Designing beautiful landscapes is a pretty hot job

A fan of complicated math problems with an eye for design, registered landscape architect Sue Steele enjoys the responsibility that comes with staying in tune with every aspect of a project.

“Beautiful, well-designed places can have such incredible positive impacts on people and the environment,” explained the 34-year-old from Fairport, employed for two years at Bayer Landscape Architecture in Honeoye Falls. “Our work is to create spaces that protect both.”

That can be a challenge.

Utilities that feed into a building, for example, may impact where she wishes to design a particular landscape.

“We’re responsible for the entire exterior environment,” she added.

Job prospects for landscape architects in the Finger Lakes region are expected to rise 6.7 percent between 2010 and 2020, according to the New York State Department of Labor.

Specializing in healthcare and therapeutic design, public art integration, natural play areas and sustainable site design, Steele holds a bachelor’s degree in ceramic arts from SUNY Fredonia and a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University, and earned her LEED accreditation through the U.S. Green Building Council.

She often looks to history for inspiration.

Through research for a current trail project connecting Brighton Town Hall to Buckland Park, she was part of a team that researched the area’s past life as a clay quarry, when clay mined on the Elmwood Avenue project site got transported by rail to a Monroe Avenue manufacturing plant to be made into bricks.

Identified remnants of the old rail bed will be marked with signage and otherwise incorporated into the final design.

In her spare time, Steele participates in neighborhood design charettes and raises awareness for the local chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

“What I truly love about my profession is the ability to play a role in the shape of our environment,” she said, “which in turn shapes the people who live in it. “

Robin Flanigan is a freelance writer in the Rochester area.

The job: Landscape architects plan and design land areas for parks, recreational facilities, private homes, campuses, and other open spaces.

The pay: The median annual pay for landscape architects was $64,180 in May 2012.

The prospects: Employment of landscape architects in the Finger Lakes region is expected to grow by 6.7 percent between 2010 and 2020.

The preparation: Most states require landscape architects to be licensed. Licensing requirements vary by state, but usually include a degree in landscape architecture from an accredited school, internship experience, and passing the Landscape Architect Registration Exam.

Sources: New York State Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Labor