Site Design vs. Landscape Design At the core of every successful proj-ect is a good site plan or land plan. Site planning involves the design and physical arrangement of built and natural elements. Architects, urban planners, civil engineers, and landscape architects are all qualified to design such plans, and each profession brings its own perspective to the task ranging from the broad to the specific.
Civil engineers apply scientific principles to create road, infrastructure, and utility solutions. Architects are primarily focused on buildings and specific-use facilities, and urban planners tend to bring a broad overview of development in the context of neighborhoods and cities. A landscape architect brings a special knowledge of the natural environment – whether re-creating new, preserving existing, or integrating both. The scope of practice for landscape architects is diverse and extends well beyond landscape design into different specialties such as wetlands mitigation, coastal zone management, parks, forests, and wildlife refuge areas.
Depending on a project’s complexity and requirements, all of the mentioned professionals will have an impact, to some degree, on the final site plan design, but the project goals and priorities will indicate which professional should assume the design leadership role. A good multifamily site design sensitively integrates man-made features with natural features – such as vegetation, topography, drainage, climate, and wildlife – in a creative and cost-effective manner. For most multifamily projects, the landscape architect works as a consultant to the architect or civil engineer or works directly for the developer.
However, for a development associated with special conditions, such as an existing brownfield site or new golf course, it would be quite appropriate to select a landscape architect with that particular specialized expertise in those areas to lead the site plan design of the project.
Keeping Options Open Landscape architecture is concerned with detailed design of outdoor space for residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and public spaces. It involves balancing soft and hard surfaces, selecting and specifying plant materials, site infrastructure such as irrigation, and preparing detailed construction documents.
When working with multifamily properties with multiple buildings, there are several approaches to the design. The economical approach is to develop prototypical designs for each building type. This simplifies the design and implementation phases and saves money, but it usually ignores the various orientations of the buildings. Plants that thrive in bright sun may struggle in the shade, and selecting only plants that do well in both sunny and shady areas may be too limiting and may sacrifice other project goals, i.e. long-term maintenance.
A more comprehensive design approach considers the micro-climactic factors on a building-by-building basis and leads to a design that is more successful over the long term. For example, trees, shrubbery, and plantings can begin to define outdoor spaces, mark entry points, and create focal elements.
The site plan designer or the developer assumes responsibility for procuring landscape design services, whose role in the project may vary according to the needs and budget of the project. Full scope services for all phases – including design, construction procurement, and implementation – may be the best solution for large and complex projects. For smaller projects the scope may be limited to design concepts and follow-up review while a local landscape contractor/supplier provides the labor.
No discussion of landscape design is complete without addressing the project budget. General wisdom claims that it is first on the chopping block when a project is over budget. This may make sense for limited instances such as a single-family home or an industrial site where the landscaping materials can be installed later. But a multifamily site with reduced or no landscaping can be deadly to the project’s bottom line. Based on current market demand the project may survive, but one questions the long-term impact for the owner of the project. Be wary of putting the landscaping line item at the top of the value engineering review list.
On a grand scale, Central Park may be considered the “living room” for New York City, attracting people to socialize, interact, and relax, and that is fundamental to the identity and experience of that city. On a smaller scale, multifamily communities can benefit from a similar space or set of spaces with the same type of qualities: a comfortable and inviting outdoor space that enhances the identity and experience of the community.
–Lawrence J. Suer, AIA, a principal at Cole & Russell Architects in Cincinnati.