An aesthetic way to fortune

KOCHI: Landscaping was a sector handled by non-professionals until recently, but with the growth of construction industry it has become an area that offers lucrative careers. Landscape architects are hired to aesthetically plan and build a landscape that suits the exterior of a building. They will be required at commercial and residential buildings, malls, resorts, hotels, hospitals, parks, educational institutions, public areas and even independent homes and offices. “Landscaping architects and consultants are inevitable for all major construction projects. For such projects we need high quality and state-of-the-art landscaping service,” said Hema Sujith, architect. Landscape architects will find plenty of openings in metros and abroad. The demand for qualified personnel is on a rise and in many cases they make an inevitable part of the team that involves engineers, architects, city officials, zonal experts, real estate agents and horticulturists. “Since Kerala has a place on the tourism map we have a lot of tourism-related projects in which landscaping is an important aspect,” she said. Landscape architecture is generally part of Bachelor of Architecture course. Major colleges that offer BArch course include School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, Chandigarh College of Architecture, J J College of Architecture, Mumbai, Bengal Engineering College, Centre for Environmental Planning Technology and TVB School of Habitat Studies. After graduation you can do a post-graduate course in landscape architecture. School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, and the Centre for Environmental Planning Technology (CEPT), Ahmedabad, offer MArch in Landscape Architecture. There are also some diploma and certificate courses offered by some private institutions. You can start with small projects and qualified and experienced professionals are always on demand. You can work with a team or start your own firm. “Since it’s a specialised area you need skill and experience equally. Once established you will get plenty of assignments  and it’s a truly rewarding career,” she said.