What does it take to be a waterscape architect?

In the eyes of many people, the landscape architect of water plant is more often a role of selling fish. After so many years, many people's ideas have not changed. However, all we need is a pair of tweezers and a brush, and we can always make charming scenery in the haystack with our dexterous hands.

Just like a pianist gently waving his hands on the black and white keys, dancers tell their feelings with gestures. As a water plant landscape architect, we use our hands to interpret the natural scenery in our hearts.

Many water landscape architects always give people an artist's style when outsiders first come into contact, but the truth is often not so beautiful, and behind the glamorous, it is full of invisible hardships. What you see is the clear water features in the aquarium store, but what you can't see is the large amount of maintenance energy and expenses paid by the owner in the store. ?

Generally speaking, as long as you are an aquatic plant landscape designer, you will have your own aquarium shop. After all, it is difficult for most landscape designers to support themselves by creating landscapes for others, and they need to sell equipment as a supplement. Or as a consultant in a well-known chain waterscape store in China.

Watergrass landscape industry has grown from scratch.

The aquatic greening in Chinese mainland started late, even compared with Taiwan Province Province, there is a gap of more than ten years. When the aquatic landscaping industry in Hong Kong and Taiwan is relatively mature, the aquatic landscaping industry in Chinese mainland can only be said to be just budding. We have experienced too many twists and turns and too many difficulties. Many people who can persist now are people who really love water plants and landscaping. They want to promote this art and let more people know and feel the inner beauty of aquatic plant landscaping.

Besides, it's just beautifying others. There are only two points to note:

First, the level of landscaping should be high, that is, the personal quality of landscape designers. The talent of landscaping level accounts for part, and more needs a lot of practice. It is the so-called "open cylinder" in the industry. Different tanks and different landscaping styles, as a new landscape designer, it is impossible to have a high level without opening more than a dozen tanks. It is not enough to look at the landscape pictures of forums and official WeChat accounts. You never know what problems you will encounter when dealing with different styles and materials, and how to solve them at the same time. These all need a lot of practice to get. And some big orders must be well-known in the industry, such as XX of a certain competition. Without these honors, even if the technology is superb, it is difficult to get Party A's approval.

The second is market demand. That is to say, I personally think that a large part of people in the current market environment do not recognize the term "landscaping fee". Of course, some people in first-tier cities may agree. And I feel that more people will recognize it. But it takes time. Just like home improvement designers, they will now pay for home improvement design.

Adhere to the design of water grass landscaping

"Many times we don't do it to make money. It often takes several months or even more than a year to cultivate and maintain a boutique water grass landscaping trough. The labor cost during this period is really unimaginable. Many times we even operate at a loss. " This is the voice of many practitioners of aquatic plants landscaping, and it can even be said to be the norm. After every landscaping competition, many consumers are addicted to the beautiful scenery, ignoring the producers behind each work. They spent a lot of time and energy to make such a work that is difficult to measure with money. Although the equipment can be measured by the price, the waterscape art is the treasure.

"If there is a person who loves water plants and landscaping to make you a water plants and landscaping jar, that's your luck. Nowadays, the market is full of people who use the name of aquatic plants landscape designers. They often see the profit, but ignore the inherent essence of water plants landscaping. If you are considering buying a water plant landscaping tank, please remember that the value and price of water plant landscaping are closely related, and a beautiful water plant landscaping is worth your expensive money.

Let's talk about the water plant shop.

Think carefully if you want to open an aquarium shop. The material channel of landscaping is very knowledgeable, and the quality of materials at the same price will be much worse. And the returned materials need to be loaded and unloaded. There are still many problems that need to be solved by the shopkeeper himself. People who work in aquarium shops can connect wires, decorate and unload goods, and they also have to know something about pharmacology and chemistry. Of course, if these can be overcome, it is really exercise.

? To sum up, it is personal ability and market demand. A friend once told me: 100 people, only 10 people play aquarium, and only one of these ten people plays aquarium landscaping. After all, niche market. The player made it himself. Do I still need you? For those who don't care about the aquarium, they will care about the aquarium. This requires the aquarium landscape designer not only to create the landscape, but also to maintain the landscape. There is still a problem with maintenance. How to calculate the various expenses incurred? Time cost, labor cost, etc. And now few people are willing to pay for maintenance.

Aquarium has passed the era of profiteering.

If you really want to be a full-time landscape architect, the best state is to enjoy it. If you just follow the trend on a whim, maybe this hobby will not exist when it becomes a job.

Finally, I would like to thank every landscape architect for their unremitting efforts to bring beauty to thousands of families. At the same time, I also hope that this industry will gradually become formal, and I hope that everyone who loves aquariums will have clean water and beautiful fish.

Daily life of aquatic plant landscape designers

Speaking of it, the daily work of aquatic plant landscape designers is not as pleasant as people think. It is common to move stones, saw wood or even mix cement to create landscapes. Friends often say that it is better to work in the gym for two years than in the aquarium landscaping industry.

Industry development is difficult.

Many aquatic plant landscape designers like aquariums since childhood, and they like things in nature. When the aquatic plant landscaping industry enters the mainland, it will naturally choose to engage in such a new industry. However, at present, the aquatic plant landscaping industry is full of difficulties, and many people are facing great pressure to walk alone. High rents and rising costs have made it difficult for many landscape designers who used to make a living by artistic landscaping. A good water plant landscaping work is not only the early production, but also the later maintenance. Nowadays, such niche industries are more often promoted by these aquatic plants and landscape makers who insist on the front line.

Because "Aquatic Landscape Architect" is a new profession in China, which is different from ordinary amateurs and individual aquarium shopkeepers, most experts who are really qualified to be called "Aquatic Landscape Architects" in China are concentrated in CAA (China Landscape Architects Union).

There are also various situations among CAA landscape designers:

Some members, such as Wang Chao, the top landscape architect in China, have a good job and earn a lot of money. Landscaping is a hobby. They can take part in some competitions in their spare time and earn some pocket money (last year, the second prize of ADA Landscape Competition was RMB 300,000 ...). In addition, Wang Chao's book "Watergrass Landscaping: From Beginner to Mastery" was very well learned in Amway. According to @ Yeast, it has been used as one of the teaching materials for related majors in colleges and universities. Some members are executives of well-known domestic aquarium enterprises, such as Yang, executive director and artistic director of fireworks.

Most members will set up their own waterscape studios and take waterscape as their career, because their strength and popularity brought by winning works in international competitions are enough to support their career. (Two days ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find that @ Chen Wei, who ranked 18 in the world in the 20 16ADA landscape competition, was also in Zhihu. He is the head of Senyun Waterscape. You can also ask him. ) There are also masters who started earlier, such as Zou Weixin, the head of Linsen Company in Shui Mu, Hong Kong, who became ADA's partners and were active in the judges' seats of major landscape competitions all the year round. You can see that he represents China landscape architect.

Isn't it beautiful? Do you think you can marry Bai, become CEO and reach the peak of your life as an aquatic plant landscape designer? But I want to solemnly remind you that the reality is cruel. These people are elites at the top of the industry, and there are only a handful of people at the top of the pyramid.

If you have a hobby in landscaping and want to find a job as a landscape designer, the reality is not optimistic. According to the information published on the recruitment website before (recruitment has stopped now), the salary of professional landscape designers provided by large waterscape stores in Beijing is 3000-5000 yuan per month (possibly with sales commission), which requires you to have rich experience. Compared with your efforts, this salary is a little shabby. This is still a first-tier city with large waterscape shops in China. In other smaller cities, waterscape shops and waterscape studios are small in scale and may not provide the positions of landscape designers (shopkeepers and responsible persons can handle landscaping by themselves). What they need is actually sales.

Therefore, the embarrassment faced by "aquatic plant landscape designers" is somewhat similar to "interior designers". First of all, it is not a title recognized by a country that can obtain relevant certificates and be generally recognized by the society (different from medical practitioners, lawyers, accountants, etc. ), and the level of practitioners who call themselves "landscape architects" is also mixed; Secondly, it is no more rigid than the interior design and decoration of residential buildings. The water plant landscaping tank is at most an ornament of life. Except for enthusiasts with money and leisure, few people will continue to invest, and the market is not too big; Third, with the current aesthetic quality of our people, few people know how to appreciate the water plants for landscaping and understand their creative ideas and costs. Most people just think it's beautiful, and it's only three minutes hot. Therefore, as a landscape architect with physical strength and mental work, your works are of great value in the eyes of potential customers, which is also the same dilemma faced by non-famous non-practical artists in China at present. But the good news is that with the gradual improvement of people's living standards and citizens' quality, the overall environment is improving.

The above is my understanding of the domestic landscape market. The aquarium market in developed countries such as Japan, Europe and America is relatively mature and has formed a benign industrial chain.

As an aquatic plant landscape designer, you need to master a lot of comprehensive knowledge. Besides, you need to be careful, patient, persistent and spend a lot of time. I advise you, any profession is the same. If you want to do well, think clearly first. Don't think that this thing can be played and can make money. No job is as simple as you think.

Finally, please dry this bowl of chicken soup: no matter what the reality is, there is nothing wrong with pursuing your dreams while you are alive. Come on!