Susan Szenasy posted on Metropolis an article titled “United We Stand” in which she recalls some government officials giving encouragement at a recent NeoCon East annual trade show that there is “a new day for government design”. Szeasy goes on to talk about the importance to design of the recent $5.5 billion allocation to General Services Administration and the Department of Defense’s $7.4 billion reconfiguration funding.
However the point I found most interesting in Szenasy’s article was the GSA signing of a new accord with AIA, ASLA, IIDA; in which they have pledged to collaborate to achieve design excellence. I find this encouraging that professional associations have come together.
Currently, there is change occurring not just in the short-term with the Global Financial Crisis, but it seems more and more that sustainability, the environment, and climate change is becoming more important to the world. I feel that we need to move forward with new ideas and be armed with new tools especially in the area of urban design where cities are shrinking in the USA, new eco-towns are being built in the UK and new mega-cities are being designed and constructed in China, India, and Africa. Now is the best time to seek out other disciplines for collaboration not just for the networking and possible work opportunities but for the greater good of the profession. As Landscape Architects I know we often seek collaboration with other disciplines whether they are internal or external of our companies, however I think that as we head towards a new decade we should make more of a commitment to further collaborate with other professions to improve your knowledge and their knowledge so that together we can create a better future.
The annual awards program hosted by the University of Manitoba Department of Landscape Architecture recognizes excellence in Landscape Architecture in categories of Design, Planning & Analysis, Research, Communications, Landscape Management, New Directions, and Residential Design.
This year out of 56 entries, there were 13 National Honour Awards
National Honour Awards
Project Name: La Promenade Samuel-De Champlain
Organization: La consortium Daoust Lestage inc. – Williams Asselin Ackaoui- Option Amenagement
Client: Commission de la capitale nationale du Quebec
Location: Quebec City, Quebec
Category: Design
Project Name: Outremont Campus – Universite de Montreal
Organization: Groupe Cardinal Hardy
Client: Universite de Montreal
Location: Outremont’s railroad yard, Montreal
Category: Planning and Analysis
Project Name: Lake Ontario Park Master Plan
Organization: Field Operations
Client: Waterfront Toronto
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Category: Planning and Analysis
Project Name: Point Pleasant Park Comprehensive Plan
Organization: Ekistics Planning and Design, NIPpaysage and HRM
Client: Halifax Regional Municipality
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
Category: Planning and Analysis
National Merit Awards (6)
Project Name: Lakeview: Community Education and Landscape Politics
Organization: Centre for Landscape Research, University of Toronto
Client: None-community service work – pro bono
Location: Lakeview, Mississauga, Ontario
Category: New Directions
Project Name: Ground: Landscape Architect Quarterly
Organization: Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
Client: Ontario Association of Landscape Architects
Location: n/a
Category: Communications
Project Name: Green Infrastructure in Calgary’s Mobility Corridors
Organization: Design Centre for Sustainability, University of British Columbia
Client: City of Calgary
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Category: Research
Project Name: Southeast False Creek Waterfront – Phase 1
Organization: PWL Partnership Landscape Architects Ltd.
Client: SEFC Project Office – City of Vancouver
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Category: Design
Project Name: Garden City Play Environment
Organization: space2place design inc.
Client: City of Richmond
Location: Richmond, British Columbia
Category: Design
Project Name: Port to Port Corridor Study
Organization: CBCL Limited
Client: Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Location: Sydney, Nova Scotia
Category: Planning and Analysis
Project Name: Urban Corridor Planning/City of Houston
Organization: The Planning Partnership Limited
Client: City of Houston/Main Street Coalition
Location: Houston, Texas
Category: Planning and Analysis
Project Name: Square des Freres-Charon
Organization: Ville De Montreal – Direction des grands parcs et de lat nature en ville
Client: Ville de Montreal
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Category: New Directions
IMAGES COURTESY OF CSLA
IMAGE Copyright and Credit to La consortium Daoust Lestage inc. – Williams Asselin Ackaoui- Option Amenagement, Groupe Cardinal Hardy, Field Operations, Ekistics Planning and Design, NIPpaysage and HRM as noted
Director(Toronto) – Linda Irvine, OALA, CSLA, ASLA, Manager, Parks and Open Space Development, Planning and UrbanDesign Department, Town of Markham, was appointed President of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects(CSLA) during the organization’s annual general meeting held in Toronto August 15, 2009.
Neil Dawe, NLALA, CSLA,President of Tract Consulting Inc. was elected to the position of President-Elect
Arnis Budrevics, OALA, FCSLA,Principal Landscape Architect of Alexander Budrevics and Associates, was appointed to the CSLA Executive Committee.
Cathy Sears, AALA, CSLA, ASLA a Vice-President and leader of Stantec’s Planning & Landscape Architecture practice,transitioned to the role of Past President.
The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) presented seven landscape architects with its Recognition Awards at its national Congress GALA.
The CSLA Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon landscape architects whose lifetime achievements and contributions to the profession have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of the public and on the environment.
The CSLA presented two Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2009 to Michael Hough, OALA, FCSLA and Macklin Hancock, OALA, FCSLA.
The Schwabenbauer Award was awarded the Cecelia Paine, OALA, FCSLA
The CSLA presented two Teaching Awards in 2009, to Charles Thomsen, MALA, FCSLA of the University of Manitoba and to Douglas Paterson, BCSLA, FCSLA of the University of British Columbia.
In 2009 outgoing President Cathy Sears, AALA, CSLA presented the The CSLA- AAPC President’s Award to Gérald Lajeunesse AAPQ, OALA, FCSLA and Ronald Middleton, AALA, FCSLA for their commitment and dedication to landscape architecture in Canada.
