Page 18 - Landscape SA 102
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FEATURE


















              Menno Klapwijk,
           Bapela Cave Klapwijk   Sarvin Naidoo, GAPP Architects   Johan Barnard, Newtown     Simone du Plessis,
           Landscape Architects      and Urban Designers            Landscape Architects      Veld Architects


           knowledge and experience will lead to   engineers, urban designers, and landscape   superior; I can remember working with
           the appointment of professionals at the   architects. I think that LAs also need to   a prominent architect who was trying to
           appropriate time. I find developers in   step up in their role and not be afraid to   force a design solution that just wasn’t
           general are very aware of current ‘green’   challenge what has been proposed by   going to work. He eventually apologised
           trends and will act accordingly.   other professionals on a project.  for being presumptuous and arrogant. I
                                                                                replied that it wasn’t really his fault as he
           MK:  The client needs to understand the   KM:  I’m  sure  there are  examples  of this   had been taught at an early stage in his
           role of the landscape architect and the   having already happened on landscape-  career to act in this manner!
           contribution he/she can make to the   specific  development  schemes,  for
           design process. Unfortunately, we as   example  environmentally  driven  SN: In my opinion there are LAs in
           LAs have not been good ambassadors   developments  or  perhaps  on  projects   South Africa who have post graduate
           for  our  profession  as  we  haven’t  actively   that require master planning of parks,   qualifications and an understanding
           promoted our role as being part of the   greenbelts, wetlands, botanical gardens   of urban design as a built environment
           initial design team. Currently the client   etc. LAs have a good sense of the overall   discipline, who are leading design teams
           only has contact initially with the architect,   cohesion between man and nature, and   on large scale projects. LAs should
           and then brings in the engineers. The last   in this way the approach may be more   demonstrate their holistic approach
           thing on the client’s mind is the integration   strongly based on connections and   to design to prospective clients and
           of the interior and exterior of a building   congruence between the two.  developers at an  urban and  site
           and the landscape.                                                   development level. If they do this more
                                              JB: In the USA, LAs fulfil the roles of   often it will help to turn the situation
           SN: The client is the initiator of the project   planners and are therefore usually   around.
           and the employer of the design team and   appointed very early on. NLA is becoming
           must therefore include the landscape   involved in urban design projects where   SDP: In South Africa we need to explore
           architect in the upfront design stages so   we could influence landscape design from   the power of collaboration more, creating
           that the desired outcome of the project is   the start.              design teams that combine the skills of
           realised. The client should see the LA as a                          both architects and landscape architects.
           critical member of the design team where   JD: I believe that this already has, and will   By combining the skills sets of both, the
           their value add is understood both for   continue to happen in this country where   design will reflect both professions’ inputs
           design and financial benefit.      the type of project features the landscape/   holistically instead of two separate entities.
                                              ecology of the site as the dominant
           SDP: In practice, the involvement of the LA   element or priority. This can be either by   General
           in a project is determined by the budget.   legal requirement, client requirement or
           Therefore it is important to discuss with   both.  It  should  be  remembered  that  the   JB: A big limiting factor is quantity
           clients  the role  a landscape architect   LA profession is still relatively young in this   surveyors doing the landscape budget,
           can play at the initial stages of a project,   country, and countries like the US have the   even if a LA has been appointed. We are
           to highlight the benefits in terms of the   advantage of being well-established over   working on a hospital in Middelburg where
           project’s final outcome. In most cases,   a much longer period of time. Successful   we proposed a budget of R7 million. The
           clients are not aware of the value that can   projects influence and reinforce the need   QS cut it down to R2 million and refused
           be added when LAs are involved in the   for the LA profession by developers and   to add funds for the irrigation system. On
           design stages of a project.        the public alike.                 another hospital we were able to convince
                                                                                the QS (with the architect’s support) to
           In the USA, LAs are known to       MK: This requires education, which begins   go from R2.5 million to R12 million as the
           sometimes take the lead in large   at  university.  In  the  USA,  the  design   project included courtyard landscaping on
           developments. Could this be done   schools work very closely with the various   basement slabs.
           in South Africa and if so, how?    design  departments.  They  have  regular,
           What would need to happen for      joint design meetings that include town   JD: With environmental issues becoming
           the situation to be turned around?   and urban planners, architects, landscape   increasingly important and the movement
                                              architects, engineers and interior designers.   towards greener solutions, we can expect
           GS:  This could begin to happen if the   They don’t see a hierarchy of status of the   the role of LAs to continue to grow in use
           LA profession and the value they could   design professionals, but rather see each   and stature. The profession must, however,
           add to projects was better known and   other as equals with different roles in the   ensure that it continues to be  ‘fit for
           understood.  We need to see a greater   design  process.  Unfortunately,  we  still   purpose’.  LSA
           increase in working relationships between   have a situation in South Africa where
           all professional bodies - architects,   the architectural profession is seen as



           16   Landscape SA • Issue 102 2021
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