I am a landscape architect who has worked and studied in both the UK and Malaysia.
My approach is to design simple, low cost, productive & adaptable… always changing.
I have experience in landscape planning, management and design.
The Story
What I offer
Keep it simple and give it time. We often design for the now using current design-trends which often are not beautiful and don’t reflect what people, bugs and plants really need. They can’t connect and harmonious cycle of life isn’t reached.
So I ask. How can we adapt or use our current design and planning methods to allow for harmonious and productive places
Ideas I've developed over time have generally remained consistent, though they have evolved. The core concepts have persisted, but they’ve adapted and matured. These ideas have influenced the designs I've worked on.
It's essential to maintain a philosophy and to continuously question every aspect of your work. Go beyond established approaches and be critical.
It's important to stay grounded and avoid blindly following ideas that seem promising simply because they're endorsed by greenwashing that we’ve been conditioned to accept. Questioning the mainstream approach to design and planning whilst respecting alternative perspectives from across the globe is, I believe, essential to being a true architect—not just a design architect. Keeping your mind fresh by engaging with the physical environment around you ensures that your designs remain meaningful and relevant.
One example of my questions is the undervaluation of soil. In many projects, the focus is on buildings, while soil is reduced to small pockets around foundations. It’s often removed, and plants are placed in artificial containers. However, soil carries not only historical and spiritual significance but also contains essential microbial life and health benefits. Most importantly, the sustainability of civilization itself depends on healthy soil.
A century ago, soil was respected and its value to society understood, but modern society has become disconnected from these values. Values for the natural world and things which make us healthy. Values lie within commodities. One simple approach that interests me is minimizing the use of foundations to preserve the soil in its natural state. By leaving the soil undisturbed, we can adopt a regenerative approach to this invaluable resource.
While there’s a growing movement to plant more trees and vegetation, true sustainability in development comes from respecting and preserving the soil. With a few thoughtful changes, we can achieve this balance.
Read my posts below and form your own opinions. I welcome disagreement and angry responses—this is essential otherwise whats the point. I don’t need the self -gratifying greenwashing; we need critical thinking and honest debate. Explore some of the approaches I've developed for putting these ideas into practice.