I made mistakes and I learnt from them; it was a wonderful experience
Over the summer of 2022 – between the first and second years of my MA Landscape Architecture degree – I was privileged to have bagged a three-month internship at Lizard Landscape Design and Ecology, in Sussex.
During my internship, I was lucky to meet a very helpful and friendly team of landscape designers, planners, arboriculturists and ecologists. I learnt immensely from them, thanks to their know-how and experience in the field.
It was a real opportunity for me, as the studio allowed me to use different tools to express my ideas - sketch, draft and technical software.
Saachi Pramod Parasrampuria
Landscape Architecture MA
I participated in various exciting projects: designing community gardens, creating planting palettes and hardscape for private gardens and residential developments. I developed an understanding on the relation between Landscape Design and Ecology, as well as how Landscape Planning works.
I visited a few sites to get a feel of the project and to help to carry out tree surveys. It was a great opportunity to attend CPD sessions, which were very informative and hands-on. The range of work made me realise that landscape architecture offers a wide range of experiences.
It was a real opportunity for me, as the studio allowed me to use different tools to express my ideas - sketch, draft and technical software. It also helped me improve my skills in Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. I'm glad that I had a chance to work with the entire team – both together and individually – to help them reflect on their projects.
My purpose as a landscape intern was to observe, learn, document and determine: What, Why, Which, When, Where and How landscape works in a professional field.
I look forward to implementing the knowledge and skills learnt during my internship in my special project and in the future to create desirable, social and ecological landscapes for both humans and wildlife.
Apart from work, I enjoyed going for hikes in the South Downs National Park, where I experienced some beautiful chalk landscapes, observed beautiful summer flowers and plants and connected with many like-minded people in the field of landscape.
Being a postgraduate student, working with highly qualified and experienced co-workers, was really wonderful. It was a nice learning period as I experienced a little snip of the professional world. I made mistakes and learnt from them.
I look forward to implementing the knowledge and skills learnt during my internship in my special project and in the future to create desirable, social and ecological landscapes for both humans and wildlife.
I’m really thankful for the employability support from the Department of Landscape Architecture, which really helped ease the process of hunting for summer placements.