This year’s Landscape Institute Annual Jellicoe Lecture, held at
Arup
in London, explored the theme "Making Places Fit for Living."
The evening kicked off with an introduction from President Carolin Göhler and was chaired by Noel Farrar. The talk sparked a lively discussion about the connection between housing and landscape, and how we can design spaces that really work for people.
Speakers included Tim Slaney (South Downs National Park Authority), who discussed landscape-led planning for sustainable growth; Frazer Osment (LDA Design), who highlighted masterplanning’s role in creating resilient, functional places; and Harriet Bourne (BBUK Studio), who emphasised the importance of working more closely with communities and developers to create well-designed external spaces as part of new developments.
Speakers were joined on the stage by Ian Phillips CMLI, Carolyn Göhler and Noel Farrer for an engaging panel discussion.
Highlights for me were hearing about Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire. Waterbeach, a project by LDA, and is a large scale plan to create a lively and sustainable new community. With a focus on green spaces, transport links, and a mix of housing. It was interesting to hear and see how the development aims to offer a comfortable and eco-friendly place to live, work, and connect with nature.
I loved the quote Ian Philips recalled from a past IFLA World Congress: “Landscape professionals solving problems you didn't know you had in ways you can't understand”. CEO Robert Hughes wrapped up the event by thanking both the speakers and attendees for contributing to a successful and engaging evening.
He expressed his appreciation to Mike Wood and the team at ARUP for hosting, as well as to the Landscape Institute team for their behind-the-scenes efforts. Rob also offered a sneak peek at what’s in store for the Landscape Institute in 2025, including a series of webinars scheduled throughout the year. After the event, there was a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones over a couple of drinks, continuing the conversation at the Queen Charlotte Pub on Googe Street.
