New year, new builds on the horizon
2023 is upon us, and many commercial real estate developers are ready to use that new year’s motivation to plan their next build. One critical part of a commercial property that many developers probably won’t think about until it’s too late is the exterior.
But, it doesn’t have to be this way! Working landscape design into your commercial development plan and budget is a worthy investment because it can bring a lot of great value to the property that the interior of your space just can’t match.
What is commercial landscape design?
Commercial landscape design is designing and constructing outdoor spaces for commercial buildings or properties, like office buildings or senior living facilities.
While the concepts are largely the same, the biggest difference between commercial and residential landscape design is who you’re designing for and, in general, how the space will be used.
In a residential landscape project, the main users are the homeowners and the main use case is probably leisure and enjoyment, but for a commercial landscape project, the main users depend largely on the type of project. For example, for an office building, the user is employees renting the space; for an apartment building or senior living facility, the user is tenants who live in the building; and for another type of commercial building, it could be totally different.
Size and scope are other large differentiators between commercial and residential landscape design, as commercial projects are often working with a lot more exterior space and may be using landscaping to meet a few different needs at the same time.
The values of commercial landscaping
In the commercial construction world, the inside of your building is usually the priority, and because of that prioritization – and sometimes budget constraints, too – the exterior doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves.
While aesthetics alone are an important reason to invest in commercial landscape design, having well-designed outdoor spaces for your building brings a lot of additional value to your property, too.
Although we often talk about “curb appeal” in residential contexts, having a beautiful exterior is just as important for engaging and attracting potential buyers, residents, employees, or customers in your commercial build. Design elements like unique winding pathways, water features, and structures can bring some much-needed “oomph” to your property and lead to increased business.
For builds like apartments, senior living facilities, or office spaces, folks will be looking past that initial curb appeal for elements that bring value to them as users of the space. They are looking for interactive areas (like a turf putting green or lawn games), spaces to sit or hang out (like a firepit or patio), and unique elements, like gardens and water features. Providing valuable spaces can really increase engagement and overall satisfaction with the property.
Lastly, landscape design can provide some added functionality to your property through paths and space definition. By leveraging stone, rock, concrete, and other hardscapes in your landscape design, you can help direct traffic on the property while giving your space some real function. In the same vein, a well-balanced mix of hardscapes and softscapes can help define spaces, from hang-out spaces to spaces with a particular use or goal.
Picking the right partner for your commercial landscaping project
While commercial and residential landscape design are similar in a lot of ways, not every landscape designer can do commercial at a high level. It takes great skill, experience, and organization along with top-note tradespeople to effectively plan and execute a commercial exterior project.
When looking for a partner to bring your exterior dreams to life, make sure you’re picking a team that has been around the block in the commercial world and can show you a portfolio of previous projects. You also need to pick a team that has tackled a project of your same size and scope before, because a larger project – as many commercial projects tend to be – requires more time, manpower, and planning to execute.
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Partner with Greenhaven Landscapes to maximize the value of your next commercial build
Ready to see how landscaping can add value to your next commercial build? Contact our team of design and construction experts at Greenhaven Landscapes to get started today!