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Landscape Architect

Engineering

Plan and design land areas for projects such as parks and other recreational facilities, airports, highways, hospitals, schools, land subdivisions, and commercial, industrial, and residential sites.

Architecture & Built Environment

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Confer with clients, engineering personnel, or architects on landscape projects.
  2. 2Analyze data on conditions such as site location, drainage, or structure location for environmental reports or landscaping plans.
  3. 3Prepare site plans, specifications, or cost estimates for land development.
  4. 4Inspect landscape work to ensure compliance with specifications, evaluate quality of materials or work, or advise clients or construction personnel.
  5. 5Integrate existing land features or landscaping into designs.
  6. 6Collaborate with architects or related professionals on whole building design to maximize the aesthetic features of structures or surrounding land and to improve energy efficiency.
  7. 7Prepare graphic representations or drawings of proposed plans or designs.
  8. 8Inspect proposed sites to identify structural elements of land areas or other important site information, such as soil condition, existing landscaping, or the proximity of water management facilities.
  9. 9Create landscapes that minimize water consumption such as by incorporating drought-resistant grasses or indigenous plants.
  10. 10Collaborate with estimators to cost projects, create project plans, or coordinate bids from landscaping contractors.
  11. 11Develop planting plans to help clients garden productively or to achieve particular aesthetic effects.
  12. 12Present project plans or designs to public stakeholders, such as government agencies or community groups.
  13. 13Manage the work of subcontractors to ensure quality control.
  14. 14Develop marketing materials, proposals, or presentations to generate new work opportunities.
  15. 15Prepare conceptual drawings, graphics, or other visual representations of land areas to show predicted growth or development of land areas over time.
  16. 16Identify and select appropriate sustainable materials for use in landscape designs, such as recycled wood or recycled concrete boards for structural elements or recycled tires for playground bedding.
  17. 17Research latest products, technology, or design trends to stay current in the field.
  18. 18Design and integrate rainwater harvesting or gray and reclaimed water systems to conserve water into building or land designs.
  19. 19Provide follow-up consultations for clients to ensure landscape designs are maturing or developing as planned.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • PLA
  • AP BD+C
  • Planner
  • Land Planner
  • Park Planner
  • Site Planner
  • Exterior Designer
  • Landscape Planner
  • Project Architect
  • Landscape Designer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Technical Comm. GraphicsDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Engineering DrawingDraws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Civil Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Building and Construction — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Design94%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Building and Construction81%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Geography78%

    Geography

  • English Language75%

    English

  • Engineering and Technology75%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Customer and Personal Service73%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time
  • Time spent standingA little
  • Time walking or movingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Develop and facilitate community engagement campaigns and workshops to better understand the community's needs.
  • Prepare ecological restoration or mitigation design plans to enhance or restore habitats.
  • Use drone technology to survey large areas and gather accurate topographical data.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

5%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Architect

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Landscape Architects

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue