Landscape Conference Dublin Tuesday 27th November

 

Landscape conference to highlight importance of Green Infrastructure

 

The world-renowned landscape architect and urban designer Dr. Kongjian Yu will be the keynote speaker at the Irish Landscape Institute’s (ILI) National Conference and Design Awards on Tuesday 27^th November. The conference takes place at Bewley’s Hotel’s Thomas Prior Hall, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 and this year’s theme is Green Infrastructure.

 

Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Naoise ÓMuirí, will open the conference. “It is very exciting to have the well-respected expert Dr. Kongjian Yu in attendance at the ILI’s 2012 Conference.  Dr. Yu has a record in applying cutting-edge design to enhancing our environment.   This is very relevant to Green infrastructure which is the conference’s theme this year.   Greening the City is one of the main aims of the current Development Plan for Dublin. Dublin City Council is actively developing strategic green networks in terms of better transportation access, flood reduction, recreational and biodiversity  improvements.” says the Lord Mayor.

 

Green Infrastructure is a network of natural areas and open spaces—such as woodlands, wetlands, trails and parks—that conserves ecosystems, helps sustain clean air and water and provides many other benefits to people and wildlife.

 

President of the Irish Landscape Institute, Maryann Harris, adds that “The Irish Landscape Institute celebrates the twentieth anniversary this year. The multidisciplinary nature of Green Infrastructure is reflected in this conference’s programme. The global importance of Green Infrastructure is reflected in our speakers from Asia, North America and Europe. We are also launching the first national award in Ireland for Green Infrastructure as part of the National Landscape Awards 2012. This conference will provide a major event for pioneering new approaches in Ireland to environmental planning and design.”

 

Key sponsorship for this event is provided by Dublin City Council and by the Green Infrastructure Network (GreenInfranet), co-funded by the EU programme INTERREG IVC and its project partner, Fingal County Council.

 

 

For further information contact:

 

Kevin Fitzpatrick, Hon. Secretary, Irish Landscape Institute

KFLA tel.:             (01) 444-0724

Email:                   secretary@irishlandscapeinstitute.com

Maryann Harris, President, Irish Landscape Institute

Tel.:                       087-656-1676

Email:                   president@irishlandscapeinstitute.com

Website:             www.irishlandscapeinstitute.com

 

 

The Irish Landscape Institute (ILI)

ILI is the professional body representing Landscape Architects in Ireland, governed by a Constitution and a Code of Professional Conduct. The Institute has a membership of about 200, made up of fellows and full members, graduate members, student members, honorary members and affiliates. ILI is a registered member of both EFLA (European Foundation for Landscape Architecture) and IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) and is a member of the Urban Forum

Dr. Kongjian Yu

The keynote speaker is Dr. Kongjian Yu, Doctor of Design and Visiting Professor at Harvard University, author of 17 books, and Professor and Dean at the College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University, China.  Dr. Yu is President and Principal Designer of Turenscape, a multi award-winning firm employing 600 design professionals. Turenscape is a multi disciplinary design practice providing design services in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, across many scales and environments.

The vast scale of China and its apparently boundless growth have enabled Yu to test many ideas that are still largely theories in the Western world. His work, increasingly valued and appreciated in Europe and North America, has attained an extremely high and elegant level in both conception and execution. Kongjian Yu is known for his ecological stance, often against the status quo. His guiding design principles are the appreciation of the ordinary and a deep embracing of nature, even in its potentially destructive aspects, such as floods. Among his most acclaimed projects are Houtan Park for Shanghai Expo, the Red Ribbon Park in Qinhuangdao, and Shipyard Park in Zhongshan.

 

 Other speakers will include:

 

• James Mituzas, Senior Landscape Architect and Urban Designer, New York City Parks and Recreation
• Michael Phillips FIEI, President, Engineers Ireland and City Engineer of Dublin
• Nicole Collomb CMLI, Built Environment Expert at Design Council, Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, (CABE), in London and Chartered Landscape Architect
• Dr. Shane Colgan, ERC Co-ordinator, Environmental Protection Agency
• Franca Davenport MA MSc, science writer for Science for Environment Policy, a European Commission service, and lecturer at University of the West of England in Bristol
• Dr. Gerry Clabby, ecologist and Heritage Officer, Fingal County Council and project partner of EU Green Infranet Project
• Alison Harvey, Planning and Development Officer, Heritage Council and author of 'Community-led Village Design Statement (VDS) Toolkit' (2012)

 

The Green Infrastructure Network (GreenInfraNet) is a partnership of 12 regions from across Europe working together to promote the development and implementation of green infrastructure in EU regions. The three-year project was launched in April 2012 and is co-funded by the EU programme INTERREG IVC.  Website:  www.greeninfranet.org for further details.