Landscape Architecture

WHAT IS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE?

Landscape Architecture is the profession that encompasses the analysis, planning, design, management and stewardship of our land and outdoor spaces. Landscape architects are uniquely qualified to fulfill American's desire for better parks, open spaces, housing, recreational and commercial facilities, as well as address their increasing concern for environmental protection.

Landscape architecture is one of the most diversified of the design professions. The profession combines the structural design skills of architecture, the scientific principles of engineering and the broad development knowledge of urban planning to design aesthetic and practical relationships with the land.

The work of landscape architects surrounds us  in design and planning of public squares, parkways, college campuses, hospital gardens, community parks, waterfront recreation areas and corporate courtyards, and also in the preservation of national parks and monuments. By providing well-managed design and development plans, landscape architects offer a broad range of services and expertise that reduce overall costs and add long-term value to a project.

As interest in the profession continues to grow, students are studying landscape architecture in increasing numbers. A formal education program is required to become a landscape architect and nearly 60 universities and colleges in the United States now offer accredited baccalaureate and post-graduate programs. Forty-six states require a formal license for all practicing landscape architects.

Definition of Landscape Architecture from the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture

Minnesota State Law: regarding the field of landscape architecture, the Board of Architecture, Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Geoscience and Interior Design states: "Any person shall be deemed to be practicing landscape architecture...who holds out as being able to perform or who does perform any professional service in connection with the development of land areas where the dominant purpose of the service is the preservation, enhancement or determination of proper land uses, natural land feature, ground cover and planting, naturalistic and aesthetic values, the settings, approaches or environment for structures or other improvements, and the consideration and determination of inherent problems of the land relating to erosion, wear and tear, blight and hazards. This practice shall include the location and arrangement of tangible objects and features incidental and necessary to the purposes outlined but shall not include the design of structures or facilities with separate and self-contained purposes as ordinarily included in the practice of engineering or architecture or the preparation of boundary surveys or final land plats, as ordinarily included in the practice of land surveying...

"No person shall use the designation landscape architect or any title or device indicating or representing that the person is a landscape architect or is practicing landscape architecture unless the person is registered under the provision of sections 326.02 to 326.15."