Andrew Garulay, RLA

Why would you not charge what you normally charge?

I agree with Jonathan. Planting design theory is the place to start to be very effective in residential design. Understanding what you are doing with the plants to enhance experiences and aesthetics is going to affect the outcome of the project in much bigger ways than a plant list. Moreover, explaining why something that a homeowner wants does…[Read more]

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

I just did one two years ago where a 10 year old Salt Marsh fronting home was razed and replaced so that the person thar purchased the home could have HIS house instead of the perfectly fine home that was there. That house was also a raze and replace of a much older house (done in the office that I work in before I got…[Read more]

Lots that are undeveloped are much harder to get a building permit on in these areas than it is to raze and replace an existing home. The standard for raze and replace is to improve the overall situation while still allowing some of the existing non-conformity. The standard for new construction is to be fully compliant on everything.

The idea of…[Read more]

The key word here is “re-buildable”.

I’m not a planner, but I deal with their regulations fairly often in a CE office. We do several raze and replace site plans every year. I’m on Cape Cod. I don’t believe that any of our towns have any regulation to rebuilding specifically on ocean front property. We have multiple levels of regulation for such properties, not the least of which are…[Read more]

Zach,

A lot of people struggle because of the left brain-right brain thing, but a lot that don’t sometimes get a bit lax on the graphic part by making liitle drafting errors. Make sure to stay very precise and don’t get cute trying to tie your contours back artfully (we can’t help it, we are designers). They don’t give you a lot of room to…[Read more]

…. also, some people have a natural high aptitude in it and some people do not. It sounds like you (Zack) probably have a natural aptitude. The thing that concerns me is that you don’t mention that others in your class are struggling through the class. I took two different grading and drainage courses at two very different schools and worked as…[Read more]

It is a survey, not data!

This is only information gathered by ASLA asking their members to voluntarily take the survey. It is a limited amount of LAs being asked and only people self motivated to fill it out who are making the results.

They are up front about that, but it seems like no one wants to comprehend that. It is only misleading if you…[Read more]

I give this two thumbs up and a twist!

People do want to do the right thing. …. and there are places with much more wildlife and less pollution than thirty years ago (Massachusetts for one). Are there some problems worse than thirty years ago, absolutely. But overall you can see, taste, hear, and smell it. ….proving that it is worth the…[Read more]

The salary survey, I believe, is based only on those responding rather than being a statistically significant study. Who is more likely to respond? Is there a chance of some individuals embellishing their situations?

Having said that, I don’t think it sounds improbable. We are talking about averages. Would the average 0-5 year experience be…[Read more]

Tanya, That last sentence is huge.

Another huge problem is that we’ll shut down anything and everything in our country, particularly non-recreational utilization of natural resources, while we turn a blind eye to other countries who are far less careful of protecting the environment as we continue to use the products from their practices that far…[Read more]

You can’t grab employment in a down economy.

It will have to grab you. All you can do is to make yourself desirable to those who are doing the grabbing. It starts with assessing what skill sets are actually being hired rather than loading up with what is perceived to make you more valuable. No one hires a lawyer to dig a ditch and no one hires a…[Read more]

Congratulations that you have a friend.

Why not make it really personal and design your own? Get some of that tee shirt transfer paper for your inkjet. They don’t last forever, but they are fun and easy to do. All you need to do is make whatever graphic you want either on the computer (or scan hand work) and print it.

PS. don’t use it in one of…[Read more]

Back to reality folks. There are not a whole lot of people that hire based on any of these political correct/incorrect crap. They hire the person who will help them the most with the least amount of overhead and wth the best liklihood of hanging around for the duration of the need for them and who will be less likely to use against you what they…[Read more]

This thing is full of so much conflicting logic.

The whole thing is based on a premise:

” In short, the two largest demographic groups in the country, the baby boomers and their children—together comprising half the population—want homes and commercial space in neighborhoods that do not exist in anywhere near sufficient quantity. “

Is this act…[Read more]

Apples and oranges.

Quality design is achieved from all sorts of directions. Any of the things that have been discussed can help achieve that, but none of them MUST be present.

In order to have “Quality Design” you must have ………..?

a black goose?
a sand lot in your past?
a slide rule and calculator?
a degree from a certain school?
a gift…[Read more]

As I said, it is great for discussion.

Citing examples of specific tools used in certain circumstances is really a separate issue than “what is quality design” in my view (not the only view). If we were to look at the answers to this question as designed answers we would see very different design approaches by the individuals responding. I am…[Read more]

Is good design truly based on knowing yourself? Is knowledge of history inherent in good design? I think you coulld make an argument that these all aid in improving ones ability to be a good designer, but that does not directly translate to good design.

It starts with problem solving and finishes with art. What you bring to solve problems can be…[Read more]

Intended duration of the landscape would be part of the design criteria. A residential landscape typically has a much shorter duration than a city park. Renovation is often an expected procedure in residential landscapes just as it is on residential buildings. Not every client lives for that, but without a doubt, many do. A landscape with a…[Read more]