25 September 2000 Making your mark through landscape architecture

Look around you at an aesthetically appealing streetscape, public reserve, housing subdivision, shopping mall, school playground or other such amenity area – chances are that somewhere in the design process was a Lincoln University graduate in landscape architecture.

For 30 years Lincoln University has been the source of New Zealand qualified diploma and degree holders for the New Zealand landscape architecture profession and through them the University has stamped its mark on many parts of the country.

Two examples from the most recent national awards of the New Zealand Institute of Landscape Architects are the town centre redevelopment of Opotiki which won a Bronze Medal for the two Lincoln graduate landscape architects involved – Chris Bentley and Bridgit Diprose of Boffa Miskell Ltd, Auckland – and the redevelopment of Cameron Street Mall in the central business district of Whangarei. That too won a Bronze Medal for Lincoln graduates Colleen Priest, Dave Mansergh and Michael Graham of Priest Mansergh Ltd, Hamilton, and Hugh Nicholson of Archetypes, Wellington.

Lincoln graduates also won Silver Medals at the awards and the top prize for landscape planning went to a team headed by Lincoln graduate, Di Lucas of Lucas Associates, Christchurch. It was for a report on restoring the Avoca Valley Stream.

The opening Lincoln pathway to this sort of excitingly creative work is the University's Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree, a four-year programme or, with graduate entry, two years. Postgraduate programmes up to PhD are also available.

Lincoln University Liaison Officers Renata Cooper and Tim Ruthven are happy to discuss your future in making a mark on the New Zealand landscape and they may be contacted on 0800 10 60 10 or email liaison@lincoln.ac.nz . Renata Cooper will be at the Coca Cola Careers Expo to discuss all the options.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand