A new reason to work

A new reason to work Landscape architects and designers are ideally placed to work under the ‘new normal’ circumstances, will clients take advantage?

By: Leiyah Mendoza Magay Landscape Architect

During the global pandemic, people were largely stuck at home for months on end. Fortunately for the landscape industry, property owners and residents quickly realized the value of their gardens and outdoor areas as they spent extended family time at home.

Most property owners are taking advantage of this situation to create inspirational design changes to their homes to create entertainment areas and kids play zones as most of us now spend large chunks of the week at home. Clients want a space in their homes where they switch off

after work hours and for their kids to play, everything from camping sites to an outdoor movie theatre or mini park. People want their yard to be a sanctuary that can deliver a sense of calm, regardless of what is happening outside their front door.

Even before coronavirus was a threat, landscape was an industry that worked in isolation of team members, so it was fairly easy to put a contactless service in place and observe social distancing while carrying out

projects. We work individually since projects do not require massive manpower on site, elements were built in phases and less marketing is needed because the finished product speaks for itself.

Landscaping companies are now overwhelmed with demand for their services. Landscape designers can conduct meetings conveniently in the client’s yard observing physical distancing and safety precautions. Design presentations can be done through selected video conference platforms; drawings and quotations can be shared by email; permits and approvals can be done online; workers can keep at least two meters’ distance from each other and sanitize their tools before and after work and payments can be done online via bank transfers.

When considering a project, the first point of discussion is to know why the client is opting to change the space. Do they want an active space or a spot where they can observe? Do they enjoy sound and movement or just a quiet sanctuary? Any favorite colour, furniture or garden elements? Any requirement for special mobility?

Most of our clients would love to have interactive elements in their properties. It is recommended to gather information from the client to consider the design such as the age range of the users, activities they love to do, plant preference and in most cases, we need to ask for the budget. These are essential items that we need to know to save time and maximize our design conceptualization. Designing a 6ft deep pool will not satisfy the client if they have toddlers or planting bright, flowering plants when someone in the household is allergic to flowers would be disastrous.

Overall, the future looks bright for our industry if we put our client’s needs first and continue to innovate.