Greener pastures

The construction boom has left the field wide open for landscape architecture, writes Usha Albuquerque

IN the last few decades, our economy has witnessed hectic and massive construction activities, new structures have been raised, townships have evolved — all this is evident of growth in the sector. But in the last few years, as more and more construction has come up, the concrete and mortar urban skyline is lowly giving way to more green open spaces and ecologically appealing landscapes. From, the basic necessity of housing and shelter of yesteryear, emphasis is now given on comfort, luxury and style. This also reveals the growing influence of architecture and the vital role of landscaping.

Architects are trained in organising space and they design and plan for the construction of any type of building or complex from an individual residence to group housing, hospitals, hotels, commercial plazas, factories, as also gardens and leisure areas, within the framework of existing laws and regulations. An architect helps bring the balance between aesthetics and functionality, keeping in mind the construction requirements, the environment, location, building laws and the latest technology. Along with designing, they are also knowledgeable about the plumbing, air conditioning, electricity, engineering details, the effect of temperature and climate changes on the house, building law and regulations etc.

Landscape architecture is a very important stream of architecture concerned with both the built and the natural environment. It has evolved into a completely new discipline and is today recognised as an important career. With people becoming aware of the different styles of different parts of the world, architects nowadays try to combine the best of all these styles for the best possible effect not only on the aesthetics of the structure being built but also the exterior surroundings.

Landscape architecture is primarily a fine art, its most important function being, to create and preserve beauty in the surroundings of human habitations and its broader natural scenery. It is also concerned with promoting the comfort, convenience and health of the urban populations, which have scanty access to natural scenery. This discipline works on the principle that the best use of spaces must compliment the natural surroundings and at the same time, preserve its beauty.

Several modern day residential and commercial complexes are being designed and planned by landscape architects. This is a phenomenon that has only come up very recently. So far, this has not been the focus of urban development and town planning programmes at all.

Landscape architects are basically concerned with the planning, design and construction of the outdoor environment, ensuring that the construction of a structure blends with its external environment. They, therefore, bring together scientific, architectural, engineering and aesthetic skills. Making use of these skills, they plan and design housing complexes, parks, highways, commercial centres, shopping malls and plazas, recreation facilities, biological gardens and nature conservation areas. Here, their main job is to integrate practical functionality and aesthetics with nature.

It is also essential for landscape architects to have sufficient knowledge of disciplines such as horticulture, geology, soil science, as well as ground and weather conditions. Technological consideration of materials is also required for deciding their durability for usage.

The work done by landscape architects is carried out in several stages:

Planning a project: Landscape architects have to do a thorough research on the specifications of a project—-be it a housing project, an educational institution, recreation facility, an industrial outfit or any urban project. Everything requires planning and designing. So, the work begins from the scratch, with a study of the site, its slopes and elevations, natural environmental, soil and existing utilities, direction of sunlight and other factors, and so on. Landscape architects therefore work from the very beginning of a project, plan everything and make relevant suggestions so that alterations can be made at the time of inception of the project, so as to avoid future problems.

Co-ordination is another vital aspect of the work of landscape architects. They have to co-ordinate their work with not just engineers and architects, but also with urban development and city municipal officials, zonal experts, real estate agents and horticulturists. Co-ordination is important at every stage because the end result is a collaborative effort, which has to be sustained even after the professionals have completed the project and moved on.

Evaluation & design: This is a very crucial stage of work. After undertaking a thorough evaluation of the project, designing comes in. The landscape architect has to work out several drawings giving details of the layout, the new topography, and the materials and method of construction of terraces, walkways, steps and other landscape amenities. Today, most landscape architects are using Computer Aided Design (CAD) Systems to assist them in preparing their design, which could be in the form of a video simulation. This works as an effective tool to help clients envision the architect’s ideas.

The design and planning of any site has to be done, keeping in mind the nature and purpose of the project, and funds available. At this stage, the clients have to be consulted, financial specifications and estimates have to be approved, and construction and landscaping firms are appointed to carry on the work according to these specifications. Landscape architects generally supervise and oversee the work on behalf of the clients.

As landscape architecture is offered at the Master’s level, to become a landscape architect you need to have completed the bachelor’s degree in architecture, or in planning. For admission to an architecture programme, you should have completed your plus two with physics, chemistry, mechanical/ engineering drawing and mathematics, with a minimum of 60 per cent marks. Entrance to architecture courses is through national and state-level entrance examinations. Private institutes conduct entrance exams of their own, while entrance to architecture programmes at the IITs and other engineering institutes is through the IIT-JEE or AIEEE held in May each year. Admission is based on an entrance test which also includes an aptitude test. This test assesses your ability in areas such as visual and spatial perception, colour concepts, freehand drawing and general aesthetic aptitude.

The academic programme aims at imparting proficiency in landscape assessment and design techniques, employing ecological principles while keeping in view socio-economic and cultural considerations. The programme covers a variety of courses, such as Plant Systematics and Processes, Plants and Design, Landscape Engineering, Ecosystem Analysis and Field Ecology.

The job of a landscape architect is far from a typical office job. It blends outdoor work on locations with that of desk jobs. He/she has to divide time between the site and the office. So besides having an aptitude and inclination for design and architecture, if you want to be a Landscape architect, you should be interested in art and nature. It would also help if you have a genuine interest in and concern for community improvement, environment protection and visual aesthetics. It is also important for a landscape architect to have a certain amount of business acumen, since a lot of co-ordination has to be done not only with the clients, but with other professionals too.

In the past, landscape architects were known as designers of gardens and parks. Today, landscape architects have expanded the field to include planning, design and management of several aspects of the environment. They are also specialists in site planning which requires the expertise of an architect and also detailed technical knowledge of’ soils, structures and services.

Growth and prosperity of an economy, to an extent is reflected in its physical appearance. The architecture industry is directly influenced by the demand in the construction industry, which is currently experiencing a boom. All this has importantly led to a creation of avenues for those interested in making a career in this sector.

Today, in developed countries, landscape architects are working in specialised areas . In India too, several such projects are increasingly being undertaken and, therefore, the demand for landscape architects and their work is growing very rapidly.

Landscape architecture is offered as a postgraduate course (Master’s of Landscape Architecture) to graduates in architecture, civil engineering and town planning.

Premier institutions offering postgraduate courses in landscape architecture include:

Centre of Environmental Planning and Technology; Kasturba Lal Bhai Campus, Ahmedabad- 381 009.

School of Planning and Architecture; 4 Block B, IP Estate, New Delhi-110 002.

— The writer is a noted career expert