Uncovering the Role of Women in Post-War Landscape Architecture in Britain

The aim of this research is to examine the work of female landscape architects in post-war Britain. It will seek to uncover hidden histories of women yet unknown and look to understand how they have impacted the development of the profession as well as Britain’s landscapes. The field of landscape architecture is often described as progressive when considering the role women played in the inception and development of the profession, with some even describing it as ‘emancipatory’. This version of landscape architectural history has been largely anecdotally understood for many years. It is only recently that there has been a trend towards examining the role of women in the profession in any great depth. The work to date has shone a spotlight on the lives and work of a few remarkable women but has not ventured further than a series of biographies. This project will look to identify a broader range of women and seek to interpret their work to discover how gender has influenced their roles as theorists, activists and designers and so in turn how gender has influenced landscape architecture itself.

Biography

2020 - Present

AHRC NWCDTP funded collaborative PhD with Historic England and Manchester School of Architecture (MSA)

2012 - 20

Landscape and urban designer, various practices in London and Oxford

2012

Master of Architecture in Urban Design, The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London

2007

High First Class Degree in Linguistics and winner of the Lee Davidson Prize, University of Leeds