Value of Green Landscaping

More Than Just Aesthetics

By: Jotham Lim

When purchasing or developing properties, many factors come into play that require heavy consideration. The usual suspects include the location of the project, the size of the project, its pricing and value per sq ft.

What usually goes unnoticed, however, is the time and effort required to landscape the said project, but that has been slowly changing in recent years. With plenty of new projects emerging from the horizon, many developers and homebuyers are starting to be much more aware of the importance of landscaping, and today we shall dive deep and explore the hidden values that lie just underneath the surface of the grassy plains.

To bring another voice into this conversation, we have reached out to Dr Suhardi Maulan, President of the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia (ILAM) and Head of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

Property Insight is proud to say that Dr Suhardi is one of our esteemed judges for our upcoming Property Insight Prestigious Developer Awards (PIPDA) 2019 awards, and we believe that his insights will add plenty to the discussion.

Landscaping is a Growing Topic in Recent Years. What Are the Common Misconceptions People Have in regard to Landscaping as an Industry?

I have many students joining my programme with the initial impression that landscape architecture is all about garden designing and the management of trees. However, there is much more to this “growing” topic than just growing trees and plants.

I would say that flora management takes up only 20% of the discipline. In real-life situations, landscape architecture is all about planning around the available natural resources.

As landscape architects, our job is to make sure that the built environment and natural environment can co-exist with each other while still remaining useful to the people in that space.

A common misconception people have towards landscaping is that it is a major project that requires intensive unearthing and reallocating of soil and resources. Yes, the public needs a recreational space to relax and enjoy what the greenery has to offer, but not at the expense of damaging the natural ecosystem.

Landscape architects have a responsibility to advise developers and the team on how to landscape appropriately, to fulfil all the required needs while ensuring both air and water quality control and intact biodiversity.

Looks like Landscaping is More than just Pure Aesthetics. Care to Share what other Values Landscaping Brings to the Table?

Many developers have slowly realised that landscaping can actually bring in economic benefits as well. When constructing commercial spaces like shopping malls or mixed developments, a good landscape design can be a great crowd puller and a way to increase footfall.

Take a look at IOI City Mall in Serdang, and how they managed to marry both great landscaping and the shopping mall concept perfectly well together. I believe that shopping malls will benefit most from great landscape designs, as they are under the constant competitive threat from online businesses.

In the modern landscape, shopping is no longer the sole reason why the general public would visit shopping malls. They are there for the environment, to socialise, to entertain and for leisure.

We can expect people to loiter both inside and outside of shopping malls, and we can start to see why landscaping is slowly taking up a more substantial role as an economic booster.

Of course, economic benefits are not the only constraint to commercial projects. From a developer’s point of view, having a proper landscape design functions as a great marketing tool for residential projects, not to mention the added value it brings to the property. The general consensus is that proper landscaping will increase demand in an area which will be reflected in terms of pricing.

Take Central Park in New York as an example: all the apartments that are facing Central Plaza are fetching millions of dollars, all for the view of the landscape itself. Properties are no longer about the properties themselves but also encompassing whatever surrounds them.

To developers out there, if you are willing to allocate more money towards building proper landscape spaces, I believe that you will eventually witness your returns on investment. I understand that it is quite hard to justify the cost in the current market climate, but there is an indirect relationship between landscaping and economic value it brings to property.

What Constitutes a Well-designed Landscape?

There is a complicated answer to this simple question because there are so many parameters and variables that we need to take into account.

A well-designed landscape needs to have ample space to achieve its purposes. Many make the mistake of assuming bigger is always better but a huge space may not be easy to navigate through. The ratio between project and landscape size must be in accordance with the function of the whole development which brings us to the next point.

Functionality is a key ingredient in making sure the landscape is fully utilised but this encompasses many miniature factors as well. Biodensity, build quality, noise protection, air quality and design elements all contribute to the functionality of the space.

The functionality of the space will also reflect the social values it brings to the table. If nobody uses the space it will just be a waste of resources. In summary, a well-designed landscape consists of ample space, a proper location, non-disruptive environmental values, enhanced social values and added economic values.

Property Insight got in contact with landscape architect Liew Ying Yie who has accumulated a decade’s worth of industry knowledge to pick her brain on the current status of the industry.

What Are the Differences between a Landscape Designer and a Landscape Architect?

It is fairly common to have used these two terms interchangeably as both require a bachelor’s or master’s degree in landscape architecture. However, there is no hard definition that separates these two titles as the borders of responsibilities between these two remain blurry and subject to the job scope given by the attached company.

Overall, it is safe to assume a landscape designer primarily focuses on the design department while an architect is primarily involved in the projects department.

For example, clients sometimes employ overseas designers to help draft up initial concepts and hand them over to local architects for execution. In this case, the overseas designer is only involved in the designing process hence their official title is landscape designer.

What Are the Challenges and Issues that Plague Your Day-to-day Life?

It is certainly not a plague but there are no fixed standards or guidelines for landscape designing yet. This is in comparison to Singapore where landscape projects are heavily monitored and tightly regulated.

There are multiple ways you can look at this but from the negative end, it could mean destroying the local ecosystem and habitat without doing prior due diligence. On the flip side, designers and architects are allowed the necessary breathing room to express themselves creatively in the field.

The local government has certainly taken measures to keep the issue from running rampant in Klang Valley: new developments are required to allocate a minimum of 10% of their project to landscaping and green efforts.

ILAM is also playing a role in gathering these specialists and professionals together to self-monitor and self-regulate but more importantly to ensure the standards of landscape projects are at satisfactory levels.

Plant material selection also poses a big challenge in day-to-day life. Developers are always on the constant lookout for ways to reduce maintenance costs through smart and elegant design. An example would be planting the correct tree to provide enough shade to reduce air-conditioning usage. However, the selection of tree species could potentially make or break the entire project.

The final challenge I find myself looking forward to, strangely enough, is answering the ever-increasing demand for quality creative outdoor spaces. Long gone are the days where typical walkways and playgrounds would suffice. We as landscape architects are required to step outside our comfort zone and explore design concepts that are even more outlandish than before yet remain practical at the same time.

Property Insight also reached out to landscape architect Lee Choong Hong from Just Right Design Sdn Bhd to get his comments as well.

What is the Working Relationship between an Architect and a Developer?

Throughout my career as a landscape architect, there are three types of clients that I commonly face on a day-to-day basis.

The first type of client is developers who would like to develop a working relationship with us purely because they are required to adhere to the requirements set by local authorities. Budgets vary wildly but generally, it is a simple and straightforward job for developers to tick another item off their checklist.

The second type of client is a joy to work with. They are developers who see and understand the importance of landscaping and the values it brings to a certain project. These developers have clear goals and objectives for what they want out of the project and it is very easy to establish a clear line of communication with them in terms of design concepts and execution.

The final type of clients are developers who are obsessed with landscaping, using it as a pivotal point to help them sell and market a particular project. Being a key driving factor in their sales, designing landscaping for these projects requires a deep understanding of the client’s needs and wants and a keen eye for minute details.

Where Do You See the Industry Heading towards in the near Future?

In short, I would say I have a fairly positive outlook on the industry. Market sentiments hint at the fact that homebuyers nowadays pay a lot more attention to the facade and surroundings of a landscape project hence it is a great marketing angle for developers.

In the past, it was all about the “location, location, location” mantra in property development. However, what happens when multiple developers are competing with each other in the same area, targeting the same demographic and delivering similar products?

This is where landscaping plays a vital role in swaying buyers into investing in a particular project amongst others.

One of my little gripes, however, is that I want people to understand that landscaping is not just about aesthetics but also about preserving and conserving the local ecosystem. Rather than brute-forcing your way through and altering the entire landscape using heavy machinery, I would encourage building and designing around the local ecosystem instead, minimising any human involvement in the area.

This will help any environmental conservation efforts significantly improve the quality of the land area in the long run.

Property Insight also reached out to Douglas Matsen, a guest director from Melbourne, Australia with years of international landscape designing experience to get his views on the matter.

Do Cultural Differences Affect the way You Have Designed Landscapes in Any Way?

Yes, it very much does actually. Working in Malaysia took some time to adapt to local client expectations, timelines, budgets, materials and the tropical environment itself. There are so many factors you need to take into account when designing a landscape that it was like being given unfamiliar tools.

The most notable point to highlight is that most of my property development clients have an ethnic Chinese background. A big part of developing properties for ethnic Chinese would be the emphasis on basic Feng Shui principles. Learning all about Feng Shui principles and integrating them into my existing design philosophy was undoubtedly an exciting journey to embark on.

What is exciting about this is that I can take some of these learned principles back to Australia and vice versa. I have come to believe that practising a combination of eastern and western design philosophies together with a committed work ethic and an open mind consistently provides a reliable foundation for successful and amazing design outcomes.

Could You Walk Us through Your Thought Process when Designing a Landscape?

When designing a landscape, I am actually trying to marry two schools of thought together i.e., a technical perspective and a creative outlook. Designing is more than just art. It is art that serves a functional, practical purpose to solve real problems. You can’t build a perfectly evaluated technical project without flair or it will turn into a soulless space. On the other end of the spectrum, a creative project without proper technical evaluation would be extremely expensive and impractical to embark upon. Every good designer needs to have both elements at play to craft a well-designed landscape.

Conclusion

Landscaping is no doubt an integral part of any living or working space not to mention the Malaysian economy. The latest governmental statistics show the construction sector is currently worth RM200 billion with landscaping playing a huge role in contributing to this behemoth industry. Do remember that landscaping provides the first and last impression whenever you enter or leave a building or property. So while slaving away paying the monthly maintenance cost for your condominium unit, why not take the time to enjoy the facilities available to you?

After all, you have already paid to use them. And every time you set foot on the grassy plain of a property, remember that a landscaper has fought hard to place that green patch underneath your feet.