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Landscape Architects Occupation Detailed Description

Landscape Architects career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Landscape Architects

The main tasks and work activities of Landscape Architects are to create graphical representations of structures or landscapes, confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans, incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities, design water conservation systems. In general, for the Landscape Architects, active Listening, reading Comprehension, speaking, coordination and other 17 skills are required.
Landscape Architects Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Related ExperienceA considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
ExampleMany of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Landscape Architects jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
3.57%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
96.43%

Tasks and Work Activities of Landscape Architects

  • Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
  • Collaborate with architects or related professionals on whole building design to maximize the aesthetic features of structures or surrounding land and to improve energy efficiency.
  • Create landscapes that minimize water consumption such as by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants.
  • Design and integrate rainwater harvesting or gray and reclaimed water systems to conserve water into building or land designs.
  • Identify and select appropriate sustainable materials for use in landscape designs, such as recycled wood or recycled concrete boards for structural elements or recycled tires for playground bedding.
  • Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
  • Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
  • Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
  • Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentation to generate new work opportunities.
  • Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
  • Present project plans or designs to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups.
  • Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
  • Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.
  • Research latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field.
  • Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas or other important site information, such as soil condition, existing landscaping, or the proximity of water management facilities.
  • Develop planting plans to help clients garden productively or to achieve particular aesthetic effects.
  • Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
  • Prepare conceptual drawings, graphics, or other visual representations of land areas to show predicted growth or development of land areas over time.
  • Provide follow-up consultations for clients to ensure landscape designs are maturing or developing as planned.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentProviding documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGetting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
  • Create graphical representations of structures or landscapes.
  • Confer with technical personnel to prepare designs or operational plans.
  • Incorporate green features into the design of structures or facilities.
  • Design water conservation systems.
  • Select project materials.
  • Discuss designs or plans with clients.
  • Create maps.
  • Analyze physical, survey, or geographic data.
  • Perform marketing activities.
  • Inspect facilities or sites to determine if they meet specifications or standards.
  • Explain project details to the general public.
  • Supervise engineering or other technical personnel.
  • Update technical knowledge.
  • Prepare detailed work plans.
  • Advise customers on the use of products or services.

Skills and Abilities for Landscape Architects

  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Operations AnalysisAnalyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Scannerse.g. Computer scanners
  • Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
  • Digital camcorders or video camerase.g. Digital camcorders
  • Digital camerase.g. Digital cameras
  • Global positioning system GPS receivere.g. Global positioning system GPS receivers
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • DesignKnowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Building and ConstructionKnowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Engineering and TechnologyKnowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • Economics and AccountingKnowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
  • Communications and MediaKnowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.