Landscape design is the art and science of planning, analyzing and designing exterior living spaces. It involves considering factors such as the site's climate, topography, existing vegetation and the use of the space to create functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor environments.
Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In today's practice, landscape design connects the area between landscape architecture and garden design. The landscape design phase involves research, gathering ideas and establishing a plan. Factors include climate and microclimates, topography and orientation, site drainage and groundwater recharge, municipal and resource building codes, soils and irrigation, human and vehicular access and circulation, recreational amenities (i.e., sports and water), furnishings, lighting and native plant habitats.
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the design and engineering of various structures for construction and human use, the investigation of existing social patterns, ecological and soil conditions, and processes in the landscape, as well as the design of other attributes that will produce desired outcomes.
Modern landscape architecture is a multi-disciplinary field, incorporating aspects of urban design, architecture, geography, ecology, civil engineering, structural engineering, horticulture, environmental psychology, industrial design, soil sciences, botany and fine arts. The activities of a landscape architect can range from the creation of public parks and parkways to site planning for campuses and corporate office parks, from the design of residential estates to the design of civil infrastructure and from the management of large wilderness areas to reclamation of degraded landscapes such as mines or landfills, large or small, urban, suburban and rural spaces.
The most valuable contribution can be made at the first stage of a project, generating ideas with technical understanding and creative flair for the design, organization and use of spaces. The landscape architect conceives the overall concept and prepares the master plan, from which detailed design drawings and technical specifications are developed.
Design projects may involve two different professional roles: landscape design and landscape architecture. Landscape design typically involves artistic composition and artisanship, horticultural finesse and expertise and emphasis on detailed site involvement from conceptual stages through to final construction. Landscape architecture focuses on urban planning, city and regional parks, civic and corporate landscapes, large-scale interdisciplinary projects and the delegation of projects to contractors after designs are completed.
There can be a significant overlap in talent and skill between the two roles, depending on the professional's education, licensing and experience. Both landscape designers and landscape architects practice landscape design.
Here at Howell & Nave Newell, we have a team of talented Landscape Architects and budding Landscape Designers who can envision and design a landscape tailored to your needs.
