SOFTWARE

By John Kmitta

OPE +: Can you begin by providing an overview of Vectorworks landscape design software, especially any recent updates? Kostreski: Vectorworks Landmark takes you from first sketch to build-ready plans in one seamless workflow, without juggling disconnected tools. You can sketch concepts, build an accurate 3D site model, lay out planting and hardscape, and turn that same file into clear construction drawings, takeoffs and visuals for client communication.

In the latest release, Vectorworks Landmark 2026 focuses on helping landscape professionals spend more time designing. Purpose-built tools manage plants, trees, grading and hardscapes the way you approach a site in the field, so you can preserve existing vegetation, design patios and circulation, model complex terrain and generate schedules without constant re-drawing or re-counting.

The 2026 release also sharpens this with new updates, including enhancements to the Existing Tree tool, a new Hedgerow Mode within the Landscape Area tool, more flexible Grade objects and the new Sustainability Dashboard for tracking embodied carbon, urban greening, biomass and Biodiversity Net Gain in real time.

OPE +: What trends are you seeing in landscape architecture and landscape design, and how is software helping to address those trends and / or any challenges industry pros face?

Kostreski: Landscape businesses are being squeezed by tighter timelines, labor shortages and rising sustainability expectations, especially around water use, carbon and biodiversity. At the same time, owners are demanding highly visual proposals and accurate, material-based estimates earlier in the process, which is why sustainability, AI and immersive experiences are now defining trends for landscape professionals.

Across the industry, sustainability has shifted from a marketing term to a measurable performance target, with clients and emerging landscape-architecture guidelines pushing firms to track embodied carbon, biodiversity, water and long-term ecological resilience.

Landmark’ s new Sustainability Dashboard responds by automatically aggregating embodied carbon, urban greening, biomass and Biodiversity Net Gain from the design model to give teams real-time feedback so every planting, material or grading decision can be checked against climate and compliance goals instead of relying on after-the-fact calculations.

AI is also reshaping workflows, even as many landscape professionals remain understandably cautious and want tools that enhance human judgment rather than replace it. The AI Visualizer fits that role as a creative accelerator, turning models and simple prompts into quick study images or presentation-ready views so teams can explore design options and communicate ideas without heavy rendering overhead.

Immersive design rounds out the trend picture and is especially powerful for landscape professionals, as it speeds decision-

22 OPE + April 2026 www. OPE-Plus. com