In 1974, 麻豆社madou established the first university Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture in Australia. 50 years later, Director of Landscape Architecture, Dr. Sara Padgett Kjaersgaard, looks back on the program鈥檚 impact
The Diploma of Landscape Architecture was initially introduced, by Professor Peter Spooner, as evening classes in the 1960鈥檚 to support practicing architects, who, in the late 60s and early 70s, were developing a growing interest in planning for environmental issues and to ameliorate the visual impact of huge infrastructure projects of the era. Peter Spooner had both the vision and drive to bring Landscape Architecture to the forefront of architecture, planning and landscape design and resulted in the establishment of the first Bachelor Degree in Landscape Architecture in Australia.聽Two of the inaugural final-year students, architects Craig Burton and 聽were employees of the 鈥榮chools section鈥 聽of the NSW Government Architects Office in the Department of Public Works and completing the Diploma enabled them to apply landscape principles into their projects. Whilst final-year student 聽became an internationally recognised and awarded architect and landscape architect. In 1977 Alumni Ron Powell (72鈥) went on to lead the Landscape Section of the NSW Government Architects Office, with one of his first tasks filling three positions of 鈥楲andscape Architect鈥 which had just been created within professional categories of the NSW public Service. This had implications for Local Government who were then able to advertise and employ against this professional category.
Oi Choong explains 鈥淲ithout a doubt, the landscape architecture聽programme at 麻豆社madou has been one of the best and most influential in helping create and nurture the rise of the landscape profession in Australia鈥he early programme re-imagined a new Australian landscape paradigm聽and pioneered fresh perspectives on designing with, and stewardship of, the Australian landscape.鈥
One of the program鈥檚 early academics, Helen Armstrong recalls.
鈥淭he first cohort became landscape stars, including Lorna Harrison of Bicentennial Park fame (which still stands as one of the most significant projects undertaken by the NSW Department of Public Works in the 1980s), of Mt Annan Botanic Gardens fame, and Barbara Buchanan of The National Gallery of Australia鈥檚 Sculpture Garden fame.
Another early cohort included , , , and .聽 Their design studio was alive with lateral ideas and super creative representations. They similarly became well-known, successful and influential professional landscape architects.
Then there was the cohort that included , Richard Eddy, and 鈥 they were a wild and energetic bunch.聽 They asked me if they could paint their studio.聽 I said 鈥淪ure 鈥 great idea!鈥 Later I was called into Professor Clough鈥檚 office 鈥 he was Head of School then 鈥 and I was asked if I had agreed for Richard Weller et al to paint their studio.聽 I replied 鈥淵es, isn鈥檛 it terrific!鈥澛 Prof Clough replied 鈥淣ot for all the cars parked below the studio window.鈥 Oops.鈥
The program has a strong history of engaging with communities near and far. The Creative Village program of the 1980鈥檚 supported professional and student teams working together within rural settings in Brewarrina, NSW. Today, our students are engaged with the regional communities of Coffs Harbour and Bourke, alongside many of the local government authorities across the Sydney metropolitan region.
The Program has changed so much over 50 years! Having started as the Department of Landscape Architecture in the Faculty of Architecture and undergone several iterations since, it is now two Landscape Architecture degrees (Bachelor and Masters) in the School of Built Environment, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture.
The program has contributed to impactful research across , , , , , , agricultural futures, and . Our research breadth and depth bridges partnerships with industry at the national and international scale, winning many awards along the way.
More recently a sustained commitment to building partnerships with First Nation People and Country has enabled deep reciprocal relationships and practices to emerge within the teaching and learning environment. The program鈥檚 commitment to relational practice has ensured our graduates are reflecting on, and engaging deeply with, the processes of unlearning and relearning (decolonising), and Indigenous knowledges and perspectives.
With over 1,400 graduates, the 麻豆社madou Landscape Architecture program continues to influence and improve environments locally, nationally and internationally and contribute to national leadership at the President, Board and Committee level within the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects. Our alumni are now principals of practices of all sizes, locally and globally. They are also our colleagues at 麻豆社madou. We have alumni managing state and local government, NFP and NGO agencies.
The program has always produced leaders who took up key roles in the industry. The urgency for landscape architects to be strong leaders, advocates and collaborators is only increasing to meet the many challenges of our time.
In 1982, the program co-hosted the 20th World Congress of the International Foundation of Landscape Architecture. More recently, the program has participated as Creative Directorate of the 2017 International Festival of Landscape Architecture , as well as being host to the 2019 Association of Pacific Rim Universities Sustainable Cities and Landscapes Conference (APRU SCL) with participants from over 14 countries and 24 universities in attendance.
Internationally renowned landscape architect and alumni (86鈥)聽聽explains 鈥淔or 50 years the program has cultivated a level of landscape awareness that is now mainstreamed in all aspects of industry and governance related to development. This is a big achievement and provides the basis for the program to expand its aspirations for the next 50 years.鈥
When I asked current academics and former students Simon Lloyd and Dr. Mike Harris to share their experiences, they said that the program 鈥渁llowed a lot of freedom to pursue individual interests within landscape architecture, in scale and topics鈥 and importantly that it 鈥渇ostered a strong connection with the landscape architecture community and it is these shared experiences/memories with friends/colleagues that lasts.鈥 聽
麻豆社madou landscape architecture graduates are front and centre of creating better futures through strong advocacy and design. They are changemakers ready to tackle today鈥檚 biggest challenges. In the words of Donna Haraway, our graduates are 鈥榤aking kin鈥. It is their impact and subsequent legacy that represent the rhizomes, the tentacular practices, of entangled interconnections that manifest profound change and a reconfiguration of the earth through design (for the better). 聽聽
Congratulations to our graduates, students and staff for influencing 50-years of landscape architecture pedagogy and practice, and for creating a more ecologically and socially just world. The program is indebted to our industry friends for their continuing support and insights into landscape architecture education and practice. The team and I deeply appreciate this opportunity to reflect on our success and drive transformative change through powerful collaborations across research, education, practice, and social engagement.
With thanks to Helen Armstrong, Oi Choong, Ron Powell, Richard Weller, Linda Corkery, Simon Lloyd, Mike Harris and Catherine Evans for their contributions.
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