The Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) is pleased to announce that George F. Dark, OALA, FCSLA, FASLA was selected by the jury as the 2018 recipient of the Governor General’s Medal in Landscape Architecture.
The Governor General’s Medal in Landscape Architecture (GGMLA) is the highest honour bestowed on a landscape architect by the CSLA. The medal is intended to honour exceptional landscape architects whose lifetime achievements and contributions to the profession have had a unique and lasting impact on Canadian society. George F. Dark, Senior Design Partner at Urban Strategies, is an urban designer, landscape architect and member of both the College of Fellows of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects and the Council of Fellows of the American Society of Landscape Architects. George has over 40 years of professional practice experience. Over the past 20 years, George’s has developed a focus on the strategic design direction of large-scale urban regeneration projects putting him at the center of design decisions for some of the largest urban projects in Canada. George is very active in the charitable and not for profit sectors having served as Board Chair of the Evergreen Foundation of Canada for over 12 years while creating Brickworks, leading to his appointment as Chairman Emeritus of the organization. He is currently Chairman of the Social Innovation Foundation at the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto and was appointed by the Province of Ontario as a Trustee of the McMichael Canadian Collection Gallery. George was founding chair of the Academic Advisory Council of the Willowbank School of Restoration Arts.
We are pleased to award this honour to George F. Dark, who sees potential where others cannot, builds the foundations of glorious landscape architecture work, mentors the upcoming generation of landscape architects, contributes to the charitable and non-profit sector, and promotes the goals of the profession and society through his participation on Boards and design panels Mr. Dark’s commitment to design excellence and to outcomes that address the needs of the public are what distinguish him. – Nastaran Moradinejad, CSLA President and Chair of the 2018 Governor General’s Medal in Landscape Architecture Jury
Advancing the art, science and practice of landscape architecture. Mr. Dark has led many of the most complex and controversial and large-scale works in Canada, the US and abroad, with a focus on city plans, university master plans and strategic plans concerned with the future of vast regional landscapes. He is one of the most effective communicators and strategists in our profession today and is equipped with a unique set of skills which allow him to see the potential in any landscape, build consensus with policy makers, stakeholders, collaborate with other disciplines and facilitate solutions for many of the most complicated and important projects facing the profession of landscape architecture.
Mr. Dark will receive his award at a ceremony to be held at Government House in Winnipeg on September 13th, 2018.
Cover Photo: Courtesy of McMichael Canadian Gallery