Elevating Project Dynamics: The Importance of Engaging Landscape Architects at the Onset of Design
Talk to a few landscape architects and you’ll quickly discover we’re not in it for the glory. We’re generally humble. Mostly introverts by nature. We’re technically skilled and immensely capable designers, sure, but where we have found we can make the biggest difference is as collaborators and facilitators. For this reason, we like to say that landscape architects are the “glue” that connects owners, users, architects, engineers, and contractors, forming a single collaborative team. The earlier we’re brought into the fold, the more cohesion we can infuse into the team and project.
We believe this comes down to the six steps of our proven “6D” Process: Discuss, Dream, Discover, Design, Document, Deliver. Our design process is transparent and scalable and engages the entire design team in identifying opportunities and constraints collectively. Effective communication is fundamental for project success, and this method offers clear comprehension, providing a natural progression for discussion and agreement on data and decisions. Dix.Hite team members hold our design process integral to the firm’s culture and creativity and have applied it successfully to numerous design projects of all scales. Our “6D” process fosters collaboration and support — and we have witnessed firsthand how it can positively impact our work’s environment when we’re brought to the table to implement it early on.
Enhanced User Experience
When thinking about ways our early involvement can make a world of difference, our minds immediately jump to our work for Winter Park Village. For this project, we collaborated with engineers and architects from the onset, acting as the conduit between the two groups. Notably, the street was raised 12 inches to fuse seamlessly with the sidewalk and the horizontal geometry was adjusted slightly to slow vehicular speeds and deflect views to the storefronts. This wasn’t an engineering decision, but rather a suggestion by our team for how engineering and architecture could better harmonize. Because we were at the table early, we were afforded the opportunity to cultivate a user experience where shoppers and diners organically flowed from one place to another. Good for business, and good for an enchanting evening in Winter Park.
Before
Raising Gay Road to meet the sidewalk improved accessibility while creating a more open feel for Winter Park Village.
After
Increased Client ROI
Involving landscape architects early in the design process also allows us to contribute to the client’s return on investment. Firm Principal and Practice Leader specializing in Master Planned Communities and Multi-Family development, Scott Toschlog recalls his thinking around Bainbridge Westshore Marina, an apartment community in Tampa, FL. “It doesn’t matter what amenities the clubhouse has or what the units look like inside — if we haven’t captivated someone enough to stop and check it out, the project is simply not a success.”
This goal was achieved by considering the layout of buildings, which areas will be dedicated to parking, as well as the ways in which residents and visitors will traverse these spaces. “Our involvement early on meant we could preserve natural canopies along heavily trafficked footpaths rather than trying to find artificial shade after the fact, allowing the land to guide and immerse residents.” At the project’s completion, Westshore Marina was sold at a higher price per unit than anticipated, mirroring similar projects that have upheld this principle.
More Resilient and Sustainable Spaces
We joke that landscape architects were thinking about the human impact on the earth before it was “cool,” but it’s true. Landscape architects advocate for connecting people with nature and each other, focusing our work on finding harmony and balance between the built environment and nature. Whereas some minds might think to clear mature trees to start with a blank canvas for a design, we view these existing landscapes as opportunities to preserve biodiversity and enhance a site’s resiliency. By working around them — or with them — we create a more immersive and sustainable setting.
At Canopy Apartments in Gainesville, Florida, we achieved the shared objective of the team and City by preserving and integrating as many existing oak trees as possible. This effort provided immediate, mature shade to the apartment's pool and amenity area.
Sheeba West, a firm Principal and Practice Leader specializing in Public Sector projects, notes that “engineers often default to moving water through underground pipes,” which can minimize water treatment, percolation, and infiltration for localized recharge into aquifers and lakes. “When we’re brought in early, we might propose keeping water above ground instead. Celebrating water on site through rain gardens and bioswales can reduce engineering costs and create a biophilic atmosphere where users are immersed in the sound, sight, and energy of flowing water and the flora and fauna it attracts.”
Our team designed signage at Crest Lake Park in Clearwater Florida to educate visitors on the rain gardens utilized there.
No matter how small, we’re impacting the planet with every project and every interaction. By involving landscape architects early in the design process, we can ensure that this impact is positive.
