When you're considering improving the outdoor spaces of your home or place of business, you have choices when it comes to selecting the professionals who will design and implement those changes. Understanding the differences between various professions can help you select the team best suited to meet your needs.
Landscape architects are highly trained professionals who understand how to create beautiful and functional outdoor spaces that are well-integrated into the natural environment. They often design and create spaces like gardens, golf courses, courtyards, parks, and community greenspaces.
Modern landscape architecture programs train students to create spaces that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. This means choosing materials and plants that are well suited for the location and work to nurture the soil and allow for proper drainage.
Not long ago, landscaping was largely focused on putting in plants that looked good. Little effort was made to consider how well those plants would thrive in their new environment, or whether they provided shade for other plantings or improved soil quality. Modern landscape architecture focuses on the short and long term benefits of each project, and aims to create spaces that meet the client's needs while also delivering positive outcomes to the environment.
Landscape architects understand the topographical elements in the space they're working on. Sometimes those elements are natural, like mountains, valleys, or lakes. Other projects are done near manmade topographical elements like roads, buildings, or dams. The best designs are those that take these features into account rather than simply trying to force a design in a place it doesn't naturally make sense.
In creating their designs, landscape architects often use CAD software and/or geographic information systems (GIS) technology to perform the planning stage of the process.
A civil engineer is a professional trained in the planning, design, and construction of significant infrastructure projects. They go through extensive training in how to assess the risk of erosion, traffic congestion, and even earthquake damage. When they plan projects they focus on identifying potential areas of concern in an effort to create a finished project that is safe and lasting.
Civil engineers create projects like roads, bridges, railways, dams and tunnels. They often work as part of a large team, and remain engaged in the project from start to finish. They are trained in all types of building materials and safety standards, as well as issues like site grading, underground utility management, and more.
Many civil engineers use AutoCAD during the planning process.
When determining which type of professional is best suited for your project, understanding the difference between the two professions is important. In general, civil engineers are trained to work on a wider range of projects than landscape architects. A civil engineer is also a good fit for projects where there are significant safety concerns.
Landscape architects are a great choice when the primary focus is on achieving a beautiful and functional design. Landscaping goes far beyond simply choosing attractive plants and putting them in; a great landscape architect considers many other aspects of a job.
Some projects require collaboration between civil engineers and landscape architects. This approach allows a team effort in designing and implementing an outdoor feature that is functional, safe, attractive, and aligned with the environment. Most landscape architects are well-versed in working with civil engineers, and vice versa.
Regardless of whether you hire a landscape architect or a civil engineer to assist with your project, expect a high degree of professionalism. Your input should always be considered, and your questions should be promptly answered.
Both professions require advanced education and training, and you can expect a high degree of professionalism from a landscape architect or civil engineer. If you have questions about which type of professional is the right fit for your project, reach out with the details of your project and learn about the skills that each of these professions has to offer.
