Martin Schwanauer

Hi there,

nice to see this group on L8L. I’m hoping to find information, reference, or anything else that can help me doing my thesis about healing garden and its relation with the patient’s health recovery. Esp. the design concept and its criteria. So far, i have a few articles by Cooper Marcus and Marni Barnes, and also Ulrika. Anyone can tell…[Read more]

Hi All,

I’m new to your group and new to landscape architecture, currently enrolled in the masters program at the Illinois institute of Technology in Chicago.

I was hoping to gain some insight from this group with regards to healing gardens and urban agriculture. My latest school project requires both programs previously mentioned. If you have…[Read more]

I am currently working on a classroom addition for a high school which is a LEED project. We are designing a central courtyard that demonstrates a variety of LID features. These include porous concrete paving, four rain gardens and a cistern that collects rain water from the roof. Most of the materials being used have some recycled content. We are…[Read more]

hi everybody, i just graduated with my MLA and was worried I couldn’t take a LEED exam without LEED experience, I scanned and attached my diploma to the registration and I’m qualified to take the LEED GA – I haven’t received the study materials yet because they’re on backorder but thought I’d let the word out

Is anyone working on a LEED project now? How is it going? Share with us…

Two years after clearing the invasives in my part of the creekbed in my backyard – you know, plants like Arundo and Tamarisk (how did that get there?) and Washingtonia palms (we all know how that got there) – the birds were kind enough to plant 3 Quercus agrifolia and a Toyon that is now about 12′ high. None of these are requiring additional water…[Read more]

Christmas berry!? They can make a landscape designer a hero!

I just received mine a few days ago too and I passed on the 27th of June.

Live! New Therapeutic Landscapes Network website: http://www.healinglandscapes.org

Chris-
I know exactly what mean. It would be almost impossible to be a true advocate for the client if you were being paid a sales commission from the contractor. The commission I was referring to is more like maybe a “finders fee”, if you will. I run across all sorts of projects and not all of them are appropriate for a designer. So I refer the…[Read more]

Chirs,
Here in Texas we are not required to be licensed for landscape contracting. Sometimes I wish we were because every guy that has lost his job in the last few months has become a landscaper/maintenace contractor. I am sometimes bidding against people that are brand new in the business.
I am working with several Landscape Architects like…[Read more]

Hey Chris,
We are in Phoenix, and we do mainly design and subcontract the work out on high end residential designs. I believe we are the main contractor, and the work is divided accordingly.

Chris,
I operated a design/build company for 25 years where most of the work we did in-house with some sub-contracting on the specialized features. I now work by myself designing and then managing the projects. I have a network of contractors that work on these projects. I have a design fee and then negotiate a management fee with the…[Read more]

Elif-

I have learned that high-level or not, clients don’t read a lot of text. They’re swayed by images, sketches, pretty colors, and your passion. If you say Mondrian, show them what/who that is so they don’t have to ask. Have images that clearly delineate the connection between a Mondrian piece and your design (for example). If you communicate…[Read more]

Chris-
My advice:
If you love design, find a couple of good contractors you can send work to on a regular basis. They will (or should) pay you a commission or referal fee for the work you refer to them. They will in turn send you work, some of which they will pay you for directly. Probably a little at first, then more as your relationship builds.…[Read more]

Hey Chris,
My principal here in AZ is a licensed contractor. It’s pretty involved here, but definitely opens up many opportunities…

Did anyone go to Chicago and see any SSI presentations? Anything good?

i passed mine in march i think, and it didn’t post on the website for 4 months and i just received my certificate yesterday.

I called the USGBC a week or two back they are just beginning to print certificates for those who passed between may and june.

I’m in Southern California too and passed the exam just before the cutoff – it only took 6 or so weeks to get my certificate and listing on the website. I know they are a little behind because of the rush to take the exam before the v2.2 cutoff, but I would be a little more proactive if I was you…you don’t want this to fall through the cracks…[Read more]