What do you do if local communities oppose the plans of landscape architects?
When landscape architects face opposition from local communities, it's a clear sign that the planning process needs to be more inclusive. As a landscape architect, your role is not just to design aesthetically pleasing and functional outdoor spaces, but also to ensure that these spaces meet the needs and desires of the people who will use them. When your plans are met with resistance, it's crucial to understand the root of the community's concerns and work collaboratively towards a solution that benefits everyone involved.
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Matthew BeehlerFounder @ CBLD | eco
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Wendy LancasterLandscape Director at Tyler Grange, expert witness specialising in LVIA and Green Belt Review on strategic sites -…
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Maii YoussefUrban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
When you encounter opposition, the first step is to listen actively to the concerns of the community. This means setting aside your own assumptions and fully engaging with the perspectives of those who live in the area. By establishing a dialogue, you can identify specific issues and understand the emotional and cultural significance the landscape holds for residents. This approach not only shows respect for the community but also provides valuable insights that can improve your design.
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Wendy Lancaster
Landscape Director at Tyler Grange, expert witness specialising in LVIA and Green Belt Review on strategic sites - Pragmatic professional producing high quality work to short deadlines and great fun to work with.
Speaking to local people is useful to understand what is special about their landscapes and townscapes. They can provide good intel about special viewpoints or particular areas of sensitivity that might not be picked up in the desktop assessment. Listening also helps provide input into what they need. Is there a need for new connections, for foraging opportunities, for educational resources?
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Maii Youssef
Urban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
Architecture should be an integral part of the community. Understanding why there is an objection to a project is essential and to do that, you have to listen to the community rather than make assumptions and put your own opinion on it. It may be to do with a cultural or historical event you're unaware of. There may be practical ways of getting around objections over something 'blocking light' or not being in keeping with the current landscape. All these are valid reasons for complaint. By listening to the community, it is possible to design something that works better for everyone.
Engaging with the community early in the design process can prevent opposition from arising in the first place. This proactive approach allows you to gather input and incorporate local preferences before finalizing plans. By involving community members from the outset, you can foster a sense of ownership and ensure that the project reflects their identity and values, which can lead to a smoother implementation phase.
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Maii Youssef
Urban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
Trying to amend plans that are already in progress is hard work. It's better to engage the community from the outset. That way, you can explain the process and the reasons behind why certain features, etc., are or aren't available/possible. You can also be flexible and sensitive to the community's wants and incorporate them into the plan from the beginning.
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Wendy Lancaster
Landscape Director at Tyler Grange, expert witness specialising in LVIA and Green Belt Review on strategic sites - Pragmatic professional producing high quality work to short deadlines and great fun to work with.
The best masterplans are those that have had early input from professionals and the public. It helps people understand the research that underpins design decisions and helps to understand local issues that can be resolved through the design process.
Collaboration is key to resolving conflicts with local communities. Consider organizing workshops or design charrettes where community members can contribute their ideas directly. This collaborative environment encourages mutual understanding and allows you to integrate local knowledge and preferences into your design. It's a way to turn potential adversaries into allies by co-creating a vision for the landscape.
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Maii Youssef
Urban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
Communities need to feel they're being heard, especially if a project is taking place at a culturally sensitive site. By ensuring processes are in place that give the community access to the project in a way their voices are being heard, you're fostering inclusion in the process.
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Wendy Lancaster
Landscape Director at Tyler Grange, expert witness specialising in LVIA and Green Belt Review on strategic sites - Pragmatic professional producing high quality work to short deadlines and great fun to work with.
Communication is key to the success of any project, and telling a clear story as to why decisions have been made. People are much more likely to engage positively if they can understand that we really are trying to understand their home environments and produce a good solution.
Based on the feedback received, be prepared to revise your plans. Flexibility is essential in landscape architecture, as it is a field that inherently serves diverse populations with varying needs. Adjusting your design to accommodate community feedback demonstrates your commitment to serving their interests and can often lead to a more successful and widely accepted project.
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Maii Youssef
Urban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
Flexibility is important in design, and it's one of the reasons innovative approaches can solve problems. Being flexible is trickier as the project develops, so being able to think outside of the box and apply orthogonal thinking to a challenge is how architects can stand out from the rest.
Sometimes, opposition arises from misunderstandings about the benefits or functions of a proposed design. In such cases, gently educating the community about the ecological, social, or economic advantages of your plans can help alleviate concerns. Use clear, non-technical language to explain how the design will enhance their environment and well-being, and be open to questions and further discussion.
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Maii Youssef
Urban Planner | Project Manager | Technical Manager | Design & Planning | Landscape Engineer | Client Relations Manager
Engineering is not a discipline most people are conversant with. Rather than blind people with science, explain why a design can't be made a certain way, or using certain materials. People tend to be far more reasonable when a situation is explained in clear, every-day language so they can understand the challenge. Presenting them with alternatives is a good way of showing an attempt as compromise between what they want and what can be achieved.
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Wendy Lancaster
Landscape Director at Tyler Grange, expert witness specialising in LVIA and Green Belt Review on strategic sites - Pragmatic professional producing high quality work to short deadlines and great fun to work with.
There are many misunderstandings about policy, design and the planning process. Polite and respectful discourse will help fill in gaps in people's knowledge.
Finally, if opposition persists, offer alternative solutions. Show the community that their voice has power and that their input is genuinely shaping the project. Presenting multiple design options can help negotiate a compromise that satisfies both the technical requirements of the project and the desires of the community. This approach can transform conflict into a constructive force that improves the final outcome.
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Matthew Beehler
Founder @ CBLD | eco
A Landscape Architect's training in drenched in a collaborative approach to design. It is comforting to know that in the modern era our voices are being heard and appreciated. In the past, architect' lead the conversation, and engineers dictated standards. With the advent of evolution we have as a society progressed to embrace the environmental hierarchies which determine our future. Design is a simple task, documentation is a killer process...which if engaged incorrectly can lead to failure on multiple levels. mb
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Ian terrance Witt
community bus driver at on line .in Vero beach Florida
Buy arranging.a local meeting.asking input.with a city officer. On site.so there can express. after see there finell drawing..I would think.to a point.that.would get.there outcome.for all.with a 😃