Landscape Architects Create the Perfect Outdoor Space

Landscape architects are to exterior areas what interior designers are to the rooms of our homes. They’re pros who have the knowledge and experience needed to create ideal outdoor spaces.

“We are a licensed profession, just like architects are,” says Nancy Cassandro, landscape architect and president of the Hawaii chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. “We create healthy, safe, [outdoor] environments. We come up with an integrated design, and we combine all of the functional needs of the landscape with aesthetics to make exterior spaces beautiful.”

Integrated design, Cassandro explains, takes environmental issues into account. She and other pros understand how landscapes will function when different plants and flowers are incorporated into a space.

Dana Anne Yee, FASLA, designed the landscape architecture at this Honolulu residence. Understanding the history of the property and its existing plant life was key in this project.

“We know a lot about plants and soils and water conservation — and how it will perform in the long-term,” she adds. They are aware of how plants interact with each other, as well as within the Island environment.

When landscape architect Loriann Gordon begins a job, her first step is to develop an overarching concept for the project. “Everything we bring to the project strengthens the concept,” she says. This approach results in an outdoor space that holds together as a full composition and resonates with purpose. “Landscape architecture integrates the buildings to the physical site and to its context, history and culture,” notes Gordon.

Having worked on numerous commercial and government projects, in addition to residential spaces, Dana Anne Yee, FASLA, is familiar with tying landscaping into the history of Hawaii’s outdoor areas. Nowadays, she says, much of her job as a landscape architect includes considering sustainability efforts and effects. As more homeowners try to grow food in their own backyards, Yee explains that it’s imperative to be mindful of pesticides and fertilizers that are being used around the house.

Of course, just as it goes with other design disciplines, landscape architecture has its own industry trends. “No matter the style the client would like to work [with],” Gordon says, “we believe the most successful projects with the longest shelf lives are identifiable as of and in Hawaii.”

Yee adds that the best landscape projects are the ones that stand the test of time, maintaining both beauty and function as the years pass. “As you watch your garden grow, it can be so rewarding,” she says. “It can fill you up with happiness and make your life a little better.”

Editor’s Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original print version for optimal online reading. To view the full print story, pick up your copy of Hawaii Home + Remodeling at one of our partner locations.