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Clients
will intuitively contact
an architect when planning to build or remodel a home. Licensed
architects are experienced in the design and construction process
and will help place your project on the road to success. Nevertheless,
architects cannot design all facets of a project. It is often
the case other licensed professionals are called upon to lend
their expertise. Depending on the scope of your project, you
may need to call a
landscape architect,
civil engineer
and possibly a land
surveyor.
So
who, why and when should you contact design professionals, and
exactly what will they do?
Obviously,
projects will vary and new construction differs from renovations.
Site or building renovations, depending on the scope of work,
may or may not require professional services. An experienced
builder or
contractor may
be the appropriate choice for such endeavors. Albeit, it is
certainly advisable to hire a professional for a design consultation
prior to construction activity. Because of their training and
experience, design professionals will make sure the basics are
covered, and will red flag potential problem areas prior to
construction, avoiding costly mistakes or lost opportunities.
On
the other hand, new construction projects almost always involve
the services of a licensed professional. Towns/cities usually
require the professional seal and signature of an architect,
landscape architect,
engineer or
surveyor to
appear on the design documents. This is to ensure the proposed
construction meets zoning, building and environmental codes
/ regulations, as well as legal and public safety issues. Large
investments, such as site development and home construction,
will inherently benefit from the experience of a licensed professional.
You
may encounter many job titles while interviewing design firms.
There is a legal difference between an Architect
and an Architectural
Designer; a Landscape
Architect and a Landscape
Designer, a Professional
Engineer and an
Engineer.
Architects,
Landscape Architects and Professional Engineers
are typically licensed, based on
education, experience and examination, by the State Department
of Consumer Protection. Architectural
designers, landscape designers and engineers
are not professionally licensed by the State, but they often
have degrees in their respective fields. For projects not lawfully
requiring licensed professionals, and do not have extensive
technical applications, non-licensed designers can be acceptable
choices. Certainly, licensure is not a prelude to creative design,
but it is very important to your personal safety and financial
investments. In short, know your legal and technical requirements
before hiring a design firm/individual.
Landscape
Architecture and Site Design
Some
landscape architects analyze the landscape in layers, which
when stacked upon each other, create a single composition. I
tend to simplify the process into two primary layers: functional
and
aesthetic.
The
functional
layer organizes the site
technically, spatially and with regard to safety. For example,
designing an entrance drive to service a house is a functional
design element; traversing from point A to point B, in a safe
and technically feasible method. How you get from point A to
point B can become an aesthetical design element as well. The
shape of the driveway can be curvilinear or straight, and the
construction materials can vary in style and appearance; therefore,
the aesthetic layer deals with shape, form, color, texture,
sight, style, views, etc.
The
aesthetic
attributes combine to create a beautiful
landscape. Function and safety are objective, but beauty is
subjective. (Because beauty is subjective, it is important that
landscape architects understand their client's style, or sense
of beauty, when designing a site.) Landscape architecture is
the melding of objective and subjective elements in the creation
of functional and beautiful landscapes.
Design
Process
New
construction and renovation projects can be "a learn as
you go" experience for many first timers. Unfortunately,
clients often contact their landscape architect post home construction.
Ideally, the landscape architect
should be consulted at the very beginning of a project.
When involved early on in the design process,
the landscape architect has the opportunity to coordinate site
design issues with the proposed architecture to better meet
client expectations. Nonetheless, all hope is not lost if the
landscape architect is called in after construction has begun.
Landscape architects are trained to work with preexisting site
conditions.
The
design process can be broken into four steps: defining
the program, site
inventory and analysis, opportunities
and constraints, and
design solutions.
Every
project begins by defining
the program. What does
the client want? The client would like a 5,000 S.F. home, swimming
pool, tennis court, large lawn area for recreation, beautiful
gardens, and has a fixed construction budget, etc.
Once
the program has been defined, a thorough
site inventory and analysis
is conducted. Site inventory and analysis
simply records the existing conditions of a site; the site is
2.5 acres, adjacent to a small pond, with gentle to moderately
sloping topography, great views to the west and poor views looking
into the adjacent property, etc.
Next,
the landscape architect identifies opportunities
and constraints. This
process weighs programmatic goals against existing site conditions.
Gently sloping topography is an opportunity for lawn related
recreation. The pond is an environmental constraint from a building
standpoint, but a scenic and recreational opportunity. A constraint
for one program goal may be another's opportunity. The steps
preceding the design solution phase are not very interesting
to most clients, but the steps are invaluable to the landscape
architect.
The
last step,
design solutions,
is the fun and interesting part for the landscape architect
and client. This phase results in the beautiful color renderings
that we all love to see. These graphics are often referred to
as master plans, which convey an overall design of the property.
Depending on the level of detail required, master plans are
often converted into construction drawings and specifications.
The
process above should be considered a general approach to site
design, and it certainly will vary in complexity from project
to project. So as you venture into your project, whether new
construction, renovations or landscape design, we hope the information
provided will help you reach your goals.• |
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What
does each design professional do?
Professional
designers will differ in expertise and experience within their
given disciplines. For example, some
civil engineers
may specialize in roadway or bridge design.
Other civil engineers may specialize in residential site engineering,
etc. The same can be said for architects
and landscape
architects. Most professional
designers will not accept work outside their realm of expertise,
and will gladly refer you to a qualified firm. Depending on
the scope of your project, you may work with one or all of the
professionals.
Architects
are concerned primarily with building
design as it relates to the site and client requirements. Architects,
as part of their design process, also practice site design as
it relates to their building.
Civil
engineers are the technical
muscle of site design. They are responsible for items such as
site utilities, sewage and storm water disposal systems as well
as other technical issues. Civil engineers may also practice
site design as it relates to their engineering process.
Land
surveyors are called upon
to prepare a base map of the site. There are various types of
base maps, the most common is an A-2 property survey. An A-2
property survey delineates your parcel's boundaries, lot area,
easements, as well as other important items. This base map is
then used by architects, landscape architects and engineers
to design the site. Land
Surveyors will also prepare
a map called an "As Built". This document graphically
depicts post construction site conditions, such as house, driveway
and subsurface sewage disposal system locations.
Landscape
architects, by education,
have working knowledge of architecture, civil engineering, planning
and environmental issues. They apply the principles from the
various design disciplines when designing a project.
The
landscape architect's primary task is to create safe, functional
and aesthetically pleasing exterior spaces. He or she does this
by manipulating the land form, coordinating with the architecture,
applying site engineering practices, preserving the character
and environmental integrity of the natural systems. And finally,
satisfy the client's goals and budgets.
For
questions relating to landscape architecture or site design,
you may contact Mark at 1-203-287-8487 or by e-mail at markp@mjpandassociates.com |
