February issue of LAA – “The Authorship Issue” – out now

The first issue of Landscape Architecture Australia for 2023 has landed – and we’re excited for you to read it.

In February of last year, Jillian Walliss and Heike Rahmann contacted us to discuss the possibility of a themed issue of Landscape Architecture Australia that unpacked the challenges and opportunities of authorship in relation to landscape architecture. Jillian is an associate professor at The University of Melbourne and Heike is a senior lecturer at RMIT University. Together, they guest-edited the February 2018 issue of the magazine, which examined the exchange of ideas between Australia and Asia.

When they pitched this proposal to us, we were enthusiastic. Working in design publishing as the editor of a landscape architecture magazine, I often feel the pressure of trying to obtain greater recognition for landscape architecture work. In the world of design media, landscape architecture-oriented publishing occupies only a very small niche in an environment heavily dominated by architecture and other larger design disciplines. As Jillian and Heike continued to commission articles and the content of the issue steadily evolved, my view of authorship and its ramifications for how we operate as landscape architects expanded considerably.

This resulting edition is rich with ideas and perspectives on issues that have the potential to profoundly influence how we understand and position ourselves as designers. The articles collected here present a critical account of many key issues concerning design and authorship amid evolving technologies, laws, attitudes to nature, the effects of time, and collaborations with other disciplines and non-human entities.

Many thanks to Jillian and Heike for their commitment to exploring this topic. I also extend my appreciation to the issue’s collaborating contributors for their keen insights and deep knowledge of this area.

In other news, we recently announced the winners of the 2022 Landscape Student Prize – a difficult decision. As with last year, it was the determination of the jury to award two entries, which explore very different ends of the spectrum of landscape architecture practice, the title of joint-winner. Interviews with the designers of each of these projects will be featured on our website in upcoming weeks.

– Emily Wong, editor

To read Jillian Walliss and Heike Rahmann’s introduction to the February 2023 edition of of Landscape Architecture Australia, go here.

In this issue:

• Viewpoint. A message from AILA National Director Katharina Nieberler-Walker.

• The Authorship Issue. Guest editors Jillian Walliss and Heike Rahmann reflect on the challenges and opportunities of authorship in the contemporary context.

• People, stories and place. Yalinguth is a site-specific app that immerses listeners in First Nations stories. Article by Janet McGaw.

• Authenticity and authority. Non-Indigenous landscape architects can build mutually nourishing relationships with Country through authorship. Article by Jock Gilbert and Sophia Pearce.

• Shifting grounds. Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and Parks Victoria reflect on more than a decade of joint management. Article by Jen Lynch.

• Lunar musings. As we move beyond the Earth, we can set up best practice by giving rights to the Moon. Article by Thomas Gooch.

• Tree designers and bird clients. Non-human beings can act as capable participants in the design of the future. Article by Stanislav Roudavski and Alexander Holland.

• Rewilding in a post-humanist world. The work of Singapore practice Salad Dressing envisions a world in which humans, nature and machines co-evolve. Article by Jillian Walliss.

• Co-authoring in the digital age. Digital technologies are challenging traditional notions of the designer as author. Article by Heike Rahmann and Daniel Ichallalene.

• Who has a right in the copy? Unpacking what rights and protections might be afforded to landscape architecture works. Article by Michael Wright.

• What is authorship? Perspectives on authorship from a practicing landscape architect. Article by Kirsten Bauer.

• On crediting the multidisciplinary project. Understanding what different disciplines are contributing to projects is crucial, if we are to innovate. Article by Ricky Ricardo.

• Authorship in the Chinese context. Landscape architecture in China has evolved into diverse field in which individual practices are increasingly influential. Article by Ruiqi Shen.