Landscape Architect Articles

LASN News September 198509-01-85 | News

Landscape Licensure Opposed

The American Institute of Architects board of directors approved a policy which opposes the licensure of landscape architects. The action took place at the group’s national meeting in March.

Among the reasons for this attitude, the AIA stated that “in the construction industry the responsibility for the public health, safety and welfare demands the education and experience required for the licensing of architects and engineers. The AIA opposes any dilution of this responsibility.”

The policy statement continues with a swipe at the professionalism of la’s and interior designers: ”[They] are important members of the design team. However?EUR??,,????'??? the responsibility for life safety?EUR??,,????'??? rests with architects and engineers who are best qualified?EUR??,,????'??? by virtue of training, experience and education.”

Therefore, according to the AIA board, “A need does not exist to license additional professions. Should other disciplines be licensed, the public will face confusion and be misled as to respective areas of competence in the design professions.”

To state your view and to get more information on this matter of major importance to la’s, call Joe Heath, executive director of the Department of Consumer Affairs board of landscape architects for the State of California at (916) 445-4954.

AIA Policy in Full

For the record, THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT and Specifier News presents the text of the AlA’s new licensing policy.

POLICY STATEMENT. The American Institute of Architects holds that in the construction industry the responsibility for the public health, safety and welfare demands the education and experience required for the licensing of architects and engineers. The AIA opposes any dilution of this responsibility.

STATEMENT OF ISSUE. The sole basis of licensing professions j should be the protection of the public. Elements of design that affect the public health, safety and welfare, and that fall within the scope of architectural practice, require the training and experience found only in that required for licensing as an architect. In addition, fragmentation of responsibility for the building process will pose burdensome jurisdictional questions and is ultimately impractical. Should other disciplines be licensed, the public will face confusion and be misled as to respective areas of competence in the design profession.

RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND. Over the years, efforts have been made by some segments of the design and construction industry to seek licensing legislation for activities such as planning, landscape architecture, construction management, interior design, “building design,” and others. While their position has generally been that title laws?EUR??,,????'??+in contrast to practice laws?EUR??,,????'??+would have no impact on architects and their practice, history teaches that the long-term effect would lead to greater fragmentation of design responsibility.

As a national organization, the American Institute of Architects has opposed efforts in the past only to the extent of ensuring that the traditional right of architects to practice all facets of the profession, and to say that they do so practice, is not affected. With this policy, and in the public interest, the American Institute of Architects opposes licensing of others than architects and engineers in the design professions.

SB 392 Dropped

A bill which would have repealed the Landscape Architect’s Licensing Act in California was recently dropped for this year by its sponsor, Senator Ed Royce (R-Fullerton). SB 392 was dropped before its first policy committee hearing as a result of a major oppositional effort by the California Council of Landscape Architects. However, Royce is expected to introduce the bill again in 1986.

Fore He’s A Jolly Good Fellow

Canadian John Watson has been elected president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA). The election took place during the group’s recent annual meeting in Ireland.

Watson began his architectural career in 1969, originally working for his father, noted Canadian architect Howard Watson, but established his own firm in 1975. He is currently headquartered out of Lachute, Quebec.

Prior to his election as president, Watson has served as an officer and committee member for the ASGCA. He is also a member of the Canadian Golf Course Superintendents Association, the Ottawa Valley Turfgrass Association and the National Golf Foundation of the U.S.

For more information, contact the ASGCA at 221 N. La Salle St., Chicago, IL 60601; (312) 372-7090.

ASLA Hoedown

For the third straight year, Valley Crest Trees has sponsored a special barbecue for ASLA members and their families. The July 26 event was held at the firm’s location in San Juan Capistrano, and featured a live country/western band, square dance callers and a “kick off your shoes atmosphere,” according to company spokesman Steve Adams. More than 500 people, representing over 90 different landscape architectural firms, attended.

The purpose of the meeting, which formerly was held annually in Sylmar, is to bring together industry professionals in a relaxed atmosphere to promote camaraderie, something which Adams says is lacking in most industries. “Competition often causes people to lose sight of why they became la’s,” he adds. “But the atmosphere we create helps them share more among themselves, learn new techniques and so on. In addition, there’s a nice interaction, because we’re also able to get information on how better to serve landscape architects.”

The event, held under the auspices of ASLA, originally devoted a portion of its time to association business, but that element was left out the past two years. Adams says there might be association business conducted at future meetings, however. Look for your invitations to next year’s event, which should take place in July 1986.

In other ASGCA news, the association has recently published a new membership directory, containing the names, addresses and phone numbers of all regular and associate members. Copies are available free by writing the American Society of Golf Course Architects, 221 N. La Salle St., Chicago, IL 60601.

ASLA Conference Update

T he ASLA Annual Meeting and Educational Exhibit will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio from October 12 to 15, 1985. Themed “Design for People: Expectation and Response,” the meeting will explore the skills and disciplines needed to respond to public expectations from landscape architects through a diverse educational program featuring well-known speakers and hands-on workshops.

A highlight of the meeting will be the presentation of the first national Community Assistance Team’s proposal for the redevelopment of the Eggleston Avenue area, a section of Cincinnati crisscrossed by elevated freeways and surface parking lots. The year-long study is a gift from ASLA through its Ohio chapter in celebration of Cincinnati’s 1988 Bicentennial.

Speakers at the conference include Adele Chatfield-Taylor, director of the Design Arts program of the National Endowment for the Arts, and the world-renowned landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, who will receive the ASLA Medal. General Session speaker Mike Vance will discuss “Creative Design for People” while Grady Clay will wrap things up with a look back at the past 40 years of landscape architecture.

In addition to the general sessions, 29 education sessions and three special programs will cover a variety of topics, including ways to improve business/management skills, microcomputer applications for landscape architects, historic landscape preservation and various design issues.

For more information, call ASLA at (202) 466-7730.

ASLA Book Report

Two new books, one dealing with energy conservation and the other examining perspective, have been published by the ASLA. Energy-Conserving Site Design, 330 pages, edited by E. Gregory McPherson, ASLA, contains articles written by energy experts and professional designers. Also included are more than 200 illustrations which provide examples of state-of-the-art techniques used to create energy efficient small and large scale developments and landscapes.

This soft cover volume is available to ASLA members for $17.95 per copy (plus $2 postage and handling) and $21.95 to nonmembers (also plus $2).

Perspectives: an effective design tool, 193 pages, by James E. Hiss, presents a new system for drawing perspectives in a step-by-step process. Once learned, the system is said to save designer time and money by enabling him to understand the scope of a project at the conceptual stage of design; evaluate the design at any point in the design process; and use perspectives as design tools rather than mere presentation “tricks.”

This soft cover volume is available to ASLA members for $22.95 (plus $2 shipping and handling) and $27.95 to non-members (also plus $2).

For more information, write to: LA Bookstore, 1733 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009.

Now That’s CLASS

Nearly $11,000 has been collected for the California Landscape Architects Student Scholarship Fund as a result of the CLIC/CLASS Fund Golf Tournament held at the Imperial Golf Course, Brea, on June 17, 1985.

With the help of 104 golfers and 44 sponsors, the tournament put the CLASS Fund treasury over the top as far as the 1985 goal for reaching the $100,000 mark was concerned.

Launched in 1980 by a group of Southern California landscape architects, contractors and green industry suppliers, the CLASS Fund is dedicated to generating income to sponsor scholarships for worthy students in the field of landscape architecture

The fund was developed by landscape architects Jim Hogan, John Hourian, Keith French and Rob Sawyer, with Klaus W. Ahlers of Carlacio Landscape Inc. using his influence with the California Landscape & Irrigation Council to obtain the first donation of $500 to get it started.

That initial donation of $500, with the participation and active support of education-minded members of the green industry in Southern California, has multiplied and grown over the years to a point where it will be of real benefit to students of landscape architecture.

The top golfers, with scores under 80 in the tournament, were Bruce Whitegiver of Ponderosa Landscape, 74; Art Arns of Hydro-Scape Products, 74; Mark Barratt of California Trees & Landscape Supply, 75; Richard Dunn of Hank’s Barber Shop, 75; John Summers of Forsum/Summers & Partners, 76; David Hayes of Lopez, Hayes & Associates, 77; Steve Nemeth of Keeler Advertising, 78; Steve Christie of Rain Bird, 79; and Pete DiLallo of Cardoza-DiLallo &Harrington, 79.

Klaus W. Ahlers of Carlacio Landscape, Inc., Placentia, served as the chairman of the fund-raising event, which was among the most successful in the CLASS Fund’s history.

SCC/ASLA Fall Conference

You almost won’t recognize the Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead this fall at the SCC/ASLA Conference, September 20 through 22. Everything has been remodeled, restored, or rebuilt from the basement up, including the new “condolets” with fireplaces and lofts. There are new meeting rooms, new patios and wheelchair access, and the entire project has been redesigned, leaving behind the Army barracks image.

The two-day program theme is the power and beauty of water. Drew Imler of Fountaintech in Santa Ana, a technical designed of ornamental fountains, will share his technical know-how to make water systems simple, reliable, and cost-effective and will show slides of his international work. Helen Mayer and Newton Harrison, artists and teachers from UC San Diego, have worked in environmental design since the 1970s. Water is a recurring theme in their work, and many of their most well-known works deal with water as it comes into contact and conflict with urban design. They will share some of their projects, ideas, and feelings with us at Arrowhead.

When speaking of water, its absence is a powerful implied image. Two of our speakers address the dry side of the theme. Ted Wirth, past president of ASLA and owner of Wirth Associates, Inc., Billings, Montana, will show two of his company’s project in Saudi Arabia which reflect his design philosophy: “If planning and design decisions are made intelligently, the integrity of the project, as well as the land and environmental resources, can be maintained and the quality of life enhanced.”

Jack Dangermond and his company, Environmental Information Systems Research, Inc., share a commitment to excellence which puts them at the frontier of geographic information systems for automated mapping on a global scale. Jack will talk about an 18 month long project for the United Nations involving mapping a section of North Africa to determine areas for future desertification.

New Contract File

(If your firm has recently won a major contract, let us know and we’ll publicize your successes in this space. For more information, call 714/ 650-1848.)

American Landscape Inc., was recently awarded a $2.5 million contract by the City of Beverly Hills to renovate 10 acre Roxbury Park. The three-phase project will take eight months, says ALI President Mickey Strauss. The contract calls for new facilities such as a clubhouse, new lawn bowling greens, a putting green, a baseball field, a soccer field and a playground. Also specified are a new park lighting system, a score booth, bleachers, walkways, site amenities and irrigation and drainage systems Landscape architects for the project are Ericksson, Peters, Thoms and Associates of Pasadena, California.

Where To From Here?

“Where do we go from here?” is the question that will serve as theme for the upcoming ASIC 2nd annual national conference, scheduled to be held September 26 through 29 at the Hilton Hotel in Palm Springs, California. The conference is open to all landscape design professionals with an interest in the latest irrigation system technical innovations.

As an educational tool, a mythical 20th century city will be “created,” using all possible landscape elements. The conference, according to an association release, “will examine innovative solutions to the problems of operating and maintaining these (landscape) elements, such as controlling operating costs, avoiding water shortages, using reclaimed water, and coordinating personnel.” Other areas to be dealt with include automation, city planning, primary phasing and cash flow.

Registration for members is $150, $175 for nonmembers and $75 for all spouses. For more information, contact ASIC National Headquarters, 2014 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025; (213) 477-6525.

ASIC Chapter Bulletin

The American Society of Irrigation Consultants’ Southern California chapter met on August 8 to discuss the subject of pumps. Speaker Bob Whalen, from Phoenix, Arizona, examined the whys, hows and pitfalls of pumping.

The chapter’s July meeting featured presentations by the manufacturers of irrigation products, but according to chapter President Cal Olson, there were some complaints about the lack of consultants and specifiers in the audience. “I believe that the associate members (manufacturers) deserve a better attendance from regular members,” wrote Olson in a memo to the chapter.

The group’s June meeting focused on lakes and streams, a peripheral, but interesting topic to members.

For more information on the association and its activities, contact Cal Olson at 3723 Birch St., Suite 8, Newport Beach, CA 92660; (714) 756-1990.

Corrections

In last month’s issue, we inadvertently listed Denison Gold Label Nurseries as Denison Tree Nurseries. We apologize to Denison Gold Label Nurseries for this error. We also apologize to Rose Marie Head for misspelling her name in another story. Finally, we goofed on the spelling of Griswold Controls. Sorry, everyone. We’ll keep better control over our “specs” in the future!