Land8 | Jason T. Radice | Activity

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Tree Irrigation in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 01:36:34 +0000

The bags that go around the tree trunk really tend to attract bugs of all types. And if not positioned properly, they can water too fast to the point of runoff (they are supposed to take hours). The other thing I don’t care for is that they tend to water in ONE SPOT, so the other side of the tree might not be getting water in windy or very dry…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Graphic depictions of rising sea effects on coastal cities in the forum STORY BOARD

Fri, 30 May 2014 00:01:30 +0000

It will look like that, not because of sea level rise, but because the ground is sinking. They working to stabilize a bulkhead wall that has sunk over the years in the tidal basin. Remember, much of DC is built on a filled in swamp.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Landscape Textures for Gaphic Rendering in the forum GRAPHICS

Wed, 28 May 2014 02:52:23 +0000

I make a great deal of my own textures in a combination of photoshop and CAD. Say I need a slab or “architectural paver” made by companies like Hanover or Wausau. They really don’t have good textures, so I draw the grid that I need in CAD (the size of paver, like a 12×24). Save it off as a PDF and bring it into photoshop. I then either find a…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Tree Stakes in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Fri, 25 Apr 2014 01:20:23 +0000

Most trees don’t need staking at all if planted properly. Most of the time it isn’t done right anyway, and just ends up hurting the tree.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Intelligent LEED-bashing in the forum STORY BOARD

Sun, 06 Apr 2014 00:09:00 +0000

Totally agree, but the lumber and chemical companies have a point as well. There may be perfectly acceptable uses for their products, which may be greener than something else, but they are stigmatized because of generalizations about the industry.
As well, I always thought it was ironic that USGBC charged so much for their manuals if they want…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What steps should I take? in the forum EDUCATION

Mon, 31 Mar 2014 02:34:47 +0000

There are vast differences in Landscape Architecture and landscape design. A Landscape Architect can be a landscape designer, but a landscape designer cannot be a Landscape Architect. Many of us who are LAs really don’t have a great deal to do with the plant side of things except for occasionally specifying them. But day to day, it just really…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Ohio nixes LEED in the forum STORY BOARD

Thu, 20 Mar 2014 00:46:52 +0000

There is also the issue that a great many LEED buildings do not perform any better, and in some cases, WORSE than their non-LEED counterparts. Worse even than older buildings. The design of many LEED buildings is far from the most energy efficient possibility. Architects know the “loopholes” to have a building still be LEED, but be an energy hog…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Corten Steel Pavers in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 02:49:44 +0000

They use raw iron (rusty color) or ductile iron which creates a darker non-orange patina.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Corten Steel Pavers in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 03:44:00 +0000

Excellent point about the finish. Underfoot, the protective coating of intentional corrosion will wear off and cause the next layer to rust. That, and the surface of Cor-Ten is quite fragile and the ‘rust’ will come off on user’s feat. Cor-Ten does not equal corrosion or rust-proof, it is a mix of alloys in the steel that intentionally corrode…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Which is your favorite Cloud ? in the forum TECHNOLOGY

Mon, 17 Feb 2014 17:57:27 +0000

Not a huge fan of the cloud, but I do have a free Dropbox account for larger file transfers and keeps me from setting up an FTP site that people never seem to be able to figure out.

I do self backups to hard disk, and plan on getting a web-capable NAS. You could also do the same thing with Linux and free/cheap software with an old PC. But I like…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Structural Soil in the forum SUSTAINABILITY & DESIGN

Fri, 14 Feb 2014 00:59:06 +0000

Read this:

http://www.deeproot.com/blog/pdfs/Comparing_Silva_Cells_and_Structural_Soil.pdf

I’ve heard the same issues with the long term performance of structural soils. It does not work as well as other methods and the trees don’t get nearly the size they do with trenching or mechanical support methods.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Structural Soil in the forum SUSTAINABILITY & DESIGN

Thu, 13 Feb 2014 12:11:29 +0000

I’d skip the structural soil altogether and redesign the structure of the sidewalk to span a tree trench or use something like Silva-Cells where you can use proper soil.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic CAD layer standards for municipalities in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Sat, 08 Feb 2014 03:38:56 +0000

Pretty much every municipality should be using the National Cad Standards for CAD and BIM by now, as this is the exact thing they were developed for.

http://www.nationalcadstandard.org/ncs5/

This is what you should be using, and this is what you should tell the municipality to use as this is the preference of the GSA (Federal) and most state DOTs.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic SKATEPARK DESIGN - Integrating skatepark design into landscape architecture in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 01:22:18 +0000

If it is a public park area meant to be for everyone and not just skateboards, the preference would be to keep the uses separate. Around the city, the skateboarders have taken over various parks and thing that were never meant to be skated upon and have utterly destroyed very expensive landscapes. They also tend not to give two craps about the…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic lightweight fill for sod lawn in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Sun, 19 Jan 2014 00:48:01 +0000

http://youtu.be/ijeswAdX2kY
Have it blown in. You can hire a company (if there is one around you) that has large blower trucks where they just run a large diameter hose to where it is needed and the material is literally blown in place. They use them for mulch and to blow green roof media to the top of the roof so no crane is needed for the large…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic ACAD QUESTION?????? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 08 Jan 2014 10:49:49 +0000

What font are you using? If it is a fake hand lettering font, sometimes one line of the character is doubled, so there would be three. Try another font.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Random Thought about obtaining other licenses in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sat, 07 Dec 2013 03:53:01 +0000

Depends on the state. But it can take you a very long time and you generally have to prove that you have the requisite experience hours to sit for the exam. It would be faster to go get an engineering degree.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Reduced weed growth with different paving constructions in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Thu, 28 Nov 2013 03:46:31 +0000

I just spec polymeric jointing sand for all of my paver installs. Problem solved. If you have a serious weed problem in other types of pavements, you are doing something wrong.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Billable hours in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sun, 24 Nov 2013 02:08:03 +0000

All that money that does not go to the employee directly as wage goes to pay for their benefits (expensive), unemployment insurance (really expensive) and all of the other insurances and benefit packages like 401k administration fees, vacation days, and any other benefit an employee may receive. And it goes into CORPORATE taxes (really, really…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Best type of multi-disciplinary firm to work for? in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 06 Nov 2013 01:28:54 +0000

It really depends on the firm and what your interests are. If you are more design oriented and architectural in your thinking, than the obvious is an architecture firm. I’ve worked in both and have had good experiences in both, but it really depends on the firm and the role you play there. I had to “fight” for responsibility and respect with a few…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What's Wrong with This Picture: Episode III - Revenge of the Site in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:36:18 +0000

Thank you for adding a bit of context.
However, there is not one thing that I have been critical of that is not true with regards to this paver or its installtion. I also had purposely redacted the manufatcurer’s name, as I do with all of my posts. I also have spoken directly with the manufatcurer with regards to this particular product and its…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Job in developer firms in the forum STORY BOARD

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 02:54:09 +0000

I was retorting J. Robert’s comment about being in an LA firm is the “best” place for an LA to be. In fact, it really isn’t always. I was trying to defend those of us who work outside of that world, in engineering offices, in planning offices, and in architects offices, that we are the people who can really have an impact on the profession by…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Job in developer firms in the forum STORY BOARD

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 02:54:09 +0000

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic LARE test: Who takes it and who decides not to? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 02:45:13 +0000

In some states, LAs can engineer and stamp drawings for those things, which is why they are on the test. A good number of LAs routinely size pipes and in-ground storm drainage systems, and with the current trend of designing bioswales and water infiltrations systems, it is quite lucrative for the profession to be able to design a whole stormwater…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic LARE: grading and drainage in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:13:05 +0000

Back in the day when you used to have to do this part of the exam by hand in a hot room with shaky tables, I used the PPI books to prepare and found them most helpful in that they not only help you with content, but tell you WHAT the reviewer is actually looking for, and it is really nit-pickey like ensuring your contours blend into existing…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic LARE test: Who takes it and who decides not to? in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:02:38 +0000

It depends on what kind of work you want to do. If you want to go into any kind of commercial work (not residential design) you will need a license to have the ability to stamp permit and construction drawings. If you do very high end residential, a license adds credibility, and again, you may need it to stamp submission drawings for structures…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Securing your data - portable drive option - Any feedback ? in the forum TECHNOLOGY

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 04:03:51 +0000

Any portable drive will be PAINFULLY slow to try to run programs off of, if the system would let you do it at all. And booting from a portable drive isn’t as easy as you think. You have to go into the BIOS and change the settings, again, if the computer will let you boot off of USB. Your CAD and any image software will grind to a halt if you try…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Job in developer firms in the forum STORY BOARD

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 01:31:19 +0000

This is a very ignorant statement you’ve made here. Sure, being in some arch or eng firms aren’t always the most glamorous types of work for an LA, but if you are into the planning end of things it can be ideal. And it certainly raises the profile of the LA profession if you are ambitious and push yourself within these firms. Besides, if an ar…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Job in developer firms in the forum STORY BOARD

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:13:48 +0000

I worked for a commercial real estate developer for a while I really liked the job. Depending on how the company works, you are very often the client, so you have a great deal of decision making power you will never get at a LA firm. The second most “powerful” LA employment is generally in architect’s offices, as they are pretty much always the le…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Job in developer firms in the forum STORY BOARD

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:13:48 +0000

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Design Software and system in the forum TECHNOLOGY

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 03:05:00 +0000

I know FL Wright would be outsourcing it all overseas.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Autodesk Impression - anyone use it? in the forum GRAPHICS

Thu, 17 Oct 2013 22:08:53 +0000

If you are looking for something with similar capabilities that actually works (quite well, in fact), check out M-Color.
Once you get it set up and learn how it works, it plots CAD plans into color renderings near instantly. Makes great and tiny PDFs of those plans, too. I used it for years at one of my former employers and it was very…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Design Software and system in the forum TECHNOLOGY

Thu, 17 Oct 2013 01:33:26 +0000

Central Park took years to design and teams of draftsmen and illustrators (and Calvert Vaux) to produce the mountains of plans…in INK. People forget the row after row of draftsmen in a smokey, stuffy, hot room in suits with vests who, bent over their tables with inkwells and trying to draw on linen, which worked at the pleasure and direction of…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Stone fire pit in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:21:36 +0000

Same situation. aby concrete is porous and will hold water…so it isn’t fire resistent and will crack or spall apart, sometimes violently. You can get these elevated models with grates in them to keep the fire off the metal base and allow coals to fall below., and you really don’t need too much air underneath unless you plan on doing some b…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Stone fire pit in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Sat, 12 Oct 2013 02:41:10 +0000

I would very highly recommend using one of them steel elevated firepits in this case, such as the type below. If you are at all worried about the surface underneath, this is the only way to go. The heat of the fire and coals, along with the moisture in the natural stone or mortar will definitely crack the stone, and the stone may even “explode”…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What's Wrong with This Picture: Episode III - Revenge of the Site in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 19:19:43 +0000

It isn’t necessarily that they are dumb (though that does happen). From my personal experience in interacting with lots of engineers, architects, and LAs on site issues, there is STILL a general misunderstanding or plain ingnorance of the ADA regulations. Some of it is unscrupulous contractors as I recently reported to a local mall who had some…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Correct Initials for a Licensed Landscape Architect in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Thu, 10 Oct 2013 00:34:15 +0000

http://www.asla.org/land/LandArticle.aspx?id=33951

Scroll down to the comments until you find a long one by robmcginnis@me.com for some clarification.
I need to look into this as well because I will shortly be applying for reciprocity in VA. Oh, and congrats on getting the license!

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Correct Initials for a Licensed Landscape Architect in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 17:26:56 +0000

I’m still using the RLA moniker, as I don’t agree with the logic of PLA. Nobody outside a few people in the profession knows what it means, and it isn’t tied to anything like a proper title of PE, which is what it was based on. PE is a LEGAL abbreviation of title, PLA is not. RA is generally a legal abbreviation of title, RLA is generally a legal…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What's Wrong with This Picture: Episode III - Revenge of the Site in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Wed, 09 Oct 2013 06:16:55 +0000

Allrightythen. This week’s challenge involves a lesson on the proper choice of materials for a particular location.
What the photo shows are a specific clay brick permeable paver system installed in front of a building on a major university campus. These pavers are also installed at other locations around campus, but not in as large an area as t…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Dynascape vs. Landcadd in the forum TECHNOLOGY

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 18:05:30 +0000

Agreed. WHAT you work on makes all the difference in the world. Doing most residential or garden scale design work with AutoCAD and Vectorworks is like using a sledgehammer to drive a finish brad. Both can be used for that, but can be way overpowered and very expensive for the task.
Depending on how complicated your designs are and how detailed y…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Sustainable materials in the forum SUSTAINABILITY & DESIGN

Sun, 06 Oct 2013 00:09:59 +0000

Refractory brick, or “fire brick”, is one of if not the the most resistant materials for building. It is what they use to line kilns and industrial smokestacks which are durable under constant exposure to the chemicals you list.

You might be able to use other materials which have a ceramic coating.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Paving around an old Ficus - Help needed Please in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Tue, 01 Oct 2013 16:02:22 +0000

Don’t use a hard surface. The gravel or stone dust goes better anyay. Every few years, you clear off the surface material, peel back the geotextileand replace the mulch. Then relay the geotextile and the granular surface. More maintenance? Sure, but worth it to keep the tree.
Another thing would be to not pave the whole area, but put down wheel…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic Paving around an old Ficus - Help needed Please in the forum DETAILS & MATERIALS

Mon, 30 Sep 2013 23:51:42 +0000

Would it be possible to put down a thick layer of a mulch like coarse wood chips or perhaps even rubber chips to prevent further compaction around the tree? These materials would cushion and distrubute any loads on the, as well as spring back. With the wood chips, it might possible to also put a geotextile over the wood chips and then recover with…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice started the topic What's Wrong with This Picture: Episode III - Revenge of the Site in the forum Design Over-Site

Thu, 26 Sep 2013 19:37:18 +0000

This week’s is again very simple (don’t overthink it) but is all too easy to overlook.There is a bit of controversy with this, but I stand on the side of logic. Happy hunting!

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What's wrong with this picture? Part Deux in the forum GENERAL DISCUSSION

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 23:47:43 +0000

As I had stated, this was an easy one. The overgrown landscape creates an unnecessary danger in this retail parking lot by blocking visibility. You can’t see over these even if you have a BroTruck! It can also create a security issue, as you cannot see parts of this parking lot with cameras, and users cannot see across the lot or around these…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic CLARB LARE Scoring in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 21:51:37 +0000

Question: Is the test still pass/fail (with degrees of passitude), or with the multiple choice, do they give you an actual percentage?
Pass anxiety isn’t fun with these things, and the worst one for me was actually sitting at the terminal at Prometric waiting for the score to tabulate on the LEED-AP exam. At least with the LARE, you have some…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic LEED professional credentials in the forum STORY BOARD

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 06:38:56 +0000

Yes, and it has been a contributing factor in getting employment interviews as well.
BD+C is building design and construction…the most common rating type, and ND is the new neighborhood development rating system, with is more of a planning thing. And sincs many LAs do a lot of planning, it would probably be the one to get.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic LEED professional credentials in the forum STORY BOARD

Mon, 16 Sep 2013 01:47:24 +0000

Not entirely true, Henry. While not a huge priority among LAs, LEED can be a great asset to have on your resume. It not only is relevant to architects, but to PEs, MEP engineers, and yes, LAs. At the VERY least, LAs should know what it is comprised of and how they fit into the puzzle. Not every LA practice will need to have a LEED-AP, but many…[Read more]

Jason T. Radice started the topic What's wrong with this picture? Part Deux in the forum Design Over-Site

Sat, 14 Sep 2013 01:35:17 +0000

Okay, an easy one for you this week.

Jason T. Radice replied to the topic What's it like working in your office in the forum PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 20:50:24 +0000

I would say that it really doesn’t matter all that much what is on the resume that is an issue, it is because there just aren’t any positions available for more senior staff. Firms are keeping the staffing levels very lean and looking more for production from employees fresh out of school to keep costs low. The senior management in the firm is do…[Read more]