Landscape Architecture- Matt Foster, City Builder Academy

What is landscape architecture?

What do landscape architects do?

How do you become a landscape architect?

What about pay and conditions?

People have been changing their view for thousands of years

Landscape architects create

brand new places: Olympic Park,

London

Landscape architects

create great public spaces:

Parade Ground, Chelsea

College of Art and Design,

London

Landscape architects fight climate change by creating

urban green spaces: Peace Gardens, Sheffield

Landscape architects work on large, technically complex projects: Liverpool

waterfront

Landscape architects

design parks and

playschemes: Centenary

Gardens, Manchester

Landscape architects create visionary

places that revive the local economy:

Eden Project, Cornwall

Landscape architects restore the

heart of the city: St Andrew

Square, Edinburgh

Landscape architects

create great places to

relax: Yorkshire

Sculpture Park

From New York to New Zealand,

you can work anywhere in the world: the High

Line, New York

Landscape architects create sustainable, ecologically

balanced places: Playscape, Ealing

Landscape architects create inspiring

spaces for everyone: Sheffield Gold Route

How do you become a

landscape architect?

Landscape architecture and management are

degree-level subjects so you need to

complete a university course

Courses specialise in different areas; some

focus on art and design others on areas like

planning, management and ecology. There is

a course and a university to suit everyone

Most design courses are studio-based and

students may be model-making, drawing,

sketching, making short films and using a

range of software to create their designs.

All courses involve getting out and about and

exploring the environment, the way in which it

works, its usage, and its potential.

How do you become a

landscape architect?

There are roughly a dozen universities in the

UK offering degrees in landscape

architecture and landscape management

It takes 3-5 years to complete the

qualifications you need to enter the

profession

How do you become a

landscape architect?

Several universities (though not all) also

require an interview and portfolio

Every course is different, don’t just look at the

university league tables. Visit the institution,

meet the staff and talk to current students

before making a decision

How do you become a

landscape architect?

Accredited universities are independently-

approved by the Landscape Institute and

meet rigorous professional standards

There are universities in most major cities in

the UK and several in smaller towns

All universities offer slightly different courses,

with their own distinct emphasis, so you can

choose the one that best suits you

Where to study

Edinburgh College of Art

Leeds Metropolitan University

Sheffield University

Sheffield Hallam

Manchester Metropolitan University

Birmingham City University

University of Gloucestershire

University of Bath

Cranfield University

Writtle School of Design

Kingston University (London)

University of Greenwich (London)

Hadlow College

Entry requirements and

subjects

Entry Requirements: typically you will need to

have a minimum of 260-280 UCAS points or

two Bs and a C at A-Level .

There are no ‘fixed’ subjects required

although subjects like Art, Design, Graphics,

Geography, Biology and English are useful

You don’t need to have Maths or Physics

beyond GCSE

Most universities are happy to offer a

foundation year in art and design or accept

students who have already undertaken a

foundation year

Employment and pay

LAs are well paid chartered professionals

with average salaries of £30-40,000 per

annum.

Some very senior figures in the private sector

can earn substantially more.

However, it’s not just about the money.

Landscape is regularly recognised as one of

the most rewarding areas to work in.

Employment and pay

Landscape architecture is a very evenly split

profession in gender terms. 50% of

landscape architects are women

Roughly 60% of landscape architects work

for private practices

While 40% work in the public sector for local

or regional government bodies

Questions?

careers@landscapeinstitute.org.uk

iwanttobealandscapearchitect.com

A project designed and

managed by the Landscape

Institute and supported by CABE

Space