Landscape Architect vs. Landscape Designer

So you have a big yard and want to convert it into a beautifully landscaped area. But you don’t really know whose help to seek. You want to hire a professional but then again with all the overlapping disciplines you are confused as to who would be the most suitable for your work to be completed. A Landscape Architect or a Landscape Designer? While it is true that either one can help you accomplish the job, but what is more important is who suits your need. So how exactly is a Landscape Architect different from a Landscape Designer? Let’s find out.

Education

Landscape Architects must have a formal education of a Bachelor’s Degree or above to be qualified to be called so. They are the ones who have received a proper training on the subject and are accredited. While education isn’t the primary basis of excellence but it is the mandatory criterion to be a professional Landscape Architect.

A Landscape Designer, on the other hand, may or may not have a degree. They are mostly self-taught or have gained expertise through online courses or certification programmes. They generally don’t have much experience in the big picture.

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Licensing

For Landscape Architects to practice professionally it is a mandate for them to be registered under a certain authorizing body. The license to practice is the key to a Landscape Architect. So when you want a legit outcome to your landscaping solutions, you know whom to hire.

While most landscape Designers may have an equivalent training and expertise what they lack is a license which is a requirement to officially practice. Hence most of them are personalized designers working on small projects.

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Scale of Projects

Landscape Architects are mostly employed to design large projects in the urban context such as commercial complexes, university campuses, public parks, resorts or apartment complexes. They also work on the restoration of natural biodiversities such as forests and wetlands. Green design is also a facet of concern for Landscape Architects.

Whereas, landscape Designers are mostly small-scale designers whose work ethos ranges from residential projects to private gardens or backyards. This makes them very client specific. Their work growth generally goes through word of mouth and is specified within close circles.

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Details Of work

What distinguishes the two categories of professionals in the knowledge and background in horticulture. Landscape Designers have nursery experiences and knowledge of plants. They know the local materials and availability of plants and are capable of installing hardscape features as well. Their work is more conceptual and is about beautification rather than looking at the technicalities. Although they might utilize all the principles of design and know the correct placements for each feature they lack in technical knowledge. That is where landscape Architects step in.

Landscape Architects study everything starting from the soil condition to topography to drainage before providing a concept plan. They work in accordance with setbacks, complexity in design such as steep slopes and retaining walls, correlation with the local ecosystem, site analysis, and drainage issues. Their plan consists of a well-detailed plan including irrigation plan, drainage plan, lighting layout and planting plan. Landscape Architects are capable of changing the face of your desired space.

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Although the disciplines go hand in hand, both of them have their respective areas of expertise and clientele. It is about the need of the client, the scale of the project and ultimately the budget that decides whom to hire. It is all about client satisfaction in the end. So a good interaction and follow-up of previous projects is a good way to decide whom you actually want to hire.

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