GOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL

Ryan Hodgson and Jo Leather successfully passed their masters examination on the 14^th of June. Ryan was examined by David Irwin, Director, Isthmus Landscape Architects and  Claire O'Shauhnessy, Associate, Jasmax . Jo was examined by Dennis Scott, Director DJ Scott and Associates, and  Stuart Houghton, Associate Boffa Miskell. The examiners skilfully dissected both projects however the candidates carefully elucidated the more recondite aspects of their work for the panels benefit. Both candidates passed with flying colours. We were also joined by the Dean of Research at UIT, Associate Professor Simon Peel. 

THE THIRD OF MAY

An extremely busy workshop as nearly all the new masters students, MLA and MARCH, presented.  Kieran Dove, Helen Francis, Grace Warne, Jo Leather, Kelly Henderson, Jill Rice, Eloise Veber, and Henry Crothers all submitted their research proposals to a distinguished panel; Andrew Douglas,Senior Lecturer AUT, Gary Marshall, Associate Jasmax, Nat Lawrence, Senior Designer Reset Urban Design, Will Thresher, Director Thresher and Associates, Jeremy Treadwell, Senior Lecturer UoA, Eu Jin Chua Programme Leader, MDES UIT, Mike Austin, Professor of Architecture UIT, and Jeannette Budgett, Senior Lecturer UIT. The panel were unanimous in their praise for the student projects commending the wide range of topics and the obviously sincerity of inquiry. Second year MLAP students; Elizabeth Kettle, Jennifer Parlane, and James Walker, also presented work in progress. This was a good opportunity to test out their recent research work, subjecting the research to a rigorous examination from the panel. 

Practice 5 April

Thanks to the students who attended the all day practice workshop. It was very useful for us to see the nascent ideas of the pre candidates, thanks for the great effort guys. And thanks to the second years that presented, it was great to see how your projects have progressed. Special thanks to Helen Francis who  wins the endurance award for staying all day and our special and unexpected guest critic, Lisa Reihana.  

MLA Orientation 2013

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This year we have 8 new MLA candidates,  many thanks to Peter Connolly for his great effort last year in promoting the MLA. Many of the candidates bring strong research interests from their professional backgrounds. We met staff from the Department of Landscape Architecture who outlined their research areas.  Two research topics that attracted candidate’s interest were  landscape parametrics,  Nikolay Popov's research field,  and  children environments, Sue Wakes research interest. Assoc. Professor Ken Simpson introduced a collaborative research project with TEPU to develop new master plan for the Rosebank peninsula.   We also had professionals from Auckland practice; Gary Marshall from Jasmax, Will Thresher from Thresher Associates and Nat Lawrence from Reset Urban design presented research projects. These projects received  active interest from the candidates. We believe working with practice is a fantastic opportunity for postgraduates to explore important research areas that practice can bring to Unitec and to which postgraduates can respond with an in-depth research investigation. 

Hi everyone and welcome to the MLA by Project programme, Unitec, 2013. My name is Matthew Bradbury, I am a senior lecturer in the Landscape Architecture programme at Unitec and acting programme leader for the Master of Landscape Architecture by Project programme. Peter Connolly, the previous programme leader, has recently joined the Landscape Architecture programme at Victoria as an Associate Professor. I want to thank Peter for his sterling work with the MLA .  For the last three years Peter has been dedicated to making a theoretically robust programme, helping students to realise there own potential for advanced research work and made real cross disciplinary connections. Pete has also been tireless in building a studio culture for master’s by project students with a dedicated workspace that we can now all enjoy. We wish Peter the very best.

This year we have six new candidates from different disciplines and at different stages of their landscape careers, from recent graduate to mid career professionals. We are kicking of the year with a group meeting and orientation on Wednesday the 27^th. We start with a bbq in the Fale courtyard at 12.30 then move to the masters studio where we will introduce ourselves and our areas of research interests, and meet the prospective supervisors. The supervisors will briefly talk about their research interests (and I encourage you to read about them on the blog before we meet). We also have a number of professionals from landscape practice who will talk about their  collaborative projects.

After the meeting please consider who you think would be sympathetic to your research interests, then get in contact with me and we can discuss your choice.   To help you develop your ideas into a research proposal we are planning  an all day proposal workshop on March the 15^th.  This will cover the basics of writing a proposal, where to find material in your field of interest and how to use end note. Working with your supervisor you have seven week to present your research proposal  at the candidature workshop on the 3^rd of May.  

You will then work with your supervisor to develop your research project,  presenting your work at three workshops to a panel of professionals and academics.  The dates for the workshops are on the blog . If you are a full time student  you must present at every workshop, if part time ,every second one. If you pass every workshop then you are eligible to be examined at the subsequent workshop.

If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.   

Dear Colleagues, Welcome to the Masters of Landscape Architecture Programme 2013.

Below is the calendar for the academic year. The calendar will be updated regularly.  Important dates so far are

Orientation Day	Wednesday 27th February, 1 - 3 pm	BBQ lunch in the Fale Courtyard followed by orientation talk in the Masters studio.
Meet the supervisors	Friday 8th of March	Informal get together to meet the supervisors and discuss nascent research proposals
Proposal Workshop	Friday 15th March	How to write a research proposal. All day workshop in the MLA studio and Unitec Library 10 - 3
Candidate presentation practice	Friday 5th of April	All MLA students Research Proposal Run through May Presention run through
Wkshp 1 Interim Presentations Candidate presentation	Friday 3rd May	All first year MLA students to present their research proposals. Zoe, Jennifer, Betsey, James, Ryan to present
Wkshp 2	Friday 14th June	Exam Jo Leather Exam Ryan Hodgson Zoe, Betsey, James, Jack to present
Wkshp 3	Friday 30th August
Wkshp 4	Friday 1st November	Exam Betsy Kettle Exam Jennifer Parlane

The 2012 Fred Tschopp Senior Scholarship, Department of Landscape Architecture, Unitec, NZ.

This year we had three very good candidates. Their work was of a very high standard, they all showed a willingness to engage in the many complex and difficult issues that our society faces now. How should we live and develop the edges of our cities? what role does the recycling play in our lives?  how can green roofs be more than a technical innovation? these question affect us all and we are very grateful that these students have decided to undertake this critical research within the Masters of Landscape Architecture.

After much discussion and deliberation, the Panel, Chaired by Fred Jr.,  Renee Davis, Head of School and Matthew Bradbury have decided to award Zoe Cooper the 2012 Fred Tschopp Senior Scholarship.  

Zoe’s research by design project is titled “A Living Roof Urbanism”.

Zoe’s proposal displayed a strong potential to contribute new knowledge to the discipline of landscape architecture by investigating the urban and public potential of living roofs. Living roofs an emerging area in the practice of landscape architecture, at the moment they tend to be technical solutions using generic planting on private roofs. Zoe’s project is looking at ways in the indisputable benefits of green roofs can include their use and enjoyment by the public. Perhaps this is a bit like the development of the public park, they started as private pleasure grounds before becoming what we now know as parks. Of course the inventor of the public park in America was the first landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmsted, his master piece is Central Park. Fred Tschopp was the first landscape architect in New Zealand to introduce the idea of a people park, a multi functional public space that everyone could use for a multitude of recreational purposes.

We see Zoë’s project as being just as revolutionary, imagine if not only the ground was public in the city but also all the roofs. This would be another great contribution that the discipline of landscape architecture is making to the development of the modern city.

Congratulations to Zoe for being the recipient of the 2012 Fred Tschopp Senior Scholarship.