The work of landscape architects is both in the creation of new landscapes - urban, rural, residential or public - and in the management and conservation of natural and heritage landscapes. They have a passion for the landscape, for its care, and for its enhancement by design.

 

 

The type of work landscape architects are involved with varies enormously, and many landscape architectural firms specialise only in certain aspects of the profession. It's important that you select a landscape architect that has the right skills for your project.

 

 

 

The fields Kansas City Landscape Architects  might be involved in include:

 

Site-specific landscape design (residential, commercial, educational or public)

 

 

 

This includes assisting with formulation of the brief, site measurement, and development of a landscape concept plan for the site. Depending on the client's needs, the landscape architect might then go on to develop construction drawings and planting plans. In some cases the landscape architect might also be required to prepare presentation drawings of the project (artist impressions), so that it can be displayed to others.

 

 

 

 

Contract documentation and supervision

 

Most landscape architects don't actually construct their designs, but they assist clients in inviting and reviewing tenders from landscape contractors, awarding contracts and acting as the client's agent or project manager.

 

 

 

Large-scale landscape planning and management

 

This type of work is typically for Councils and planning authorities, and includes mapping out potential landscape change scenarios, such as might occur with population growth, land-use activity changes or infrastructure projects (such as wind farms or roads). Landscape architects can also be involved in writing landscape policies that feed into local or national planning legislation.

 

 

 

 

Landscape assessment

 

Landscape architects are often required to prepare landscape assessments detailing the potential effects of a proposal on the landscape or on visual amenity. They would typically present these assessments at the Resource Consent Hearing, or if necessary provide expert evidence at the Environment Court.

 

 

 

 

Research

 

Some landscape architects are EMPLOYED by Universities, or are enrolled in a Post-Graduate or Doctorate programme, and undertake research into landscape architectural techniques or theories. Such landscape architects are usually not consultants, and are therefore unlikely to be listed in the Find A Landscape Architect section, which only shows those landscape architects who are available for consultation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

The field of landscape architecture is wide, and there may be other areas of the profession that members are involved in that have not been listed here.