Page 10 - LandscapeIssue133

FEATURE

ILASA CONFERENCE 2023

In the previous issue of Landscape SA, we featured a presentation by Anthony Wain
of Planning Partners, given at the 2023 ILASA Conference. This article covers the

presentation by Jala Makhzoumi, keynote speaker at the conference and president
of IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) Middle East.

Outlook on World Landscape IFLA presidents, councils and working
Architecture groups have slowly but consciously aspired
I would like to share with you what I see towards inclusivity, shifting the focus from
as three milestones that have and will the Global North where the profession
continue to impact the future of landscape is recognised and well established, to
architecture. The first dates to 2019, embrace the Global South where the
when James Hayter, then IFLA president, profession is emerging. Countries in Africa
concluded the IFLA Congress 2019 in and the Middle East have few national
Oslo, with five key issues that landscape associations, partly because landscape
architecture can and should address: architecture is a ‘new’ profession, for
• Climate change example in comparison to architecture, but
• Food security and agriculture also because the challenges in the Global
• Community participation in design South are fundamentally different. On
• Health and wellbeing the one hand, the developing economies
• Indigenous cultures of these states means that employment
As the profession is re-conceptualising and livelihoods are a priority, often taking
and expanding its scope, Hayter followed precedence over environmental concerns.
the call by appointing a working group to On the other hand, there is a need to
establish a new definition for landscape overcome the outdated public perception
architecture by the International Labour of the profession as one that is concerned
Organisation. Members included chairs Poster for the international conference organised by the with ‘urban beautification’.
of the five IFLA regions: Fitz Auweck and Lebanese Landscape Association in 2016, proposing six IFLA Africa is slowly filling the professional
Karin Helms of IFLA Europe, Carrie Duncan tracks to expand the scope of the profession void. The Institute of Landscape Architecture
of IFLA Africa, Carlos Jankilevich of IFLA South Africa (ILASA) is a reflection of the
Americas, myself representing IFLA Middle advanced state of the profession in this
East, Marina Cervera and Carlo Brusci, who country, and has landscape architects
have been affiliated with IFLA committees of the profession internationally. While leading the way to promote the profession
Hayter’s approach was introspective,
for many years. on the continent. Members include Nigeria,
A year later, a new definition was Marques looked outwards. The fruits of Kenya, Malawi, Botswana, Morocco, Tunisia
proposed to the IFLA president for approval the latter’s drive were clear for all to see and this year, Egypt. IFLA Africa’s newsletter,
by the IFLA Council. This moves away from during the IFLA 2023 council and congress to which I have been invited to contribute,
meetings in Nairobi and Stockholm, as IFLA
the prevailing concept of the profession as is now joined with the IFLA Africa Journal
delivering a specific product, a landscape celebrated 75 years since its founding. IFLA and the IFLA Africa Award.
had signed memorandums of collaboration
design, towards a multi-faceted scope of IFLA Middle East is timidly following a
landscape architects who: with: similar path, albeit far smaller in scale and
• UN Habitat
• mediate human wellbeing and without the potential of a member state
environmental health; and • The International Society of City and where the profession is established, as with
• address global climate change and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) ILASA. With only three IFLA ratified member
the threat to biodiversity, heritage, • The International Scientific Committee states, the Iranian Society of Landscape
of Cultural Landscape (ISCCL)
‘collective memory’ and ‘territorial Professionals (ISLAP) and the Lebanese
justice’. • The International Society for Urban Landscape Association (LELA) were ratified
Hayter’s call resonated with my own Health (ISUH). in 2016, the first in the Arab world in the
The significance of looking outwards
concept of landscape architecture. Having complements the reflective initiative of Middle East. LELA articles and by-laws,
practiced and taught in the Middle developed with Carlo Brusci who unfailingly
East where the profession is only now looking inwards at who we are. Expanding supported us every step of the way, served
scope
the
professional
necessitates
being recognised, I had no professional as a model for the Jordanian Association
reference. This was problematic but also working across disciplines, collaborating of Landscape Architects (JALA) and, in the
with planners and health organisations,
liberating. I applied a landscape approach last year, the Saudi Society of Landscape
to biodiversity conservation and energy heritage bodies and those that prioritise Architects (SSLA) that was ratified by the
the conservation of nature. Speaking at the
efficient site planning in order to frame and IFLA World Council in 2023.
address concerns for natural and cultural IFLA Congress 2023, representatives from Receiving the IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellico
all four organisations listed above praised
heritage protection, post-war recovery and Award in 2021 meant international
human rights. The new definition barely the complementarity between the two recognition of a profession little known
organisations, and were keen to engage
scratches the surface of the immense in the region. Heads turned and people
potential of landscape architecture. landscape architects in discussions on listened - ‘the one piece of positive news’,
global issues and collaboration on projects.
The second milestone is more recent, as many told me, in a landscape of political
The third milestone is also expansive,
namely the efforts of current IFLA president albeit geographical. Over the last decade, instability and economic adversity. Being
Bruno Marques to reflect on the perception considered for the award is yet further
8 Landscape SA • Issue 133 2024 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za