The Expert Guide For Architects And Consultants

COMMISSIONING A LANDSCAPE PRACTICE

Choosing the right landscape partner

An expertly designed landscape should complement and enhance the building that it is designed for. When commissioning a landscape design partner it is important  to find a practice with the vision and expertise that can ensure the success of the overall scheme.

So what do you need to consider when seeking a landscape designer?

1 - Outstanding design

In many cases, less is more. The most successful gardens and landscapes are often achieved with a simple paired-back design, to ensure that an outstanding building is complemented and enhanced by the surrounding landscape to give it a sense of place.

2 – Professional standards

Professional landscape architects and designers may be a member of one or more professional bodies. For instance, many garden designers will be Registered Members of the Society of Garden Designers (MSGD) or run an SGD Registered Practice. They may also be Accredited Designers with the British Association of Landscape Industries (MBALI) or Chartered Members of the Landscape Institute (CMLI). Look out for the initials after the designer or practice name to indicate their professional association.

3 – Experience and expertise

While professional accreditation provides reassurance of the competence and standards of the designer or practice, it is equally important to look at skills and specialisms of a studio when considering the commission. Many practices excel in creating gardens for biodiversity.  Others have experience of working with gardens of historical significance or with new-build properties that could really add value to a project.

Working with a designer who includes sustainability and biodiversity at the core of their landscape design will also ensure that the site can exceed its environmental targets, which in turn could assist the journey through the planning system.

4 - Creating a partnership

Engaging with a landscape and garden designer in the early stages of the design process will pay dividends and will often ensure you avoid costly mistakes. A professional designer will have the skills, experience and flexibility to effectively interpret your brief, to exchange ideas and to handle challenging situations as the project progresses.

A partnership between architects, planners and landscape designers that is built on trust and respect will create the ideal working relationship and provide the best possible outcome for the project.

Why work with Haddon Studio?

Creating biodiverse gardens and landscapes, where people and wildlife co-exist in harmony, exemplifies our approach and our expertise.

All of our designs are site-specific and we use our experience and expertise in historical research to ensure that they sit comfortably within the space in which they are created.

We have many years experience of collaborating with architects, designers and planning consultants and we relish the experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team

The final stage and most important stage

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