2024 BCSLA Philip Tattersfield Essay Competition Scholarship: Celebrating 60 Years of Landscape Architecture Excellence in British Columbia: Reflecting on the Evolution of Designed Spaces
Background
The BC Society of Landscape Architects (BCSLA) Philip Tattersfield Essay Competition promotes design writing, diversifies student skillsets, and elevates the level of writing within the profession, early in the careers of future landscape architects.
Philip Tattersfield, LMBCSLA #001, FCSLA, had a distinguished career as the first landscape architect registered in British Columbia. Over his career, Tattersfield authored more than 150 publications, briefs, lectures, and television series in North America and overseas covering philosophical and technical aspects of practice. He was integral in shaping the BCSLA and contributed extensively to the BCSLA publication, SITELINES MAGAZINE. This scholarship was established to honour his memory.
2024 Applications are now CLOSED.
Eligibility
Scholarship participants must be a current student of landscape architecture at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and must not have previously won the award.
2024 Topic: Celebrating 60 years of Landscape Architecture Excellence in British Columbia: Reflecting on the Evolution of Designed Spaces.
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architect’s incorporation under the Societies Act in 1964, we welcome participants to explore and reflect on the transformative impact of landscape architecture on the built environment. Entrants are invited to write about a designed landscape architectural project or space located within British Columbia from the past six decades, analyzing its evolution over this period. There are many diverse types of spaces that fall under the umbrella of landscape architecture, including urban parks and plazas, waterfront developments, residential landscapes, transportation corridors, cultural and heritage sites, educational campuses, commercial and institutional landscapes, and nature and ecological reserves. In their study of the chosen site, students may wish to reflect on whether any of the following factors influenced or contributed to the design: sustainability, climate change adaptation, innovative design strategies or technologies, accessibility, social equity, cultural preservation, urban renewal, community engagement and stakeholder collaboration, and biodiversity conservation. Students may make use of the UBC or BC Archives to assist their research. Entrants can also browse the Web Atlas on the BCSLA website for further inspiration. https://www.bcsla.org/initiatives/bcsla-web-atlas.
Submission Requirements
The essay is to be original and 1,000 words, submitted in PDF format. Images are to be included to support the written argument. Images and quotations must include credits.
March 15, 2024 Competition Opens
May 11, 2024 Deadline for Submissions
May 25, 2024 Deliberation
May 31, 2024 Winner Announced
Submission Date - 2024 Applications are now CLOSED.
Please submit essays to Sarah Thomas, BCSLA Intern & Associate Rep at [email protected] with the subject line “Tattersfield-Your Name” by 2:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
Judging
Entries will be judged based on clarity of writing, visionary content, and the author’s ability to engage the reader. A winner will be declared, and honourable mentions may be noted. The panel of judges will consist of:
- A BCSLA Director
- The current BCSLA Intern & Associate Representative
- A faculty member from the UBC Landscape Architecture Program
- An honorary juror
- The Director who serves as the Public & Professional Relations Committee Chair
Evaluation Criteria
Entries will be evaluated based on clarity of writing, visionary content, and the author’s ability to engage the reader. One winning essay will be chosen and an honourable mention may be noted. The winning essay will be announced in May of 2024.
Prize
The winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize paid by the BCSLA.
2024 Essay Topic: Celebrating 60 Year in Landscape Architecture Excellence in British Columbia: Reflecting on the Evolution of Designed Spaces
Congratulations to Hannah Whitlaw, UBC SALA! The jury selected Hannah as the winner of the 2024 BCSLA Philip Tattersfield Essay Competition for their paper entitled, “Histories of Change: Unearthing Sixty Years of Transformation at Burns Bog.” In recognition of Hannah’s hard work, the BCSLA has awarded the cash prize of $1,000 to the author of the winning composition. There was a strong field of submissions this year which made the selection of the winner a challenge. The jury pronounced that Sophia Ngai should receive an honourable mention for their essay entitled, “Beyond the Bird Sanctuary: The Evolution of Maplewood Flats and Adaptive Ecological Practices.”
> Philip Tattersfield Essay Competition Scholarship Winners
Dr. John Wesley Neill Medal and Prize
The British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects provides the Dr. John Wesley Neill Prize to the outstanding graduating student in Landscape Architecture. The award recognizes that student who has demonstrated a high level of academic achievement, leadership ability and commitment to ideals of the profession and includes a $1,000 stipend. While the travel stipend can be used for any travel project it is suggested for attendance at the annual meeting of the International Society of Arboriculture ISA (held in North American city in August of each year). The award honours the founder of the program in Landscape Architecture at UBC and is made on the recommendation of the School or Architecture and Landscape Architecture in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Those who won the Prize from 2003 – 2021, received the financial award however, the medal portion of the Prize was unavailable during that time period. Paul Sangha, MBCSLA 174, worked with the University of BC and the BCSLA to re-establish the medal. In November 2022 the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), with the BCSLA, re-established the medal that previously accompanied the Dr. John Wesley Neill Prize in Landscape Architecture. Award winners who did not receive the medal at the time of their award were contacted and arrangements were made to retroactively present the medal to the recipients. UBC SALA has generously supported the costs of the medal. Thank you!
Congratulations to Samantha Miller who was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Winter Academic Session recipient of the Dr. John Wesley Neill Medal and Prize. The award gives promising students access to life-changing education, lessening their financial burden and recognizing students for their dedication and accomplishments.
> Dr. John Wesley Neill Prize Winners
The Robillard Scholarship was originally established by the BCSLA in 1982 to honor the memory of BC Landscape Architect, Raoul Robillard. In January 2018, this endowment fund was transferred to Landscape Architecture Canada Foundation (LACF.) The Foundation and BCSLA will administer this scholarship into the future. In 2021 the award increased from $1,000 to $1,500 as a result of the wise financial management of the LACF investments by volunteers.
The BCSLA ROBILLARD | LACF Scholarship awards $1,500 and a BCSLA Student to a deserving candidate. It is awarded to a student entering second year in the UBC Landscape Architecture program who, in the opinion of the faculty, demonstrates excellence in small-scale landscape design. Learn more here. The British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects provides an $1,500 award and a BCSLA Student Membership in the memory of Raoul Robillard, to a student entering second year in the UBC Landscape Architecture program who, in the opinion of the faculty, demonstrates excellence in small scale landscape design. Raoul Robillard had a distinguished career as an early landscape architect in British Columbia and was a member of the British Columbia Society of Landscape Architects and a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. The award is made on the recommendation of the UBC School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
>Robillard Scholarship Award Winners: Updated March 2024
TCLF - Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize Interview
This video presentation introduces the life and work of pioneering landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander, the namesake of the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.
