PUSHING LANDSCAPE DESIGN’S BOUNDARIES
Kathryn Gustafson shares her passion for innovative, important outdoor spaces
Each fall, the University of B.C. School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture invites a well-known professional to speak on the expanding field of international landscape design.
This year the Robson Square lecture hall was packed to hear renowned American landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson, and she did not disappoint.
As exemplified by her many brilliant projects around the world, Gustafson has pushed the boundaries of landscape architecture in many directions. With offices in Seattle, Washington, D.C., and London, she has recently led her teams to design landscapes for the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture in Washington D.C., the Millennium Park in Chicago, and the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London. Gustafson and her London partners are also leading landscape architects for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Her lecture was aimed appropriately at students, outlining the many complexities entailed in today’s landscape designs. Her presentation covered attending to the many considerations which must be addressed before any landscape design can begin, as well as the importance of collaboration with architects to capture the essence of any project.
Before the lecture, Gustafson graciously scheduled some time to speak with me about her vision of where this important field is going. Her passion for landscape architecture was clearly evident.
“It’s the best job that could ever be,” she said, unequivocally. She laments the decline internationally of young folks entering this profession because it has so much to offer.
Gustafson initially worked in the fashion industry before discovering her true passion was landscape design. Her roots are in the desert-like area of Yakima, Washington, where the flow of water (a feature she often includes in her designs) is so critical for life.
Another big factor she credits is the training she received at the French landscape school then located at Versailles. Living in the heart of the art world, surrounded by centuries-old architectural gems and brilliantly designed gardens, gave her an appreciation of history and helped to develop her sense of style and composition.
Gustafson said her eureka moment happened visiting a garden in France. She was climbing a long flight of stairs, and on reaching the top, was amazed to see how the land had been sculpted into artfully designed contours. She said to herself: “I want to do this.”
Landscape architecture is a complex undertaking involving many diverse factors — from the history of the location and soil types, to engineering components, art and design. It’s about creating harmony using all these elements.
She admires the leadership of Singapore for their efforts to be self-sustaining. In their central business district, new projects now require a 100 per cent replant of all existing plantings. In such a limited space, that policy sometimes means adding an extra storey to a building to grow the number of plants needing to be replaced. Their goal is zero carbon emissions, and new developments must be off-thegrid and self-contained, including everything from sewage and waste management to dealing with storm water.
All these factors are very much part of landscape architecture in today’s world.
“The ultimate goal is to make things beautiful and engage the soul of a place,” says Gustafson. It’s all about doing everything for the public good. Designs must also be gender neutral and create social equity.
Gustafson lectured about being creative — playing with the sky, incorporating light, touching the forest, and using water both as a moving feature and as a mirror. She loves to use curves to create an element of suspense and surprise. Pulling together all these components in just the right way is critical to the success of the design.
Gustafson explained the necessity of being process oriented; listening to and understanding the concerns of engaged parties, especially the public; managing expectations while being mindful of the overall design, and the budget to achieve it; working hard to elevate the design concept to its highest level; struggling to find the right materials; fighting hard for what is right; and getting buy-in from every one of the players.
Professional landscape architects like Gustafson create some of our most innovative and important outdoor spaces. When we observe both private and public landscapes, take a moment to think about the many elements and the hours of consideration and planning that went into the creation of that space.