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Designing the Great Outdoors

Nathaniel Kirby talks about being a landscape architect

Images courtesy of Colwell Shelor.

The walkway shown here was originally a road. The new design collects rainwater to help the plants thrive and is a comfortable space for visitors.

Scholastic Art: What is your job?

Courtesy of Colwell Shelor

Nathaniel Kirby

Nathaniel Kirby: I’m a landscape architect at Colwell Shelor, a landscape architecture and urban design firm in Phoenix, Arizona. I design, collaborate on, and manage a wide variety of projects, including streetscapes, city plazas, resorts, and multifamily highrises. My work involves everything from native landscape design and stormwater management to creating sidewalk paving designs and decorative shade structures. Sustainability is important to our firm, so we try to incorporate it into every project.

SA: What makes a space sustainable?

NK: The goal is to use the resources that are available at the site to create a landscape design that is timeless. We want to create something that will still function the way it was designed in 100 years. This can entail using native plants that thrive with little or no water, thoughtfully sourcing project materials, or designing irrigation systems that use water wisely.

Images courtesy of Colwell Shelor. Photograph by Tom Reich 

This public plaza is often used for evening events. How do the lights make the space more inviting?

SA: How do you design a landscape?

NK: First, we meet with the client to understand their needs. A resort owner might want to attract guests, whereas a city manager might be focused on a space for events in their city center. After generating ideas, we create a bubble diagram to identify and define the spaces in our design. This includes the natural environment and the hardscape [features made of nonliving materials like concrete, wood, or stone]. We then create sketches that incorporate design elements such as pathways, lawn areas, and activity spaces to see how they work with the architecture of the space. Finally, we create 3-D models of the space for the client. The project then comes to life in the construction phase.

SA: How did you get started?

NK: My father is an arborist [a tree care specialist] who had his own company for many years. I began working with him when I was 13 to save up for my first car. During high school, I worked fulltime every summer doing tree trimming and cleaning up debris. After graduating from high school, I studied landscape architecture at Arizona State University. I got an internship at a residential landscape design firm and was offered a full-time summer job. Colwell Shelor is my first job out of college, and I’ve been with the firm for seven years.

Images courtesy of Colwell Shelor. Photograph by Caitlin Atkinson.

How do native/ arid-adapted plants, like the ones shown here, help support sustainability?

SA: What current project are you excited about?

NK: I’m working on a large-scale project to revitalize the downtown campus for the city of Glendale, Arizona. The city wants to completely reconfigure a park and revitalize city hall, an amphitheater, and a parking garage. The goal is to make these spaces pedestrian-friendly and more memorable for the community. There is a big flood retention issue on the site, so we are coming up with creative ways to divert stormwater and redirect it to other areas where we can use it to supplement the landscape. We are also generating creative ideas for features and materials to create unique spaces.

Images courtesy of Colwell Shelor.

This digital rendering shows a plaza designed to connect areas of a city. How does the arrangement of trees emphasize the ways the space is used?

SA: What advice would you give to students who are interested in becoming landscape architects?

NK: Allow yourself to fail sometimes. Most people are focused on perfection and that’s great. But exploring and making small mistakes can actually help you grow.

How To Become a Landscape Architect

GETTING STARTED:
  • Take art classes. Develop your drawing, painting, and design skills.
  • Become familiar with drafting programs like AutoCAD, 3-D modeling software such as Sketchup and Rhino, and Adobe InDesign.
  • Explore public spaces in your community. Think about what works, what doesn’t, and how you’d make it better.

 

EDUCATION:

  • Most landscape architects have a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture.

 

SALARY:

  • Landscape architects can earn from $65,000 to $92,000 or more, depending on experience and company.

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