By CAD Architects
Landscape design is an expert service we offer at CAD Architects in Truro.
Good landscape design can enhance the beauty, value and usefulness of our outdoor spaces.
It makes a really valuable contribution to our built environment, whether it is used for private residences, commercial projects, housing developments, or public spaces.
Climate change and Net Zero targets are increasing public awareness of the importance of the environment and are a major influence on landscape design.
The rise in working from home and flexible working has also renewed people’s appreciation for the important role that outdoor spaces play in our lives.
Here are some of the current trends that we can expect to have a continuing impact on landscape design over the coming years:
Caring for the environment
Using sustainable and eco-friendly practices is a key trend in current landscape design. Increasingly, we are seeing features being incorporated that for example help improve bio-diversity, provide new habitats for wildlife, avoid excessive run-off from rainwater, and protect endangered species such as bees. In addition, more trees and shrubs are being chosen for their ability to help reduce air pollution.
Landscape is now providing a pivotal role in planning proposals as Biodiversity Net Gain is now mandatory in England. It makes sure that habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before the development. Developers must deliver a BNG of 10%, which includes major and minor developments. Cornwall Council has been requesting Biodiversity Net Gain information on major applications since 1 March 2020 as a local requirement, and for minor developments since April this year.
Climate adaptation
In addition to measures for carbon and climate change mitigation, the focus will shift to climate adaptation. Many countries (especially island nations) are already feeling the brunt of climate change. Due to the increased unpredictability of extreme weather events, landscape architects will continue to design for climate mitigation and also focus more on climate adaptation and resilience in future.
Use of Technology and AI
We will see more use of technology and AI to develop calculations for costing, carbon emissions, and other analysis that can add value to the decision making and design process. Utilising artificial intelligence for demographic and climate analysis will provide a valuable tool for landscape architects.
Outdoor living
Since the pandemic and enforced lockdowns, people appreciate the value of good quality, outdoor public spaces more than ever. These provide an ideal environment to relax, exercise or meet with friends. Landscape designers will see a growing demand to increase the availability of these types of outdoor spaces and find cost effective ways of maintaining and improving them.
Love of gardens
As more people work from home, they are likely to value having a good garden even more than previously. There will be increased interest in garden design and imaginative ways to use their garden space, from indoor/outdoor living through to dedicated garden offices. Even those with relatively small gardens will seek out innovative ways to enhance them. One such trend within garden design will be the emergence of vertical gardening. There are various systems available for vertical gardening, from bespoke designed products to DIY solutions.
Peaceful spaces
There is growing demand for well-designed spaces where we can escape from the bustle of everyday life and gather our thoughts. Well-designed hedges or pergolas can be an elegant way of dividing up space to provide more privacy, while also enhancing the overall look of a property.
Growing food
With people being more focused on the home and concerned with sustainability, there has been a renewed interest in growing their own fruit and vegetables. So there will be increased demand for garden designs that incorporate features such as elegant planters and fruit trees.
Low maintenance landscape design
Increasingly, landscape design must recognise the need for long-term maintenance and ways in which the cost of this can be reduced. Options include using hardy plants that can survive on limited amounts of water, trees and shrubs that do not require frequent pruning, and planting species that can help protect against soil erosion.
People movement
Towns and cities are changing the way that people move about their streets. There will be increased use of electric vehicles, recharging points, pedestrian zones, zero emission zones, new forms of public transport, and more. This sets new challenges for landscape designers in the way that they configure public spaces, to take account of these changes and help smooth the flow of people through our streets.
New use of commercial buildings
With many countries facing a housing shortage, more housing types (such as build-to-rent, low-cost housing, and social housing) with varying densities are required. We are seeing a trend toward converting/retrofitting commercial office buildings into residential apartments, which can go some way to increasing supply. Creating quality open space as part of the conversion of office and retail redevelopments is a new challenge for landscape designers, that will continue to grow in importance.
As you can see from the above trends, landscape design is fast evolving and will continue to have a huge impact on the way in which we use and enjoy our outdoor spaces.
At CAD Architects, our team includes a specialist landscape architect. We use our knowledge of current landscape design trends and techniques to create beautiful settings for buildings that make the most of their surroundings, enhancing the value of your project.
Get in touch to find out more.
Call us on 01872 630040 or email studio@cadarchitects.co.uk