Finding your place in the landscape profession!

 

To a packed room of students from a range of disciplines, including the postgraduate students in landscape architecture and garden design, Chris Young, the Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) Head of Editorial and Editor of  The Garden, gave an inspiring presentation on finding your place in the land based sector. He reflected on his own journey from landscape architecture to the sharing his passion for plants, gardens, gardening and the environment, initially as editor of the Society of Garden Designers and now in his leading role at the RHS.  He told an enthusiastic audience about the vital aspects of networking throughout the range of professions that support the creating, making and maintaining of places, of additional career development whilst being a student, of how to value and acknowledge how each individual is unique, through to surviving and thriving during the job hunting and interview experience.  Many thanks to Chris for sharing his knowledge and experience with Writtle University College students and staff - please come again soon…

Ephemeral art, plants and landscape

 

On a sunny autumn day undergraduates of landscape and garden design explored the physical and aesthetic qualities of plants and the transmission of ideas by spending time on campus creating ephemeral art. This particular activity was part of a module about  Ephemeral art and way to explore the landscape. Phenomena is an important  design element which is often ignored in the design process and landscape narrative. However it is very important to understand the phenomena in the landscape to create dynamic and beautiful places that captures and reveals the landscape as a unity such as seasonality and plants' and users' perception and reactions! it is the narrative of the landscape that tells us the story and create a strong sensory experience as a tool for place attachment.  Here at the Writtle University College  grounds the autumnal leaves of Acer cappadocicum ‘Aureum’ have been sculpted to remind those using the paths of the root system below the ground. Interestingly students noted the changed behaviour of passers-by as they carefully stepped over the temporary landscape intervention - the wind was a much more destructive force!  Landscapes and gardens are a great place to learn - it was refreshing to be outside and good to return to the studio to warm-up and discuss the afternoon’s activities. The art works are being recorded as they fade away…
 

Professional Practice Visit: An afternoon with Gillespies London Office

MA Landscape Architecture and MA Garden Design students visited renowned landscape architecture practice Gillespies London on 26^th November 2016. Managing Director Steve Wardell introduced us the practice history, philosophy and types of projects they have been working in recent years. Gillespies is one of the biggest practices solely based on the landscape architects in UK with 60 staff. Steve explained us how the practice has started with two landscape architects in London and expanded their work and practice in 16 years. The range of projects showed us that landscape architects have to deal with all scales and types of projects from urban street design to private gardens and large scale master planning in UK and abroad. Their success is from a strong design led approach including a variety of experts from engineers to ecologists and soil experts who are collaborating throughout the design process. It was great to see the hand drawing, model making and the planting knowledge as key elements in skill development alongside the other technical aspects of the profession.

Associate partner Armel Mourgue later continued to explain their design strategies and how they approach to their projects and communicate with clients. Students were interested in the representation techniques and design process. Later students had the opportunity to attend a design charrette and develop quick design ideas for the Crossrail Garden Project that Gillespies designed for Canary Wharf. One of our graduates who started to work with Gillespies 3 months ago told us of his experience from the interview process through to his new working life in a leading landscape office in London.

Office visits are very valuable for students as it gives a good insight into the professional practice world, an idea of the type of scale of practice students may consider for their employment as well as good connections with the industry. Overall it was a very successful afternoon and finished with a fish and chips in a London pub before going back to the University College student halls in Chelmsford!