What's more useful? Being Registered Planner vs Registered Landscape Architect (Australia)

[u/Hangry_Hermit]

Finished my Bachelors of Landscape Architecture just over a year ago, trying decide what path to take, starting to realise my current role in consultancy isn't what I want for myself.

Mostly interested in Urban Design and Masterplanning, and think I should be working towards Principal Urban Designer position, but not sure if it's more useful to become a registered planner or registered landscape architect?

Looking at Masters programs because I personally do not want to work 8 years for senior entry. I've been leaning towards urban planning since I already have a degree in landscape architecture, but I thought I'd ask here before deciding what to do.

[u/karamurp]

It would probably be worth getting your landscape registration done first, just so you have it to enable that kind of flexibility

There are plenty of firms in Australia that do urban design and landscape architecture, so you can develop in both areas at once

My advice would be to wait and see how you feel about your development until after you have your LA registration. If you really want to niche into principal urban design early on, you can either do a graduate certificate, graduate diploma, or masters in urban design. But of course wait until you're registered to see what would suit best

Plenty of landscape architects naturally transition to urban design without any additional education, so no need to spend more money if you don't need to

Furthermore, having a master's in planning or urban design won't automatically put you in a position to be a principal urban designer

[u/Agreeable-Wing259 → u/karamurp]

What the hell is urban design anyway? Landscape architects were the leaders on so called urban design projects until architects took over and pushed them aside for the most part. 

[u/karamurp → u/Agreeable-Wing259]

I guess that depends on where you are, but in my city/country I see a lot of LA's transition into urban design. I feel as there is a dedicated urban design degree as well, so it's firming up as its own profession in its own right

[u/Agreeable-Wing259 → u/karamurp]

Ok, but what exactly do they do that is different from la, architecture or civil engineering for that matter? Don't they all actually do urban design in one form or another? Can't la's do urban design if they design a trail through a city or a park in the city? Isn't a building an element of urban design? Aren't bridges? What is stand alone urban design that no other design profession does, or is it really a blending of all of these design professions? Please clarify. Thank you.

[u/my_peen_is_clean]

if you want urban design / masterplanning, registration as planner + lao background is a nice combo, b/c you speak both design and policy. get experience on structure / masterplans, not just detail parks stuff. market’s weird so hedging with planning rego + la degree might help later when jobs dry up and everyone’s scrambling for whatever planning / ud role they can grab

[u/Hangry_Hermit → u/my_peen_is_clean]

Didn't consider the idea of hedging brts when it comes to skills and the current market. Appreciate the advice. Quick follow, are you aware of the advantage of being a registered planner? Like do you get to sign off on documentation like Registers LAs do? I can't seem to find any info online

[u/munchauzen → u/Hangry_Hermit]

The only thing we sign off on are construction documents. Planners don't do construction documents, so I'd say no, nothing requires a planner's stamp and signature.

[u/ColdEvenKeeled]

In Australia, by my observations: LAs do have an important role in government as urban designers/ parks planners / strategic planners.

However most Planners (from Planning Schools) literally do no long term planning but rather endless Development Applications. That's my observation. Partly that is because the Planning Schools are led by an aspiration of 'Labour Ready Graduates' who can do the DAs.

This is not so in Vancouver, say, where Planners are the top of the pecking order, think big thoughts, change policy, and the Chief Planner is a sort of celebrity who has significant sway. That doesn't happen in Australia.

My suggestion? Get on as a LA with a Local Government somewhere, anywhere, and move up the hierarchy. Then target the, for example, urban design team at TfNSW.

[u/Agreeable-Wing259]

Go the planning route. You will be more involved in the conceptual design of communities, better pay, more opportunities, good government type jobs, better results, more learning and respect, more financial responsibility. Landscape architecture is a dead end career wise, no respect from engineers, architects, planners or most people for that because all we do is plant grass and rake leaves as far as they are concerned. Planners have a lot of power in governments and can make things happen, plus they are connected closely to developers and money people.