Landscape architects
Most of us have heard about the term "landscape architect". But what is it? It is obvious that it is a person, whose profession is landscape architecture. It is the same name for landscape gardeners, designers, and engineers. As it is seen from the name of the term - landscape architects plan and design outdoor areas for use and beauty.
The bigger the areas for architecture are, the harder it is to work and assemble the pieces of such puzzle. Landscape architects decide what kind of walkways, plants, and other items to include, where exactly each item should be built or planted. Their main goal is to ensure that all public spaces are both functional and beautiful.
If we are talking of public places then all projects of such kind are ordered by somebody. So, the landscape architect's work usually begins from meeting the clients. During such meetings such questions like "how the land will be used" and "how clients would like it to appear" are discussed. The budget is also considered. After that landscape architects must go to the site and examine it carefully. Such things like soil, slope of the land, water flow, and sunlight at different times of day are analyzed. They also observe building and roads. There is no doubt that computer mapping program is used for the large projects. Such programs are called Geographic Information System ( GIS ) Software and the main thing they do is show the layout of the land. Most landscape architects create their designs using a program that prints a detailed design from a computer drawing. This is Computer Aided Design ( CAD ).
There are lots of local and federal rules that is taken it the consideration while preparing a design. Landscape architects usually consult such people as environmental scientists about ways to restore natural resources and engineers or architects about how to arrange roads or buildings. Landscape architects also meet with clients to present drafts of the plan and receive some feedback. Usually after such visits the plans are revised considering all the factors.
At last, when the clients are satisfied, the final proposal is prepared. It includes detailed plans of the site, all kind of written reports, photographs, models, and, of course, the estimate cost. Landscape architects submit this proposal to the client and the government agencies.
Some landscape architects specialize in designing landscapes for private homes, parks and playgrounds, or shopping centers. But such jobs are very small, so almost all architects work for government agencies where they prepare site plans for public buildings, parks, or forests. Since landscape architects usually work on many kinds of projects they gain a lot of knowledge related to the urban landscapes. And here we can see that they start to serve not only as designers, but also as advocates of landscape rescue and conservation. Their profession is very rich in scope and ranges from the design of urban landscapes to the ecological planning of large tracts of land.