(Photos from IFLA APR members)
Climate Resilience & Green Design
Speakers shared innovative landscape solutions – from regenerating degraded sites to integrating nature-based design – demonstrating how landscape architects combat climate change and build resilient communities.
Professional Mobility & Standards
Leaders discussed advancing mutual recognition of qualifications and harmonizing professional standards across borders, making it easier for landscape architects to collaborate and practice throughout the region.
Empowering Emerging Professionals
The forum emphasized mentorship, interdisciplinary training, and new fields (like urban ecology and permaculture) to equip young landscape architects as future leaders in sustainable design.
Overview
Held in Singapore on 14 November 2024 immediately after the Annual General Meeting, the IFLA-APR Professional Practice and Policy (PPP) Forum convened landscape architecture professionals from across the Asia-Pacific. Themed “Future of Landscape Architecture – Setting the Foundations for Resilient Landscapes and Communities,” this first-of-its-kind forum provided a platform for collaboration and strategic dialogue on key challenges and opportunities facing the profession.
IFLA-APR President Chris Tidswell opened with welcome remarks, and PPP Chair Pamela Pagana introduced the forum’s vision of strengthening the profession through mutual recognition, innovation, and shared knowledge. Emcee Norman Brito (Landscape Without Borders Chair) guided the proceedings.
Panel Highlights
Panel 1: Climate Change and Resilient Landscapes
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Moderator: Vic Dul-loog (PALA)
Speakers: Xiaodi Zheng (CHSLA, China), Srilatha Gopalakrishnan (SILA, Singapore), and Paul Chan (HKILA, Hong Kong)
They shared case studies on climate-resilient design, from urban brownfield regeneration to “city in nature” initiatives, underscoring how innovative green infrastructure and community engagement can mitigate climate impacts.
Panel 2: Professional Mobility & Practice
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Moderator: Pamela Pagana
Speakers: Cecilia Herras-Tence (PALA, Philippines), Teng Pei Yang (ILAM, Malaysia), and Munggorn Chaijaroenmitre (TALA, Thailand)
This group discussed strengthening cross-border professional standards, highlighting efforts to harmonize licensure and accreditation, reduce barriers to practice, and promote a more connected regional network of landscape architects.
Panel 3: Emerging Professionals
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Moderator: Benni Pong (HKILA, Hong Kong)
Speakers: Prof. Jeffrey Hou (NUS, Singapore), Lei Allianza (YLAA), and Hrishikesh Phadke (ISOLA, India)
They explored bridging academia and practice through mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration. Key points included integrating new disciplines (such as urban ecology, disaster risk management, and permaculture) into landscape architecture education, and creating platforms for young professionals to exchange ideas and gain practical experience.
Outcomes & Acknowledgements
Throughout the forum, a unifying message was the power of collaboration. By sharing diverse experiences and strategies, participants identified common goals – notably, advancing sustainability, elevating professional standards, and nurturing the next generation of landscape architects – that require collective action. The discussions were forward-looking and constructive, laying out actionable insights for IFLA-APR and its member associations to pursue in the coming year. The forum concluded on a high note with Pamela Pagana’s synthesis and closing remarks, which reinforced the commitment to continue these conversations and partnerships beyond the event.
IFLA-APR extends its sincere gratitude to all the speakers and moderators for their invaluable contributions – including panelists Xiaodi Zheng, Srilatha Gopalakrishnan, Paul Chan, Cecilia Herras-Tence, Teng Pe Yang, Munggorn Chaijaroenmitre, Jeffrey Hou, Lei Allianza, and Hrishikesh Phadke, as well as moderators Norman Brito, Pamela Pagana, Vic Dul-loog, and Benni Pong. Their expertise and enthusiasm made the PPP Forum 2024 a resounding success, exemplifying the collaborative and strategic spirit of the Asia-Pacific landscape architecture community.