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Yorkshire exhibition: Tuesday 24 January – Tuesday 7 February (weekdays only), Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield

One hundred years ago, in 1922, before gaining the right to vote, 25-year-old Brenda Colvin started her own independent garden design business. Today, her practice Colvin and Moggridge is the longest-running landscape firm in this country. Once described as ‘wildly eccentric’ and run by a ‘Polish Countess who needed to live in a constant state of high-drama’, Colvin’s office has been at the forefront of finding new ways of working to preserve our landscapes and tackle what we today call the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Through researching and understanding Colvin’s work, advocacy, and collaborations, the AHRC-funded Women of the Welfare Landscape project – led by Dr Luca Csepely-Knorr from the Liverpool School of Architecture – commemorates the network of women and their collaborators who have had a major impact on shaping the post-war designed landscapes of the British Welfare State. The projects aims to shift attention to and celebrate the complexity and wide variety of female praxis in the post-war period: women’s work as educators, campaigners, or advocates; and projects of the everyday: landscapes in service of communities.

Through a variety of public-facing events, Women of the Welfare Landscape aims to engage with, and learn more about, the projects designed by women and their evolution and change since their completion. The travelling exhibition gives a flavour of the variety of projects by Colvin and Colvin and Moggridge between the start of the business in 1922 and Colvin’s death in 1981. It will be installed at the Stanley Picker Gallery in December 2022 and the Department of Landscape Architecture in Sheffield in late January 2023, before going on to the Garden Museum, Birmingham University, and the Museum of English Rural Life in Reading.

The exhibition introduces a variety of landscape architectural typologies and scales to show how Colvin’s practice can exemplify the changing profile of the profession of landscape architecture in the post-Second World War period and shows designs that prove the continuity ideas and working principles in her collaboration with Hal Moggridge and the practice. While showcasing the many aspects of Colvin’s landscape projects, the exhibition also aims to introduce other female professionals with whom she collaborated and whose achievements have so far been overlooked.

‘Show and tell’ events will give people a hands-on experience in sharing photos and ephemera relating to these projects, which will be shared through a dedicated HistoryPin site that will create an open archive and database. Luca and her colleage Dr Camilla Allen hope to gain a better understanding of the legacy of landscape architecture in the post-Second World War period and the contribution women made to it. They welcome any comments, information, memories, or images you might have and would love to hear from you.

You can keep up to date with Women of the Welfare Landscape by following the project on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and its dedicated HistoryPin site, or contact the team at womenofthewelfarelandscape@gmail.com.

Related

Landscape 2022, Issue 3: Designing for gender equality – Celebrating 100 years of women in landscape architecture

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As part of the Levelling Up agenda, there was also welcome news on further transfers of powers from central to local government. New ‘trailblazer’ deals devolving powers to deliver levelling up in areas such as skills, transport, and housing with Greater Manchester and the West Midlands Combined Authorities were promised by early 2023.

The Chancellor announced there would be more mayoral devolution deals, coming soon, covering Suffolk, Norfolk, Cornwall, and the North East of England. All were close to agreement and would increase the proportion of people in England living under a directly elected mayor with devolved powers to over 50%.

Reinforcing another important difference between this government and the outgoing Truss administration, the Chancellor finally laid to rest the prospect of development within National Parks and other protected areas. The new government plan to refocus its Investment Zones initiative to concentrate on a limited number of the highest-potential knowledge-intensive growth clusters, driving growth while maintaining high environmental standards. He thanked those local authorities which had submitted their proposals to his predecessor, but confirmed that  these expressions of interest would not be taken forward.

In support of high streets – always a vital barometer of the country’s social, economic, and environmental well-being – the Chancellor announced that business rate bills in England will be updated to reflect changes in property values since the last revaluation in 2017. From next April, this will have major impacts on retailers, hospitality businesses, and local authorities. A package of targeted support worth £13.6 billion over the next five years will support businesses as they transition to their new bills, protecting businesses from the full impact of inflation and supporting high streets. English local authorities will be fully compensated for the loss of income as a result of these business rates measures.

What this all means for the landscape sector is hard to tell, given the lack of detail as to how departmental budgets will bed down, how inflation will impact budgets, and what manner of savings the new government will pursue. Two of the departments that directly impact the landscape sector – the Departments for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities  (DLUHC) and Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) – look to have modest variances in funding over the next three years, and bearing in mind the prospect of a General Election at the latest in 2025.

The Chancellor’s announcement to freeze some personal tax allowances, VAT, and the increase in the living wage came as no great surprise. All of these will have major implications for the overwhelming majority of landscape practices and their staff, set against the wider background of rising energy and food prices, the climate crisis emergency, and the war in Ukraine.

Recruiting and retaining staff continues to be an acute problem across the economy – not just within landscape. Despite the consistent cry of businesses, practical solutions to this challenge remain elusive.

It’s interesting, then, that the Chancellor should announce the appointment of Sir Michael Barber to advise him and the Secretary of State for Education on the implementation of current skills reforms. These include the promise, made in the 2021 Skills for Jobs White Paper, for businesses to be actively engaged in determining education provision and curricula in their area. Levelling up will prove almost impossible to deliver if we simply don’t have the people with the skills needed.

If you’re facing difficulties due to the rising cost of living, hardship support is available through the LI’s charitable partners the Architects’ Benevolent Society (ABS) and Perennial. Find out more.

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On 15 November 2022, at the FutureScape industry exhibition, representatives from the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), British Association of Landscape Industries, the Landscape Institute (LI), the Society of Garden Designers (SGD), signed a joint declaration to work towards a more diverse and inclusive industry through the sharing of work and good practice.

Following on from BALI’s December 2021 Access All Areas panel discussion, the charter commits signatories to:

• monitoring and benchmarking EDI across the industry
• educating and upskilling colleagues and members on EDI
• promoting the industry as an inclusive and accessible environment with opportunities for lifelong rewarding careers for all

‘As well a severe skills shortage in the natural environment sector, there’s a marked lack of diversity,’ said LI Chief Executive Sue Morgan. ‘To transform the world for the better, we must understand and represent the interests and experiences of all the communities we serve.

‘As landscape professionals, our members operate in and connect both the built and natural environments. Much like the memorandum of understanding and subsequent action plan we co-signed with five of our fellow built environment bodies earlier this year, this cross-sector approach is exactly the sort of initiative we need to see to change things for the better.

‘I’m delighted that we’re continuing to make such positive progress, and look forward to working with our colleagues across all sectors to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion in both workplaces and communities – built and natural – that are welcoming to all.’

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There are opportunities on several panels, including those Frame Projects manages on behalf of the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Camden, Ealing, Havering, and Redbridge; the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; Epping Forest District; Harlow and Gilston Garden Town; and HS2 Limited.

Many of these companies and councils are keen to strengthen the climate and sustainability expertise on the review panels. As well as looking for experts with engineering backgrounds, Frame Projects are particularly keen to hear from urban designers and other professionals who can demonstrate a track record of innovation in:

• sustainability and low-carbon design
• landscape and ecology
• architecture (especially housing and mixed-use)
• town planning and urban design
• heritage / working with historic buildings
• inclusive design (especially in transport and public realm)
• mixed-use development
• co-location of industrial and residential
• commercial development / design leadership
• transport planning / active travel
• bridge design and engineering
• garden town stewardship

They welcome applications from candidates working in other relevant disciplines. Frame Projects are also hoping to improve the diversity of their panels, and encourage applications from women and people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, who are currently underrepresented in the construction industry.

Applications close at 5.00pm on Monday 5 December 2022. If you’re interested in this opportunity, email panelrefresh@frame-projects.co.uk for a recruitment pack and application form.

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Campaigning to Connect People, Place, and Nature aims to unite the profession across the country in championing the transformative value of landscape at a point in human history where it’s never been more crucial to our future. Starting in Manchester and travelling to Leeds, Glasgow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Newcastle, and finally London, it will celebrate the landscape profession and its achievements, while also exploring the present realities and future possibilities of community and social resilience in the UK.

The closing event on Thursday 1 December will the LI’s annual Jellicoe Lecture. Each year, the lecture celebrates the life and work of Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, architect, landscape architect, and founding member of the LI.

The 2022 Lecture will be a panel discussion bringing together leaders in the placemaking sector, representatives from local government and private practice, students, and others to share diverse perspectives about our spaces and places. The event aims to stimulate thought-provoking conversations about landscape practice, the pressing issues facing the profession and wider built environment sector, and the ways we respond to global pressures and crises.

Speakers

• Sue Morgan, CEO of the Landscape Institute, will welcome delegates and provide an overview of the campaign outcomes.
• Ben Brown, Head of Policy and Insight at the Landscape Institute, will present the results of the industry-wide Landscape Skills and Workforce Survey.

Panel and Q&A

• Chair: Victoria Thornton OBE, Founder of Open House/Open City, Founder of the Thornton Educational Trust and former President of the Architectural Association Panel
• Peter Freeman, Chair of Homes England and co-founder of the property developer Argent developers of Kings Cross Central
• Siraaj Mitha, architect and Head of Accelerate at Open City, a programme that encourages young people from under-represented backgrounds to explore careers in the built environment
• Dr Anna Rutherford, Director at Design West, a Bristol-based registered charity and centre of excellence for design and placemaking
• Binki Taylor, GLA commissioner for diversity in the public realm and founding partner of the Brixton Project, the community placemaking organisation

Closing remarks

• Noel Farrer FLI PPLI, Vice President and Jane Findlay CMLI PPLI, Immediate Past President of the Landscape Institute

Expert-led site visits in London

On every leg of Campaigning to Connect People, Place, and Nature, the LI has invited delegates to enjoy expert-led walking tours of local landscape projects. London is no exception: prior to the evening Lecture, we’re running three field trips across the capital.

Elephant Park

Gillespies and Hardscape

This two-acre park is the centrepiece of the Elephant Park development, the £2.5bn revitalisation of Elephant and Castle by Lendlease and Southwark Council.

Bloomsbury Squares

LUC

Visit the site of several restoration schemes designed to recreate the centrepiece of Georgian Bloomsbury: Gordon and Woburn Square Gardens and the Grade II-listed Russell Square.

Aldwych and Strand and the West End Project

LDA Design

Working with Westminster City Council, LDA Design has reimagined Strand Aldwych to become a new civic space that better meets the needs of visitors, workers, and residents.

The trio of Princes Circus, Alfred Place Gardens, and Whitfield Gardens form part of the West End Project, Camden Council’s largest public realm and transport scheme designed to improve traffic, road safety, air quality, and access to quality public space in a once-heavily congested part of central London.

Find out more about the lecture and field trips and book here.

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The first phase of the research took place last year. Initial survey findings are available at jennyelliott.co.uk.

To explore the findings in more depth, Jenny is currently looking to conduct anonymous interviews with 50+ UK-based built environment professionals involved in the design, planning, delivery, or management of public spaces.

These interviews will feed into research findings and recommendations that will be released next year. Research findings will be shared back with participants, research partner Connected Places Catapult, wider industry bodies, and policy makers, with the aim of ultimately improving place outcomes for urban public spaces.

If you can spare 30-45 minutes over the next couple of weeks for a short online discussion and wold like to contribute to the research, please contact Jenny at hello@jennyelliott.co.uk.

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The new report highlights progress made during the UK’s custodianship of the COP Presidency. It also looks ahead to the COP27 summit taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from 6-18 November, and acknowledges that nations need to do more to implement the commitments of the 2021 Glasgow Climate Pact.

Read more: New LI briefing discusses COP26 outcomes and implications for landscape

‘The last three years have been a unique privilege and I have been inspired by the urgency and the ambition I have heard around the world,’ said Alok Sharma.

‘The decade ahead can be one where we pull back from the precipice of climate catastrophe and unlock a just and sustainable path to prosperity for billions of people around the world.

‘To do this we must fully deliver on the promises made at COP26 and in the Glasgow Climate Pact.’

Read the full announcement at www.gov.uk.

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The post Who now leads the government’s landscape policies? first appeared on Landscape Institute.

Informed by recent research conducted by Marshalls, Creating Safer Spaces aims to improve people’s experience of and interaction with the public realm. Through their research, Marshalls discovered that:

• 77% of people feel more unsafe in public spaces when it’s dark. One average, they are 12 times more likely to avoid public spaces at night than during the day.
• People consider parks and gardens the least safe spaces when it’s dark. 80% of people avoid these spaces at night, compared to just 2% during the day.
• People feel most at risk on nights out. Other activities that people feel unsafe doing include waiting for public transport, exercising outdoors, walking dogs, and commuting.
• Most people change their behaviour to improve feelings of safety when out in public, including by taking a longer, busier and/or better-lit route; crossing the street to avoid others; and carrying personal alarms.

Examining the reasons for these perceptions, the white paper asks whether current interventions are doing enough to ensure that people both feel safe and are safe when out in public; whether we are designing public realm projects with both day and night in mind; and how we can balance biodiversity with safety, creating spaces that are friendly to both humans and wildlife.

‘Making spaces safe isn’t just about improving lighting,’ said Sue Morgan, LI Chief Executive. ‘It’s about creating open, accessible spaces where people feel seen. It’s about making spaces beautiful and welcoming, thus attracting more users, and fostering a sense of civic pride. This requires a holistic, innovative approach to how we plan and create spaces. The issue of public safety is a multifaceted one that requires multifaceted solutions, creating a lasting change in behaviour and understanding across all of society. We need support from governments and local authorities for pioneering thinking and practice.’

Drawing on multiple fields, from vision and wayfinding to acoustics and technology, the paper suggests seven best practice design principles for landscape designers, planners, and local authorities.

‘Simple design choices – such as the height of a hedge or the use of textured materials, for example – can have a big impact on whether people feel and are safe in our shared spaces,’ said Johanna Elvidge, Head of Design at Marshalls. ‘At present, when planning schemes, we often overlook principles such as designing wayfinding and acoustics for when it’s dark. By considering safety during the feasibility and concept stages, the principles of “designing for dark” can be seamlessly integrated and even enhance other key principles, including biodiversity and accessibility, with compelling consequences.’

As well as individual perceptions of safety, Creating Safer Spaces examines the wider benefits of designing public spaces with round-the-clock safety in mind. These include improved mental and physical health, climate adaptation, and economic growth.

Johanna explains: ‘If people don’t feel safe in public spaces when it’s dark then it can limit their opportunities in life… Not only does this impact them as an individual, but it has knock-on consequences for their local communities, society, the economy, and  the environment.

‘By creating spaces that feel safer, more people start to venture out in public, which encourages more still to join them. In turn, people have more opportunities open to them and will be more inclined to ditch cars or public transport, leading to a reduction in carbon emissions, for example. There’s also a huge potential impact to the UK’s night-time industries and London’s strive for a “24-hour economy” that could be worth nearly £48 billion by the end of this decade. ‘

Sue concluded: ‘The Landscape Institute is delighted to support this new white paper, which we hope will stimulate much-needed debate, and ultimately change, to make our public spaces safer for all.’

To access the full Creating Safer Spaces white paper, visit marshalls.co.uk/saferspaces.

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