was a depressing bump when I was asked to do drafting of what I perceived to be boring standard details again. In America, they tend to be more structured and give conceptual design the top priority, to be done by the most experienced staff. This explains why we still import and revere their designers more than they do ours, although Europe has become more advanced in the last two decades in terms of opportunities to complete exciting projects. For many graduates, though, their raised expectation of being given this responsibility may lead to the biggest disappointment they will endure. Instead, refer to my point 2 above: Itʼs the bedrock of good design, and good design flows into the technical implementation. 5.  Face the fear of leaving Remember: If you find you are not suited to this job or to a certain way of working as a landscape architect, try something else. Transfer your skills. This may be necessary if you are in a recession and finding it hard to get a job. Donʼt feel morally obliged to stick to what youʼve been trained to do. Itʼs your life. Landscape architecture is supposed to be a vocational profession, but therein lies a little professional conditioning that tries to keep hold of you. Landscape architects are well set up to follow other career paths, such as art, film, the contractor or commercial side of landscape products, or anything environmental. Even if you need to get further experience or qualifications, if you are “flogging a dead horse”, make the change now. 6. Don’t go chasing waterfalls

 Getting good experience is often worth more than working for a “famous” office. When I taught at university, Iʼd always hear students express their desire to work for one of the “big glam” names. After all, that is where they believed they would have the most fun on the most prestigious projects. Their experience, in hindsight, didnʼt always match this expectation. Worst-case scenario, they would be used as CAD slaves fueling the projects of ego-laden bosses. 7.  Learn to survive Surviving in the first few years is often more about getting along with people and meeting deadlines. As I got frustrated at times that I wasnʼt getting what I wanted work wise. I noticed that less talented (in my view) people were doing well (in their employerʼs eyes) by not having any design pretensions. Draw your own conclusions, but never lose your design ambitions. 8. Write your way to the top

 Record, write, and broadcast if you’re good at it. Don’t just design. In San Francisco, in the early 1990s, I got to work alongside Lawrence Halprin on various projects. He was quoted as saying that his secret to success was as much about writing about it as doing it. Often, writing about it or expressing your ideas in alternative mediums is part of the creative process of “doing it.” The world needs more good communicators whose objectives have integrity. While you are at it, collect and record your own experiences, as a good writer would do. They will be useful in “selling” yourself, perhaps starting with a website. 9. The specialist After the initial foundational experience, specialize if you can and now know which area, e.g. urban design, land art, landscape journalism, whichever best suits you. For me, that meant specializing in a site art-based approach, enhanced by my experience.

The know-how of being a landscape architect is an advantage in this case over “fine art” graduates (unless you have no artistic vision). Equally, I always saw myself as being better at creative writing than project management. Itʼs all about being creative, ultimately, and following and growing your strengths; just different levels of function, problem solving, and practicability.

The modern profession, certainly in the U.K., now encourages specialization. We need extra skill and power at visual impact analysis, for instance, as this is a growth area. You may be typecasting yourself, but there are advantages if you do this in a growth area. This is the opposite of the view that used to be held that a more “jack of all trades” approach would ensure success.

10. Grow your connections Cultivate your contacts as they grow — therein lies opportunity. Friends you work with or who you cross paths with in connection with your career may provide fruitful opportunities either now or in the future. In particular, I always try to keep in touch with many of my ex-students. Years later, I have worked with several of them, and my enjoyment and trust is enhanced by the knowledge that I hung on to them as contacts. People usually only create employment for others if there is some mutual benefit. Ideally, they will only work with people they get along with, respect, trust, and who share the same vision/beliefs. That is made considerably easier if you donʼt meet for the first time at an interview. In summary, work hard at what you enjoy, even if this leads you off on a tangent. Be realistic in your expectations — it doesnʼt prevent you from being ambitious. Trust your instinct to lead yourself, and embrace those who open up opportunity and who you get along with, even if it means changing paths drastically. If in doubt, there is no shame in just surviving tough times. Put a positive spin on everything. Your life can tell a great story, so collect and record that memory as you go.

 Interest others in that journey –communicate well. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and work more on the former, moving away from the latter when you can. Be in awe of interesting people, not of fame alone. Have fun and travel. 

Remember that even creativity relies on work and, in turn, some level of skill and knowledge — just not knowledge for its own sake. Einstein As Einstein once said  — “never memorize something that you can look up”. Keep your mind free for invention. 

Donʼt forget that landscape architecture is half business, half environmental design. How you interpret that is up to you if youʼve forged your own way — or up to your employer to determine as long as you are not the boss. Look for the employer who makes decisions through discussion, consensus, and shared vision — and be that person yourself.

Article written by Brodie McAllister

Brodie McAllister has spent the last 25 years dividing his time between the design of large urban parks and squares and urban strategies to garden design and land/site art, in Asia, France, the U.S., and the U.K. This was interspersed with teaching. He has received a number of awards, published many articles, and received publicity in a wide range of books and magazines. He can be contacted at www.brodiemcallister.com Featured image: dotshock / shutterstock.com

Also known as clean graffiti, reverse graffiti is essentially the act of removing dirt or dust from dirty surfaces in order to form an image or text. This act can be done from using your own little finger to write ‘clean me’ on that van you can see, to a using a cloth on a wall, or in some cases a high power washer for those works on a grander scale. Reverse graffiti, operates within what most people call ‘a legal grey area.’ That is to say, the act of cleaning something isn’t illegal but that it results in creating an image on someone else’s property means it may be seen as trespassing.

Moreover, whilst cleaning walls is not illegal, using this method as a form of advertising may be. Recently reverse graffiti has been commandeered by the advertising industry. In most places you must have a license to advertise in a public space, hence the fact that clean graffiti is seen to function in this legal ‘grey area.’ Environmental Activism Generally, the father of Clean Graffiti is seen as one Paul Curtis, aka ‘Moose’ Moose himself has done both personal clean graffiti and ‘official’ work for advertising agencies but also for companies in the UK such as Transport for London. He’s even worked for the British police on an anti-gun campaign. Below: Moose in Belgrade As reverse graffiti is temporary, biodegradable and uses nothing to really impair or cause a negative impact on a surface, it is seen as an environmentally friendly work of art (in contrast to more traditional forms of graffiti) and is one of the reasons it has been adopted so readily by guerilla marketing agencies. Moose himself says “it is an act of refacing not defacing”. Another prominent mover and shaker is Brazilian street artist Alexandre Orion. José de Souza Martins, Professor of Sociology at São Paulo , University, comments that the signature skulls of Orion’s work are a type of memento mori regarding our relationship with pollution. Art or Vandalism? As mentioned, what is often seen to be illegal about reverse graffiti is its use by media agencies to advertise particular companies, campaigns and products. Gaining a license to advertise inevitably legitimizes the graffiti. In certain places it is still frowned upon, and in some areas, municipal powers adamantly regard it as illegal – not even allowing licenses for advertising agencies. So what about personal, non-commissioned reverse graffiti? As with, ‘traditional graffiti’, that is to say tags, throw ups (larger tags), and sentences or words, it begs the question, is it art or vandalism? The first reactions to ‘traditional’ graffiti by the general public where overwhelmingly negative – and often still are. In 1996 Tim Cresswell  argued that reactions to graffiti were negative because they represented dirt, which we don’t like. Dirt turns up in unwanted places and so does graffiti. As such it is a threat to order. Hold on you say, reverse graffiti is about cleaning not being dirty. It’s the opposite! Yet it may still be seen as a threat to order because the act is undertaken without authorization from official channels. Reverse graffiti refuses to comply with the perceived rules of an urban space. Herein lays its illegality and thus it is, technically, vandalism. But that is not to say it’s not art. Indeed, if we take a look at the history of art, most new movements have been seen as; radical, corrupting, degenerate, vandalistic, hedonistic and so on. Yet invariably, no one would now argue Vincent Van Gogh (famously never sold a painting in his lifetime) did nothing for art, or moreover, the society which holds that art dear. Likewise, few people will say that the recent destruction of 5 Pointz passed without a murmur or that its establishment failed to contribute to art, society or New York’s history. At the end of the day reverse graffiti – like its wider family: street art, graffiti, living graffiti and subtraction graffiti – calls into question the dialectic between public and private space and raises questions about how places become what they are and who says what they can be. Whose cityscape is it anyway? What’s more detrimental to your streetscape? A piece of attractive but non-commissioned art, or a dirty grey wall? Check out GreenGraffiti® Presentation and learn more.. Article written by Sonia Jackett Images courtesy of GreenGraffiti 

Studying landscape architecture is hard. The old adage of ‘work smart, not hard’ is very enticing. Whilst there’s no escaping hard work on a landscape architecture course, you can make sure you’re working smart! Here we take a look at the five most common habits of successful landscape architecture students. 5. Bouncing off your classmate At the beginning of our undergraduate course one of our lecturers shared this pearl of wisdom with our class “you are each other’s greatest resource”. The most successful students know who has experience working in construction or whose plant knowledge is particularly good. Rather than spend ages searching the internet for answers these successful students ask the right person, who usually knows the answer and can point to a useful text.

4. Napping Naps have the ability to consolidate learning, improve memory, increase alertness and creativity and reduce levels of stress hormones. It can be tempting to spend as much time as possible in the studio, but successful students often take time to take short naps, and reap the benefits in their learning and work. 3. Goal setting and scheduling “Most people spend more time planning their summer vacation than they do their lives” – John Assaraf – entrepreneur, business coach and author. The truth is 10 minutes a day of goal setting and scheduling can save you hours, days and possibly weeks, freeing you up to revise your projects and turn that C grade into an A grade. Before you start your day, plan it! A great piece of FREE online software to help you plan your day can be found at Simpleology 2. Study/life balance Being a landscape architecture student is hard work, and can be demanding. The most successful students recognize this and take time to look after themselves. It can be tempting to eat sugary foods for an energy rush and drink lots of coffee. Successful students will make time to exercise, eat well and socialize. The path to becoming a landscape architect is more of a marathon than a sprint Pacing yourself and giving yourself good ‘fuel’ is essential. 1. Jotting down ideas and capturing inspiration It seems simple, but it is one of the most useful things any student can do. The most successful students always have a pocket sized notebook with them, and make annotated sketches in class and outside to record information, explore ideas and work out problems. Always have your pocket sized sketch pad at the ready. Photo credit:  jurie/shutterstock Through observing the habits of successful students, and implementing them in your own work, you can overcome your weaknesses and maximize on your strengths. Make a New Year’s resolution to adopt some habits from successful students to improve your own learning. Whether it’s just getting into the habit of daily planning, or always carrying a sketchbook into class, you’ll be glad you did! Article written by Ashley Penn. Feature image: bikeriderlondon/ shutterstock

In this interview, LAN talks with Billy Goodnick, founder of Crimes Against Horticulture and author of the book “Yards”.  We discuss CAH’s origins, mission, role, importance, reception … and … testicle-shaped hedges. We even have Billy answer that one divisive question: Who is the biggest perpetrator of Crimes Against Horticulture — the landscaper or the designer? How did Crimes Against Horticulture come about? “I was writing for EDHAT and was part of the Santa Barbara Beautiful Awards (a competition for the most beautiful gardens) and decided to take some photos that I had collected through my work and do the Santa Barbara Not So Beautiful Awards, and I had categories like the silliest place to put a Bougainvillia, and continued doing the “Not So Beautiful Awards” the following year. About two years ago, I came across some of the Santa Barbara Not So Beautiful photos on my computer and set up a Facebook page called “Crimes Against Horticulture: When Bad Taste Meets Power Tools”.  I started uploading some photos and redirecting people from my own Facebook page, and now it’s grown to over 2,000 fans and I have people from all over the world posting and contributing to the page. Image credit: Billy Goodnick |CAH FB The only other thing I can also attribute to founding CAH was that as a teenager, I used to cut out what I thought were ugly brides from the LA Times in the newlyweds section and stick them up on my bedroom wall.  Then people would come over and disagree with which brides was ugly and which wasn’t, kinda eye of the beholder type of thing.  So, maybe some of that fascination spilled over into CAH … and why everyone hates me!

Well, Facebook is the primary way of connecting with people, and anyone who has a camera and Facebook connection can contribute.  I also have been doing a lot of talks at gardening clubs, shows, and botanic gardens across the U.S. and now I offer a CAH talk, among others.  I’ve had to innovate, because it gets really old real quick after five slides and five snarky comments, so as a takeaway, sustainability has become a focus of the talks.  So people won’t put a plant in too small a space, that they’ll choose the right plant and maintain it correctly, and at the end you’ll have an appreciation for the aesthetic, so if you do end up having to do something to the plant it won’t end up as fuel for my rapier wit. So, I’ve probably done six CAH talks in the last six months.  It’s fun, and if you’ve seen the CAH website, the CAH crime scene tape, I give away a roll of that for whoever can come up with the silliest, snarkiest comment in response to an image of a CAH.  Usually, it’s the most adult humor that wins.  Somebody calls a topiary hedge a meatball, another person calls it a testicle, the testicle is gonna win. Just because it’s got that fun factor.  I do the same for the Facebook page with a caption contest, giving away a roll of CAH crime scene tape. On top of promoting the CAH message, I have a book out, “Yards”, which is mostly about garden design.  I realized that to get the speaking gigs that I really wanted, I needed to be an author. I had no dreams of writing the next great garden design book; I never thought of myself as a writer. I thought I had nothing to contribute. How could I write a book and be lazy about it? So the book started out as CAH and consisted of a collection of my numerous CAH blog posts, with a strong underlying theme of sustainability.  So at the end, you would have Billy’s vision of what landscape design should be. I said that it was going to be Michael Pollen meets Dave Barry meets Martha Stewart meets Pee Wee Herman on acid.  However, no book publisher would touch (a strictly CAH book) with a 10-foot pole, because it was just too weird. However, St. Lynns Press said let’s keep talking, and that’s how “Yards” came about, with a chapter dedicated to CAH in the back. Image credit: Billy Goodnick |CAH FB What has the response to CAH been like? On some blog posts, you’ll see some nasty comments like “Who are you tell us what to do”, “You’re a b@$#@$d”, etc., but my response has always been that it is not just about aesthetics, but the sustainability, the green waste, and the fact that somebody gets paid to do it.  Fortunately, I never hear back from the people I have shamed. However, there have been a few instances from people who have a stick up their backside. Most people who come to the Facebook page are there for the humor and I’m just preaching to the choir.  However, I don’t have any real way for gauging the reaction from those projects which are shamed on CAH. What do you feel is the solution to preventing CAH in landscape architecture? Better planting knowledge. I’m so surprised to see many garden design, landscape design, and landscape architecture courses with little focus on botany, spatial planting design, and right plant right place. But knowledge is only one part of the problem; another is the working knowledge of contractors who are planting and maintaining the shrubs, trees, and perennials that are chosen by the designer. So unless you have each party taking responsibility for their actions, you’re always going to have crimes against horticulture. Image credit: Billy Goodnick |CAH FB Who is the biggest perpetrator of Crimes Against Horticulture: landscapers or landscape architects? While some landscape designers are at fault by specifying a plant species that will outgrow a space within a year, landscapers and contractors are just as guilty by hacking away at evergreen hedges with a trimmer until you end up with a phallic hedge and a set of green testes. Image credit: Billy Goodnick |CAH FB What is the future for CAH? To raise greater awareness among the public of the utter stupidity of “supposed” professionals and of the potential sustainability of our landscapes, if managed properly, through twisted humor and comic wit. Check out Billy’s book “Yards: Turn Any Outdoor Space Into the Garden of Your Dreams” Interview conducted by Joe Clancy

Trying to figure out your calling can be a tricky thing. This is especially true if you are interested in landscape architecture, an interdisciplinary field with open-ended opportunities. If you are thinking about studying landscape architecture and you do not want your choice to be a reckless one, check out the following 10 steps that can give you a deeper understanding of the field, the qualities needed to study landscape architecture  and the career prospects that await you:

Study Landscape Architecture

10. Notice the spaces around you This one might seem obvious, but if you want to spend your life designing spaces, you might as well start being more attentive to the way they are shaped. Observe how people use a certain place (be it a square or a street or anything else). Try to understand its dynamics and the materials used to create it. 9. Do you have what it takes? Designers surely come in all forms and shapes. But there are some qualities needed in order to succeed in the field. These include patience, heightened senses and attention to detail, the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, and a willingness to spend long hours drawing on a computer. If you do not have it in you now, it is important that you be willing to acquire it. Image via Shutterstock

8. Talk to professors

The easiest way to answer your doubts and questions is to visit the universities you plan to apply to and talk to the instructors. Go prepared with a set of questions. Be sure  to talk to more than one teacher; each design instructor usually has his or her own school of thought, and this way you will avoid gaining one narrow image of the vast world of landscape architecture.

7. Attend a final-year presentation

If you can manage to be in the eye of the storm — where all the serious landscape architecture student business takes place — then you cannot possibly be more ready. Being present at a final-year student’s defense will give you all the answers about what is eventually expected from you. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if there is something you do not understand.

Image credit: Scott Renwick | end of year presentations University of Gloucestershire

6. Read the course descriptions carefully

The next university-related step would be to read the list of courses provided for landscape architecture students, as well as the course descriptions. Try to understand what each course requires and whether it is something you would be excited about. Don’t panic if there are some that sound less interesting. Trust me: No one ever falls in love with all his or her courses. (I still remember my Technical Drawing class: Yikes!)

5. Study the job market

Find out what awaits you in the real world before even starting your studies. Try to get in touch with graduates from the same major and see what they have been up to. If the country where you want to work does not have great opportunities for landscape architects, you should be aware of it and be prepared. Also see our feature article Do you have what it takes to stand out in the job-hunting market?

4. Talk to professionals

While final-year projects are a quite significant showcase, nothing gets you closer to how things are done in the real world than projects in the workplace. Meet with professionals working in the field. Have a look at their projects and interrogate them about the process. Take note, as well, of the physical implementation of the designs.

3. Read about the field

To have a grander view of landscape architecture, browse the internet and magazines for worldwide updates on the field. For information on the best places to hunt for inspiration, check out our article Top 10 Online Resources for Landscape Architecture.

2. Take drawing classes

Knowing how to draw before starting to pursue your degree is not a requirement. Nevertheless, having an urge to draw is a major quality needed in a landscape architect. So test yourself with drawing and see if you enjoy it. Some architectural departments offer summer drawing classes for those who are about to start a design major. Maybe the university you apply for does, too! Check out our book review on Freehand Drawing & Discovery by James Richards

1. Make sure you have the right motivation

Individuals choose their majors for all sorts of reasons. Make sure that yours is not that “it’s cheaper than the other degree I wanted to pursue” or “the campus is located in a really cool area”. My brother once said (and he was so right) that when you are about to choose a major, ask yourself “what is something that I would be delighted to do even if I wasn’t getting paid for it?” If landscape architecture is a positive answer for that, then you are in the right place. To all of you potential landscape architecture students, I truly hope that this article brought you the answers you came here seeking. Still looking for more motivation? Have a look at our article 10 Great Reasons to be a Landscape Architect. If all that doesn’t help you make up your mind, maybe you should watch this video: Article written by Dalia Zein

This Saturday we’ve reached our tenth edition of our beloved Sketchy Saturday! I hope you’ve had as much fun as we had admiring and learning from all the artistic, technical and detailed sketches from our readers. As this is a special edition, a mini anniversary so to say, we tried to pick the best of the best, looking out for essentials like style, mediums and perspectives. Enjoy this week’s Top 10! No. 10 by Wiktor Kłyk, landscape architect

‘This is a sketch for an outdoor garden. The concept was based on symmetry and geometrical shapes, in respects to the outdoor furniture as well as the trees and plants that accompany them. The perspective of the sketch is semi-aerial, so that we can see how the atmosphere in the garden will be. It features a small pond, benches and rows of trees and flowers set geometrically to the whole concept. The sketch was done in pen and colour.’ No. 9 by Anton Comrie, director at PrLArch ‘This sketch is called ‘Urban Utopia’ and I made it with a felt tip pen on a 100mmx100mm white post-it note. When exploring ideas in design, it is often a matter of putting pen to paper and starting to draw. With this as an example, it does not matter what the drawings are at first. They are, in a way, just like stretching exercises before a workout. Personally, I find this way of exploration liberating and fun while offering different angles of approach to a design. As landscape architects, drawing assists greatly in making us better designers rather than makers of good drawings.’ No. 8 by Van Cam Hoang ‘Landmark is a construction company which is specialised in council kit form. This is the viewing platform product of Landmark. The hand sketch perspective helps us to imagine how the platform looks e and how much people could enjoy it. The perspective gives us the view of the surrounding landscape as well as shares the enjoyment of the viewers. ‘ No. 7 by Wiktor Kłyk, landscape architect ‘Gardens are essential in urban areas. This one fits great among the surrounding buildings and it also holds true to their geometry in its design. Its style is quite minimalistic, with simple plants and a few covered and semi-covered leisure spots. Wood is quite prevalent as a material, but overall, the garden can be a nice spot for meditation or a coffee break. I drew it in pen and colour.’ No. 6 by Kiemah Hakiemah ‘This sketch shows a recreational park and activities that bring people together within this gathering area. Here we tried to fulfil the parks requirement as an area for connection with open spaces or  an area set aside for recreation, which includes the delightful aesthetic result of enhancing the space.’ No. 5 by Hamidreza Massahi, designer from Iran The style of this sketch is quite futuristic with a gloomy note, but it shows how great design comes by just by putting down your ideas on paper. Sketching spontaneously and doing designs that come just out of your head on the spot, can made for the best sketchy work and later to great real-life designs. ‘This sketch was made on A4 paper and I did it in about 20 min. I tried to capture the best view of my idea and to show the scale of the building. I drew a bus and some buildings in the background on the left and some human figures. I did this sketch with just a pen and marker, without a model or erasing, just from my imagination.’ No. 4 by Attila Tóth, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra ‘This picture was sketched on a sunny summer’s day at a pond in Hungary called Római tó with the aim to capture the calm and idyllic atmosphere of the water scenery. The unruffled surface of the pond and the pleasant tiny fishing cottages are framed by tree and shrub compositions. The reed and the small pier impart depth to the sketch and draw you into the composition.’ A basic pencil sketch in itself, this is the most definite and pleasant way to capture a detailed view of a special perspective. No. 3 by Jehanna Abdulkarim, LA student from University of the Philippines Diliman ‘I made this sketch when I was a 1st year LA student and we were asked to do some sketches for our class. This is a sketch of UP Diliman College of Architecture Building 1I was drawn towards its unique architectural design among other buildings in the campus. The medium used was pen and ink.’ No. 2 by Eirini Mouka, landscape architect ‘This is a drawing from a place I visited in Budapest in 2011, during my participation in Erasmus IP, at the University of West Hungary. I used pencils and pens for drawing, and Photoshop for painting.’ No. 1 by Alexandre Guillet, Landscape architect at J.N. Jardins naturels SA., Switzerland ‘This represents a natural swimming pool project in the area of Geneva, Switzerland. The perspective was elaborated by J.N. Jardins naturels Chavornay SA and illustrates the integration in the garden using hand sketching (the house plants) and Photoshop (the water and background).’ I hope you enjoyed our tenth edition of Sketchy Saturday. We love that you guys are such avid drawers and send us your best work. However, if you want to improve on your LA designs, why not check out our book review of Drawing for Landscape Architecture by Edward Hutchison. Also, browse through Sketchy Saturday No.009 to other amazing sketches! Sketchy No. 011 is soon to come! But until next time, don’t forget to send your work along with a short description of the sketch to get a better chance of having your work selected for our weekly Sketchy!  See you next Saturday! Article written by Oana Anghelache.

The Garden of Hilton Pattaya by T.R.O.P. Terrains + Open Space, in Chonburi, Thailand.  If you crave a cool and inspiring landscape design, you are at the right place. TROP is an architectural design studio based in Bangkok, Thailand. The studio has been working since 2007 and as well as been included in our Top 10 Names In Landscape Architecture Today Trop has already won awards from ASLA. Hilton Pattaya is one of the award winning projects. It was short – listed for Hotel of the Year 2012 by World Architecture News and is a winner of the Thailand Property Awards for Best Landscape Design. On top of a shopping mall, a truly serene environment is created, hidden from the chaotic Red-Light Beach below.

Motivation Behind The Project The project is located in Pattaya, a beach resort just a couple of hours away from Bangkok, popular with crowds of tourists. In the past, it was famous for its beautiful long beach. Unfortunately, due to lack of regulations, it has become a destination for cheap tourism.  Therefore, nightclubs and red light bars have crowded along the beach and, as a result, the beach has lost it’s once famous beauty. Related Articles: 

• Where Zen Garden Design Meets Enchanted Woodland: TROP’s Forest and Pool at Pyne
• Sky Pool Takes World Class Design to the Next Level
• Top 10 Names In Landscape Architecture Today

The designers saw the opportunity to regain the potential of the location and to rebuild the once serene and beautiful natural landscape. The garden is situated on the roof of the 16-floor shopping mall. In order to avoid the noisy beach, the Hilton Pattaya, a 200 room hotel, is built on the top of the shopping centre. From there the garden opens to the peaceful ocean view. This is the main concept, to create an urban sanctuary that reconnects the garden to Pattaya’s ocean once again.

To do so, the infinity pool is strategically placed at the edge of the roof, making it’s water visually connected with the ocean below. It is designed as one big sheet of water with a lap pool, fun pool, jacuzzi maze, and kid pool hidden underneath the same water surface. The bottom of the pool is decorated with fibre optic lighting resembling a school of shiny fish. In the night though, it glows like the stars under which it is located.

Looking at TROP projects, one can admire the great attention to detail, prominent in this project. Delicate design that goes beyond beauty is also related to the right choice of materials. For a great book on infinity pools check out Infinity Pools  by Ana G. Canizares Choosing The Materials Locality is the key to their design. Not only because of the budget, but also because they believe that local materials suit their gardens best. Hardscape materials have to be able to resist Thailand’s strong sunlight and extreme temperature, especially during the rainy season. Two main materials are used in the hotel’s lobby: sand and green landform. Sand represents the connection to the ocean and beach, as well serving as a platform for the hotel’s installations throughout the year. Softscape is chosen wisely. They selected local plants because they can thrive in the seaside air very well. Weight also plays an important role, because the garden is actually on the roof. It is always a pleasure to see great design projects built within great surroundings, for example, on hideaway beaches or extraordinary mountains. Nevertheless, they have managed the situation brilliantly, re-creating the natural peacefulness and beauty of a remote and quiet ocean beach in the centre of a busy touristic resort. Photography: Wison Thungthunya, Adam Brozzone, Charkhrit Chartarsa Recommended Reading:

• Urban Design  by Alex Krieger
• The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods (Second Edition) by Urban Design Associates

Article by Slavyana Popcheva. Return to Homepage

I’m sitting at my family home over the holiday break reading a book called If I Die in a Combat Zone, by Tim O’Brien. He is remembering his first day as an LZ minuteman somewhere in Vietnam in 1968. The sergeant addressing his new squad says, amongst other things, “Remember your training and you have a good chance of surviving; however, for some of you be certain, your ass is grass.” It reminded me of design school. It was the feeling of looking around the room and wondering out of so many nice and talented people how many would be practicing in the years to come and in what way. There was no secret that the global financial crisis had created a work drought. I thought about training for a professional sport, and after five years not being able to play the game. It scared the hell out of me!

Using your design skills

I’m not sure what training you have done, but in the end, I’m happy about my program, which focused heavily on representation and computer skills. This training has translated to a more professional look when on the hustle and has allowed me to use my landscape architecture skills without the backing of an established LA practice. This article presents seven other ways for those looking to put their skills into practice. 1. Public art The great thing about public art is that it’s a smaller budget, which can be more attainable for a rookie. Insurance in this field can be less expensive, as you are not responsible for all the wider scope of responsibilities that comes with public space. Once in the system, it’s easier to see what’s going on. There’s a reason it takes time to register, and the point is that this can be a way of getting experience in the greater process that unsigned rookies do not get. Image credit Plume Photography / Shutterstock Do not try to bullshit your way through art! The fact that you are from the design world may already arouse suspicion and work against you. If you’re going to do it, engage in what it is. Be humble — there are some seriously good artists out there! What artists need to remember is that it’s about public space as well, so as landscape architects we have a very legitimate interest in it.

Think laterally about where you can use your skills. There is the conflict between what you want to do for work and what you have to do for work. The middle ground is a situation where your skills can be kept up and you can gain an understanding about how things go together. Try targeting the companies that supply the industry. The best element about knowing fabricators is that when you do have a concept, you have a realistic sounding board to make sure the concept is deliverable. Beyond advice is credibility for your practice. The stakeholders are just as interested in your ability to deliver, and there is a lot of money to be lost in construction. Working with specialty fabricators streamlines your process and opens new techniques, which are invaluable if you are working without the backing of an established practice. 3. Studios Get a workspace outside your home. Do this as early in your education as possible. Skimp on the house and get the studio space. I like my studio because there is a small block of designers around — musicians, film people, and painters. It’s nice to walk away from your own snot and bother and be confronted by a different set of triumphs and stresses. There is a greater sense of empathy for all small-scale creative entrepreneurs. It’s really healthy for designers caught outside established practices to engage in other creative disciplines. I bet that if you sat down with many lead designers, they would have a wide range of knowledge beyond landscape architecture. We are in a cultural industry, so it’s beneficial to be around culture. You may also be interesting in reading  An Unofficial Guide to Keeping Your Semi Legit Studio Space 4. Get backers The reality is that if you are practicing this way, you are looking for ways to break into the industry with minimal resources and your voice is not as loud as those established in the industry. The best thing you can have is others speaking for you. You may have the best concepts in the world, but until you get things built, they remain concepts. If you can get others to want those concepts, then you become louder. Call it people power. Find a group of people who want something built, then consult, petition, design, and engage and see if you can get it done. Even if you can’t get it done, you’re going to start to learn the process, which may help you stay on the pitch and not wonder where the five years went. 5. Design competitions

Don’t participate in design competitions unless you are invited, paid, or establishing a working relationship with someone. Don’t do them just for the sake of doing them. It’s a lot of energy you could be using to meet people and learn things. Check out the Moved to Care brief from Building Trust International, there is only a couple of weeks left to register. 6. Be credible Make sure you are credible in what you choose if you are looking to practice for yourself. It’s one thing to have the idea, but will anyone really let you do it, and if they do, can you actualize the concept? Don’t force stuff on the rest of the world that is best appreciated by the more academic side of what we do unless you have the appropriate backing. Look at culture as a whole and pick what’s relevant and achievable for you. The great thing about writing is that you keep your communication skills sharp and relevant. Write for the industry and, if possible, about the industry for publications that do not traditionally cover landscape architecture. Seeking to publish an article? Submit your article to us today! It sucks that many of us graduated in a job drought. However, there are ways around it. In some ways, you stop being a landscape architect and become a creative entrepreneur. We have skills that the people in the last job drought do not. The job market in general is becoming more fragmented, and the small practices acting as service providers to the established industry is a reality around the world. There are holes to exploit; you just have to think laterally and find them. The main thing is to not lose your skills, because when you get breaks, they happen fast and you have to deliver. Article written by Stuart Beekmeyer

We have got an excellent, fresh set of sketches from our readers for this weeks Sketchy Saturday, to pick our top 10 for this weeks Sketchy Saturday. Be it colour or black and white, technical or artistic, work or pleasure based, we know a good sketch when we see one! Drawing is one of the best ways of improving your work and should never be fully replaced by tech shortcuts! So without further ado, here’s this week’s selection. No. 10 by Tomislav Krnač, Slovenia

‘I drew this sketch in the Mediterranean village of Izola in Slovenia on a beautiful sunny day. We had an excursion with prof. Drašler who taught us drawing in 1st and 2nd year of landscape architecture. I was sitting on a bench in a picturesque little square surrounded by old houses and Mediterranean plants, so I decided to make a quick sketch of it. I used a 6B pencil and a grey promarker.’ No. 9 by Mahmudul Karim Ripon ‘This is a sketch of Ahsan Manzil in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The official residential palace has a beautiful architecture with multiple design details which were, for the most part, drawn here. I focused on the main entrance of the palace and its main detailing. The sketch was done in pencil. ‘ No. 8 by Amaury Martins Neto, agronomic engineer/landscape architect, Piracicaba SP – Brazil ‘I started this project because when working with landscape architecture, you always have to think about sustainability. With that in mind, I designed this two storey house made of four shipping containers and added one more for a studio/guest room. Another idea for this particular design is to show that even with such a small terrain (200 sq. meters) you can have a nice home and a very cool and modern garden designed with native plants.’ No. 7 by Amaury Martins Neto ‘This is a conceptual illustration for a container house. The drawing represents a studio made from a 20ft shipping container. The landscape consists of two water features, a vertical garden, wood deck and pool,  designed only with native plants.’ No. 6 by Irene Morales, 3rd year landscape architect student at the University of the Philippines, Dilima ‘This is an output from reading a book on how to do pen sketches.’ No. 5 by Philip Tsui ‘I made this sketch of a Chinese traditional garden in Guangdong Province,China. Stone is an important and special element of the Chinese traditional garden, so I set the stones as the main part of this sketch. There is a wooden pavilion on the stone hill. I used pen and marker pen to colour it..’ This layered sketch attempts to have a strong impact on the viewer bringing you into the depths of the picture showing the raw lines of the original sketch while being brought to life with vivid and bold color, making for one dramatic composition.  What we love about this sketch is the honesty and purity of form, communicating a place with a lot of character, which is bound to be a reflection on the designer. No. 4 by Miguel Lievano ‘This very quick sketch was done from the Castel Sant’Angelo overlooking St Peter’s basilica in 2000. The idea of the sketch was more to capture the ‘essence’ of the view rather than to dwell on the details.’ No. 3  by Rebecca Blanck-Weiss ‘This scene of Oakland, California’s Lake Merritt Promenade at night was sketched using a 2b pencil and a fine tipped eraser. There is a string of lights wrapping around the lake along the path that beautifully reflects the lights of the city, which also surrounds the water. This community space, bustling with people walking, biking and running all day is very still at night.’ No. 2 by Devin Kimmel ‘This is a sketch of a new woodland amphitheatre for a private school. Its purpose is for outdoor teaching and events. The amphitheatre is set in a beautiful natural ravine overlooking a creek. This sketch was done using graphite on vellum.’ No. 1 by Alexander Kok, professional visualizer, Noordwijk, Netherlands ‘This is a plan made to redevelop an old office building in the heart of the city of Amersfoort, Netherlands. The project is named Business Garden and the sketch’s purpose was to create an idea of a garden and work space in the atrium with the other units  individually rented by small companies. The whole idea had been based on the concept of zero carbon/low ecological footprint developed by the Dutch based One-Planet foundation. The project was initiated by British/Norwegian engineer Paul Heistein, who is a specialist in the use of alternative energy sources and connecting the various participants involved. One Planet Foundation will have their headquarters in this building..’ Thus, Sketchy Saturday, version 009 is concluded! It was a tough choice, as per usual, because each sketch has something special. If you enjoyed this week’s selection, check out our previous edition. Don’t forget to send your work along with a short description of the sketch to get a better chance of having your work selected for our weekly Sketchy!  See you next Saturday! Article written by Oana Anghelache.

After the success of his last article  “10 Ways Design Students Fail Projects and How to Avoid Them” designer and lecturer Barry Lupton joins us again at Landscape Architects Network to give us his thoughts as to what qualities a great designer possesses:

Designers are complex beings occupying an increasingly complex domain. The skills, traits and characteristics which define the greatest designers are equally complex. To provide some insight, I’ve undertaken some reflective analysis of my own skills, traits and characteristics. I then used a useful antonym website to compile the list below.

1. Sorry, come again?

Verbal communication is both a science and an art, and great designers can usually orate and articulate with the best of them.  Designers must be adept at reading an audience and adjusting to suit, being succinct, engaging, passionate without being frightening, and most of all, they must be clear.

But don’t worry, if you eh, um, ah, uh, like…the ability to communicate can be learned. If you want to write well,  read; if you want to communicate well, listen and speak to the right people.

2. Thick skin

Let’s face it, if you’re not prepared to have your wonderful ideas sneered at, torn to shreds, violated, stolen, compromised and generally beaten into submission, you should really think about becoming a tortured artist. All good designers need to have a very thick skin. They will usually have a callused tongue from biting it in meetings.

On the positive side, the terrible things done to ideas are these days typically referred to as collaboration; and everyone loves collaboration, right?

3. Knowing when to bang your fist

Real change is only brought about by the conviction, stubbornness and perseverance of groups and individuals. More often than not, it’s the work of the latter. Although designers must have a thick skin, great designers also have unwavering commitment, passion and belief in what they are doing.  Great designers also recognise when it’s right to bite their tongue or bang their fist.

Don’t believe in what you’re doing?  Then stop doing it.

4. Job juggling

The best designers can transfer their skills to any task and juggle a multitude of activities at any one time. In fact, one of the benefits of quality design training is the knowledge and ability to take anything on.

A great designer will never be out of work.

5. In weakness there is strength

The designer skillset touches domains from psychology to soil amelioration, and it’s impossible to be an expert in everything. The best designers know, and are comfortable with their strengths and weaknesses. They embrace both and are not afraid to draw in advice and support from those more able.

If you lack brilliance, seek it in others.

6. Mind your see-saw

The great designer’s mind is akin to a seesaw. On one side sits an artist, on the other, an engineer. The designer sits in the middle, balancing the demands of what the artist saw and what the engineer sees. Great designers and great designs, reconcile these perceived opponents, and do so effortlessly.

If you find yourself saying things like…”I hate all that emotive, conceptual stuff” or, “I’m not one for detail drawings”, you are probably veering too far on one side of the design see-saw.

7. The knowledge between a rock and a soft place There is no escaping it, great landscape architects know and love plants. They also know hard materials inside and out, and understand the complex interface that exists between the two. It could be posited that a designer’s life centres around building knowledge of hard and soft stuff; and figuring new ways to mediate their relationship to satisfy client demands.

Want to be a great designer? Embrace your mediums of expression.

8. Problem finders

You’ll often hear people saying that good designers are good problem solvers; this is certainly correct, but great designers are also brilliant problem finders. And I’m not referring to critics, they’re a different breed. Problem finders are those that recognise potential and opportunity where others see obstacles and reasons for not doing something. If you’re a great designer, you already do this every day, probably all day; in fact, you might well be consumed by it. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

9. Split Personality

There is no one specific personality trait which lends itself to design brilliance. Certain traits, like extroversion and openness, can aid imagination and support team working abilities. Conscientiousness on the other hand, can feed a designer’s capacity to experience empathy; an important factor in all aspects of design. It also lends itself to managing one’s own time.

While there is no one personality trait, many designers are naturally reflective. Others, often as a response to the fuzziness of design training, learn to develop reflective skills. They learn one of the most important design skills required for brilliance: to question oneself.

10. Beware of wariness

The most important characteristic of a great designer is awareness. Some designers are simply born aware. Others, through training and experience, have their senses heightened and they become alert. The world becomes alive, exciting, stimulating and even the most banal becomes a source of inspiration to be explored, saved, and reinterpreted. Awareness drives the design mind.

If this doesn’t resonate with your core, you aren’t doing it right.

Don’t worry if none of the above resonates with you. You can always do what the vast majority of designers do until they’re recognised for their brilliance: work damn hard, grab opportunities as they arise, and always be willing to blag, charm and hoodwink your way to the top. You can always say you had these traits at a later point.

Article written by guest writer Barry Lupton MGLDA

Barry Lupton has spent the last 15 years dividing his time between creating gardens and landscapes, lecturing in design and environmental studies at Senior College Dun Laoghaire, and writing on industry matters. He can be contacted through his website: www.barrylupton.com Featured image: Monkey Business Image/shutterstock