Landscape Designer

Do you like to design open or natural spaces to make them look pleasing? If yes, you can choose a career in Landscape design or Architect.

Landscape designing is modifying the landscape or gardens and developing the raw space to a functional space as needed or a beautiful outdoor living space.

The term "Landscape designer" refers to those not officially qualified or not licenced as Landscape Architects. Individuals who practice landscape design but don't have any professional degree or licence (if under a particular jurisdiction or state) refer themselves to garden artists, environmental designers, or planting designers. Landscape designers take projects like parks, gardens, housing spaces, business parts, sports sites, hospital campuses, university campuses, sports sites, etc. Landscape designers put together different elements like gardens, ponds, outdoor lights etc., to add aesthetic value to the raw space. Landscaping improves the quality of the environment with its lush green designs. A landscape architect is a professional practice involved in planning and designing aesthetically beautiful and functional private and public spaces such as gardens, parks, playgrounds, residential areas, farmhouses, resorts, college or university campuses, official or commercial centres, hospitals, transportation facilities, sports sites, and waterfront developments. As a Landscape architect, your work would range from creating parks and parkways to site planning of offices or designing residential buildings or complex designing of civil infrastructure. Landscape architects work in sync between the physical environment and human culture.

Landscape Architects design open spaces that should look beautiful, enhance the space, make it highly functional and get well with the environment.

Landscape architects also plan the space of office buildings, parks, trees, roads. As a landscape architect, you take up projects that complement the beauty of the space while providing environmental benefits by using natural elements such as trees and shrubs to make the surroundings attractive and be in harmony with nature. Landscape architects take small and large landscape architecture design projects or indoors and outdoors of residential and commercial spaces.

Landscape Architects jobs includes the following- 

Analysis of the site -Analysis of the site is most important for the architectural and urban design process to evaluate a particular site. Being a Landscape Architect, you need to perform the analysis of the site by studying the geographical, historical, legal, climatic, and infrastructural conditions of a particular site.

Planning of the land-Land planning is the process of managing land being used to facilitate more favourable environmental and social performance and enhance resource efficiency. As a landscape architect, you supervise and monitor the piece of land that has to be used for construction to make more useful social and environmental outcomes; it also aims for more efficient use of resources.

Design and development-A landscape architect designs the graphical plans for visualization in CAD (computer-aided-design) software. Architects design structures like residential or commercial buildings, whereas landscape architects, construct designs around the structures.

Making Budget-As a landscape architect, you need to estimate the amount or cost required to complete the whole project. You will also involve in planning the project as per budget. Estimating costs is an estimation of a plan, project, or operating expense, including material required for the project.

Attend meetings-Being a landscape architect; you’ll be involved in meetings with various clients, building architects, and engineers to understand the project's requirements. Meeting with individuals involves communication and getting others to talk about themselves rather than making them listen.

Route to Become a Landscape Designer or Architect

• 10 + 2 with Physics, Chemistry, Maths.
• NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture)
• JEE Main Exam 
• B.Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture) Specializations in Landscape Architecture or Architect and Regional Planning/ B. Tech (Bachelor of Technology) in  Architecture Engineering or Civil Engineering.
• M.Arch. (Master of Architecture) Landscape Architecture/ M.Arch. (Master of Architecture) Environmental Architecture/ M.L.A. (Master of Landscape Architecture)/ M.Tech. (Master of Engineering) Architecture Engineering / M.Plan. (Master of Planning) Environmental Planning/ M.Des. (Master of Design)/ Master of Planning

Significant statistics 

• Qualifying the NATA is essential to opt for further studies in Architecture. NTA/ JEE mains, universities and colleges conduct a few other entrance exams for admissions in B. Arch and different architecture-related programmes.
• A large part of working as a landscape designer is being able to draft plans using computer-aided design (CAD) programs and then present them to clients. 
• Using CAD software can also show preciseness in a landscaping design, and you may work quicker as well.
• Becoming a member of industry-specific associations and groups can provide you with the opportunity to connect with other professionals in the field so that you can grow your network.
   

Pros
 

• Personal satisfaction of creating something beautiful
• Landscape architecture promises a steady income if you prove yourself to be pretty good at it.
• Being a landscape architect gives you the benefit of using your imagination and creativity
• You can work on a variety of projects
• Self employment opportunities
• Suitable for people who want independence and like to work on their own and make decisions
• Very good salary.

Cons
 

• A slow start- Education and training for license can take at least seven years to complete
• Long working hours and deadlines
• outdoor work involvement despite of any weather
• Staying ahead of competitions
• Not suitable for people who like to help and teach others
• It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career