John.Dallinga

I’m interested nonetheless in your process since I end up doing a lot of “from scratch” trees with random brushes, etc.

I know for sure of only one company that is currently using that package, being Laurel Hill Gardens in Chestnut Hill. From my understanding, it is aimed more towards residential design applications versus larger projects that might require more complex data input (i.e. grading, utilities, drainage, etc.). Are you using the software or just…[Read more]

Jon,
When you rendered the trees, did you create them using a custom brush? Did you create several individual trees, render, and then disperse throughout the plan?

Lori,
This looks great! Can’t wait till they make it into the Northeast market as well. Thanks for bringing it to everyone’s attention.

Thanks all for the suggestions. Coincidentally, I currently work at a nursery and find local wholesale catalogs to be very helpful, though some are more informative than others. I will check out Still and Armitage for sure. Too bad so few include more than a couple hundred color plates.

Jason,
 
Thanks for bringing this forward. I have little familiarity with Hood’s work, but found a video of a talk he did at TEDxBerkeley (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBshFBR_fR4). I think he is a good example of what a “master builder” might look like today. Someone who might not have the expertise in all areas of design/engineering, but can…[Read more]

I’ve had good success with CG Textures and the freebies from Vyonyx.
 
David, you mentioned ImageCels and I’ve seen their stuff before. Anyone know of other companies that produce a good variety of plants that aren’t necessarily free?

My impression is that the law believes there to be a difference in the skill sets as well as the need to protect the profession from arch’s and eng’s who don’t have the diversity of schooling/training. The health and safety piece may be less the intent of the professional and more concerning the likelihood that they confront the exact types of si…[Read more]

Craig,

You make a good point. Someone who is working retail or food service is going to invite assumptions about what they’ve been doing during school or since graduation. Before I landed an internship as a E&S plan reviewer, I worked, you guessed it, in a coffee shop for three years. I wasn’t doing a lot of extra thinking about LA since I was…[Read more]

AR,

I like that kind of strategy. What have been the most valuable sources of data in your research?

I’m coming fresh into this topic so there is much I could respond to. To preface, I myself am in “landscape designer” status with 1 year of 2 needed to be able to sit for the LARE in Pennsylvania. Were I currently working in an LA firm, I’d be well passed that point. I am the only person at my job that holds a BLA so unless I switch jobs (which is…[Read more]

In my (very brief) experience, the effectiveness of GIS has everything to do with project type/scope and the availability/accessibility of data. For planning it can be a great tool; for a strictly landscape architecture practice, the potential is there unless you’re simply too small a firm to chase the big municipal projects that large…[Read more]

Andrew,

Thanks for your humorous take on it. There is always a hint of fear in breaking from the conventional, but most times that break is exactly what it takes to get the response your looking for.

All,

I’ve come across a similar internal debate as to how to handle this subject on my resume and perhaps some of you could provide me with some specific insight. Typically, I follow the format of being as brief as possible (1-1.5 pages). Since my past two places of employment have not been specifically design firms, I’ve created a separate…[Read more]

I could not agree more. Well said!

Thomas,

You make a very good point in your last paragraph. As I understand it (and have experienced in the office I used to work in), when a large firm hires a local firm, it is usually to take the lead on construction administration and assistance performing CDs. Perhaps non-local firms should set a different precedent, while preserving their…[Read more]

This thought reminds me of an article I read recently that transcribe a discussion from last year’s ASLA Annual Meeting centered upon the role of research in practice (Making Research Matter, LAM January 2010). The panel cited a lack of research that can be practically applied to practice. Academics look for quantifiable data, where as practice…[Read more]

Frank,

As an initial impression, I think your portfolio effectively displays your proficiency in a broad range of skills. You provide a nice mixture of projects for the viewer to consider. It sounds like you might still be working on additions to this and I do hope there are more for a couple of reasons. Overall, the format of the pages is good.…[Read more]

I must say I both agree and disagree (best way to say nothing at all, right?).

I currently work very closely with the landscape contractors and many are locals who have grown up cutting grass, planting trees, shrubs, and flowers, and maintaining peoples’ properties. Many of them pick up the difference between a rose and an azalea and, through…[Read more]

“what we’re pursuing for the long term is a 3 legged model: one part traditional service fees (work for hire), one part related ‘product’ design (designing, say, furniture or model home plans – basically an actual ‘product’ that gets done over and over) which would bring in recurring licensing fees; one part speculative work, in which we are an…[Read more]