Shaping the Outdoors: Celebrating World Landscape Architecture Month

Article written by Jon Conner, PLA, LEED AP, Landscape Architect at JMT

Welcome to World Landscape Architecture Month!

Each April the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) participates in the global celebration of World Landscape Architecture Month, which honors the impacts that landscape architects have on communities and the environment.

What is Landscape Architecture?

Many folks understand that landscape architects are the professionals that create planting designs for their project, but landscape architects’ expertise goes far beyond planting design. Landscape architects are trained in the planning and design of outdoor spaces that strike the critical balance between the natural, built, and human environments. Think of them as the “architects” of spaces outside the building. Landscape architecture is a licensed profession in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Like engineers and architects, landscape architects are required to hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited university and pass a rigorous national exam to achieve licensure. The licensing exam is comprised of four distinct 3-hour exams.

JMT has maintained a Landscape Architecture practice for over 35 years. Over that time, the practice has evolved from strictly supporting transportation-related projects to master planning and site design for a wide variety of facilities as well as natural resource projects. JMT’s current practice has landscape architects placed in five different offices and embedded in a variety of design teams covering site design, planning, natural and cultural resources, and architecture.

JMT’s Landscape Architecture team is involved with projects that typically fall under three of our four business lines – Transportation, Buildings and Facilities, and Water, Energy, and Environment.

Landscape architects can serve a variety of roles on any given project. They can serve as the overall project manager, provide valuable input at the concept development stages, develop final contract documents for outdoor infrastructure, and provide design oversight/inspection during construction.

Over the years, JMT’s landscape architects have served as valuable team members on some notable projects like the Rehoboth Avenue streetscape in Rehoboth Beach, DE, Buzzard Point National Park in SW Washington, DC, and the Low Battery seawall restoration project in Charleston, SC.

Landscape architecture has officially been designated as a STEM discipline by the US Department of Homeland Security. This allows students at all levels to be exposed to the profession and, specifically for high school and college students, provides STEM scholarship opportunities to pursue Landscape Architecture degrees.

Landscape architects are taking the role of design leaders in resilient design that addresses the continually changing climate conditions and biodiversity crisis. JMT’s landscape architects work with our water resource and coastal engineers, natural resource scientists, and architects to develop thoughtful design solutions that address the specific needs of communities as they adapt to a changing climate and look for sustainable solutions to their community’s challenges.

As you enjoy the beautiful spring weather this April and get outside, take a moment to think about why your favorite outdoor places are so special to you. Chances are a landscape architect was involved in the design of those places. World Landscape Architecture Month provides an opportunity to recognize the impacts landscape architects have on our world and our local communities. Enjoy April, everyone!

To explore more about Landscape Architecture, follow this link to the American Society of Landscape Architect’s website!