To open my blog here on our website I am reporting back from the LI London Branch Christmas party which I was proud to be asked to speak at.
The evening was a great success with a fantastic turn out. Like all good do’s the formal proceedings started late, as getting us away from the bar proved difficult! I spoke last after three great panelists, all very passionate about the projects and difficult work they do. It was after nine when I stepped up. Having listened to the benefit and impact of three small grass roots projects, I started to have reservations about my prepared talk on the hard-nosed wider commercial business of Landscape Architecture. But, I am very aware that as a profession we are all comfortable with worthy often low-key work that is real and truly life enhancing – and it’s not often we hear hard truths about where the profession really is.
My presentation focused on my belief that Landscape Architecture is a profession that should be the dominant force in forming and changing all landscapes, both urban and rural. However, I believe that at present the profession simply doesn’t cut it. It’s not that we are not good enough at what we do, rather that we don’t sell ourselves, we don’t push our case, we don’t have enough business acumen and we are not outwardly passionate about the benefits of landscape.
My hope for the coming year is that Landscape Architects might be bolder and might make a stand against the belief that great landscapes are a nice-to-have, instead promoting the role that landscape can play in bringing real change to communities all around the word.