Here are three quick reasons why your facility would benefit from working with a landscape architect on your next project that has anything to do with the exterior of your building.

1) Whether you know it or not, you are already paying one of your consultants to do this work.

2) Landscape architects are good team players and will help you solve more than your immediate problems.

3) The outside of your structure is visible to the public and it is an important part of your image in the community.

Real estate is valuable. Many facilities managers do not realize that when they are working on the construction of new buildings or adding on to existing structures that they are paying for some type of landscape design services, they just may not be getting the best services available. Whether or not you hire a landscape architect, you do have someone addressing the outside of your structure. You will probably not be getting the best value for your dollars spent if you don’t have a professional that specializes in the site design outside of the building footprint. Working with a landscape architect will hopefully save you money in the long run, by providing you with the most cost effective and creative solutions to your site design concerns, from security to outdoor recreation space.

Landscape Architects are trained to work with you and the rest of your design team to bring about the best possible solution for your facility. We address the pedestrian circulation and safety, separation of the vehicular traffic, site maintenance, signage, lighting and all other exterior uses on site. How many public facilities have you been to where they only have 5’ wide sidewalks or have all sidewalks meet at right angles? By widening sidewalks to 10’ and angling your corners to 45 degrees you have saved yourself the constant reseeding of the area along your walkways that is always being worn, you have saved the janitorial staff quite a bit of time from mopping up muddy footprints in the hall and you have address accessibility and safety issues around your building.

Many of the people in your community will never see the inside of your facility, yet they may drive by it every day. Creating an image that is in keeping with the neighborhood and provides a sustainable green space that can be enjoyed by all will help your site become an asset to the community. A site that is inviting and well used is one that has fewer maintenance and vandalism problems. It is also possible to use your site to create an urban oasis for the community or provide another use for the neighborhood that is in keeping with your building use. There are many outdoor education opportunities that can be used for both student and community residents.

A successful school site is one that can be used 365 days a year and creates as many chances to learn outside the walls of the building as it does inside. Working with a landscape architect will help you learn to maximize the use of your property to its highest potential while creating a safe environment with a variety of uses for everyone.

Biographical Information:

Susan Jacobson is the founder and owner of Bartells/Jacobson Design, a private design firm located in suburban Chicago. A successful landscape architect in private and public practice since 1978, she opened her own firm in 1990. She has maintained strong ties to the public agency sector, specializing in public work, park and recreation design, and commercial landscape planning. Jacobson was elected to the American Society of Landscape Architects Council of Fellows in 1995 and served as the president of the Society in 2004.