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Landscape architecture involves planning and designing an area’s relationship to surrounding buildings, combining site planning, art, and environmental restoration. It’s becoming more critical in the green building movement, and requires an undergraduate degree or higher and a license in most states. Landscape architects can work with design firms or set up private practices.
Landscape architecture is a branch of architecture that deals with the planning and design of the area and its relationship to the buildings that surround it. While many believe it is simply related to landscaping and plant selection, landscaping is actually much more involved than that. This practice combines site planning, landscaping, art and environmental restoration to help connect an area to surrounding buildings and make the landscape attractive in its own right. The goal of landscaping is to create pleasant, functional, and beautiful spaces that meet the needs of their owners or the public.
As the green building movement grows, landscaping will likely become even more critical to the building process. Trained landscape architects help lay out a patch of land, determining where to place structures so they have minimal impact on the environment. The landscape architect will take into account land contours, plants and wildlife, nearby bodies of water, and surrounding structures to help position the new building in its most effective spot. By positioning the building correctly, occupants can enjoy more views and daylight, while wildlife and soil are disturbed as little as possible.
With all the responsibilities involved in landscape architecture, those wishing to pursue work in this field will generally be required to complete an undergraduate degree or higher, depending on where they intend to work. Most states in the United States and other western countries require landscape architects to be licensed. In the United States, the license is granted by the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). To apply for a license, applicants must meet requirements for their state, which may include a bachelor’s or master’s degree or a combination of education and experience.
After an architect is licensed by CLARB, they are free to practice landscape architecture with a design firm or on their own. Many landscape architects are hired by architectural firms to collaborate on projects with other designers and engineers. The landscape architect may take care of the entire civil design, including floor plans, underground work and environmental protection, or may simply focus on landscaping and topography. They may also find work in real estate, municipalities, or park or forest services. A fairly large percentage of landscape architects also set up private practices, where they offer residential design services or consultancy services in the commercial sector.
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