For some people, it was all about some building that inspired them as a child. Perhaps they grew up in some gorgeous mansion. Perhaps they went to one of the great museums of the world as a kid and were completely captivated by it. Whatever it was, a single building got them interested in the process of designing and building others.

For other people, architecture schools are part of a political mission. You wouldn’t believe how many visionaries there are at an average architectural school. At the one I go to, they probably make up half the class. Some of them want to design buildings with the idea of providing beautiful and affordable housing to the poor, others to change the way we see space as a society

Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor space using the compositional elements of vegetation, landform, water and structures such as walls, seating, lighting, steps etc. The U.S.A. is a large country with varied geographical resources presenting opportunities to landscape architects to improvise with and accommodate these resources. Even though there is minimal threat to natural habitats the growing urbanization and moving population is encouraging construction and designing of neighborhood parks or playgrounds. These are relatively small but of intensive use for education, health and recreation purposes.

The landscape architect is not a lonely figure. They have the backing of professional associations and a wide spectrum of projects ranging from roads, reservoirs, river reclamation, forests, housing development projects, industrial estates, rapid urbanization and other projects. If one is thinking of becoming a landscape architect, one needs to have a creative flair and appreciation for nature in all its forms. Along with this is needed an analytical mind to design, manage, preserve and rehabilitate cities into functional and aesthetically pleasing entities. Whether working for a firm or being self-employed, the increasing demand for designed outdoor spaces is turning landscape architecture into a challenging profession.