Landscape Architecture has been defined as "…the analysis, planning, design, management, and stewardship of the natural and built environments. Types of projects include: residential; parks and recreation; monuments; urban design; streetscapes and public spaces; transportation corridors and facilities; gardens and arboreta; security design; hospitality and resorts; institutional; academic campuses; therapeutic gardens; historic preservation and restoration; reclamation; conservation; corporate and commercial; landscape art and earth sculpture; interior landscapes…etc."*

The American Society of Landscape Architects was founded in 1899 and is the national professional association that represents landscape architects. By the year 2004, the ASLA had 48 chapters representing all 50 states and boasts a membership of over 14,000.

The emergence of professional landscape architecture in South Carolina can largely be credited to the work of northern practitioners such as Loutrel Briggs and his work in Charleston. He came to SC in the late 1920’s during a period of renaissance and renewal in Charleston; a time in which an influx of northerners began purchasing old plantations and townhouses in the area. Landscape architects became very desirable; however, there were no native landscape architecture professionals in SC at that time. A northern practitioner, Loutrel Briggs, was sought out. A popular opinion held by many is that Loutrel Briggs is responsible for much of the beauty of Charleston, SC as it is seen today.

Well into the 1970’s, certification of site plans could only be approved by individuals with engineering degrees/certification because there was no registration avenue available to landscape architect professionals in SC. As a result, there was a real fear that SC may lose out on potential future landscape architecture professionals. In the fall of 1975, a group of landscape architect professionals met with John Parrish of the SC Department of Natural Resources in order to discuss the possibility of state registration for landscape architect professionals. The proposal met with success, and in 1976 legislation was passed and signed by SC Governor Jim Edwards.

In 1979, a proposal was made to Clemson University that would have brought a graduate degree program in landscape architecture to the school. The proposal made it through several committees but was rejected at the office of the President. It was eventually suggested to the group that an undergraduate degree should be proposed, citing that funds were much more likely to be made available to such a solution. The appropriate changes were made according to the recommendations, and the proposal was quickly passed by the Office of the President. The proposal was subsequently sent to the SC Commission on Higher Education and met with final approval in 1986.

The South Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects was founded in 1980.

In a memo dated May 27, 2003 addressed to SCASLA Past Presidents from current President [2003] David Stack, the idea for the establishment of an SCASLA archive at Clemson University’s Special Collections was proposed.

The documentation of certain items reflecting the activities of the SCASLA serves as a valuable resource for the general public as well as future and current members of the chapter.



*American Society of Landscape Architects, “About ASLA”, no date, http://www.asla.org/nonmembers/publicrelations/factsshtpr.html (accessed November 17, 2004)