[BTS: Behind the Scenes of WLA]
I wrote the Landscape Architecture Trends we need in 2026 after the popularity of the 2023 Trends we need was published on WLA. With these articles, I try to be more upfront and forthcoming about the trends we need. I am trying to use a balanced “carrot and stick” approach when I write these “we need” articles. Some people feel confronted by the article, and others feel embrazed by it. Again, I write for the profession as a whole rather than a segment or group.
My main aim in the article was to push the industry to take some steps forward, and I used subheadings such as Taking Action, Walking The Talk, Capacity Building, Better Participation, More Critique, and Openness to localised solutions. I hope to see the common thread that I am trying to motivate the industry to move forward and address problems within the industry and in the broader world. Recently, people have fallen in the habit of framing projects and design around buzzwords rather than truly assessing and critiquing their work.
Also, building capacity and increasing participation are critical, as social media is becoming a battleground, with flames stoked by bots and algorithms that skew people’s views and opinions. Therefore, there is a need to step back and seek to educate, discuss and participate within the industry and local communities. Therefore, I finished the article with a section on localising (contextualising) solutions that are sympathetic to the local landscape and people.
I hope you enjoyed this short behind-the-scenes post about my recent WLA post and writing.