It goes without saying that with urban expansion the importance of greening solutions is increasing as well. We wish to see beautiful landscapes and patches of nature in certain exact locations. For nature to fit in the city environment that we have created, we have to tame it a little bit. This is where landscape architecture comes into play.
This architectural branch ensures harmony between buildings (in cities and towns alike) and their surrounding environment (gardens, parks, etc.). Excellent landscape architecture is the bridge that connects the home and the front yard; we all wish to avoid the eye-sore that is a modern building in surroundings that just do not seem to be fitting; or when your architecturally classical building clashes with the land around it.
Be it a garden, a park or any other landscape solution, it must blend organically with the design of the building. This is one of the reasons that landscape architects will often closely collaborate with construction engineers in order to come to the best greening solution.
When drafting a plan, planting trees or flowers are not the only concern; the skilled professional will evaluate the best sidewalk layout and access points (e.g. parking lot, pedestrian paths, side roads). A good plan will yield you the most use out of your land, creating a perfect match with the building that stands on this land.
It is safe to say that the environment that surrounds the building is as crucial as the architectural integrity of the building itself. This aspect should not be neglected especially when designing the environment of a building that will have public access, or will have to handle a big flux of people.
When planning the landscape, it is best to plan not only solutions that are functional, but also pleasing to the eye (especially when talking about urban environment). People like orderly and neat surroundings – city residents often admit that city parks and small, green squares are calming and comforting.
It is wonderful to witness that streets in Latvian cities are becoming more beautiful as time goes by, and people do not spare resources for landscape improvements surrounding the buildings. Every small improvement counts and creates the bigger picture – why not make it nicer to yourself and others?