landscape matters volume 5 - Flipbook - Page 17
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Megget Valley reservoire
1. Realigned road
2. Aerial view of Megget Valley
from the east
3. The valley before flooding
4. Megget reservoir
5. Reservoir in snow
6. Valley view
appealing always for further proof and justification far beyond any superficially applied measures of ‘beautification’.
We were encouraged to be pioneers and took no bidding to
enter the enduring and obsessional process that is landscape
architecture in justification of its very being. As Ian McHarg
said, 'we are all enslaved by the bloody thing.' This has meant
our engaging in the precepts and received wisdom of the
landscape ‘greats’ of our time, including Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe,
Dame Sylvia Crowe and Brenda Colvin. They were all pioneers.
Jellicoe combined the appreciation of classical design and
relationship with contemporary settings but with a deep sense
of the significance of ‘meaningful physical expression. He was
an artist in pursuit of delight rather than a scientist hell bent
on finding justification. He reminded us of the significance of
a successful marriage between the built form and the landscape, of architects opening their precious buildings to enable
the ‘delights of landscape not only to enter them but for them
to be integral with their landscape settings’ - in other words,
to embrace the potential of spatial integration with plants and
garden design in humanising and creating delight from the
association which, if denied, would forever condemn a given
project to dullness and mediocrity.
Dame Sylvia, with her three great areas in public utilities of
the Landscape of Forestry, the Landscape of Roads, and the
Landscape of Power as elements of colossal visual and landscape impact in need of hugely thought through mitigation,
transformed the image and role of landscape professionals
from that of merely superficial attendants to the engineers and
architects to deal with the under exploited elements in a failed
design concept and as rescue operation as an after-thought to
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one vitally essential to fundamental involvement in the design
formulation process from the outset and beyond construction
into long term landscape management. But even more fundamental than that, she introduced alternative approaches in site
location, site analysis, route selection for new roads or rail,
and cost reduction in capital works projects by introducing
stewardship principles and environmental criteria to reduce
both construction costs and waste of resources.
Colvin with Jellicoe were founding members and presidents of
the Institute of Landscape Architects.
What qualities and capabilities did they have that gave them
so much influence and respect? Firstly, they were imbued with
those fundamental principles held and recognised by leading
professionals regardless of their field of specialism: high
level intellectual qualities that would enable them to appreciate
the challenges and issues affecting any given project and of
which they shared the challenge as a collective one with their
architectural and engineering brethren. In this way they, in their
time, understood the principles forming the basis of present-day
environmental impact assessment – without using that all-embracing term. Last, most certainly not least, they each had style,
and charm coupled with the lucidity and firmness of expression.
Each became a fundamental contributor to decisions being
made on large and small projects. In effect, and as with Lancelot
Brown and Humphrey Repton, they were in true collaborative
partnerships with their clients. Through those qualities imbued
in true leadership they were able to achieve great things.
This brings me now to the main thrust of my own career. Having spent four years with LUC as Senior Associate and almost
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