Beyond the policy obligations to promote biodiversity and protect threatened species, are there other benefits to developments driven by considerations of landscape and nature? This masterclass explored the natural and social capital as well as the increase in marketability that can result from landscape-led masterplanning and ecologically-sensitive development.
Bringing landscape architects to the table at the earliest stage is a recognition that the spaces around the buildings are just as important as the buildings themselves in terms of building a strong sense of community. Early involvement by an ecologist can help smooth the planning and implementation of a development as well as avoiding impacts on habitats and species that can require intensive – and expensive – mitigation and compensation solutions.
The masterclass also introduced principles, policies and strategies as well as exemplar case studies that have used landscape and ecological processes as drivers of design.
Our speakers were:
- Selina Mason, Director of masterplanning, Lendlease, and former Partner at LDA Design and Director of Design Integration, LLDC.
- Can Ash, Founder partner, Ash Sakula Architects
- Samuel Durham, Head of Ecology, Lloyd Bore