Design is constrained on two primary financial fronts: the client’s pocketbook and the company’s bureaucracy. Together, they shape the direction—and ultimately the outcome—of any project. While previous discussions have considered whether firms are led more by engineering or landscape architecture, here we examine a more foundational common denominator: business.
Customer Service
The master plan is intended to capture a vision, but once construction begins, cost inflation can quickly disrupt that vision. This puts pressure on the client, who may be forced to make cuts. An experienced firm anticipates such realities early, recognizing potential overages before they surface. Ideally, adjustments are proposed well ahead of schedule—before shovels hit the ground—thereby preserving trust and project integrity.
Bureaucracy
Professionals are legally bound to protect public health and safety, but they are also in business—to earn a living and support their families. The firm’s internal processes are typically geared toward revenue optimization. Standardization becomes key. A task completed in 10 hours instead of 100 represents a tremendous cost-saving. This pressure to economize often dictates how the firm delivers its services, regardless of design aspirations.
Constraint
Given these dual pressures—external financial limitations and internal business structures—firms often operate not in pursuit of the highest design ideals, but rather within the practical limits imposed by the economy. Opportunities for experimentation, inquiry, and innovation are easily deprioritized. Some organizations have attempted to counterbalance this by creating internal research labs to stay on the cutting edge. Yet even here, the return on investment is rarely immediate or guaranteed.
