Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on my master thesis, aiming to be finished later in the fall. My research is not focused on landscape architecture, but for part of my analysis I wish to look at the micro-scale climate effect of implementing green roofs and infrastructure in arid climates. The idea is to focus on one district within a larger city, which is itself surrounded by the desert. From my research so far, I've found ENVI-met, but my university does not have a license for it and cannot reimburse me for the cost of acquiring it either. While they do offer a trial, it seems limited in function.

I was wondering if anyone knew of a free or cheap student alternative for said software?

This summer I interned with a relatively large interdisciplinary firm. It’s my first internship experience so I didn’t really set any expectations besides to go in and learn any way that I can.

The landscape architecture team is small. I feel as though the firm is really architecture focused and the other disciplines and areas of work falls behind it.

A lot of my tasks has revolved around making edits to existing graphics, data analysis, etc. I fear that I didn’t really get much out of the landscape arch side and although I am grateful for my experience as a whole, it would’ve been nice as it’s what I’m in school for and would aid in my understanding of the field better.

The other only way I thought of before was just inviting people to lunch to get to know them and their experiences in the field which I only got to about three out of the team as I started last week. All very valuable. Is there another way I should approach? My internship ends next week Friday and I feel like it may be too late.

Just completed exam 3. I would say it was easier than exam 4, which I passed on my first try, but harder than exam 1, which I also passed on my first try. Idk if I passed 3 yet, but I would say I feel reasonably confident. Now it’s time to assess some liquidated damages 🍺.

How did everyone else do? Which section was the hardest for you?

View Poll

I've been in the profession for about 5 years for both a small firm (8-10) people and a medium size firm (100-300) and I geniunely enjoy the profession but lately am just so tired of this rat race to meet the approval of a bunch of egotistical clients and developers. So because of that I'm always looking for ways to get out and I've always had an interest in becoming a college professor as I've always enjoyed learning and being able to share my knowledge with as much people as possible - especially since there is such a gatekeep culture in design. That said, I'm curious if you really need to get a PhD in LA to be a professor - I have a bachelors degree in LA and am certainly not opposed to going back for a masters if I knew I could get into teaching then but I know it's usually a requirement to have a PhD for a 4 year school so just curious if anyone has gotten into teaching with just a masters degree. Trying to avoid living the rest of my life in debt because of having to do so much school in this lovely capitalistic world:)

Hi everybody! I’m a senior who is thinking of pursuing landscape architect. I’ve seen lots of posts in this sub saying not to pursue this career but instead something else, but I want to hear from Indiana LA to see if they are happy with their life + salary and if they would recommend the field! I want to know if this is the right career for me or not!

Just had a thought and am wondering if this is at all possible.

Typically when we get a new client with no previous site plans we of course have to go to the site and field measure all the related buildings on the property to the landscape.

Would it be possible to buy a drone, paint a reference line on the property ( a 10' line on the lawn for example) take a picture from above and use said line to scale in autocad?

What are other ways you guys use to make your life easy when doing a site plan from scratch?

Basically the title. I’m starting an MLA program this fall and I’m looking for ways to fund my studies. I have a decent amount of savings that will account for most of tuition, but there’s also rent and other living expenses I’ll need to consider. The assistantship provides a stipend and tuition waiver, but will require a 20 hours a week commitment. Do you all think this is a feasible workload to balance alongside outside coursework and class time? I don’t quite know what to expect workload wise for landscape architecture (as my bachelor’s was environmental studies so a very different course style) so I could use the insight.

I am new to the field, just finished school, so I guess that's why I am full of questions and hope and positivity lol. In Quebec by default when we put benches and tables in public projects we pour a concrete slab and bolt the furniture to the slab. It becomes really expensive, and each piece of furniture mounts up to a couple thousand dollars.

I understand there is the theoretical possibility of theft if you don't secure the furniture (coming at night in a pickup with 2-3 friends to steal a table, I guess). Is that a real concern? In some projects a truck can't even get to the tables. You could probably put a wooden picnic table on the grass for a few hundred bucks, and replace it a bunch of times before and still save money.

What's the reason we default to these expensive, environmentally bad practices? Do you have other experiences with site furniture?

Hey everyone,

I've been LA student and even landed myself a decent job as an undergrad, and I really love what I do. There's something incredibly rewarding about designing outdoor spaces that people can enjoy. But, as much as I love the work, I've been feeling the financial pinch lately. With the cost of living constantly rising, I'm finding it harder to make ends meet.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about service design and UI/UX design as potential career transitions especially in this forum. It sounds like these fields not only offer creative challenges but also come with better income prospects. I’m really interested in exploring service design, as it seems to align with some of the user-centered design principles I already practice in landscape architecture.

However, I’m not exactly sure how to make this transition. After my undergrad in LA, which i will graduate in next year- I’m considering going back to school for a master's degree that would help me pivot into service design although i'd much rather not . Does anyone here have experience with this? What programs or universities would you recommend? Are there specific skills or courses I should focus on to make myself more marketable in this field? or just direct way to get into the industry

I’d really appreciate any advice, whether it’s about the right education path, valuable skills to learn, or even if you think there are other career paths I should consider. I want to make a thoughtful decision that balances my passion for design with the need to secure a more stable and higher-paying job.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Hi everyone, I’m wondering is it worth doing a master of urban design after a BLA? Has anyone here done that? Thanks!

Hello, I am working as a landscape architect and for the last few years we have more and more projects which include BIM model, mainly for the infrastructure and utilities but also for landscape architecture. I understand the need for BIM for utilities, buildings and other large structures, where there are very precise details and materials. With small forms and furniture, it's no problem, but in landscape, there are trees and mixed planting areas etc which are sometimes difficult to define in BIM.

I am asking for your experiences, if and how do you use and define landscape objects in BIM?

I just graduated college and I landed a job at decently sized firm. My boss made a comment about how no one takes a job in LA for the money and it got me wondering how much would I be making in the future.

I tried asking my boss about it, but they gave me broad answer and on how they don't do raises and only bonuses. I'm not fully sure what that means.

I make 56,000 now at an entry level position. I was wondering if anyone has an estimate for when most people start making 60k, 70k, 80k, 90k, and 100k. Along with what job position each salary makes?

Example, if I was great at my job and I'm my take to get licensed would I make 70k in 5 years or is that top little/high.

After final project and applying around 10 companies I finally got my first graduate landscape architect interview invitation!!

As an international people and also the first job interview in my life… I am super nervous and I really want this chance

If anyone can give me any advice or how could I present myself better will be really helpful 🥹

Thank you!!!!

I don’t understand, when looking at a concrete section detail, what the difference between an expansion joint and construction joint is… like I get that a construction joint is formed between to two pours, but when looking at an expansion joint versus a construction joint on a detail sheet, what is the difference? Is it just a matter of context?

Given the recent post on education reviving sparks of common industry frustrations, I think it’s helpful to remember the role college plays, especially in an industry such as ours.

This post is inspired by a Freakonomics episode released August 7th, 2024.

As one redditor pointed out, if you’re not happy with your program, just change programs. But when the field already has such a high barrier to entry, especially for low income backgrounds like myself, it’s hard to even get truthful, encompassing resources that teach you about each schools programs, let alone the nuance of where they each fit in the broad industry as a whole.

I worked in LA for 3 years with a civil firm before going to get my MLA, and even then, the practitioners I worked with struggled to define the opportunities.

With most states only having one program each, many students rely on getting an array of skills and opportunities from one local source. And many times, ASLA chapters, current practitioners, and alumni tend to separate themselves from their program because of their distaste and disapproval.

We all agree on the stress of school, on the toxicity of boutique firms who drive the industry, and the inequity of pay between effort and paycheck.

My goal, as a 27 year old, second year MLA candidate, who came from a dysfunctional working class background, is to bring a little more connection to those already in the industry who feel jaded by lack luster attempts of community, and future students in high school who dream of purpose to meet on a more common ground. Dont ask me how I achieve that yet.

But if we all have these collective sentiments on education, on industry, I urge you to get involved in the foundational community that shaped you to bring both stability and forward thinking to our field, or it will surely lose relevance.

Dropping both the podcast that inspired this post below, and relinking to my LA/Design podcast playlist. Share it with young people who are interested in the field, and let me know what episodes it can use to be a living introduction into Land Architecture.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0YU5uFlHLRp0g8iwaXIkky?si=N-h_DLkBTBeLljvGOMy-yg&t=342

Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1WlLAimBVGfoOi8PLi1sbY?si=2nWpSFaAR_a0YthNCqHM3A&pi=u-sTwDMtN2Qc-W

Hey everyone,

I am looking for recommendations on where I can take an online course on Playground Design.

I am a Landscape Architect from Argentina and have always been interested in this field. I want to deepen my knowledge and would prefer a serious course presented by experienced professionals (every single one I found seems like it's designed by AI 😂). Since I'm based in Argentina, it needs to be online.

Here you got a playground concept that I designed a few years ago, just to catch you attention 😁 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

https://preview.redd.it/ltsmkxgogohd1.png?width=835&format=png&auto=webp&s=c95d06b3eb64a98b304441c3f7eda9a65eb686a8

Please use this thread to discuss whats going on at your school or place of work this week. Run into an interesting problem with a site design and need to hash it out with other LAs? This is the spot. Any content is welcome as long as it Landscape Architecture related. School, work, personal garden? Its all good, lets talk.

Hey there, I'm (21) currently unsure about what I want to do with my life. I studied computer science for a year now but realized I don't have any fun with that at all. Because my school certificate isn't the best I didn't have a whole lot of unis to choose from, thats how I found a uni nearby which teaches landscape architecture. I really fell in love with the idea of creating landscapes and all the knowledge that comes with it like plants, sustainability and of course architecture. Here in Germany I couldn't find any subs related to landscape architecture so I thought I give it a shot and post here.

A bit to myself: I do love art and drawing. For me its really rewarding to do something with my own hands and to be able to see the results I was working for. A good salary isn't my top priority, for me its important that I have fun with what I'm doing.

I'm struggling a bit to choose the right path because I'm unsure if LA is really what I imagine. I also want to move out of germany after I'm done studying so how are my international career prospects?

I would love to hear some input from you guys. Thanks in advance :)

Any city landscape architects out there? (Employee of a city or county)

What do you do every day? Do you review landscape plans? Do any design work?

Only with fredo 6 plug in and rotat and array tool 🥲

Just had an interview with a multi-disciplinary firm, one of those firms with a guy who has been there for over 3 decades and runs the whole show in his respective department. After some time we began talking expectations for work hours, compensation, and benefits and he was being totally vague.

I get it, sometimes you don't want to put all your cards out on the table, but he then he went as far as to openly admit that certain information (like annual reviews and required hours) would NOT be in writing and it's pretty much "up to him". RED FLAG. RUN.

Contracts hold people accountable on both sides. Don't hang the progress of your career on how one dude is feeling that day. Do not settle for these veteran professionals to throw you into an unprofessional work environment just because "it's how we've always done it!".

Obviously at the end of the day it's up to you whether or not you're okay with that, but before signing anything ask the hard questions and see how they respond. It will save you a lot of time and stress in the future.

TLDR: If a potential employer is weird about putting things in writing and setting up clear expectations, it's not worth it and they will probably overwork you to the bone.

I would discourage ANYONE from attending The University of Tennessee, Knoxville for their Master of Landscape Architecture program until drastic changes are made to the program.

The program is rife with favoritism and unsavory behavior from faculty and administration. The program focuses far too much on theory and not enough on the fundamentals that make a competent landscape architect.

The program director cares about image above all.  Student victims have been blamed for the behavior of faculty members and pressured the victim from escalating the issue to higher-ups.  The program director needs to shift from a focus on school ambition to that of individual student experience as a program is nothing without the hard work, dedication, and care of its students. The current student experience is one that consists of inconsistent expectations and experiences across classes and professors, a temperamental program director, and a demand for excellence that makes students sick and sends them to the hospital or counseling center.

The program director has obvious favorites- if you do not make this unofficial list then be prepared to be put on the backburner not only for opportunities like internships or graduate assistantships but also general assistance during your time at the university. And though it is difficult to prove in a forum such as this, the program director seems to favor the male students in the program.

Any indication that you might not want to pursue licensure will put you on a blacklist with the program director. Students are constantly hounded to rethink this decision even despite the financial strain this could cause (an MSLA is two years vs. 3 years for an MLA which is the degree that allows you to become licensed).

Recent hiring decisions leave something to be desired, with one of the new hires unable to effectively teach and communicate with students while simultaneously being curt and dismissive at best and downright abusive at worst. The other recent candidate does show potential to become a strong, long-standing member of faculty but from a student's perspective, they do not seem to be receiving the support they should be from the current administration to help them grow as a professor.

The structure of the program leans too heavy on theory. While I will not downplay the importance of theory in design, I will say that theory should not be valued above real-world skills that prepare you for licensure and make you marketable for your career. Students leave the program with no real understanding of grading and topography or plants (including morphology, communities, soils, etc.)- the information covered in the corresponding classes barely scratches the surface, especially considering students in the program come from all backgrounds, not just plant sciences or design fields. There is a general lack of science-based classes in the program that, looking back, are desperately needed to produce the caliber of designer that the program claims to be capable of producing. I would wager to say, even putting your best foot forward, you will be behind unless coming from a plant sciences background- those students have the science background best paired with such an excessive amount of theory.

There were two highlights of the program for me:

The first was three professors that were fundamental not only to my success in the program but also my love for landscape architecture. Without Assistant Professor Mike Ross, Assistant Professor Scottie McDaniel, and Assistant Professor Andrew Madl I wholeheartedly believe I would have withdrawn from the program. These professors care deeply for their students, encourage their creative explorations, and provide the level and type of feedback that encourages and betters prospective designers.

The second was my fellow students. The students selected for this program are bright, creative minds, with infinite potential. I often felt that I was learning more from my peers than the assigned course work. I only feel worried for their futures as they continue on, starting with a rocky foundation.

In summary I highly suggest finding another program unless the program makes changes or the above sounds like the kind of learning environment you desire.

-A Concerned UTK Alum

Hi, I’m a 22 year canadian horticulturist and carpenter who is passionate about ecology and native plants. Sorry this is so long, if you want to skip the context, my specific questions are at the bottom.

I don’t have a bachelors, but I do have my Horticulture 1&2 and Carpentry 1. I come at design as someone who knows what it’s like to physically maintain and build it. My dream would be working alongside biologists doing functional ecological restoration work (like stream daylighting for the gov). But I also need a good work/life balance to not burnout.

I love plants, wildlife, design, finding creative solutions, but I hate the janitorial nature of landscaping and being outside ALL day EVERY day. I took auto-cad in highschool and liked drafting, and I think the variability in LA workweeks is good for my ADHD. But heres where I need some help.

My friends and family worry that I am shoe-boxing myself into a niche; Landscape Architecture is a professional degree that leads me to a very specific career pathway. Come recession, the need for design plummets, and could leave me in instability. Also, you design something once, leaving you looking for the next job once that project is done.

• I could do a BSc in LA, minoring in Ecology. (Guelph)(4 yrs to licensure, could do masters of my choosing if I want).
• I could also do a BDes in Arch, LA and Urb Des, and get a Masters of Arch + LA for licensure. minoring in sustainable agr. and environment. (UBC)
• I could get a more general degree (Env. Studies?) and specialize into LA or Urb Des in my Masters

On Indeed in my area, just there’s more Arch and Urb Des. than Landscape Architecture jobs. And just 1 LA job is in ecological restoration. I thought Urb Des and Arch licensure could make me more versatile and hireable, even though they aren’t my goal.

My questions:

• how realistic is it that I can get a job in ecological design? Will I end up planning rich people’s gardens or condo developments if I cant find an ecological job? Personal experience in job stability?
• Is LA a job where you can live in a small town and still have work? I hope to one day live near family and own property on Vancouver Island
• Any input or guidance on these educational routes? Will my trades background in Hort. make me any more desirable as a job candidate?

ANY input is helpful. Thank you in advance !!! I have been thinking myself into circles on this.

The stormwater drains in front of my house become full quickly after heavy rains, the street slopes toward my house and is much higher on the other side of the road and my front yard/driveway is the lowest point on my side of the street. My basement gets flooded, my driveway washes away into my back yard as my property takes on all the water the storm drains cannot handle.

I've contacted my borough many times. I've went in person to meetings to plead my case with videos. I've contacted so many organizations; DEP, local state offices, and more. I've contacted attorneys. I've received quotes for French drains, sloped concrete driveways (sloped away from my house). Mostly everyone says that with as much water as we get, there's no fix that we can do that will get all the water away from my property. My property is behind the mustang. The other photo shows the flooded streets where the storm water drains are.

I'm at a lost cause On how to proceed and find a solution that will be worthy of spending money on.

Does anyone have experience installing Blacklocust ProFlow pavers? We have a project in San Rafael, California that we recently installed these cobbles with Romex fill material. The first install was no doubt an incorrect installation and failed, but the second installation was per directions. The first installation caused to the pavers to heave and buckle up. The second installation is not buckling like it did, but some of the pavers are popping up here and there and the Romex fill material is breaking away from the sides of the wood cobble. The color variation is due to being installed at different times (so that is not an issue).If anyone has any input, it would be much appreciated. The website has beautiful photos and we would love to be able to use this product effectively. We have not been able to see an installation of these pavers where they are open to the elements and remain level with consistent joints. We would appreciate input from anyone with experience.Current installation is a permeable paving profile with subdrainage. See attached photos and respond with any questions or comments.

https://preview.redd.it/gz6h17jiybhd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3da58be2177cb70724238b1dfac85e6acadba493

https://preview.redd.it/x4cuj6jiybhd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c18c44fca6da3bf9c2de3739e2b5c33f9e4c7e2a

https://preview.redd.it/n2venajiybhd1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=293870f2dcde34631d7de0d19469495d1355ab61

https://preview.redd.it/bkokcajiybhd1.jpg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a1317f28ab03c58d8bbda1b3dd47a19a37351ba

https://preview.redd.it/f62zw5kiybhd1.jpg?width=480&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30ea62489cbf921e3c464faea1db29dd940c7859

Hi all,

This is a long one--essentially it's "am I barking up the wrong tree?"

I would really appreciate some external insight into the challenges in getting a foothold in this profession for 4+ years now. I love what I do but it seems design employers don't want me. Considering targeting a different industry.

I graduated from a top 5 LA school in 2019, took a year off to recover. Program was brutal but also the cohort and teacher mix was toxic. Quite a few friends, noticeably from lower socio-economic brackets and interested in more humanitarian/ecological design, dropped out. I was told over and over that, while my ideas were unique and I had strong conviction about making the world better, I wasn't "trendy," and the other (cutthroat) students were "better" but the only objective reason I could think of was that they were faster at producing boards. I was told I wasn't a designer, but a planner. The best time I had in grad school was working in the engineering department, which applied real science to mapping and on the whole were more inclusive and embraced mentorship and cross-disciplinary work. I did a cross-disciplinary, scientific fellowship, too, and loved it.

During that year-long break, I aggressively worked on producing faster drawings. I got an ASLA award. I applied to over 50 design firms that looked more hands-on and seemingly cross-disciplinary (at least marketed as such) where I could fit. I got maybe 3-4 callbacks. Meanwhile, my friends and I noticed that other "favorite" students in our cohort had fast success in getting into firms--it was easy to cross reference teachers and their principal friends. This discouraged me enough to seek other cities across the US.

I took an offer to do ecological restoration across the country. The work was so awesome, so different from what my cohorts did, and fulfilling. Unfortunately, I found out from word of mouth in town, and then personal experience, the boss was extremely toxic and manipulative (people toss the word "narcissist" around a lot, but he was the real deal). I was stuck in a town with no other LA prospects, and deep in pandemic. I tried networking through friends, who referred big name firms. The firms either ghosted me or had bogus interviews where it was obvious they didn't read my resume or looked at my portfolio--they asked fluff questions to hear why I thought their firm was so great.

I'm now with a tiny design-build in town that's more of a construction company. It's the only opportunity available in town. I've very grateful for it. I've even stamped a couple of projects and have some being built. However, I feel like I'm falling behind professionally. I'd like to keep pushing my skills but I've also got a house and much-loved partner in town doing awesome in their career, so I'm kind of stuck to remote positions or hybrid. My resumes and coverletters reiterate that I'm willing to travel. I'd love to work in a team again with a shared sense of purpose. My pay hasn't budged for over 2 years despite licensure. I paid for all the licensing exams and study materials on my own and have to use my own laptop for work. It's been a very lonely experience.

I just got rejected, again, from a design firm I was really into. They almost hired me during pandemic but had a hiring freeze. I reached back out, but as soon as I mentioned that I'd like to work out a hybrid arrangement and why, they ghosted. I emailed again and received the following consolation that I've heard from a few firms before: We love your portfolio, you've got excellent work and attitude, but we're looking for something else. I've asked for feedback on what I can do to be a stronger candidate, and usually it falls to "we want someone to just produce." I feel like I'm applying to the best matched-positions: Intermediate level at this point.

Maybe the design profession culture and me don't mix? I love the mix of what I do: interacting with clients, figuring out the puzzle of zoning code, selecting plants, CAD blueprints...I mean, almost all of it except for cost estimating! I've also had really excellent feedback from managers in my prior careers. Ex-coworkers and new friends asking me if I would become a teacher or open my own business, and they would jump ship (I don't want to do that quite yet). I just don't know where I'm going wrong." My heart's more than a bit broken, but I'm thinking of turning myself in the direction of environmental or civil consultants and leaving the design firm world for good.

Without doxxing myself and location, would getting a Cali license help in the western US? I've thought about that, too, and using Amtrak to make a hybrid commute work.

Thanks so much for any advice in advance. I suck at social media and reddit, so apologies for clumsy or tardy responses. Happy to provide more info but figured this was long enough.

hi all, i am a current LA student at LSU. i am looking to add another major onto my BLA because i already have met all requirements besides my studios for the next 4 years. i was wondering if anyone in this group could tell me what the best major to pick would be. i am looking for something that will allow me to (hopefully) make more money than the avg landscape architect, but still work in the same profession.