A Bold Forecast of Future Trends in China’s Landscape Design Industry
Release Time:
2016-05-09
Source:
A Bold Forecast of Future Trends in China’s Landscape Design Industry
The golden two decades of booming real estate from 1994 to 2014 have largely come to an end, and the industry’s growth curve has begun to trend downward. As a related sector, landscape design has felt the impact and shock very acutely; while the lag may be some time, the overall trend is unmistakably downward. In the past, we enjoyed the world’s largest pool of landscape-development opportunities and the highest volume of projects—but rather than fully committing to innovation, we simply kept rapidly “copying” and replicating existing models. Now we’ve reached a point where change is unavoidable, and fortunately, we still have time to act. So what should we do?
1. Survival of the fittest among landscape design firms
Since 2015, the volume of landscape design projects has declined markedly, resulting in a significant oversupply of landscape design professionals. While the number of projects across various sectors—such as residential real estate and commercial real estate—has decreased, the complexity of design work has increased, with an ever-growing number of revisions and changes. At the same time, clients have continued to push down design fees, leading to a substantial decline in design firms’ profitability. Although the number of projects in niche segments like industrial real estate and senior-care real estate may have risen slightly, the landscape areas per project are generally small, and unit pricing remains low across the board.
2. Landscape Design Firms Hesitate to Go Public
a. Design firms do not necessarily need large amounts of capital; having more money does not automatically translate into better design. Great design depends on talented, creative individuals. While ample funding can attract top talent, the corporate philosophy of a publicly listed company may not always align with or resonate with the values and vision of such talent.
b. Capital is profit-driven and seeks returns by generating more money from money; therefore, capital flowing into the stock market will inevitably alter the corporate culture of the companies originally designed for it.
c. If one seeks to make a quick fortune by relying solely on the stock market, such an impatient, short-sighted mindset is detrimental to a company’s long-term development. A small but exquisite landscape design firm thrives not because it has a large workforce or abundant capital, but rather because it remains laser-focused on landscape design, dares to innovate, genuinely loves the field, and approaches its work with dedication and passion.
3. Landscape designers are returning to first-tier cities.
Landscape design firms in third- and fourth-tier cities are grappling with a shortage of projects, opportunities, funding, and overall vitality, leading to widespread layoffs and business closures. As a result, many designers are returning to first-tier cities. There is no doubt that first-tier cities—and to a lesser extent, certain second-tier cities—remain the primary battleground for 90% of landscape designers.
4. The Landscape Designer’s “New Upstream and Downstream”
The “new ‘going up the mountains and down to the countryside’” for landscape designers means going to rural areas to build beautiful villages—this represents a new breakthrough for the profession. Landscape designers are called upon to work in rural settings, preserving historic towns and water towns while developing the tourism and leisure industry—areas that are currently strongly encouraged by national policy and offer tremendous opportunities.
5. “Projects” in Landscape Design
Landscape design in the real estate sector is clearly diverging into two distinct streams: high-end projects and mid- to low-end projects. Government-led municipal projects are predominantly designed by international firms in collaboration with local landscape and municipal engineering institutes, resulting in a noticeable improvement in overall standards. However, given the typically large scale of such projects and constrained project budgets, the level of completion and quality of the finished outcomes generally falls short, with many projects exhibiting insufficient attention to detail in both design and construction. That said, municipal projects have nonetheless showcased the application of numerous innovative concepts and cutting-edge technologies, and a number of outstanding examples have already been completed across China—a development that is truly encouraging.
6. The “Style” of Landscape Design
Chinese landscape design must showcase its own distinctive style; this trend will truly usher in an era of master designers. Now is the time for outstanding works to emerge, for a rich diversity of styles to flourish, and for true masters to rise to prominence. In this sense, we are living in the worst of times—but also the best of times.
7. “Internetization” of Landscape Design
The internet is bound to become the cornerstone of every industry, and as such it will inevitably disrupt the landscape design sector. This trend is unstoppable and will give rise to innovative business models, ushering in profound transformation across the field. In short, internet technology is reshaping the world at breakneck speed; therefore, our landscape design industry must keep pace with the times, continuously learn and improve, and accelerate innovation.
8. Productization of Landscape Design
Landscape design and construction will ultimately be geared toward end users, with the trend shifting from a project-based, infrastructure-driven model to one centered on consumer-oriented, household products. The emergence of standardized, productized landscape amenities for home use heralds new industry opportunities; in the near future, the integration of landscape design and horticulture is bound to gain momentum. Meanwhile, child-focused landscape design is increasingly collaborating closely with manufacturers of children’s play equipment, which will inevitably give rise to another emerging trend: the productization of landscape design.
9. The Core Objectives of Landscape Education
A common problem in landscape architecture education at Chinese institutions is the significant disconnect between classroom instruction and the practical project design work that graduates encounter in the professional field. If we set aside theoretical research and focus instead on preparing students for careers in landscape design firms, it is essential to integrate design pedagogy with hands-on construction practice. Combining innovative brainstorming with hands-on, real-world building—this is what truly constitutes an integrated model of industry–university–research collaboration.
10. Core Objectives of the Landscape Designer/Company
An unrelenting pursuit of outstanding works and artistic innovation that reaches the pinnacle of excellence.
