**Professional Associations and Recognition:**
– Australia: The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) defines the role and requirements for landscape architects, including accredited degrees and professional practice.
– Canada: The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) is the professional association in Canada, emphasizing sustainable design practices and setting standards.
– United Kingdom: The Landscape Institute is the recognized body for landscape architecture in the UK, with a rigorous pathway to becoming a Chartered Member.
– United States: The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) was established to formalize the practice in the US, with a focus on balancing cultural structures with natural landscapes.
**Notable Landscape Architects:**
– Australia: Catherin Bull, Kevin Taylor, Richard Weller, Peter Spooner, and Doris Jocelyn Brown.
– Canada: Cornelia Oberlander, Claude Cormier, Peter Jacobs, Janet Rosenberg, and Marc Ryan.
– United States: Frederick Law Olmsted, Beatrix Farrand, Jens Jensen, and Lawrence Halprin.
**Education and Training:**
– Australia: Landscape architects in Australia follow the International Standard Classification of Occupations and undergo assessments for full professional recognition.
– United Kingdom: Becoming a recognized landscape architect in the UK involves approximately seven years of education and training, leading to Chartered Membership.
**Work Scope and Contributions:**
– Landscape architects work on developing theories, policies, and methods for landscape planning and design, including conservation and recreation areas.
– They contribute to environmental awareness, restoration of cultural and historic landscapes, and ensure projects adhere to building codes and regulations.
**Resources and References:**
– Publications: Landscape Australia, The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, Australian Dictionary of Biography, iBooks.
– Notable Figures: Cornelia Oberlander, Claude Cormier, Penelope Green, Alex Bozikovic, John Lorinc.
– Historical References: Notable projects and articles related to landscape architecture in different regions.
A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water management, sustainable design, construction specification, and ensuring that all plans meet the current building codes and local and federal ordinances.
The practice of landscape architecture dates to some of the earliest of human cultures and just as much as the practice of medicine has been inimical to the species and ubiquitous worldwide for several millennia. However, this article examines the modern profession and educational discipline of those practicing the design of landscape architecture.
In the 1700s, Humphry Repton described his occupation as "landscape gardener" on business cards he had prepared to represent him in work that now would be described as that of a landscape architect.
The title, "landscape architect", was first used by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of New York City's Central Park in Manhattan and numerous projects of large scale both public and private. He was the founder of a firm of landscape architects who employed highly skilled professionals to design and execute aspects of projects designed under his auspices.
Depending on the jurisdiction, landscape architects who pass state requirements to become registered, licensed, or certified may be entitled to use the postnominal letters PLA. In the US, all 50 states have adopted licensure. The American Society of Landscape Architects endorses the postnominal letters PLA, for Professional Landscape Architect.