LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT VS. LANDSCAPE DESIGNER DOES THE DIFFERENCE REALLY MATTER
Great! You’ve made the decision to hire a landscape professional.
Now, the hard part comes…
Do you hire a landscape architect or landscape designer?
Before & After by Lanson B. Jones & Co.
Unsure? Let’s look at the facts…
Education
Landscape Designer
The primary distinction between a landscape architect and landscape designer is that a “landscape designer” is not a regulated or licensed professional. The title, “landscape designer,” is a loosely defined term. For example, some landscape designers are hardscape experts, some are plant experts, while others may have a combination of skills and expertise.
Landscape designers are not required to possess educational or training backgrounds. However, many complete college or university courses through an extension or certification program. For instance, the University of Georgia and Purdue University offer courses that are available to students pursuing a career in landscape design. While these programs are popular, online courses such as the Ashworth College’s Landscape Design Course allow non-traditional students opportunities to pursue a landscape design career, too. Unlike landscape architects, students pursuing a career in landscape design are not required to obtain an educational background from an accredited college by the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
Landscape Architect
Landscape architects are state-licensed design professionals with degrees in landscape architecture and design. This means, they are required to obtain a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in landscape architecture from a university that is accredited by the ASLA and pass their state’s Landscape Architect Registration Exam (Texas Exam Example).
Some of the top schools for landscape architecture and design include, Cornell University, Rice University, Texas A&M University and University of California, Berkeley. The educational requirements are rigorous, comprehensive, and generally include an internship over the course of 4 to 5 years.
Landscape Architect vs. Landscape Designer by Lanson B. Jones & Co.
Credentials
Landscape Designer
While some designers have training equivalent to a landscape architect, they remain unlicensed and unregulated by the state. Thus, the execution of their projects usually require the help of a licensed landscape contractor or additional industry experts.
Typically, you’ll find landscape designers focusing on smaller projects due to their lack of experience in construction oversight, local regulations, site engineering and building techniques.
Landscape Architect
Through their professional and educational experiences, landscape architects have the technical expertise to take on challenging issues. Many know how to tackle issues that arise in both commercial and residential projects. They are problem solvers who have a great eye for analyzing sites and developing a master landscaping plan. From designing retaining walls, understanding the placement of irrigation and drainage systems, evaluating elevations and building custom environments, they understand the technicalities needed to complete an entire project. As mentioned in our blog post, “Every Reason Why You Should Hire A Landscape Architect,” a well-trained landscape architect will also know how to efficiently manage budget costs and meet project goals throughout the project’s entirety.
Landscape Architecture by Lanson B. Jones & Co.
So, more education and credentials = a better landscape design?
Some landscape architects and landscape designers have overlapping experiences and expertise, but clients should consider their unique talents.
If you need help finding the right fit for your project, we recommend contacting our landscape architects and design team here.
At the end of the day, it’s not only about looks, but also what your landscape design does and how it makes you feel.