An Assessment of the

Landscape Architecture Profession

in Hong Kong SAR

By
Keith Hak-Kong HUANG

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for

the degree of Master of Science in Construction Management
(Construction Project Management)

Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering

City University of Hong Kong

July 2022

CA6531 Dissertation
Supervisor: Dr Paulina Neisch
 ABSTRACT
• Government is steering towards
enhancing liveability, biological
diversity, and carbon neutrality.

• Multiple strategies, guides, and

action plans published by the
Development Bureau and the
Environmental Bureau.

• Landscape Architecture is able to

lead on the plans, design, and
maintenance of a biophilic and
sustainable city.

• Study aims to give a synopsis of

the Landscape Architecture
Profession in Hong Kong today.

Source: https://www.info.gov.hk/
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An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR Slide 2
 INTRODUCTION
• Frederick Law Olmsted first used
term “landscape architecture” title
in a design competition.
• Landscape Architecture profession
evolution from gardens of wealthy
residences, to urban parks and
regional scale projects.
• Dilemma that there is no defined
definition or work areas reserved
only for Landscape Architecture.
A dispositive, or systematic means to
understand selected themes, to assess
the history of landscape architecture
representation and perceptions on the
practice. Organized around episteme,
period in history, of particular views.
An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR
Perception as a gardener
Landscape architecture practice
Contemporary perception of LA
Landscape architecture practice
Related factor
Perception as landscape architect
Landscape architecture practice
Episteme 1: The Great Gardens
A – The Italy Humanism
1.Roman Gardens 2.Classical ideas of viewpoint and perspective 3.Power and
magnificence of political dynasty- such as the Medici clan 4.Literature 5.Social
and cultural aspects 6.Development of water system technology 7.Development
of horticulture science 8.Islamic gardens
B - The French Idealism
9.Development of geo-science 10.Development of parterre and topiary 11.Power
of the Sun King (Louise the XIV) 12.Social and cultural aspects 13.Perspective and
illusionary space 14.Extension of architectural spaces. 15.Literature
C – The English Enlightenment and Romanticism
16.Chinese garden 17.Rolling landform 18.Horticulture technology 19.Social and
cultural aspects 20.Industrialisation and modernisation of country life
21.Literature and paintings of landscape
Episteme 2: The New Profession
D – Neighbourhood Park and Planning
22.Social and cultural aspects 23.City’s laws and regulations 24.Development of
Infrastructure and Transportation system 25. The World War I and II
E – Urban Park and Planning
26.World Columbian Exposition 27.Rapid growth of the city, particular in the
North America 38.Garden City and City
Beautification Movement 29.Establishment of association and institutions in
landscape architecture – ASLA, LI, IFLA, etc. 30. Establishment of schools of
landscape architecture 31.Horticulture technology
F – Regional Park and Planning
34. Emergence of Geo-science 35. Forest and forestry
Episteme 3: Modernity and the New Science
G – The Modern Landscape Garden
36.Social and cultural aspects 37.City planning law and regulations
38.Development of computer applications 39.Horticulture
technology 40.Architectural modernism and modern art (Land Art, Pop Art)
41.Japanese garden and philosophy
H- Regional Park and Planning
43.Environmental strategies and applications (i.e. – sustainable development,
land reclamation, global warming, climate change,
etc.) 44.New Urbanism 45.World Wide Web 46.Globalization 47.Publication of
Design with Nature and layer-map analysis
48.Development of GIS application and remote sensing and satellite 49.Landscape
ecology
I and J – Contemporary Landscape Design and Planning
Source: Pattamon / BERAC 3, 2012
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Slide 3
 BACKGROUND
• Hong Kong accommodates a high
level of biodiversity in the natural Wildlife Map of Hong Kong
environment, many plants and
animals.

• Hong Kong reserved public land

without any urban development is
a significant ratio, many nature
reserves and country parks.

• HKILA started in 1988, quite

young compared to HKIA started
in 1956, respectively 33 and 65
year old professional institutes.

Source: Safeguarding local biodiversity, WWF Hong Kong 2017

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 OBJECTIVES
• To name the knowledge areas and
competencies of the Landscape
Architecture Profession.
• To identify the reserve areas and
technical framework of Landscape
Architecture in Hong Kong.
• To develop an understanding of
the workforce of Landscape
Architecture in Hong Kong today.
An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR
Landscape Character Map of Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a coastal, hilly, and rocky terrain. The
landscape areas includes nature reserves, reservoirs,
country parks, coastlines, fung shui woodlands, and many
other features, but most significant is the land ratio that is
reserved public land without any urban development.
Source: Landscape Value Mapping of Hong Kong, Planning Department 2005
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Slide 5
 METHODOLOGY
To accumulate info on the landscape
Hong Kong 2030+
architecture competencies, the local
frameworks of the Profession, and the
demographic info of the practitioners.
The three phases of study as follows:

• To layout a table of the Landscape

Architecture knowledge and skills.

• To distinguish the Reserve Areas

and Technical Framework of the
Profession in Hong Kong.
Promoting Devising an
Sustainable Integrated SGR Fostering Smart

• To generate and circulate a Planning & Urban

Design
Infrastructure
System
Mobility

questionnaire to gain insights into

the Profession in Hong Kong.

Source: Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030

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An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR Slide 6
 KNOWLEDGES (method)
• The landscape architecture profession
started in the USA with ASLA. This
quickly grew overseas, including the
founding of UKLI and the IFLA.

• HKILA initially is a Chapter of the

UKLI, entitled the Hong Kong
Landscape Group (HKLG). The HKILA
was inaugurated in 1988 as the
professional body in Hong Kong for
Landscape Architects.

• The study consolidates the knowledges

and definitions of landscape architecture
generated by the above organizations to
generate a quantifiable evaluation of
what are the expertise of landscape
architects.

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An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR Slide 7
 KNOWLEDGES (method cont.)
• The proficiency of a landscape
architect’s is itemized on the left. A brief
description in correlation to each
proficiency (knowledge or competency)
is on the right column.

• The knowledge or competency of

landscape architecture is organized into
seven domains, represented in the
separate tables.

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An Assessment of the Landscape Architecture Profession in Hong Kong SAR Slide 8
 FRAMEWORK (method)
• To assess the technical documents,
guidelines, practice notes, etc from Table of Government organizations relating to landscape architecture
Government organizations with a
staff carrying the words
“landscape” or “tree" in job titles.

• Two departments are further

considered as their agendas have a
considerable impact on the
Profession, BD and EPD.

• The list would include any

document that would be a
constraint, assist or guideline on
how a landscape architect may
practice, and not the periodic
reports or project assessments.

Source: Organisation Chart of the Government of the HKSAR, May 2022

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 FRAMEWORK (method cont.)
• Various documents exist concerning
how landscape architects ought to
practice, the ordinances, regulations,
guidelines, or documents by the Govt.
organizations directly or covertly form
the framework of the profession works.

• The list provides an overview of the

technical framework of the Profession
within the built environment industry,
excluding the political or social factors.

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 QUESTIONAIRE (method)
• The survey is sent to Landscape
Architecture practitioners only.
The retired persons or students are
not included in the study to best
capture the current market status.

• To get a broad representation of

the market, the sample of survey
included: registered practices,
unregistered private practices,
multi disciplinary offices, public
practices, land developers with
landscape units, and academic
institutions offering landscape
architecture studies.

• The survey length design is to

have participants complete the
survey in 20 or fewer minutes and
has a maximum of 60 questions
before data quality would suffer.

• The survey contents are divided

into the Demographics section and
the Knowledge section.

• The participants' names are not

requested to maintain privacy on
the submitted data. The survey
data records are to be identified by
the order they are submitted.

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 QUESTIONAIRE (method cont.)
• A detailed examination of each demographic
information is taken by studying several
dimensions of the responses. These would
include the variations, the distributions, the
averages, and crossing two fields.

• A separate assessment for the Knowledges data

was made to understand and review the two
detailed data scales of time and command. An
average mean was calculated to evaluate the
collective data, and specific responses were not
assessed to avoid isolating individual opinions.

• The Standard Deviation (SD) is calculated to

assess how Knowledges responses are spread.

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 KNOWLEDGES AND FRAMEWORK (results)
• The knowledge and competencies
of a landscape architect exceeds
the commonly related plant
focused expertise, with a
professional capacity covering
areas including project design,
planning, administration, and
management.

• The landscape architecture

profession is spread over various
Government organizations with
advisory roles, without any
consolidated representation like
Architects in BD or ASD.

• The reserved areas of Hong Kong

RLA are 1) to administer
compliance with a Landscape
Master Plan Clause under the
Lease, and 2) to administer
compliance with a Tree
Preservation Clause under the
Lease.

Source: Landscape Corner on GLTMS website, Development Bureau

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 QUESTIONAIRE (results)
• The final questionnaire survey was
over two weeks, from 15 to 28
February 2022. A total of 52
replies to the survey were
received.

• The sample size is approximately

10% of the active landscape
architecture profession in Hong
Kong.

• The median salary of an RLA is

“$75,000 to $99,999”, whereas for
non-registered LA is “$50,000 to
$74,999”.

• The most agreed item under the

knowledges section is “Project
coordination and correspondences”,
with time of acquisition level
being employed, and knowledge
command level being application.

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 DISCUSSION
 Knowledges data from the groups varied, as the
ideas, perceptions, definitions, and terminology
are different from each.
 Knowledges list is formed in an impartial
manner, with some adaptation to best
consolidate the ideas.

 The factors that may impact the Profession is

extensive, beyond Govt organizations also
includes some business, social and political
groups.
 Scope is considerably narrowed in the study
which provides a more detailed perspective
only on the technical framework influences.

 There are many potential participant groups

beyond landscape architecture profession that
may take survey, like other built environment
professionals, academics or general public.
 Necessary to take a controlled target audience
to maintain the study objective to represent the
landscape architecture workforce today.

OBJECTIVES (recap)
• To name the knowledge areas and
competencies of the Landscape
Architecture Profession.
• To identify the reserve areas and
technical framework of Landscape
Architecture in Hong Kong.
• To develop an understanding of the
workforce of Landscape Architecture
in Hong Kong today.

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 POTENTIAL INFLUENCES
• Knowledges table may be an explanation and
Native Food Plants for Birds and Mammals in Hong Kong
reasoning for the Profession’s work scope,
project contributions, and future research. Also
as an overview and reference material to
potential students or other practitioners.

• The study on framework pinpoints the actual

reserved area relative to the many ordinances
and technical documents shaping the Profession.
The reserved areas may be expanded to advance
the overall environmental and community
wellness of the city.

• The questionnaire data provides a snapshot of

the landscape profession composition and
characteristics, and the first survey in Hong
Kong on competencies of landscape architecture
offering a reference for future studies.

• The study data could potentially be developed,

such as assessing similar data from other
countries, reviewing the syllabi of graduate and
professional education in relation to real-world
practice, survey to understand opinions of the
Profession from other parties.

Source: Fauna conservation, Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden (KFBG)

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 CONCLUSION
• For Hong Kong to enhance live-
ability, biological diversity, and
carbon neutrality the current
legislation and technical
framework need to be modernized
to provide the landscape
architecture profession the
opportunity of a continual role
throughout a project’s inception,
development, and lifespan.

• The landscape architecture

profession has the knowledges and
competencies to create a more
green, healthy, inclusive, and
sustainable city. To design, advise
and manage more green spaces
and nature-based climate
solutions.

• The research may contribute to the

development of a congruent vision
and help standardize the work
standards of the Profession in
Hong Kong. And stimulate the
minds of the city decisions-makers
to give greater priority and
opportunities for the landscape
architecture profession.

The central lawn at Belcher Bay Park

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 THANK YOU 

“The most amazing thing about trees is it doesn’t actually matter

how rich you are: You can never buy a really old, beautiful tree.”
Steve Jobs

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