The 1987 Landscape Architectural Trade Exhibition and Conference recently held in Las Vegas, brought together some of the most innovative and progressive minds in the landscape architectural profession in a three-day conference discussing “Landscape Architecture As It Is Today.” Headlining this conference was a panel discussion by five prominent Landscape Architects.

The panel consisted of Keynote Speaker Donald Brinkerhoff, Lifescapes, International; Rae Price, Peridian Group; Peter Brandow, Emmett L. Wemple and Associates; Ron Izumita, POD, Inc. and Don Tompkins, The SWA Group. This distinguished group discussed where landscape architecture is today and where it is going tomorrow.

Donald Brinkerhoff, Lifescapes’ chief executive officer and director of design, opened the show with a keynote address in which he discussed the financial rewards of landscape architecture. “It wasn’t so long ago that Landscape Architects were not a very highly paid profession and you really had to love what you did because you were never going to get rich at it,” said Brinkerhoff. “In the past few years, however, with the recognition of the profession, the amount of money being commanded by Landscape Architects is going up at increasing rates.”

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He also said he believes that there is a change in how Landscape Architects approach business. Landscape Architects are becoming much more sophisticated in their approach to business matters. Staying on top of the business world as well as the design world is very important, according to Brinkerhoff.

Although landscape architecture has recently enjoyed phenomenal financial and professional advancements, Brinkerhoff notes a dangerous trend developing. A proliferation of firms are trying to put out as many jobs as possible to make profit from sheer numbers of jobs. Brinkerhoff stresses the need to “strive for excellence” in all jobs. He said he thinks that it is absolutely essential that each firm, no matter what size, should strive to do the absolute best it can. Not only for the good of their own firm, but also for the profession as a whole.

Rae Price, Senior Principal for Peridian Group, talked about success and the need to form goals for the company as well as for yourself. He strongly suggested that firms hire a management consultant. This consultant would help a company decide on a “mission statement” of how the company fits into the world. Developing a business plan, financial controls and budgeting are business functions that Price said he believes are necessary for a company to survive.

Peter Brandow, Senior VicePresident of Emmett L. Wemple and Associates discussed the direction that landscape architecture is taking in the 1980s. Brandow said he thinks that graduating Landscape Architects, due to increasing emphasis on marketing, have a much better awareness of the business world. Landscape Architects are going to become more involved in historical restoration and preservation, as American heritage deepens and ages, according to Brandow. The ability to be flexible and seek out unique ideas makes Landscape Architects progressive. He said the balance comes by maintaining a fresh outlook, while being realistic about the business side of the business.

he process of design was discussed by Ron Izumita, President, CoFounder and Chief Executive Officer of POD, Inc. As POD, Inc. stands for process-oriented design, Izumita said he thinks that the processes and philosophy of a firm determine its quality and progressiveness. His firm looks at projects with a problem-solving approach. If the process of developing a design is bad, then the form or idea will probably not work, according to Izumita.

Another important aspect of the process is client involvement at every stage of the project. The processes of people space rather than art, change and diversity are also reflections of POD’s philosophy.

Izumita’s own thoughts about the business and profession of landscape architecture reflect his 20 years of experience. There is no use in having a specific game plan, rather you must have a broad plan because the only thing that is sure is change.

Management is one of Izumita’s major concerns. Firms that are in a period of rapid growth must manage their firm very well and know how to deal with their resources. He said he feels that clients are much smarter than in the past. Understanding how the firm is going to service them is more important to a client than the firm’s reputation. New ways to service clients must be added in order for the client to consider the firm for a project, according to Izumita.

Don Tompkins, Senior Principal of The SWA Group, Laguna Beach, discussed the six points of business that are essential to the profession as a whole (see this month’s business column). Tompkins said he expects the next ten years to be very different and difficult for the landscape architectural profession. It will be a period when no one knows what will happen or where or when it will occur. On an international, national, regional and local basis, he said that changes are profound, frequent, and sometimes, very upsetting.

He said he believes there is a general fear in what could happen if the environment is not developed in the way Landscape Architects would like to see it. Even understanding that fear is very difficult because of the differences between facts and fears. The facts are very complicated, expensive and interrelated. According to Tompkins, this is why we have public processes taking place such as growth control initiatives.

Landscape Architects are problem solvers and the problem they must solve is how to strike a successful path into the future as a profession and as professionals, he said. Landscape Architects also need a business plan which blends financial strength with professional quality.

Another highlight of the conference was a landscape architectural awards dinner. The first annual L.A.T.E. Show Buffet recognized the winners of the “Landscape of the Year” and “The Landscape Architect of the Year.” Cliff Lowe of The SWA Group, Sausalito, was on hand to accept the 1987 LASN “Landscape of the Year” for his firm’s project at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale at Gainey Ranch. Awarded for his outstanding contributions to the profession of landscape architecture was Donald M. Roberts, FASLA, the 1987 LASN “Landscape Architect of the Year.”

The staff at LASN would like to extend a special thanks to the L.A.T.E. Show ‘87 exhibitors:

A-G Sod Farms
Bartron Corporation B.K. Lighting
Cal-Turf
Carson Industries, Inc. Champion Irrigation
Children’s Playtime Dura Art Stone E.F. Nursery Ellis Farms En-Con Environmental Industries
Fiberglass Fabricators, Inc. Fibermesh Company
Foster Farms/Organic Farms FTP/Bergen Nurseries
Hunter Industries Hydrel
Jaz Products Kaiser/Estech Lake Consultants & Construction Luma Lighting
Matterhorn West Inc.
Mystery Springs Waterfall Norcal Pottery Products
North American Green Ocotillo Pacific Sod Permaloc Edging, Inc.
Rock & Waterscape Systems Reemay, Inc.
Shawtown Industries, Inc. Springtime Growers
Sim Rock
Southland Sod Farms Western Sod