Australian Landscape Architects & Heritage

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

 I was recently talking about landscape architects and Heritage with Philip Palmer, one of our WA members, who has recently taken up a job with the National Trust WA.

Nationally we are wanting to identify those AILA members who are working in areas of heritage or cultural landscapes.

Are you in a practice that occasionally or most of the time specialises in this work, or are you working in these areas from within a government department or agency or a non-government organisation (national trust)? If so please make contact.

The AILA national council is considering what national actions should be initiated to position the profession and the AILA in these areas of work, locally and nationally and ultimately internationally.

Philip would also like to build up links and network with other Australian landscape architects on this topic.

We would very much also like to consider doing some profile work on the types of work being undertaken by Australian landscape architects in heritage and cultural landscapes; the work could be within Australia or international.

Hear from you soon

Paul Costigan
Executive Director

Urban Sprawl debate

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

A debate quietly surfaced last week in the Australian media following a media release from the Australian Institute of Architects (now AIA not RAIA as before in case you had not noticed).

Their comment seemed to be based on a re-badging of their previous Urban Design policy and a public announcement of its presence along with a statement attacking everyone about urban sprawl.

Unfortunately, given the tone of the statements, the  AIA became the subject of the debate rather than the important topic they were attempting to raise (about urban sprawl that is, not their recycled policy).

There were two reports of the AIA comments, one in the Australian and another online.

The AILA has offered comment at times to various governments on the topic of the continual urban sprawl and the desire to seek improved design solutions for our urban environments.

The AILA  is working for the longer term to have some National Landscape Principles taken up by all local governments within their urban design strategies and protocols.

This project on landscape principles will be the subject of consultations later this year and into next year as part of AILA’s Commonwealth funded Climate Change project.

Meanwhile we welcome comments from members on the topic of urban sprawl - or on any topic relating to urban design and landscape architects.   also check the AILA news pages for other news

Crocodile’s and Dendritic Immersions

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

karumba1.jpg

Queensland University of Technology has been presented with an exciting student project in the Gulf of Carpentatria.

The Project called “Linking Karumba: Creating Sustainable Connections” involves a multi- disciplinary group of 16 senior students, Q.U.T Teaching staff and the residents of Karumba.

This September for 10 days, the group will immerse themselves in the nature and culture of Karumba and create planning options that link the two separate parts of the township.

Karumba is located at the mouth of the Norman River in the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland.

The attached image shows the landscape that surrounds the township.

Stay tuned…………………!

Ashley Nicholson, student landscape architect QUT.

Role of the landscape architect in Urban agriculture

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

A recent call to landscape architects to give input to a journal about urban agriculture heightened the opportunity and responsibility we have to help feed a future low consumerism, highly urban world. Is there any one out there interested to being part of this.

I have a touch of permaculture in my veins and am keen to see the Victorian State Government’s program of “Food for all” be successful.

Ros