[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Wow, thank you for all the good leads. I appreciate the help.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I wouldn’t fret. Soccer fields, where you want as little grade interference as possible, are set at 1% – 1.75% and they still drain readily enough. On your grassy areas you could get away with it due to infiltration. On the hardscaped areas stick to 2%. But it’s so slight , no one will notice.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

75% of mature size.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I always figured it was a nod to West8.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

The National Arbor Day Foundation has a program dedicated to designing and creating natural playgrounds. It’s called Nature Explore. They have lots of information, ideas, and resources. The Nature Explore team is a smart, dedicated band of designers.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Denver, Colorado.

A few years back we had Mayor Wellington Webb, who was a great proponent of landscape architecture and made a great push for a green ring along the Platte. Northside Park, 16th street Mall, and historic Olmstead designs. Plus, it’s home to UCD’s Landscape Architecture department- an excellent resource for visiting students. Nearby is Boudler for a study of walkable Pearl Street, and the foothills of the Rockies, for a study of outstanding State and National Parks. And, unlike some of those larger Cities you mentioned, you can kind of see it all in just a couple days.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I moved from a firm in the south, where construction activity goes on year round, to a firm in Canada- where the local bylaws actually prohibit the pouring of concrete between November and April due to low temperatures.

I expected to see some seasonal cycling in work load up north, but there is none. We are busy year round. That being said- if you’re looking for work try to avoid the “Intern Season,” May – September. That’s when we hire free employees.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I Think there are lots of types of jobs that make great changes.

Some are the big pretty photo-op projects that go on the cover of LA Magazine. These make changes in the world because they inspire people. If you want to be inspired pick up any ASLA magazine

Others are the mundane but vital policy jobs that make incremental but meaningful changes- setting bylaws for building setbacks, or required green space percentages, etc. If you want to be inspired by this type of project visit your favorite city- downtown Savannah, or 16th Street Mall in Denver.

Check out the Denver Aquarium- they take all the tank water that gets drained out and use it to replicate wetland habitats. 

Bostons’ Big Dig is an LA project unparallelled- turning miles of freeway into public park! That’s inspirational. Or the HIghline Park in NYC which turned an elevated transit system into a green skywalk. 

Adventure playgrounds are all the rage right now- inspirational environments for kids- the next generation of eco-warriors.

I think your MLA degree will put you in contact with fascinating people and fascinating projects- projects that change.

Have fun with it! I did.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Find yourself a college where the arch and LA schools go hand in hand. Some schools put LA in the Agriculture school. Some put it in an environmental design school.

My college put LA in the School of Architecture. This gave us a lot of opportunity to mix and match and will give you the opportunity to explore both sides. I have plenty of friends who double majored in the two.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Thank you all for your insights.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

bwaa ha ha…. I’ve been in this profession long enough to have forgotten the ideals that drove me to this profession.

Maybe that’s a little too cynical…. but it is funny how little we get to exercise our imagination and creativity. Depends on the client I guess.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I live in the South East. But I see your point. Cities are as different as companies. Being the LA for Portland, Oregon would be wildly different than being the LA for Brownsville, Texas.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

I tend to agree- how much business do our websites really generate from people who are window shopping? From people who stumble across them? I think the majority of visitors to our site already know who we are and are looking for authenticity or additional information.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Great Ideas guys, thanks!

I notice a running theme- heavy on the imagery, light on the text. It works for our profession I think- draws the viewer in, intrigues them… website as storefront window- lots of dressing and display. It takes extra clicks to walk in and figure out the details of the product.

[Edward A Kinney, MLA RLA ISA AZA]

Thanks for the info. I wish I had been a Land 8 member last year when it would have helped. As it is, all multiple choice sections have been taken and were passed on the first go. Just need to find more vignettes.

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