We can confirm that the External Independent Elections Officer did not receive any complaints before the 9^th of June deadline.

A full of list elected members can be found here.

As a membership body, we look forward to continuing our work to protect, conserve and enhance the natural and built environment for the public benefit while promoting the art and science of landscape practice.

We are approaching a century since the founding of the Landscape Institute, and we are a time where the landscape is more universally regarded, with more government action across the world in helping to create sustainable environments and combatting climate change.”

The Board and Council will be focused on delivering the Landscape Institute’s mission and vision in promoting and representing the landscape profession, protecting and enhancing the natural and built environment, and supporting all landscape practitioners.

The Institute is proud to have been able to support and lead campaigns including the recent Connect People, Place and Nature as well as collaborating with partner organisations.

Recently, we collaborated with partners to launch the Landscape Character Assessment Database and add more to our roster of technical resources.

After many years, the LI has succeeded in shifting government policy to mandate sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for future developments as part of their Climate Action Plan.

In addition, the Institute joined four other industry associations to sign an equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) charter late last year, reinforming our commitment to working towards a more diverse and inclusive industry through the sharing of work and good practice. Through diverse perspectives and as a professional membership body, we can facilitate natural and built environments that as many people as possible will be able to benefit from.

We recently announced the newest Fellow (FLI) and Chartered Members (CMLI) graduates and it is pleasing to see so many succeed. We are currently accepting entries across the sector for our 30^th anniversary Awards.

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The Landscape Institute (LI) welcomes the changes to Sustainable Drainage Systems legislation announced on 10 January 2023. Following a review by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural (DEFRA), the government has stated that Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) will be made mandatory for new developments, with implementation from 2024. The government paper, The review for implementation of Schedule 3 to The Flood and Water Management Act 2010, identifies the proposed changes to legislation.

Before the new year, the Landscape Institute (LI) wrote a joint letter to the Prime Minister encouraging the implementation of Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and ensure SuDS of greater quality were utilised to mitigate the impacts of climate change on new development.

The LI supports the use of more efficient Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to mitigate the growing impact of climate change on the management of storm water as close to its source as possible and to mimic natural drainage and encourage its infiltration, attenuation, and passive treatment, especially in new developments. This new approach to sustainable drainage is intended to reduce flood risk and clean up our waterways in the future.

Implementation of Schedule 3 will reduce the risk of surface water flooding, and pollution, and help alleviate the pressures on our traditional drainage and sewerage systems. It provides a framework for the approval and adoption of drainage systems, a sustainable drainage system approving body within unitary and county councils, and national standards on the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of sustainable drainage systems for the lifetime of developments. The approving body for drainage systems is either the unitary authority for the area or if there is no unitary authority, the county council for the area.

Flood and Water Management Act 2010 amendment concerning the revised regulation on SuDS, defines the reasons for improving sustainable drainage.

Sustainable drainage means managing rainwater (including snow and other precipitation) with the aim of:
• reducing damage from flooding,
• improving water quality,
• protecting and improving the environment,
• protecting health and safety, and
• ensuring the stability and durability of drainage systems.

In the press release from DEFRA, the Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “Taking a more consistent and effective approach to sustainable drainage systems will improve the resilience of our drainage and sewer infrastructure while reaping these broader benefits.”

Flood and Water Management Act 2010 amendment continues, the revised standards must address how drainage systems are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained. Schedule 3 also makes the right to connect surface water runoff to public sewers conditional upon the drainage system being approved, before any construction work can start.

There will be a public consultation later this year, which will collect views on the impact assessment, national standards and statutory instruments.

The post Major changes are on stream for the implementation of SuDs first appeared on Landscape Institute.

Following the standard for green roofs (BS 8616:2019: Specification for performance parameters and test methods for green roof substrates), BSI are reviewing the subsoil specification (BS 8601:2013 Specification for subsoil and requirements for use) to incorporate SuDS and carbon sequestration elements. It is hoped these changes will allow the landscape to function as a SuDS feature in the storage and transmission of drainage, and in providing a location for stable forms of carbon, such as biochar.

BSI are also inviting public comment on a proposal to create a standard for growing media for street trees. This is in response to increased demand for trees in our built-up spaces, and in recognition of the fundamental role that growing media plays in giving sustainable street trees a long and healthy life. BSI will consider technical developments in the connection of SuDS in the irrigation of street trees, as well as the support of paving etc. in structural soils.

These standards generally recognise the demand for healthy, biodiverse landscapes and the ecosystem functions they provide. But this requires the engagement, feedback and input of the landscape profession. We hope that this work will be a catalyst for greater engagement between the standards’ users and their producers as we rise to the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.

Comment on Specification for tree and structural soils and requirements for use by Sunday 13 June.

The post BSI update: Green spaces, subsoil and street trees first appeared on Landscape Institute.

MHCLG also announced the publication of a draft national design code for England, as well as the creation of a new ‘Office for Place’, who will help councils develop and implement unique local design codes and standards.

Both documents were available for public consultation until Saturday 27 March. The Landscape Institute has commented on the specific proposals on both the NPPF and the Model Design Code.

Summary of the LI’s response

• We strongly support the government’s stated ambition to increase the standard of design through the planning system.
• The policy changes to the NPPF are – for the most part – extremely welcome. Many of the changes directly address our concerns raised during the 2018 NPPF review, and we are pleased to see them here.
• In particular, we support the new tree-lined streets policy. The importance of siting new trees and designing for the retention of existing trees cannot be overstated, and working with landscape architects is vital to achieve this.
• We do not support the proposed reforms to Article 4. We believe these to be out of line with the wider changes, and reforms made elsewhere to permitted development rights.
• The use of design codes can be an effective way to achieve an increased standard of design, and the National Model Design Code is a useful tool in that regard. Many of its principles and guidance notes are exactly right.
• Nevertheless, we believe it can be improved – in particular, to take better account of landscape character, to more comprehensively integrate green infrastructure and SuDS at  all levels, and to further promote design for sustainability in the context of climate change.
• None of these reforms will be successful without adequate resources and suitably qualified professionals to undertake them. There is currently a major skills shortage in landscape planning and design (and related professions) in the UK, which impending immigration reforms will only exacerbate. There is an even more acute lack of these skills within many Local Planning Authorities. Serious consideration needs to be given to this issue in the near-term.

Read the full response here.

Engage with the LI policy team

We’d like to express our sincere thanks to all the members who contributed to this policy response. To find out more about or contribute to our ongoing policy work, please get in touch: policy@landscapeinstitute.org.

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The latest Committee on Climate Change (CCC) progress report to parliament suggests that the UK Government must do much more to prepare for the impact of climate change. Among its key findings are that:

• England is still not prepared even for a modest 2°C rise in global temperature
• The priority given to climate adaptation in England has been eroded over the past 10 years
• Many national plans and policies still fail to acknowledge long-term climate change, or do in passing but lack associated actions to reduce risk

Other observations

• Section 3.5 on public health and wellbeing (pp147-166) is very robust, highlighting adaptation gaps in many areas of built infrastructure and addressing multiple potential risks to multiple demographics.
• The Committee highlights the importance of green infrastructure throughout the report, with particularly vocal support for sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and urban planting for temperature management and health and wellbeing.
• Among the report’s recommendations is that the government challenge professional bodies and trade associations to increase engagement with members regarding climate change, and to improve their training and guidance about this topic – steps that the Landscape Institute has already committed to taking.

A note of caution

Both the Committee’s progress report and the more recent interim report on the government’s protected landscapes review call for more afforestation. But we need to remember we are in the midst of a biodiversity crisis as well as a climate crisis, and carbon absorption is not the only factor to consider. (A recent example from Ireland shows how planting fast-growing Sitka spruces has been detrimental to visual amenity, natural light and wildlife.)

It is possible to plan forests for long-term delivery of carbon offset, biodiversity, visual amenity and public health benefits, but species selection and landscape management are paramount.

‘If not now, when?’ – Ex-Environment Secretary Michael Gove’s keynote speech at Kew Gardens

The former Environment Secretary Michael Gove addressed business leaders and environment groups at Kew Gardens on Tuesday 16 July. In his speech, he set out his ambition for the Environment Bill ‘to set the world’s first legally binding commitment to comprehensive environmental improvement in … air quality, water management, waste reduction and wildlife revival’.

The Environment Bill should ensure that the UK doesn’t lose the robust environmental regulations the EU currently places on us, and Mr Gove’s speech suggested an encouraging commitment to this. It remains to be seen how the new ministerial team under incumbent Environment secretary Theresa Villiers will take this forward.

Read the speech in full at the Wildlife and Countryside Link website.

The post Environment and climate: July 2019 news roundup first appeared on Landscape Institute.

The project team has developed a number of surveys to capture knowledge and experience in different sectors. The sectors being considered are listed below, with links to the relevant survey:

1. Education (schools and tertiary education)
2. Social housing
3. Health (mainly hospitals, care homes)
4. Open space / recreation
5. Retail
6. Offices
7. Industry (warehouses, factories, manufacturing, depots etc)

As well as capturing useful information, completing the surveys will provide a unique opportunity to showcase any relevant work you’ve delivered within these sectors. Each survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete.

The project is being managed by the Construction Industry Information Association (CIRIA), Business in the Community (BITC) and Robert Bray Associates. Read an overview of the project at susdrain.org.

Achieving sustainable drainage

In January 2019, the LI published research into the effectiveness of SuDS policy. It found that on-the-ground delivery was lagging a long way behind the government’s stated ambition.  Find out more and read the research.

The post GLA seeks input into new cross-sector SuDS guidance first appeared on Landscape Institute.

Partly or wholly natural in design, SuDS were first introduced to the English planning system in 2010. National planning policy encourages SuDS in all major developments ‘unless there is clear evidence that this would be inappropriate’, while as of January 2019, SuDS are mandatory in Wales for all new developments over 100m².

But a new report by the Landscape Institute and Construction Industry Council highlights the huge step change still needed in this area.

96% of local authorities report that the quality of planning submissions for SuDS are either ‘inadequate’ or ‘mixed’. And as of 2017, 25% of local authorities had no formal SuDS policies in place, nor any immediate plans to implement any. This is putting communities under threat of surface water flooding as climate change continues to put pressure on our landscapes.

‘The problems for LLFAs in delivering good quality SuDS are clear,’ said Sue Illman, CIC Champion for Flood Mitigation and Resilience, past President of the Landscape Institue and co-author of the report. ‘At a time when climate change and sustainability are such prevalent issues, the shortcomings and inconsistencies highlighted in this report are of real concern.

‘But the review also shows how relatively small changes in government guidance could provide better outcomes for communities and the environment.’

‘When designed and implemented properly, SuDS schemes manage the quantity and quality of water, improve biodiversity, and help create attractive and healthy places.’

The LI and CIC’s new report surveyed Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) – who are responsible for flood strategy, including SuDS – across the country. The research aimed to evaluate the current system, and how policy is (or isn’t) leading to successful SuDS schemes on the ground.

The research shows that delivery is currently a long way behind the ambition. Only 3% of authorities reported receiving adequate information to appropriately assess a planning application for SuDS. As for local authorities themselves, most are gearing up for more SuDS, but coverage is uneven.

‘SuDS can do far more than just manage surface water,’ Sue continued. ‘When designed and implemented properly, SuDS schemes manage the quantity and quality of water, improve biodiversity, and help create attractive and healthy places.

‘All of us – from policymakers to practitioners, planners to designers, public sector and private – need to work together to ensure we are doing the best to safeguard our local environments.’

Read the report here.

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Making the announcement at the LI Awards ceremony at the Brewery in London on November 23, President Merrick Denton-Thompson praised the practice’s ‘exemplary approach to partnership working’.

The project is a community-driven scheme that sits between a school and two playgrounds in White City, West London. Previous road and parking facilities at the site made school pick-up and drop-off difficult, and caused crossing hazards for children. In addition, due to its location within the famously capacity-exceeding Counters Creek sewer catchment, the road was highly susceptible to surface water flooding.

Local residents and the school head teacher instigated the project. Through an intelligent place-making solution, Robert Bray Associates solved these long-recognised conflicts. The practical solutions they developed, Merrick said, ‘can and should be replicated nationally’.

The finished project delivers a safe passage to school for children and a place for parents to meet, as well as a landscape that is resilient to unpredictable climatic events.

See the video showcase of all the LI Awards 2017 winners below, or read on to view the full list, including highly commended projects.

Merrick’s announcement brought to a close the presentation of the Awards at the Brewery in London. Romy Rawlings CMLI and host Bill Bryson presented over 40 LI Awards to individuals and practices.

This included special recognition for Client of the Year (now in its third year) and, for the first time, New Landscape Professional of the Year and Outstanding Contribution Through Volunteering. The LI College of Fellows also nominated one entrant for the Fellows’ Award, which this year acknowledged healthy places.

Read more: Bill Bryson named Honorary Fellow of the Landscape Institute

LI Awards 2017: full list of winners

Adding Value Through Landscape

Winner

Robert Bray Associates – Bridget Joyce Square: Community Rainpark

A redesign of the existing street layout of Bridget Joyce Square in West London that addressed local community needs as well as the council’s requirement to retrofit a fully-functioning SuDS scheme.

Our judges called the submission ‘an excellent demonstration of “small is beautiful” … The fact that it is community-led is a major attraction of the project’.

Also won: Landscape Institute President’s Award

Highly Commended

Sunderland City Council Landscape Design Services – Sunderland Seafront

A project to reinvigorate Sunderland’s coastline and, through the use of natural materials and clear civic leadership, deliver an accessible public realm to attract residents, businesses and visitors to the region.

Urban Movement – North Street Regeneration

A regeneration of Brighton’s North Street, around the Hanningtons Department Store site, which, by rationalising everything from bus-stop placements to new pavements and bicycle parking, has led to impressive results for the city and massively improved the experience of walking down a busy high street.

Gillespies – Port Sunlight River Park

The transformation of the former Bromborough landfill site on the Mersey Wharf into a new 30-hectare community park, tourist hotspot and wildlife haven, enhancing the environment, benefiting the local community and, with the original 40,000-visitor-per-year-target already exceeded, stimulating the economic development of the wider Wirral area.

Client of the Year

Winner

Clinton Devon Estates (nominee: LHC)

Owners and managers of 25,000 acres of land in Devon, including a major part of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Special Area of Conservation, whose forward-thinking Estate Strategy sets out their vision to achieve a sustainable future for the Estate, the local environment and wider community.

Our judges said: ‘[This client] shows vision and ethos, as well as loyalty to the landscape architect throughout the design process.’

Communications and Presentation

Winner

erz – erz ten

A campaign celebrating the Glasgow-based firm’s ten years in practice, central to which was a set of limited edition postcards and a cutting-edge social media strategy.

Our judges singled out for special praise this novel approach to communication and presentation.

Highly Commended

Stride Treglown Ltd – 52 Big Ideas for Bristol

A collection of sustainability-based ‘what ifs’ for the 2015 Green Capital of Europe – several of which have already been put into practice in the city – presented as a tactile, fully-recycled.

Hampshire County Council – A Fresh Approach to School Landscapes

A book emphasising the importance of school grounds in helping children develop a healthy lifestyle and an appreciation of the outdoors, and offering practical suggestions for budget-constrained schools to get the most from their grounds.

Fira – 40 years of Place-making Anniversary Book

The story of Fira’s evolution since the company’s inception in 1976 and analysis of the challenges facing landscape professionals now and in the future.

Design for a Medium-Scale Development

Winner

HarrisonStevens – Holyrood North

A project developed to meet the demand for student housing in the city of Edinburgh, which involved the transformation of unused land in Edinburgh’s Old Town into collegiate accommodation for an additional 900 students.

Our judges praised the projects ‘thoughtful design with high-quality detailing’, remarking on how it was ‘extremely well embedded in local context’.

Highly Commended

John McAslan + Partners – Msheireb Museums and Msheireb Mosque, Doha

The creation of external museum environments that responded to the heritage of Qatar, the culture of each of its distinct Msheireb Museums, and to the Msheireb Mosque.

Untitled Practice – Lesnes to Crossness

A major refurbishment across multiple locations in the London Borough of Bexley, improving accessibility and making significant landscape repair with an impressive level of community and stakeholder engagement.

Design for a Small-Scale Development

Winner

Robert Myers Associates – The Magic Garden, Hampton Court Palace

A sustainable and engaging new attraction for visitors to Hampton Court Palace that takes inspiration from the history of the Palace and its surroundings.

Our judges said: ‘[The scheme] has a strong sense of identity that would be a pleasure to experience for people of all ages.’

Highly Commended

John McAslan + Partners – Friends House

A transformation of a neglected park on London’s Euston Road into an accessible and versatile public space.

Austin Design Works – Stroud Museum in the Park Walled Garden and Entrance Way

A garden space that allows visitors to explore the many cultural artefacts of Stratford Park in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

John McAslan + Partners – Sacred Heart Cathedral of Kericho, Kenya

An ambitious and contemporary project integrating landscape and architecture, extending the Cathedral with an accessible and tranquil community space.

Design for a Temporary Landscape

Winner

B|D Landscape Architects in collaboration with OOZE architects – King’s Cross Pond Club

The first natural public swimming pool in the UK, with a 40-metre long, chemical-free pond that has space for over 100 bathers, and seasonally changing planting.

Our judges said: ‘The scheme set an innovative precedent for how public swimming pools could be conceived and delivered.’

Highly Commended

B|D Landscape Architects – The Milkshake Tree

A multi-sensory play space in North Greenwich conceived for the 2016 London Festival of Architecture to raise awareness for The London Centre of Cerebral Palsy.

Fellows’ Award for Creating Healthy Places

Winner

Jon Sheaff and Associates – London Borough of Barnet Corporate Natural Capital Account

A project demonstrating how investing in provision and maintenance of urban greenspace pays for itself many times over by reducing both healthcare costs and the associated cost of sickness absence from work; laying a foundation that could readily be emulated by other public authorities responsible for greenspace provision across the nation.

Our judges said: ‘This is a commendably clear and straightforward method for valuing the natural assets of the borough in economic terms.’

Also Highly Commended in the Landscape Policy and Research category

Heritage and Conservation

Winner

HTA Design LLP – The Water Gardens

The preservation and comprehensive restoration of a significant mid-twentieth century design in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, which saw the once-disused gardens integrated into the town centre.

Our judges were excited to see post-1945 landscape design, which is often overlooked in terms of its heritage, in this category. They praised the HTA team’s thorough research and analysis, describing the project as ‘ground-breaking’.

Highly Commended

Southern Green – Wharton Park

A major restoration of a hilltop park in Durham that helped to address long-standing access and circulation problems, which in recent years had seen the site fall into disrepair.

Sunderland City Council Landscape Design Services – Saint Peter’s Church, Monkwearmouth

The delicate restoration of a Grade I-listed, seventh-century church that has inspired ongoing community and stakeholder involvement in the site.

Cannock Chase Council – Hednesford War Memorial Restoration Project

A precise and meticulous restoration of a Staffordshire-based site that improved both accessibility and quality, despite the complication of its need to remain open to the public for the duration of the works.

Landscape Policy and Research

Winner

LUC – New Agricultural Landscapes: 44 years of change

The latest in a series of 11-yearly reviews that have, since 1972, monitored landscape change in seven key rural areas.

Noting the publication’s contribution to the profession and its potential application beyond the regions of focus, our judges unanimously declared this study the overall category winner.

Highly Commended

Jon Sheaff and Associates – London Borough of Barnet Corporate Natural Capital Account

An analysis of and data on 199 parks and open spaces across the North London borough of Barnet, undertaken to demonstrate the health benefits from investment in greenspace; an example of valuable work that enables landscape professionals to support local authorities in justifying expenditure on parks and open spaces.

Also won: Fellows’ Award for Creating Healthy Places

Central Scotland Green Network Trust and The Glasgow School of Art – Growing Awareness: Research and Learning from the CSGN Forum

An annual forum and publication that involves practitioners in Scotland in an important, forward-thinking dialogue on green infrastructure, and plays an important part in the development of professional practice in Scotland and beyond.

Landscape Science, Management and Stewardship

Winner

TEP – Heathlands, Buckley

The reclamation of a derelict clay pit in North Wales for beneficial uses including the building of 300 houses, the development of a nature reserve and, the creation of a public open space containing biodiverse habitats of educational value.

Our judges said: ‘[This is] a really exciting project, showing how collaborative working in an ecologically-led project can achieve development in close proximity to an SAC.’

Highly Commended

Yun Hye Hwang, National University of Singapore – Less maintained and high-diverse campus greenery in Singapore

A highly convincing strategy that has transformed the NUS campus into a vibrant ecological landscape, restoring native biodiversity in the natural tropical ecosystem that rapid urbanisation and development in Singapore has threatened.

Atkins, City of London and BAM Nuttall – Hamsptead Heath Ponds Project

An examination of strategies for eliminating the risk of dam failure within the two main chains of ponds on Hampstead Heath that ensured the development of a sustainable solution through planning, design, implementation and management, while also securing biodiversity opportunities in the surrounding environment.

Local Landscape Planning

Winner

Arup – Ulsoor Lake: A Vision and Implementation Strategy

An expansive response to a project brief to enhance the heavily polluted Ulsoor Lake site in Bangalore, India, including the creation of a series of parks, terraces and amenities, which has even raised the possibility of returning to a potable supply for the water-starved city.

Our judges were impressed that the project team had rejected the initial brief, widening the scope to encompass a holistic solution to the problem of pollution.

Highly Commended

B|D Landscape Architects – Lovedon Fields

A 50-home residential scheme that forms a new edge to the village of Kings Worthy in Hampshire, boasting an integrated approach to water management, ecology and vegetation infrastructure.

New Landscape Professional of the Year

Winner

Barry Craig, Amey Consulting

Our judges said: ‘Barry demonstrates exemplary behaviour towards his colleagues, clients and wider profession, while also clearly giving back to the next generation entering the profession.’

Outstanding Contribution Through Volunteering

Winners

Dan Walker

Our judges said: ‘Dan Walker has been a driving force behind the Landscape Institute in Scotland and is a role model to others.’

Robert Holden

Our judges said: ‘[Robert is] a passionate landscape architect who has given his life to the profession following a long career in education. The profession owes him much.’

Lily Bakratsa

Our judges said: ‘Lily Bakratsa has demonstrated the impactful work our profession needs to do to reach and inspire diverse communities.’

Strategic Landscape Planning

Winner

Optimised Environments Ltd and Forest Enterprise Scotland – North Kyle Forest Masterplan

A map-based masterplan for the North Kyle Forest in Ayrshire, Scotland, including ideas for social, environmental, cultural and economic projects within the area. The project team involved local residents, agencies and other stakeholder groups in a comprehensive consultation process, ensuring a clear understanding of local issues.

Our judges said: ‘The resulting masterplan is clear, realistic and deliverable, comprising multiple projects at varying scales, which combine to create the overall strategy.’

Highly Commended

Arup – HS2 Landscape Design Approach

A document that directs professionals in how to develop an integrated landscape design along the HS2 high-speed railway route that will link London, Birmingham, the East Midlands, Leeds and Manchester, which our judges said ‘has the potential to be truly groundbreaking’.

LUC – Plymouth Landscape, Seascape and Sensitivity Assessment

An in-depth analysis and detailed profile of twenty-one landscape and nine seascape areas, exemplifying the value of a fully linked character and sensitivity study spanning urban, land and sea.

Student Dissertation

Winner

Loretta Bosence, University of Greenwich – Local Code: Planning for the Vernacular

Our judges said: ‘The author eloquently distills how the nuances of locality and vernacular can benefit the discipline of landscape architecture and policy as a whole.’

Student Portfolio

Winner

Joelle Darby, Birmingham City University – New Perspectives on Calais: Changing the Landscape of Migration

An important and thoroughly researched analysis of landscape architecture’s role within modern migration which, using Calais as a case study, proposes a new typology of landscape-led temporary settlements for refugees.

Our judges said: ‘This ambitious work had the admirable aim of prioritising the dispossessed while being visually creative and evincing a strong individual graphic style.’

Highly Commended

Sigita Simona Paplauskaite, Kingston University – Cliffe Explosives Nature Reserve

An insightful analysis of the Cliffe Marshes area of the Thames Estuary, which considers whether the abandoned former military factory should be thought of as a heritage site, or be a place full of redevelopment potential.

Helen Willey, The University of Edinburgh – In Transition: Application of Landscape Design Within Transitional Marginal Urban Spaces

A combination of experiential fieldwork with evidence-based research to create what our judges called ‘a beautifully presented portfolio … unmatched in its demonstration of considered and appropriate landscape responses’.

Rose Barton, University of Edinburgh – Rose Barton Student Portfolio

A collection of work focusing on landscape within the urban realm and designing with the pressures of modern urban infrastructure, analysing how design can influence quality of life.

Urban Design and Masterplanning

Winners

Arup with Kim Wilkie and Allies and Morrison – Madinat al Irfan

A masterplan setting out a 40-year development framework for a new low-carbon city district in Muscat, Oman, realising Irfan’s ambition to be a catalyst for change in the country while providing a sustainable development model for future generations.

Our judges said: ‘[This project] responds with real depth and rigour to its context and climatic conditions. Its sustainable principles set a benchmark regionally and nationally.’

Nikken Sekkei Ltd – Rail Corridor: Lines of Life

A masterplan for a 100-hectare site along a defunct railway line in Singapore that turned the 24-kilometre track into a celebration of the ecology and culture of the country.

Our judges called it ‘a truly inspiring project … it provides a transformative catalyst for development on an extensive scale’.

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