Is the profession dying?

[nca]

This is a bit of a loaded question for me as I certainly have my own thoughts. However, I think it’s a question that tends to resurface every few years and probably for good reason. With relatively lenient or no bylaws protecting professional practice, sometimes it can feel like we are advocating for a medium with a value difficult to quantify.

I’d specifically like to hear about your experience in your area? Have other consultants ‘cut in’ to what used to be considered your realm of expertise? Or have you carved a specific niche for your practice?

Have you branched out from traditional practice? How are you ‘pushing’ the boundaries of your LA practice? 

Are you self advocating? Participating in local ASLA Chapter, or other committees? What, if anything are you doing to drive the profession?

Do you believe ASLA is doing enough?

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

Clearly, the professionis alive. Also, it clearly overlaps and is overlapped by other professions. That makes it difficult to have a crisp identity. If you don’t get caught up in worrying about The Profession having boundaries that keep you in and/or others out you’ll feel comfortable with all of it.

A rose by any other name …

You can choose to worry about what they call you or focus on how you smell.

If we are better trained and better experienced than others to do certain work, then shame on us for either being too specialized or too arogant to not have others want to play well with us.

[nca]

These forums have been pretty quiet lately, so I’m rabble rousing (or ‘trolling’ as the kids say), a little bit..

It is true that there is quite a bit of overlap on both ends of our sphere of expertise–from civil to architectural. Our core foundation lies somewhere in between. However, I tend to believe that if ‘we’ permit, through stagnation or lethargy in our own professional growth, these other spheres to overlap ours too much, we risk being relegated to something akin to ornamental horticulturists. Not that theres anything inherently wrong with ornamental horticulture, but in my mind I equate this to more decorating than design. I think everyone here should agree that there is a pretty distinct difference between decorating and design.

I remember back around 2009-2010 there were land8 members who dropped in specifically to tell everyone else that the profession is dead and we were all suckers for hanging on to a ‘dying profession.’ I still see comments and topics of discussion suggesting the idea that the profession is fading into obscurity. Certainly, by the inherent nature of our work, it is more obscure–even our most notable works are ‘fabric,’ much less visually iconic, or as monumental as some of the great feats of architecture and engineering. Our work tends to remain couched in the realm of the purely aesthetic. There are exceptions.

What I find particularly interesting is some landscape practices are rebranding and reinventing the profession for themselves and venturing into relatively uncharted waters. I am seeing a lot of practices taking ownership of the public realm in particular. In my small business, We have removed the ‘-scape’ from our title, now Land architects.’ More than just branding, we feel the change in nomenclature better defines what we actually do. We really havent done much ‘landscape design’ lately so much as urban design, visioning, streetscape, signage, master planning, mapping, etc.

Id be curious to hear what other land(scape) architects are doing to promote their practice, beyond simply doing good work (which I believe is the best marketing, but only takes us so far).

Anyway, Im tired of chatting on the architecture forums…hoping we could get some good discussion going here..

[Mark Di Lucido]

OK. nca started stirring the pot and I’ll keep it going . . . This discussion always reminds me of an anecdote from a classmate of mine. He told his uncle that he was going back to school to get a degree in landscape architecture to which his uncle replied, “hell, you don’t need to go back to school to do landscapin’, you get yourself a shovel and a truck and just do it”. Of course this illustrates the misconception (still) about what we do.

As devil’s advocate, even if there was no misconception I think it’s important to look at this question from a free-market point of view: what if the LA profession is being subsumed by others or is dying? And, is the profession so weak that it needs legislation (practice and title) to protect it from encroachment from architects, civils, and others? Is it our duty (and best use of our time and money) to prop up the profession? Sure, we know the world is much better for our talents but if this is not how the public views what we do then so what. It could probably be argued that calligraphers saw their vocation as making the world a better place too. Is our predicament a failure of marketing, an evolution of how people view the relative importance of LA, the free-market doing what it does, all of the above?

Enough stirring . . . Is rebranding the answer? If we’re reinventing the profession so much is it still landscape architecture, or? How many architecture firms already provide urban design, visioning, streetscape, signage, master planning, and mapping services? And are graphic design firms getting their bowels in an uproar because some of us design signage?

In my realm, where by the way I am King, I deal a lot with the incorporation of public art. This is something mainly done if you work in a municipality so many LAs may not be able to easily incorporate it into their reinvention/rebranding yet it seems like it should be the purview of LA. I also facilitate (had to sneak an F-bomb in there) placemaking which I believe LAs should also do.

I once saw a business card that had the person’s business title listed as, “Designologist”.  I think that’s what I’ll start calling myself so I can design everything :-).

[Anonymous]

The profession is more alive today than it was in ’89 when I entered it; primarily because more people know what Landscape Architecture is.  LA firms are now design lead on projects that used to be exclusive to Architects and Civils. Municipalities in some parts of the county are requiring LAs be involved in site design for all large projects, not just the planting plan.  

Yeah I remember the folks forecasting the demise of the profession in 2009-10. Most of them were recent grads that’d never lived through a recession / depression light. I always thought it was so lame for people to poo poo the profession on a site for people trying to look for answers and encouragement to make it through the storm. Just sayin’.

[nca]

Mark, I have intentionally set my title as ‘designer’ on my business cards and email signature. I prefer the title designer because I think it best describes who I am, what I do, and what I value. I am also unlicensed (my partners license covers our practice). I’ve passed most of the exams, no problem. I’m fairly confident in my Landscape Architecture knowledge. I just need to finish. But what I really value is design. I am a designer, I think like a designer, and that takes a lot of energy. Maybe the title ‘designer’ should be licensed? lol. When it comes down to it, I can talk design with any other designer across disciplines because it is its own unique language.

So, while the realm of traditional LA practice may be fading into relative obscurity or subsumed by other professions I try not to advocate for the entire profession, just myself and my own skill set. I think people understand ‘designer’ or ‘designologist’ better than ‘landscape architect’ anyway..

To be honest, Im not even sure where this is going..just keep stirring.. 😉

[nca]

I remember some more experienced folks doing the same Craig. We have some big firms in our area and I absolutely see how they are leading larger projects. As a small startup that strives to get to that level it can seem daunting, especially when no one knows what you do. 

As I said above, I pretty much stick with designer for a number of reasons. I fully respect the LA title, but I find ‘designer’ gets me into more trouble 😉

[nca]

I dont really think the profession is dying per se, but I do think it needs to evolve and probably is for the most part. 

Personally, the idea of being relegated to subconsultancy for the rest of my career gives me heartburn. I want to work for clients where the value added is measurable and clear. 

I think part of this is new business growing pains mixed with a healthy dose of boring work and tax season. 😉

[Mark Di Lucido]

As a wannabe member of the Flaneur Society I don’t know where it’s going either but it’s fun to discuss as well as being a nice distraction from what I’m supposed to be doing. Cheers!

[Tosh K]

I would suggest the reverse is true, and with much of my region (NE/Mid-atlantic) back near boom levels it feels more optimistic.  Part of is the understanding, especially in academia, of the value of non traditional practice of landscape architects into allied fields.  Consultants from water resource to healthcare seem more and more to accept if not embrace the value of what an LA can bring to their work.

In terms of what we call what we do, the emphasis should be placed on the architecture – something that’s hard to do.  Having done a lot of campus design work and master planning of cities/subdivisions the respect of what LAs do has not been a problem in my career, just more in day-to-day with people unversed in what we do.  More often than not though I find that a lot of people do know what we do (I’m in the NE so Olmsted and the recent NYC parks have a pretty big influence on public knowledge – back when I was in the Midwest that was more an issue).

In terms of advocacy I like to poke my head in at public meetings for anything related to what I do (town purchase of land, conservancy issues, urban farming, street design, construction, transportation, water resource) and ask the tough questions, voice concerns, and offer solutions.  Oddly there are a lot of overlapping non-profits in smaller towns in New England – offering suggestions on how their missions overlap and how to leverage that to gain funding has, in my opinion, elevated their opinions of the profession (occasionally dropping in the “this is what LAs are trained to do – not just rich people’s yards”).

The ASLA up here is pretty active and for a mostly volunteer organization does remarkably well – could LAs be better understood, sure, but that’s our job (at least until some hit sitcom or movie has an LA protagonist…).

[Andrew Garulay, RLA]

It is the chicken or the egg thing, isn’t it? Is it a profession is that is being “subsumed” by others or a profession born of the overlap of the others?

[Anonymous]

My intent wasn’t to turn it into an old school vs. new school thing. The point I was trying to make was that when your world falls apart for the first time, it’s difficult to have hope and drive to keep plugging along. If a person feels the profession is dead. No problem, they have every right to feel that way, but it makes no sense to spend your time on thread discouraging people who made the decision to persevere. If you feel the profession is dead, spend your time networking with people in a profession you feel is alive.  I remember more experienced people crying the sky was falling as well, which is why I chose to use that little pesky, yet important word – ‘most’.   =-)

I’m totally with you on the describing of oneself as a designer. I’ve been registered for quite some time now and I still catch myself introducing myself on the phone and in person as a landscape designer. I like to think of myself as a designer who specializes in the exterior built environment. Besides, my life didn’t change that much once I was officially allowed to use the LA title. I was able to make a little more money, but I didn’t use my stamp until I went out on my own years later. The other thing is that there are Landscape Architects out there who are NOT designers, but that’s another story. 

[Anonymous]

That’s funny when I first went out on my own I was taking on all kinds of little residential projects. I felt like I was going to end up being the king of foundation plantings, but over time it gets better.

Honestly, being design lead on big complex projects can be a pain in the butt. I haven’t been lead since going out on my own, but I’ve worked for firms that were.  Trying to manage a group of design professional can be a bit like herding cats. Yes, there’s the big payday, but sometimes the admin headaches makes it’s not worth it. 

[nca]

Agreed, 100%

[Rick Spalenka]

I completed my degree in 1977 and now licensed in two states.  I have heard this discussion many times.  Landscape Architects are Rodney Dangerfields plan and simple.  I can not make a living as an LA here in Western Colorado.  I’m not willing to relocate.  My current peeze is with ASLA.  I am reading too many articles in the ASLA journal about the problem women face in the profession and all that ASLA is doing to address this.  Enough is enough.  The real problem is ASLA does not spend enough resources on promoting all of us.  I see where AIA is promoting their profession on National TV.  Why doesn’t ASLA?

Yesterday I took a call from a lady who saw one of my projects in a local home improvement expo.  She wanted to know who can put in a concrete swimming pool.  I asked if she had a master plan and she said she didn’t want one.  “We’ll put the pool in and design around it.”  That ignorance is far too common in these parts.  I’m too exhausted fighting it.

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