Article written by Alistair Russell, Principal at InSite.
Public landscapes are the heart of our communities. These crucial spaces significantly contribute to our inclination and desire of where we wish to live, work and play. Parks, plazas, streetscapes, and waterfronts are where people connect and integrate providing an opportunity to wander and engage. Landscape site supervision bridges the gap between design and reality on site.
A public realm project starts with a holistic design based upon the overall master planning that it is intertwined with. The design evolves through the process of the initial vision, goals, and concept design, through to the schematic and detailed stages where the different elements are refined and honed in concert with the budget. The final stages, the tender and issue for construction stages are whereby the contract is awarded to the successful contractor based upon an approved tender amount and to a landscape construction company with a positive attitude and a proven level of competency to realize the design.
The next link in custody of the design is the stage where the landscape site supervision occurs during the construction phase. This interaction is vital to maintaining the intent of the design and often an undervalued aspect of the construction implementation process. This interaction and relationship with contractor can happen is different formats. The client may appoint the landscape architect(s) are as a part of the wider site supervision team which includes key members to support for the mechanical, electrical, and structural components or the client may ask the landscape architect to perform an oversight role as the design guardian. Both options require the support and input from the client to ensure the overall design ambition is achieved.
Why landscape site supervision is so important particularly in public realm projects.
A landscape site supervision team on the ground should ensure the project is built the way it was envisioned, however several factors need to be considered.
Schedule
It should ensure that the proposed implementation schedule timings, durations, and expectations at completion are agreed at commencement. The duration needs to have allowed sufficient time to achieve the works. It is important to consider factors such as scheduling in conjunction with other site works to minimize damage once the landscape is installed and that this aligns to the client visual design expectations at construction completion.
The process on site follows:
Supervision incorporates the review of shop drawings based upon the approved design. Often this will mean reconciling preferred details with any site discrepancies that may occur.
These reviews also ensure that all materials align with the specification intent and that suppliers or contractors do not compromise quality as well as the desired visual effect.
It is critical that the approved sample materials are part of the site mockups to prove that the design intent will be achieved.
In addition, these reviews confirm that the planted form components meet the specifications not only through size but as importantly in habit and form. It is vital that there is consistency with the desired intent of the design .
Lastly these site reviews to ensure that all construction methodologies are approved prior to commencement and are followed throughout the construction period to ensure consistency and quality of works.
The Challenges of Landscape Site Supervision and how to overcome these challenges.
The landscape supervision team is that advocate for the landscape design and must be proactive. This is best executed by having a collaborative approach between all parties between the client, consultants for all disciplines, the tendered design and most importantly the installation contractors. Inauguration this process early and owing this collaboration will provide a more seamless integration of works for all and provide a forum to collectively resolve that always as arise in the course of building projects.
There are challenges that face landscape site supervision. These challenges vary to a greater or lesser extent depending on the region, climate, and specific project requirements that may occur. Below are the key ones to look out for and to form strategies to counteract.
Climate
Consider environmental conditions that may impact installation and timings of installations for the project delivery through extreme high temperatures or the alternate end of the scale with frozen temperatures. Both of which can impact all forms of landscape installation and grow in. In order to achieve maximum survival of the installed planted form it is vital to ensure the optimum growing seasons are utilised, otherwise additional losses may occur with plant materials.
Existing Utilities
Be ready to adjust for existing utilities on site that differ from provided as built drawings or new complexities that arise on site as per unique conditions. This may entail request for approvals for revision of location and or utility heights with relevant local authorities if the design cannot be modified without significant impact or harm to accommodate the unexpected locations. Other mitigations may be necessary such as enclosures or planted form to disguise utilities.
Sequence of Construction
Landscape works may be implemented prior to completion of other works or impacted by out of sequence works by other contractors that can entail repair works to an already completed landscape. This usually occurs because multiple works element phases being on site. It also can happen that other contractors have moved ahead of the landscape component installation and the supervision team must work to find solutions that don’t compromise the project’s design and mitigate budget cost increase in these cases as well.
Scarcity
For large scale projects there can be issues for overall project supply and consistency of materials. The availability of hardscape feature and horizontal materials, soft landscape planted form and in particular trees for both size but also consistent quantities may require a separate procurement route to be established to ensure supply chain project security. There is a growing awareness in the design phase of the importance for projects to utilize more sustainable native and adapted plants. It is encouraging to see that the supply community recognizes its importance and aims to increase its availability through the nurseries approaches for diversified supply production.
Coordinating the Trades
The landscape site supervision team must know what each contractor needs to accomplish on site and how best to thread the landscape works through this matrix. This means protecting the landscape through the ongoing general coordination of sequencing of the works to mitigate damage, or abortive landscape works ensuring that all construction components are sequenced correctly for the landscape, not simply the general contractors whimsy.
The Benefits of Landscape Site Supervision: Why It Matters
Public realm and open space landscapes are one of the most important elements of our home and working environment. They shape how we experience our life, impact our well-being, and contribute to the overall greater biodiversity within these areas. It is therefore vital to ensure they are constructed correctly from the original design intent and that’s where site supervision plays such a key role.
Landscape site supervision helps ensure that the completed construction represents the original design intent. With a strong landscape site supervision team in place for the review and approval of shop drawings, material selections, regular onsite inspections and monitoring and close coordination projects are built to intent while also being more efficient and on time. Ultimately, we have a responsibility to make sure that the landscape that is designed is executed properly and thus contributes to the shaping of the lives and ecology that it provides for.
Seeing Through Our Work: Landscape Site Supervision in the Public Realm written by Alistair Russell, Principal at InSite.
