The Green Heart at the centre of the Marina One development in Singapore
How would you sum up Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s approach to landscape architecture? Our approach is to try and understand the nature of a place and then to create a landscape that’s very contemporary, but at the same time feels like it’s part of that place. Another aspect that our landscapes are particularly known
Marina One was quite special in the degree of integration bet ween the landscaping and architec ture
for is the 3D modelling of space, the sculpting of the public realm and the external environment.
When did you become interested in landscape architecture?
bump into his wife and she said that Neil was looking for a partner to help in the London studio. Kathryn (Gustafson) and Neil had just started to take on board more projects and the
I trained as an architect and worked at Foster + Partners for
studio was small. I thought the work was very beautiful and
10 years and then at Walters & Cohen with Cindy Walters (a
was intrigued by the whole landscape world.
former colleague from Foster + Partners). In 2002, I moved into landscape architecture with the encouragement of [Gustafson Porter + Bowman co-founder]
You were responsible for the landscape design at Marina One in Singapore. How did you approach that project?
Neil Porter. Earlier this year I qualified as a landscape architect
When we came on board, Christoph Ingenhoven of
– so I’m both a landscape architect and architect.
Ingenhoven Architects had defined the concept of the Green
What prompted that move into landscape architecture?
Heart at the centre of the Marina One development. We took that idea of having a central public garden and
During my training at the Architectural Association, I was
developed it into a powerful landscape concept. The design
always interested in the relationship between building and
was a product of many people’s input. Neil Porter did the
landscape; I tended to gravitate towards the kind of studios
original competition design, Kathryn Gustafson developed the
that were exploring landscape. I’d known Neil Porter from the
planting design and I worked closely with the architects and
AA and our children were at nursery together. I happened to
our local partner ICN to develop the details.
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