Market conditions continued to improve for landscape architecture firms, with firm leaders reporting renewed optimism for billable hours, inquiries and hiring in Q1 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Business Quarterly survey.

More than two thirds of firm leaders (67.9 percent) reported stable or higher billable hours in the first quarter of 2011, an increase from 59.6 percent last quarter and 56.4 percent this time last year. Three out of four (76.6 percent) respondents reported stable or rising inquiries for new work in Q1 2011, up from 59.4 percent last quarter and 72.2 percent from Q1 2010.

Hiring also increased, with 30.5 percent of respondents planning to hire in the upcoming quarter, up from 20.7 percent last quarter and 21.6 percent this time last year. In addition, 10.3 percent of respondents plan to hire an entry level landscape architect.

“Though we typically see an increase in activity during the first quarter, the number of firms planning to hire is the highest since 2008 – reflecting a slow, long-term recovery in the marketplace,” said ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA.

Click here to view full survey results online.

Washington, D.C., April 4, 2011 – From a newly created traveling park in San Diego to the New Jersey Governor’s office, local chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) will volunteer in their communities, reach out to schools and educate the public this April during National Landscape Architecture Month. In addition, the entire April issue of Landscape Architecture magazine is available online for free.

Among the many events this April, expect benches to show up with virtual informational markers in Indiana at important sites designed by landscape architects. In Missouri, a community comes together to re-design a park to increase water quality and improve wildlife habitat. Connecticut and Wisconsin state houses will display award winning designs from the profession. In Arizona, professionals will offer seminars at their local library on topics ranging from the urban heat island effect to lizard species habitats.

“Landscape architecture encompasses everything from giant ecological restorations to single family homes – balancing the built and natural environments in every step of the process. These events will encourage everyone to learn about the profession and how it creates sustainable communities during National Landscape Architecture Month,” said ASLA President Jonathan Mueller, FASLA.

National Landscape Architecture Month encompasses Earth Day on April 22nd and Frederick Law Olmstead’s birthday on April 26th, the father of American landscape architecture. For more information about National Landscape Architecture Month activities, visit www.asla.org/lamonth. To view the free issue of Landscape Architecture magazine, www.zinio.com/lamapril2011

Homeowners want function, efficiency and fire pits in their outdoor space, according to the 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Residential Trends Survey. The survey asked residential landscape architecture professionals to rate the expected popularity of dozens of different outdoor living and landscape features for this year.

For 2011, the top outdoor living features are some of the most basic: light, fire, food and a place to sit and enjoy it all. Overall, 96.2 percent of respondents rated exterior lighting as somewhat or very popular for this year, followed by fire pits/fireplaces (94.2 percent), seating/dining areas (94.1 percent), grills (93.8 percent) and installed seating like benches or seat walls (89.5 percent).

While the most popular outdoor features reflect an enduring sensibility, the interest in modern technology like stereo systems (58.3 percent), Internet access (46.3 percent) and televisions (45.4 percent) adds to the growing trend of taking what we enjoy inside to the outdoors – up to a point. Only 10.4 percent of respondents thought outdoor sleeping areas would be popular this year.

“Despite the economic climate, homeowners continue to reconnect with their outdoor space. However, expect many households this year to either phase in projects over time or carefully select fewer features,” said ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA.

When it comes to landscape elements, efficiency and sustainability reign supreme. The most popular for 2011 include low maintenance landscapes (94.2 percent), native plants (87.2), water-efficient irrigation (83.1 percent), ornamental water features (81 percent) and food/vegetable gardens (80.3 percent). Other popular sustainability features for 2011 include permeable paving (77 percent), reduced lawn (72.6 percent) and rainwater harvesting (63.6 percent).

Additional information on residential landscape architecture, including high resolution images, can be found by clicking here.

Outdoor Living Features (Percent rating somewhat or very popular for 2011)
Lighting – 96.2%
Fire pits/fireplace – 94.2%

Outdoor Recreation Amenities
Decorative water elements such as ornamental pools, splash pools, waterfalls, grottos, water runnels or bubblers – 84.7%
Spa (hot tub, Jacuzzi, whirlpool, indoor/outdoor sauna) – 75.9%

Landscape/Garden Elements
Low maintenance landscapes – 94.2%
Native plants – 87.2%

Sustainable Design Elements
Native/adapted drought-tolerant plants – 88.8%
Drip/water-efficient irrigation – 83.1%

View this release online

The fourth quarter of 2010 represented a mixed bag for landscape architecture firms, as firm leaders reported fewer billable hours but increased hiring opportunities, according to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Business Quarterly survey. The findings echo the results from the 4Q 2009 survey, though billable hours, inquiries and hiring all strengthened from this time last year.

Six in 10 respondents reported stable or higher amount of billable hours (59.6 percent) and inquiries for new work (59.4 percent) in the fourth quarter of 2010 – a decline of six and ten points, respectively from the third quarter survey. At this time last year, 45.5 percent reported stable or rising billable hours, and 53.7 percent reported stable or rising inquiries.

Also like last year, the fourth quarter 2010 saw a modest increase in job opportunities for landscape architects. One in five (20.7 percent) respondents plan to hire in the upcoming quarter, up from 14.6 percent last quarter and 16.4 percent a year ago.

“Despite signs of recovery, continued layoffs, lowered fees, and strong competition for few projects made this past year one of the toughest on record for the industry,” said ASLA Executive Vice President and CEO Nancy Somerville, Hon. ASLA. “We’re confident that the worse of the recession is behind us, but improvement will be frustratingly slow.”

The survey also asked about firm work with federally funded projects. Overall, 40 percent of firm leaders indicated that they worked on projects that were partially or fully funded by the government within the past two years. One in ten (9.8 percent) respondents reported working on Green Project Reserve green infrastructure projects under the Stimulus Bill.

View the full survey results online at: http://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=30562