understanding concept of landscape architecture

Landscape- all the visible features of an area of land, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal. Landscape is the feature of a given area of land, especially when the area of land has been improved by carefully designed planting and arrangement. An example of landscape is a green and hilly forest, which has a lush landscape.

Landscape Architecture is a specialized branch of architecture which is an art of planning the outdoor spaces for the built-in structure. The main purpose of landscaping is to create a joyful environment around the building and give the occupants a healthy atmosphere to breath, good appearance to look at and a natural beauty all around.

While understanding the Landscape architecture- two components have to be looked into- the natural environment like space, water, air, trees, rocks and earth and the man-made component which involves man’s intervention like the construction of hardscapes like roads, bridges along with the infrastructure integrated with the building architecture.

The term landscape architecture was invented by Gilbert Laing Meason in 1828, and John Claudius Loudon (1783–1843) was instrumental in the adoption of the term landscape architecture by the modern profession. He took up the term from Meason and gave it publicity in his Encyclopedias and in his 1840 book on the Landscape Gardening and Landscape Architecture of the Late Humphry Repton.

Landscape architecture is therefore not limited to design of gardens and parks, but it takes into account the entire area of the city and countryside, characteristics of its physical features, topography, etc.

Some famous definitions of Landscape Architecture:

‘The branch of architecture dealing with the arrangement of land and buildings for human use and enjoyment’– Princeton WordNet 

‘The development and decorative planting of gardens, yards, grounds, parks, and other planned green outdoor spaces’ – Britannica Online

‘The science and art of modifying land areas by organizing natural, cultivated or constructed elements’- MSN Encarta 

From the above let us try and define the term Landscape Architecture:

Landscape architecture is the study and practice of designing environments (outdoors & indoors) of varying scale that encompasses elements of art, environment, architecture, engineering, and sociology.

Hence, Landscape architecture is a formal process of study, design, and construction by which new landscapes are created to meet the aspirations of the people concerned. It involves framing proper planning projects, more particularly those affected by changes and the damaged areas, like for example suburbs, peri-urban, industrial, and coastal areas.  The purpose of such planning projects to radically re-shape the damaged landscapes.