I've decided I agree with David Jarvis* and that I shy away from calling myself a Landscape Architect. The word "landscape" has too much baggage. My fellow mature students agree that it is generally misunderstood by most of the public as gardening.
I've nothing against private garden design, its just that the activities our profession performs are much more varied. Some of us plan and design, others build while others maintain. There is also the overall critical activity of management. We also perform these activities on much greater scales in greater places across both rural and urban public space. The content we cover is also varied. There are the functional aspects of ecology, human community (culture and society) and economics. There is also the delight of creating art. This is illustrated in the first diagram at the end of this blog.
Is this identity crisis a problem?
I've nothing against private garden design, its just that the activities our profession performs are much more varied. Some of us plan and design, others build while others maintain. There is also the overall critical activity of management. We also perform these activities on much greater scales in greater places across both rural and urban public space. The content we cover is also varied. There are the functional aspects of ecology, human community (culture and society) and economics. There is also the delight of creating art. This is illustrated in the first diagram at the end of this blog.
Is this identity crisis a problem?
Much of the general public - and therefore our potential future clients, be they councils or politicians or business heads - don't know who we are or what we do. Are we not worried that "architects", "urban designers", "engineers", "planners", "developers" or other environmental groups will steal our patch, because clients do not know what we do? Are we not concerned that we may not get work that we are best qualified to be doing? Or is the pie big enough to share? Maybe not in a boom, but what about a recession?
Trained Landscape Architects have an advantage over other professions, because we alone have the knowledge of all these activities and how to make them work together. This knowledge may not be deep in all areas, but it is deep enough. Do we care that less well trained people may be being given these jobs?
Can we move up the food chain?
Trained Landscape Architects have an advantage over other professions, because we alone have the knowledge of all these activities and how to make them work together. This knowledge may not be deep in all areas, but it is deep enough. Do we care that less well trained people may be being given these jobs?
Can we move up the food chain?
David Jarvis* also talked about our profession having to move up the food chain in order to make sure that the right briefs get set in the first place. But if our profession lacks the presence or the credibility, then how easy is it to do so? Our profession is a supplier of services, so our senior consultants must be forming relationships with the leaders of government and business. Hopefully the right sort of projects will result. The rest of us deliverers can get on with working with the owners, i.e. those who will end up living in and loving our creations. This is illustrated in the second diagram below.
So what next?
6 comments:
GRAND-EST DESIGNS!!
If the word "landscape architecture" doesn't have to change, then why do you choose to call yourself something other than a landscape architect? Surely, by disassociating yourself from the profession you will simply perpetuate the problem that landscape architecture has with its low / non-existant public profile. I agree that we need a concerted marketing campaign, but don't we each of us need to do our own marketing as well? Don't we all have a duty to tell people what landscape architecture is and we what can offer?
Spudule - yep!
Amy, you are right. We are already doing our own marketing, every time we explain what we do.
I was trying to provoke the LI and senior professionals to go for a big marketing campaign. I'm a Post-Grad student, so I want the profession to be well placed by the time I set up my business...
Good for you! Good luck
Richard, I take your point, being a mere garden designer, but hopefully onto pastures new when I (finally) become a landscape architect. I have been battling with the 'status' of being a garden designer for years and believe me it's no different further down the food chain (sorry, being insecure here!) - I am often mistaken for a gardener, which really gets my goat. I simply put people right on the matter - as per Amy. If you think about it, unless you are a doctor, architect etc, people rarely understand what you do/your job title etc (my husband has worked for the same company for 12 years - IT - and I still cannot explain, nor fully understand what he does...). Surely we should just be happy about what we do and what we are achieving for ourselves rather than trying to impress others with our chosen careers?? Landscape architecture is a hugely exciting and very well established profession with massive prospects to do great things. We should enjoy that and revel in it.
Hi Jen, you are right. I'm certainly glad I shose the subject. By the way, I am no snob and have absolutely nothing against garden design!
Cheers
R
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