Here's how you can maximize space utilization in Landscape Architecture using problem solving skills.

Do not reduce space analysis to a solely 'human' exercise. Landscape is a concept that encompasses much more life than just 'the human experience'. In landscape, all life intertwines, interrelates, conflicts. There is a continuous flow of life and death, of conversation and silence, of complex and subtle interactions that go unnoticed but that define what a space is. Space analysis is like po?try. There is beauty in places undefined. In the words unspoken. In the interaction between the individual and the whole. Spend enough time for observation, and don't forget that YOU are a part of space as well, and your being there has a profound influence on the dynamics of it.

It is crucial to have a clear spatial understanding of the location before starting a landscape study. Understanding the topography and natural elements of the space allows for the creation of a more harmonious and efficient design. Knowledge of the terrain helps to anticipate and solve potential problems, such as erosion or inadequate drainage. Additionally, spatial awareness facilitates the integration of new elements with existing ones, respecting the local ecology. Well-founded planning considers microclimates and biodiversity, promoting sustainability. Thus, the resulting landscape will be not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and sustainable in the long term.

Don't individualise user needs. It is in landscape impossible to define all 'users', and therefore even more impossible to define all their 'user needs'. The needs of a birch tree are different than those of a mosquito, than those of a salmon or a 3 year old child. We must accept the impossibility to cater all need. And therefore the right question might become: who should our users 'be'? How do we answer that question in the most just way? How can we create spaces that make as many interactions between different users or uses possible? Landscape architects too often put human needs central in their designs. That is an unfortunate (and unsustainable) way of approaching the diversity that exists in landscape.

Prioritizing needs is the key to a good project, as the client is providing all the guidelines, either directly or indirectly, and this is fundamental. Understanding and meeting these needs ensure that the designed space will be ideally used and valued by its users. This focus on user needs allows the landscape design to be more personalized and functional. Additionally, by involving the community and understanding their expectations, you can create an environment that resonates with the desires and needs of those who will use it, promoting more frequent use and greater appreciation of the space.

The description given here speaks of "value" and "assets" of space as being purely financial. We landscape architects have the responsibility to weigh in with other forms of value. Beauty, nature (as something valuable in itself), happiness. These are the things we should strive for. This is what we should use space for. If we start looking at 'vertical space' as something that could potentially lead to more financial gains, it will never lead to truely 'valuable' landscape architecture. Also, we need the sky, the sun and the soil - maybe even more than we need trellises and green walls.

Vertical projects tend to be more valuable, both aesthetically and functionally. The inclusion of vertical elements adds a sense of amplitude and the possibility of looking up at the sky, creating a more open and inviting environment. Additionally, these elements can be used to improve thermal comfort by providing shade and helping to control the space's temperature. Privacy is another important benefit, as green walls and tall plantings can serve as natural barriers. Thus, by intelligently integrating vertical space, you not only optimize the use of available area but also elevate the quality and usability of the landscape design.

The landscape is ever changing. So whether or not YOU 'provide' for it in a design, does not stop the landscape from changing it anyway. There is always flexibility in space. Striving for a static design is a contradiction in landscape architecture. Striving for a static design is declaring a war against nature. A continuous fight against the natural state of change. Flexibility, then, is the margin in which we allow for change to happen. Flexibility is, then, the amount of participation we allow. From humans, and all non-human life forms that exist in landscape. Flexibility, in landscape architecture, is the recognition that you are not God, but you are only one of the many voices in landscape. Flexibility is honesty.

Sustainability is looking at landscape as an ever-changing reality. As something in which life and death are caught in an endless dance. Where time is not something one can measure, but where all kinds of slownessess and speeds come together. Sustainability, then, is NOT accepting that a design that strives for an 'end image'. Static landscape design can never be sustainable, because it ignores one main rule of nature: continuous evolution and change. Sustainability asks of landscape architects a much more subtle approach. One of continuous observation and little changes. A presence of care. Landscape care - not 'architecture' as a practice of harsh, rigid interventions.

Creative projects are, in reality, the quest for our client's solution. They see in us, the architects, the solution to create something they haven't seen before, to surprise them and provide a new space for them. Often, this space will be the setting for family gatherings, parties, and fond memories. It will be an open-air frame ready to host dynamic photos with a beautiful backdrop. The ability to think outside the box and offer innovative solutions not only solves practical problems but also creates environments that become a vital part of the clients' lives and memories. Therefore, by constantly seeking new ideas and approaches, you can transform ordinary spaces into extraordinary and meaningful places.