We’d like to hear from you…

[Andrew Spiering]

We started out last March with high hopes that Land8Lounge would become the most happening place for Landscape Architects (and those related to the field) from around the globe to share their work and ideas. It has grown beyond our expectation from 120 members the first month to over 4000 this March. We are excited as we head into our second year and would like to hear your opinion.

What are you most looking forward to as Land8 expands into its second year?

Thanks in advance!

[andrej]

Hi there first!

Well, to me Land8lounge as a huge pot where sciences which affear with space are boiling… whats next step for Land8lounge – ok, well i know here are many people from all around the world, but still i find quite American, because you are in greatest number – maybe thats why I would recommend some conference to organize or lectures or just meeting, where all this people could meet and exchange their ideas or they would just attend some lectures or some other stuff…like watching or observing special places – i must recommend Slovenia, well here you find Carst, high mountains, caves, flat fields, water all around – well what are you waiting for? organize a meeting in Slovenia, cause thats all a landscape designer wants to see…
OK I am joking a bit, but seriously, on the other hand, meeting, to meet a person en vivo, face to face is still a relationship of its own

have a nice time

andrej

[Vance W. Hall]

Andrew,

I am a big fan of the site as well as a day to day user!!!

In one of the many discussions I have read people have talked about how the Architectural profession has many critics and through that criticism a greater understanding is gained. I would love to see a section on the site dedicated to positive constructive criticism of Landscape Architecture projects as well as a place to post a completed projects for people to observe and to give feedback. Reflection is a huge part of the design process and I would be nice to be able to read people’s true likes and dislikes or even questions for the designer.

To a great 2009,

Vance Hall

[Deborah Christman]

I will have completed my course work for a certificate in landscape architecture next month, so I will have more time to look at other people’s work, contribute to discussions, and even post my work. With Land8, the learning never ends. Thanks for your efforts Andrew! Deborah Christman

[Rico Flor]

Hi Andrew.

Land8lounge is great. I for one do not treat it as a social website, but rather a professional one (not as bland as Linked-In, hehe). I’m heartened to see that most discussions are relevant to our practice, dealt with a level of professionalism, collegiality, rationality. If ever passion comes into play, these are worth reading and understanding…rather than passionate tomfoolery.

More so, I see this as a global forum which could help pin down, define what landscape architecture as a profession is. I’m hoping that this description and definition is reinforced through further discussions and demonstration of the practice, rather than be watered down through misunderstanding and misconstrued concepts that ours is a practice redundant with other established professions.

Hopefully we get to further propagate the notion in ISCO-08 (ILO) that the practice is indeed different from others.

Cheers and wishing for many years of existence for all of us, Madoff notwithstanding.

[Bård Magnus]

Land8loung is a really good meeting place. It’s a pity I don’t use it more than I do, normally I have to many projects running anyway so I visit L8L more ad hoc. But yesterday I got a mail related to an old thread I wrote on the lounge asking for contactpersons to Cuban landscape architechts. That’s indeed one of the good things about L8L, getting esally in contact with colleges all over.

I’ll send my greetings from all the partitipants on the annually norwegian landscape architechture conference which is taking part in Oslo right now! Good luck with the second year!

[Organic]

I must say that I am rather disappointed about Land8 as a place to exchange ideas and information about landscape architecture. Using or letting people see the real names serves as a disadvantage for honest discussions. At this economy, I would like to know which firms had laid off people, how many, how they treat their employees, the general trend, etc. These are the information that people are dying to know now. Check http://www.archinect.com. Their “Layoffs, Layoffs” thread under “Economy” Discussion is now 12 pages strong. You hear honest inputs from firm owners, principals, PMs, interns, and career changers. It gives the community a large picture of the current state of the profession.

As Rico said, Lang8 is a professional website similar to Linked-In, but only more limiting because you cannot network across professions. Please don’t take me wrong. I was very excited initially too about Land8, but find its content rather inward looking and tame.

[Fernando Reis]

i’m “here” only for a few days long and in that time i saw more pictures, more portfolios, read more interesting opinions and issues about Landscape themes, “spoke” with student´s and new or old (with all the respect) true professionals from my country and many other countries more, THAN I DID ALL THE LAST YEAR, at least …. should or need i say anything more?

Yes.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH and congratulations.

keep up the good job (and excuse my poor english)

[Rico Flor]

Hi Organic.

How do you think this concern can be addressed in the Lounge without resorting to using avatars and aliases? Also, in your opinion, can honest, downright nitty-gritty discussions be had while maintaining a professional. business decorum? Consider this as honest, objective questions, please. Yours could be the paradigm-shifting answer I just need to contribute further in this forum.

Thanks and cheers.

Rico

[Organic]

Rico,

This concern cannot be addressed without resorting to using aliases unless you are the firm owner or simply a student, that you will have no fear of losing your job or burning any bridges. To be professional is to have discussion with integrity and without fear. Honesty and professionalism go hand in hand, not the other way around.

Archinect’s discussion forums are good examples, where you see opinions, frustration, and wisdom shared by architects in varies stages of their professional development. I have seen a few frustrated or angry posts from architects who were just laid off or were treated badly, but it is also wonderful to see how others join the discussion to help exactly those in need, share their experiences, and the community itself is self-regulating.

When the discussion is truly open and “safe” to exchange information, people understand its value and treasure it. Not the other way around.

[Bård Magnus]

I agree! The professional discussion shall run with integrity and without fear – those are good and achieable goals! Messages from whistleblowers is important though. What is needed is an regulation to reduce negative concequeces from criticizing. This way we can reduce the fear of taking part in discussions with integrity!

[Christopher Patzke]

More of the same!!!! LOL
Great discussions, a perfect way of connecting with a broad range of colleagues, a wonderful way to self-promote, helpful job listings and it costs just the right amount.

[nca]

I wonder if an option could somehow be introduced to “mask” your identity when posting in discussions? I have been increasingly concerned with this as well. I also wonder if the discussion boards could/should be consolidated and made more accessible and visible from the home page to promote more active discussion. It seems like every discussion reaches a plateau lately with the same five contributors beating each other up until the discussion topic disappears from the home page. To reiterate, I think the discussions section could be made more evident while downplaying some of the peripherals that don’t seem to get as much traffic.

I think the site is making an important contribution to the profession which is much needed in my opinion…thanks Andrew..

[Jennifer de Graaf]

A place to post resumes. ASLA is $$$ and if land8lounge can do the same joblink thing cheaper, I would have a resume posted right now as opposed to not. I can’t afford ASLA’s rates for either membership or resume posting.

I disagree with Organic that it is bad to have your name attached to discussions. If users are not willing to own their opinions, perhaps they shouldn’t be sharing them?? I see land8 as a professional meeting place, not jsut a location for bitch sessions.

Having said that, archinect is interesting (also mentioned in Organic’s previous post) and I would love to hear reviews of specific firms and how they’re managed, etc, but remember that one person’s dream job is another person’s nightmare. Perhaps if there was a review function for firms, there could be some ground rules – like no slamming specific people at those companies (people do change jobs!! slander is mean), and perhaps it should operate like amazon’s star and comment system? Then again, if a user writes a review, they need to be aware that their identity will be linked to those comments and behave like a grownup….dare I say behave like a professional!?

[nca]

Having a “firm-rating” forum would almost guarantee a story in LA Mag IMO…Could be a good idea..

[Author]

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