Landscape Architect Career Guide

Are you someone with an artistic and creative flair, a keen interest in the environment and a strong eye for detail? Do you have excellent communication, negotiation and leadership skills and the ability to meet deadlines and manage clients? If yes, then look no further, as we feel that you might have just stumbled across your dream career, as a landscape architect!

Landscape architects are responsible for creating natural and built environments that are aesthetically pleasing and practical. Landscape architects can work in both urban and rural areas and are typically employed by landscape practices, construction and engineering consultancies, house-building companies or local authorities. They may design spaces such as parks, college campuses, recreational facilities, businesses, private homes and gardens. Their work includes creating plans, designs and drawings, surveying sites, advising on matters to do with environmental conservation, writing reports, estimating costs and liaising with other professionals (e.g., architects, surveyors or town planners).

To become a landscape architect, you must have a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture or a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture. You should then aim to get an internship in landscape architecture, as this will give you the valuable skills, experience and knowledge required. After this, you will need to obtain a license relevant to your state and the area of landscape architecture you wish to go into.

After committing to all the educational requirements needed to become a landscape architect, it can be quite a slow starting career as you may have to work in lower-level jobs for some time after graduating. There are also long working hours and deadline associated with being a landscape architect, especially near project deadlines. Finally, like all creative professions, landscape architecture is getting increasing more competitive, so, to stay on-top of competition you will need to be checking and keeping up to date with trends.

However, if you choose a career as a landscape architect, then you are guaranteed to have a career that you love, which will bring you great satisfaction, reward and fulfilment. Often, you will be working on projects that really matter and allow you to use you imagination. There is also the added bonus of a competitive salary and self-employment opportunities.