What this life looks like
You design the outdoor spaces that bring cities to life. Landscape Architects plan and design parks, gardens, public plazas, campus grounds, coastal waterfronts, urban green spaces, and ecological restoration projects. As African cities grow rapidly, the design of liveable, green, accessible outdoor spaces is becoming one of the continent's most urgent and rewarding design challenges.
What she actually does
You consult with clients and communities, research ecological and cultural context, develop spatial design concepts for outdoor spaces, select plant species, specify materials and furniture, produce construction drawings, manage project budgets, oversee planting and installation, and create outdoor spaces that serve communities for decades.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| Landscape Firms | Iinhlaba Landscape Architects (SA), Terraplan (SA), Land Design Studio (East Africa) |
| Architecture & Planning | Many landscape architects work within broader architectural and urban planning firms |
| Government | Municipal parks departments, national parks authorities, public works — significant public sector work |
| Development Organisations | World Bank urban resilience, UNEP Africa, African Development Bank — development-funded landscape projects |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa's rapid urbanisation is creating cities that need green spaces — parks, urban forests, riverside promenades, and school gardens — to be liveable. Climate change is making ecologically designed landscapes essential: urban heat, flooding, and water scarcity all require landscape solutions. African landscape architects who understand local ecology, climate, and community needs are doing vital work.
Your pathway in
- Study Landscape Architecture at university — South African universities including Wits and the University of Pretoria offer programmes
- Develop strong plant and ecology knowledge alongside design skills — landscape architects must understand living systems
- Build proficiency in design software: AutoCAD, Rhino, and Lumion for landscape visualisation
- Complete your professional registration with your country's landscape architecture institute
- Develop environmental science knowledge — landscape architecture in Africa is deeply connected to climate adaptation and ecology
Skills you will need
- Landscape design
- Plant and ecology knowledge
- AutoCAD and Lumion
- Environmental assessment
- Community consultation
- Construction documentation
A woman in this field
Dr. Maimuna Saleh-Bala
Nigeria
Dr. Maimuna Saleh-Bala is an acclaimed pioneer in African landscape architecture, planning, and academic research. She holds an architecture background alongside a PhD in Landscape Planning from Newcastle University, UK, achieved as a prestigious British Chevening Scholar. Dr. Saleh-Bala serves as the Vice President and a Fellow of the Society of Landscape Architects of Nigeria (SLAN) and has represented the continent internationally on the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Africa regional committee. As the long-standing Coordinator of the Landscape Architecture Programme at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, she leads critical research on using green infrastructure, indigenous plant systems, and sustainable landscape design to combat climate change, urban flooding, and ecological erosion within Sub-Saharan Africa.
Take your first step
- Study the public parks and outdoor spaces in your city — which are well-designed and why? Which fail communities and why?
- Research the African Urban Planning Review and UN-Habitat urban green space guidelines — understanding the policy context of landscape design in Africa
- Learn about indigenous African plant species in your region — landscape architects in Africa should prioritise local plant species over imported ones
- Research landscape architecture degree programmes at Wits University or University of Pretoria — their programme structures show what the qualification involves