A recent article by City Lab pondered if rapid developments in automation would lead to a growth in the landscape architecture profession. It suggests that as driverless cars and delivery drones take over, roads and parking lots will be redeveloped either into housing or open space because land is valuable. Time for landscape architects to jump up and lead the reclamation of open space. Intriguing thought, since landscape projects so often have the smallest budgets within any given development project.
Part two of the article suggests that while the profession would growth, much of it would end up being automated as well (residential projects excluded because that requires much one-on-one consultations). I can't wait for the day when I would be able to design through VR like Tony Stark does on all those Marvel movies! If soldiers can be trained through VR, why can't we do iterative design and performative testing of landscape through VR?
Imagine: selecting plants, arranging plants and hardscape to visualize your design, and filtering through climate change weathering factors to test resiliency (ie. to flooding, to drought). And then passing the VR headset to your clients so that they can turn a dial to watch the planting mature 20 years into the future.
The firm that can afford to wield this technology well will be able to corner a huge part of the market and change the design process of the profession forever!
Part two of the article suggests that while the profession would growth, much of it would end up being automated as well (residential projects excluded because that requires much one-on-one consultations). I can't wait for the day when I would be able to design through VR like Tony Stark does on all those Marvel movies! If soldiers can be trained through VR, why can't we do iterative design and performative testing of landscape through VR?
Imagine: selecting plants, arranging plants and hardscape to visualize your design, and filtering through climate change weathering factors to test resiliency (ie. to flooding, to drought). And then passing the VR headset to your clients so that they can turn a dial to watch the planting mature 20 years into the future.
The firm that can afford to wield this technology well will be able to corner a huge part of the market and change the design process of the profession forever!
