Landscape Architect Careers | The Princeton Review

If you are thinking about becoming a landscape architect, you should have an appreciationfor nature, a creative flair, and a passion for working with your hands. You should alsohave strong writing and researching skills and an affinity for engineering and environmentalsciences. All of these skills will be useful for mastering the art and science of the analysis,planning, design, management, preservation, and rehabilitation of land. Landscape architectsapply their skills to site planning, garden design, environmental restoration, town andurban planning, park and recreation planning, regional planning, and even historic preservation.The growing popularity of this professionis understandable. Where else could consecutivejob assignments find you planning asite for corporate office buildings, then have you managing a large wilderness area, and nextcreating public parks that wont interfere with the natural environment?Even though landscape architects appear to keep average hours, project deadlines cancreate a lot of overtime. Working through weekends is very likely. A major job, like planninga corporate site, can take more than a year to complete. A landscape architect must work withall the other professionals involved in a project. The list includes architects, engineers, andconstruction contractors, and a landscape architect must see that their design concepts willwork with the overall project. Surveys of the land at the site itself must often be made, takinginto consideration complex factors such as drainage, slope of the land, and even how sunlightfalls on the site. Once this is done, they spend the majority of the remainder of the project inthe office, preparing presentations for clients that include cost estimates, sketches, and models.After a project is approved, landscape architects prepare even more detailed workingdrawings and outline explicitly the methods of construction and lists of construction materials.Some landscape architects even supervise the installation of their designs, although thisis often left to a developer or separate contractor.Landscape architects can also choose to specialize in areas such as residential development,parks and playgrounds, restoration, or even shopping malls. Only a few, however, are exclusivelydevoted to individual residential designing because the income is too small compared to theearnings from larger, commercial projects. Most of the profession is centered in urban or suburbanareas, and while the majority of landscape architects work for landscape architecture servicesand firms, a full 20 percent of people in the profession are self-employed.Paying Your DuesEntrance into the profession requires a bachelors or masters degree in landscape architecture(from an accredited school), training, licensure (in all but five states), and specializedskills. It is a long road to becoming a licensed and professional landscape architect. The bachelorsdegree in landscape architecture takes between four and five years to complete; a masterscan take two to three years. During and after school, prospective landscape architectsserve as interns to professionals in the field for a period of at least two years. Finally, they willhave to pass the L.A.R.E. (Landscape Architect Registration Examination) to obtain theirlicenses to practice landscape architecture as certified professionals. However, if they chooseto take jobs with the government, the process can be somewhat shorter; the federal governmentdoesnt require its landscape architects to be licensed.Present and FutureThe American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) was founded in 1899, and one ofits charter members was 77-year-old Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect whodesigned New York Citys Central Park. Today, the ASLA has more than 15,000 membersacross 48 chapters. An ever-growing number of landscape architects are using computeraideddesign (CAD) systems to assist them with presentations. Proficiency with this technologyis becoming a requirement in the field. Larger-scale projects are often planned usinggeographic information systems technologies and computer-mapping systems. The level ofcomputer-assisted design in the profession will continue to increase. Job opportunities willbe best for landscape architects who develop strong technical and computer skills.Knowledge of environmental issues, codes, and regulations will also give landscapearchitects an edge in the marketplace. The continued and growing concern for the environmentshould see the demand for landscape architects increase as the need to design environmentallysound development projects becomes even more pressing. Urban planners havecited the greening of roofs and courtyards in cities as effective approaches to cut down onenergy costs and reduce pollution, making landscape architects in greater demand as societyincreasingly understands how the natural world can alleviate some of the strains people placeon the environment.Quality of Life

PRESENT AND FUTURE

These years are spent interning under the guidance of a licensed landscape architect.Although the tasks will vary depending on the type and size of the firm theintern is working for, standard work includes project research, preparing maps ofareas to be landscaped, and, occasionally, participation in the actual design of a project. Allthe interns work is closely supervised, though; the hours can be long, and the pay is low.

FIVE YEARS OUT

At this point in their careers, many interning landscape architects are either studyingfor the L.A.R.E. or have just taken it. For individuals who have passed theL.A.R.E., responsibilities will increase dramatically as they are now legally able tocarry a design through from start to finish without supervision. With this privilege comesdirect client contact and even the chance to oversee certain aspects of a project. The hoursmay increase, and income certainly rises.

TEN YEARS OUT

Landscape architects who have lasted this long without switching career tracksshould at this point be enjoying the privileges of their experience. It is not unlikelyto be an associate at a firm, and the more ambitious individuals may possibly haveachieved the title of partner. In either case, associate or partner, they are seeing an income thatis at the top range of the profession. Landscape architects with 10 years under their belts anda talent for small business management often open their own firms.

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Landscape Architect Careers | The Princeton Review