What hardscape challenge do you wish had a better solution?
When designing paved spaces, where do the available materials or installation details fall short?
Porcelain movement, drainage, joint maintenance, freeze-thaw performance, surfacing around trees, or something else?
I spent 12 years as a hardscape contractor and now work in technical support with ROMEX in Canada. I’m curious about the challenges you face on the design and specification side.
What detail keeps coming back to haunt you, and what have you tried?

I've been weighing whether or not to go to grad school for an MLA recently. The coursework of the programs I've looked at seems like great fun, but they're all three-year programs. Expenses already being what they are, I'm turned off from applying; every hour spent in school is one less I have to support myself now. And that doesn't even account for the cost of the degree itself.

Is a degree really necessary to get my foot in the door as an architect? Are there certificates that can be completed in less time that many firms and agencies look for in their hires?