
image: Timothy Hursley
In a 2014 survey of ASLA’s Professional Practice Networks (PPNs), we asked members about their favorite cities and regions for practicing landscape architecture. Not surprisingly, there was no single answer that dominated the responses, which reflected the regional diversity of those who took the survey—the largest segment of respondents hailed from the West (30%), with roughly 20% each from the East, South, and Midwest, and 6% of respondents practice internationally. Responses were similarly distributed, and though the answers themselves might not have been surprising, the reasons why certain areas are popular places to work are still enlightening, and it might be food for thought should you find yourself considering a move.
There were many shared characteristics among the top choices, including:
- Variety and number of opportunities available
- Level of growth in the area
- Being part of a large, active community of fellow landscape architects
- Availability of good clients to work with—clients who appreciate the work of landscape architects
- Places where landscape architects’ work is valued
- Relative abundance of water
- Wherever home is—being able to change the place where you grew up for the better
A good number of respondents also argued that no single city or region has any special appeal or strength over any another:
“Location does not matter. Excited clients matter.”
“Anywhere with a fun/challenging project”
“There is usually something unique about every location’s mix of physical, cultural and political environments.”
“Every place in the world has its physical and cultural differences, and interesting people, resulting in creative design opportunities.”
“Any area with a strong appreciation for architectural form and tradition—typically that means there is an appreciation for built form and how art can add value to living environments.”
“Any town/city that is responsible on permitting”
“Anywhere with a Mediterranean climate”
Below, we highlight some of the most popular responses.