Architecture is the design of building and spaces within the building while landscape architecture deal mainly with the external spaces of different scales that may include parks, gardens and public open spaces with elements like water features, pavilions, shelters and amphitheatre that is calming to the mind, rest stops for the body and spaces that bring communities together. In recent years, skyrise greenery enable landscape spaces to be integrated in buildings contributing counter urban heat island effect. In general, landscape architecture in design using greenery and hardscape materials to create spaces.

Having good drawing skills is an asset but the programme will guide you to express your drawing skills through tutorials. Other means of expressing your design ideas can be in the form of digital presentation using computer softwares such as Photoshop, Auto-cad and Sketch-up. These will be taught as part of the curriculum.

DLA will train you to understand plants for the purpose of space creation. Your appreciation and knowledge of plants will increase through site visits, lectures and tutorials.

Garden Design one form of landscape architecture, many people understand the term “garden” as a small scale green space in a house or backyard; while in Singapore, we have the Singapore Botanic Gardens that is a UNESCO Heritage Site. Landscape Architecture in a wider sense involves planning, ecology, biodiversity, space design, technology and issues related to people, history, culture and the environment both locally and globally.

Art and D&T are not necessary to be enrolled into the course.

With your Diploma, you can practice as a Landscape Designer, Landscape Technical Officer or Landscape Manager, and work closely with Landscape Architect in design, documentation and implementing a project. You will need to attain a Degree in Landscape in order to become a Landscape Architect, with this diploma you are able to gain advance placement in some modules in university programs as stated below. In addition, there are disciplines related to landscape architecture, for example in plants and architecture that can also be explored after DLA.

Some of the recommended universities are National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Melbourne (Australia), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT, Australia), University of Western Australia, Perth and Lincoln University (New Zealand).