As a Landscape Architect, Cath’s interests are in sustainable design; incorporating opportunities for joyful movement and play into outdoor spaces; and improving social inclusion, intergenerational connections and public wellbeing.
Cath works on a range of schemes, including public realm, schools and commercial developments, from planning through to construction stages. She is currently working with our Landscape team to develop practice-wide strategies to mitigate the effects of the biodiversity crisis.
Cath is also an active member of ‘Stride Together’, our internal inclusion and diversity group.
What is the current big trend in Landscape Architecture?
For me it’s twofold: 1) how to work to best mitigate the impacts of climate change; the pressures of an increasing global population; and the ecosystem/biodiversity crisis and 2) addressing what was highlighted during the Covid-19 pandemic: the need for there to be access for all to quality green, open spaces in order to preserve and enhance mental wellbeing.
What sort of projects would you like to do more of?
Projects that are going for Building with Nature accreditation which means they need to deliver high-quality green infrastructure with the best opportunities for health and wellbeing, sustainable water management, and biodiversity improvement.
Why is being a Building with Nature assessor important to you?
Qualifying as a Building with Nature Assessor gives me another route to try and ensure that all new developments are designed with high-quality green and blue infrastructure at their heart. Being an assessor on a project will allow me to use a clear and robust framework to help a project achieve the best it can, in what I believe are absolutely essential long-term outcomes — increased biodiversity, improved climate resilience, and a major boost to peoples’ happiness and healthiness.
If you weren’t in this career, what would you be?
Probably doing one of the careers I’ve previously been in… software engineering, project management or gardening/horticulture. Failing that, I’d like to work as an academic researcher with a side-line in reviewing UK hikes and organic cafes!
What advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Start meditating…
What’s the greatest invention ever?
The bicycle.
Best book you’ve read?
I can’t pick just one but these would be on my list: ‘If Women Rose Rooted: A Life-Changing Journey to Authenticity and Belonging’ by Sharon Blackie, ‘The Tao of Physics’ by: Fritjof Capra, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo, and ‘Red Dwarf’ by Grant Naylor.
Industry bodies:
- Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute
- Building with Nature Approved Assessor