[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

I had the same response as Robert. Never heard of the other one, but VW Landmark has been building software for landscape architects for quite some time now, and it’s good stuff.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

Ed, if you are able to attend the Florida ASLA conference this weekend, there are LARE review classes being taught, and I believe the Florida Section is a focus. Best of luck.

Todd

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

See below. Oil industry experts on a panel discussion on NPR all agreed that there are NOT better resources in shallower waters.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

There was a show on NPR the other day about this – someone asked that question almost exactly. Basically, he said that wasn’t it the fault of the Government for not allowing them to drill closer to shore – as the reason they are drilling so deep. The three experts on the panel all agreed that was not the case – (including two guys in the oil industry) – they said that BP is spending HUGE money to drill in deep water because that is where the big rewards are. No other reason.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

And if you want to see some great nature as well, go up to Red Rock Canyon. It’s beautiful, it’s cooler than the valley, and it’s quite accessible. http://www.desertusa.com/redrock/

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

The top thing I can think of to go to is Springs Preserve. Great architecture, LA and it’s a wonderful sustainable project. They have desert gardens and great learning experiences too. Have lunch at Wolfgang Pucks while there. http://www.springspreserve.org/plan/plan_your_visit.html

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

1 – depends on what you want to do with your career. Every 3DSMax person we have even had work here – that’s all they ever do – model other people’s designs. They were not used as designers, but as production. Max is a complex program that very few people will learn, so if someone needs something modeled and rendered, it would fall to you. VW and sketchup are better DESIGN tools imho – as in tools for designers to use to figure things out. Max would be better for polished final renderings. Again, it depends on what you want to do, and how you want to use the tools.
2- VW for sure – it’s designed (Landmark) is designed for LAs. Revit is designed for architects.
3 – All too often it is important to be able to make changes – tweaks – to a presentation on the fly. If you have a presentation two days in a row, and you wanted to tweak the show for your audience based on something you learned the first day……As a general rule, Flash would not be as fast to make changes to. It has its benefits, don’t get me wrong, but I would have a hard time relying on it for a presentation. I use Keynote for my presentations – it’s like powerpoint, but I find it to be better for what I do. The transitions and action elements rival flash for quality – yet making changes in a hotel room in China between shows for example are quite doable.

Favorite design software tools for me here:

Vectorworks Landmark, Sketchup, Photoshop. Add InDesign for making presentation books and you’re there.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

I think Orlando is WAYYYY short on good park space (especially within the urban core). To give any park land up in that area sets a bad precedent, and is not in the best interest of a sustainable city.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

Probably not much help to you, but here in Florida, it’s palms, palms palms near pools. My personal favorite is a big multitrunk Phoenix reclinata in by pool I did in Ft. Lauderdale (actually Dania). Had some fun with Canary Island Palms too.

[Todd McCurdy, FASLA, CLARB]

Awesome Andrew! As an iPhone owner (and addict) – I was wondering if you were going to feed that need.
Can’t wait.

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