Landscape Design Consulting PC
Visionary Landscape Design for Outdoor Living Spaces
Landscape Architecture
Landscape Architecture is rooted in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, thus qualifying as a STEM profession in accordance with U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines; it reflects the highest level of design as applied to outdoor spaces, and requires a multidisciplinary understanding across a diverse range of projects and interests. Practitioners of the craft are able to weave various threads, or features, into beautiful tapestries, or programs, for human enjoyment. Public health, safety and welfare, along with zoning and legal matters, and the relationship between a client's program and the environment are among a landscape architect's foremost considerations. The concurrent development of interconnected program elements is fostered through the architectural process where drawings, drafted in a universal language, are created for use by other consultants, and for bidding, permitting, and construction. Complex and challenging landscape projects located in regulated areas require signed and sealed drawings from a professionally licensed landscape architect.
Above: The concept drawing was created by LDC for a private residential client in Rye, New York, and formed the basis of all work required to execute the visionary outdoor living space illustrated in the photo. These images showcase the importance of landscape architecture as a means through which complex and richly layered programs are executed.
Site Planning
Site planning is the art of optimizing a piece of land for its intended purpose and requires the ability to harmonize competing interests. Expert planners are able to view a project through the lens of a systems analyst from thirty - thousand feet, thereby identifying and eliminating potential issues before they become costly mistakes. The process frames lines of accountability for various consultants and tradespeople while removing counterproductive barriers that impede communication and efficiencies. Value engineering is applied across entire systems to maximize desired results while minimizing the consumption of resources; the resulting landscape forms a dialogue between built and natural interests by creating meaningful spaces for human use without paradoxically undermining the environment on which we depend. This methodology is at the core of sustainable practice and is critical for the successful stewardship and long - term health of our planet. With regard to site planning, the following quote from Benjamin Franklin is apropos: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
Above: Site planning is integral to landscape architecture and folded into every project. LDC designed this outdoor living space for a residential client in Larchmont, New York; the drawing showcases planning and value engineering required to optimize the owner's program across a constraint-driven project, and resulted in the breathtaking photo of completed work.
Consulting
Projects in today's landscape are governed by a variety of constraints that can trigger the requirement for jurisdictional oversight. LDC will recommend consultants from our professional network with whom we will coordinate our services in the interests of your project; these may include soil scientists for geotechnical analysis, arborists for tree assessments and reports, surveyors for existing, proposed, and as - built drawings, architects for habitable structures, engineers for civil and structural concerns, and attorneys for variances or other legal matters. Notwithstanding our ability to mitigate town involvement in your project, LDC also provides services to shepherd your interests through the regulatory minefield that has become increasingly challenging to navigate.
Right: Zoning research, site analysis, feasibility studies, planning and advising, and value engineering all fall under the umbrella of consulting and are reflected in this drawing created by LDC for a private residential client in Harrison, New York. This spectacular nighttime photo illustrates the end result. Click an image to learn more.
