The Big Picture September 11, 2007 Greetings! As designers we are all too familiar with trying to get our clients to see the big picture in our design work. Too often they jump right into the detail ("What's that purple bush?") and lose sight of what the overall goals of the project are (private spaces, improved views, function). It's the proverbial forest and trees scenario. But designers can often be guilty of the same thing, but in a different way. Many of us get wrapped up in the latest trend in paving materials, popular plants or pre-fab fire pits, pergolas, and water features. The "latest and greatest" may sell easily, but it also may go out of style. What do you want to be known for? In my last issue I asked for your thoughts on CAD. A number of you shared some very well-informed opinions which are summarized below. Thanks to all who shared. CAD Roundup Following are a few highlights:Jeff Mitchell recommends that you check the cost of training before purchasing, as that can be a surprise you weren't counting on. Mike McShane of Plantique says his younger designers have adjusted well to CAD, but it's been a tough learning curve for those more established. The "warmth" of hand drawing, in his view, is lost, especially when it comes to elevations. That said, the ability to make revisions is invaluable and he's convinced that CAD is the way to go. Jerry Miraldi, president of the Midwest Chapter of APLD, states, "I switched to Dynascape 3 years ago in an attempt to combine the design process with the estimating process. After two years of working with the product, I have a program that does about 90% of both steps." There were a number of folks who sent samples. Several voiced support for Autocad, Pro Landscape and Dynascape. I did not get a definitive answer, but definitely some good feedback. You can read some of the responses here.
Your Legacy  What do you want to be known for? How do you want to be remembered? I'm speaking about your professional reputation. Maybe it's not that important to you. If not, you can skip this section. In speaking with a colleague last week, we were discussing some new paving product being peddled by a reputable company. It has a nice-enough look and no doubt would look fine installed. Consider this though. Railroad ties and timbers were once "the thing." Remember the early concrete unit pavers? Exposed aggregate concrete with cedar decorative strips? How about segmental retaining walls? Show me one of those jobs and I can tell you when it was built. On the other hand, how about a natural stone patio? Or a walk built from traditional clay bricks? Those are timeless materials. I'll save the discussion of black plastic edging and lava rock mulch for another time. Watch for the next issue of Lawn & Landscape. Also, check the Blog for some cool marketing ideas. Sincerely,  Tim Thoelecke American Academy of Landscape Design email: info@aaldweb.com phone: 847-657-7900 |
