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Landscape architecture in China needs to become more professional

I have been working in China for over 6 years as a landscape architect and there are many differences in comparison to Australia and Canada where I have worked before including size of the project, speed of design and the materials used (some good some bad). But the biggest difference that strikes me about the profession is the lack of professionalism among designers, technicans and new graduates. I am not talking about whether they dress in suits, take short cuts or lie to clients (the last two obviously not professional) but what I am referring to is that the role of  a landscape architect in China is very blurred. In western countries, landscape architects are seen as professional consultants and advisers where their advice  to clients is in the best interests of society, clients, collegues and the landscape & environment.

In China, many clients are using architects or landscape architects for the first time and often see us as merely facilitating their vision and what they often don’t see or receive is the professional expertise that we can give clients to make their vision come true to last for decades. However, it has dawned on me over the years that many in the profession of landscape architecture in China don’t understand their role as a professional. They see their role as designing or constructing the landscape in the best interest of speed and saving money not the long term longevity of the clients project or the environment. This has occurred for many reasons, many of us strive to become registered landscape architects in our home countries where we go through a test/s and interview and have to sign a membership agreement to adhere to a set of rules and regulations regarding professional conduct. Professionals acting on behalf of the best interests of the client, the environment and your professional integrity whether your designing a masterplan or working on-site as client representative.

Why has this come up? Well, it just seems to frustrate me that many of my colleagues in the profession in China see their role as merely facilitating the clients wishes rather than advising the client as a professional on the best approach to their project or current issue for the long term not just the short term. I am not saying all landscape architects in China act this way but it just seems to be a reoccurring mindset.

How the chinese profession addresses this issue is left to be seen as the contemporary landscape architecture profession is still very young and growing with members every year. I hope that landscape architects in China become more professional and advise on the best interests of the environment, their clients and their fellow world citizens.

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Businesses are treating social media like a webpage in the mid-1990’s

Social media is currently in the same place webpages where in the mid-1990’s where businesses where putting up their business webpage and expecting people to come and start buying. It wasn’t until businesses realised they needed to promote their website and integrate it with their existing marketing that their webpages started generating emails, calls and sales. Social Media is at the same point with many companies starting to sign up because its the latest way to gain customers and generate sales, however they are treating like a webpage by waiting for the likes, followers, and contacts but they aren’t coming. Like all marketing and promotion of brands and products it takes time, planning and effort to engage with your customers and let them know that your there and create a company identity and message.

So like the businesses in the 1990’s that realised they could use their website to gain customers through news, deals and integrating e-commerce, its time businesses realised that engaging with customers through social media and using it as a tool can create an brand identity and generate interest and increase sales.

Many businesses spent tens of thousands of dollars creating webpages and e-commerce platforms back in the mid-1990’s, but this time there is a difference – social media is unbelievably cheap in comparison to other forms of marketing and advertising. Businesses can spend just few thousand dollars to get your brand or product out across the world. Of course, it depends on the size and number of products but when comparing social media with advertising in trade magazines or attending expos businesses could save thousands with a social media presence.

 

 

 

 

Shanghai starts promoting Precast Concrete in Construction

Nearly every building, landscape and piece of construction in China uses insitu concrete (on-site poured) concrete. There are many issues with on-site concrete include

Pollution: On site pollution, waste, noise, trucks, on-site mixers, soil compaction, water pollution

Inefficient Usage: Concrete goes off (bad) quickly if not used within 20-30 minutes, transport needs to be fast (causing issues with speeding trucks, pollution, etc), testing is lacking and can cause waste.

Finish: Final finishes can be too rough or inaccurate, requires rendering/screeding to get a good final finish.

Today, I read that Shanghai will start using Precast Concrete (PC) for many of its residential to save on energy, construction pollution and noise, however it will raise costs. I think it’s good to see Shanghai embracing a technique used across the world to construction various buildings including residential, commercial and industrial. The other reason as an landscape architect I am happy to see this occurring is that it will flow on to other industries including landscape and thus allowing designers to create interesting shapes and finishes in the landscape.

The move to Precast Concrete will also be good for Shanghai as it will reduce the number of large concrete trucks in the city and also eliminate many of the concrete plants along the Huangpu River and Suzhou Creek that although interesting as an industrial landscape can cause water, soil and noise pollution. Also precast concrete can save time on-site, if the precast is ordered a floor can be built quickly. In Australia, precast is used for housing and office buildings but the biggest benifit is in build factories where the footings can be completed in advance and then the frame and precast can be completed in a few days.

The Shanghai Government will be promoting Precast Concrete throughout the city over the next three years and encouraging construction companies to move to precast systems, I am hoping it the move also occurs in the landscape industry over the next 3 years.

Design and Thinking – Documentary

Design Thinking was a term coined by Tim Brown, CEO of  IDEO. There are different interpretations of design thinking (like all theories and new ideas) and how it manifests itself in business and the real world. To me, I called ‘design thinking’ – design process in the past, basically taking the process of design and the way we think about design and apply that to a problem.

Design thinking has gained a large amount of coverage in recent years with more people writing blogs, books about the topic. Recently, I stumbled upon the trailer below about the documentary Design & Thinking that is trying to raise funds through Kickstarter to finish the documentary. I think it will be an interesting and hope that the interviews and documentary will get enough funding to be finished.

6 Questions you need to answer when planning a business, startup or idea

Starting a business, a startup or conceptualising an idea can be exciting and hard work but there is a need to focus on the basics so that you can then go to the next step by formulating and ‘fleshing out’ the idea. I have 6 questions I ask people when looking at a new idea for a business, product, or concept. What, Why, How, Who, Where and When. These may seem very simple and easy questions to answer but often people are too focused on the idea or getting customers, creating logos, renting office space and forget the basics. Answering these questions is one of the most important things you do before you spend any money or time on trying to get customers or move forward. You can change the answers at any time and the answers can some flexibility. Having answers that are too broader can hinder the idea and the need to focus is needed so that you resources are used efficiently and effectively.

What?
What is it? What are you selling or creating? What are the services, products, ideas? What are you hoping to achieve with this service, product, idea?

Why?
Why are you selling or creating the service, product or idea? If its only for money, start again or trash the idea. Why you are doing something is the main driver for your business or idea, if you are doing it only for money you will quickly lose interest if it is not something you are passionate about or have experience doing. If the main reason is working less hours, or more time with family, to make the world a better place, to improve the industry, bringing a new idea into the market, then you have a driver and the motivation to succeed. Why is probably the most important question out of the six questions.

How?
How are you going to do it? What approach will you take? Do you have the money to start?  if not, how are you going to get the money? How will you distribute the product? How will you market it?

Who?
Who are your customers? Who will be your suppliers? Who will market the product, service, etc? Who will sell the product? Who will be you customers 5 years from now? Who will

Where?
Where are you setting up the business? Where will the office be? Where will you ship to? Where will the product come from? then go back to How and ask yourself How again.

When?
When will you start the business? When will you break-even? When will you feel comfortable? When will you open another office or location? When will you exit the business?

These are only some of the questions you should be asking yourself when thinking about a startup, business, or idea. Each of the six questions should be asked when you approach any facet of your business. These questions should be used for ideas, projects, pitching, allowing you or your audience to easily understand the What? Why? How? Who? Where? and When? Answering these easy question can make your business run smoothly and you will avoid confusion between people internally and externally.