Women of the Welfare Landscape
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Architecture
Abstract
Through a variety of co-produced public facing and academic activities this project will commemorate the network of women and their collaborators who have had a major impact on shaping the post-war designed landscapes of the British Welfare State.
The project will challenge existing approaches in landscape history that focus on individual designers and key flagship design projects. 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' will shift attention to networks of professionals, their work as educators, campaigners and advocates, and projects of the everyday: landscapes in service of communities. As opposed to an object-focused analysis of exemplary private gardens, this project will analyse landscapes of public housing, public and country parks funded by municipalities and landscapes of infrastructure commissioned by publicly owned, nationalised industries, as material examples of landscapes for social benefits and 'fair share for all': a key objective of Welfare Planning. The project will examine whether the growing importance of the landscape profession in the post-war period, its shifting focus from private clients towards communities and a more available education system, led to a change in the professional habitus and social background of landscape architects.
By using a contextual biographical approach, the project will place the collaborations and networks of Brenda Colvin (1897-1981) at the centre of the research, through which the wider questions will be explored. Brenda Colvin was born in India and, after being educated in Swanley Horticultural College, started her independent practice in 1922. She was the first woman to be elected president of any leading built environment institute, when she took on the role of President of the Institute of Landscape Architects in 1951. Her work not only defined the future of the Institute - and the profession - but also had lasting impact on the education of landscape architects. Her collaboration with Hal Moggridge through their practice Colvin & Moggridge ensured the lasting legacy of her work: the practice is now the longest running in the country and will celebrate its centenary in 2022.
While the academic angle of the research will analyse and map Colvin's networks in a national and international professional, as well as British imperial context, a series of public facing events will commemorate the centenary of her practice and will contextualise this body of work within the questions of female leadership, the changing profession of landscape architecture, and the role of these landscapes in the current debates around accessibility of green spaces highlighted by the COVID19 pandemic and the Climate Crisis.
The project will challenge existing approaches in landscape history that focus on individual designers and key flagship design projects. 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' will shift attention to networks of professionals, their work as educators, campaigners and advocates, and projects of the everyday: landscapes in service of communities. As opposed to an object-focused analysis of exemplary private gardens, this project will analyse landscapes of public housing, public and country parks funded by municipalities and landscapes of infrastructure commissioned by publicly owned, nationalised industries, as material examples of landscapes for social benefits and 'fair share for all': a key objective of Welfare Planning. The project will examine whether the growing importance of the landscape profession in the post-war period, its shifting focus from private clients towards communities and a more available education system, led to a change in the professional habitus and social background of landscape architects.
By using a contextual biographical approach, the project will place the collaborations and networks of Brenda Colvin (1897-1981) at the centre of the research, through which the wider questions will be explored. Brenda Colvin was born in India and, after being educated in Swanley Horticultural College, started her independent practice in 1922. She was the first woman to be elected president of any leading built environment institute, when she took on the role of President of the Institute of Landscape Architects in 1951. Her work not only defined the future of the Institute - and the profession - but also had lasting impact on the education of landscape architects. Her collaboration with Hal Moggridge through their practice Colvin & Moggridge ensured the lasting legacy of her work: the practice is now the longest running in the country and will celebrate its centenary in 2022.
While the academic angle of the research will analyse and map Colvin's networks in a national and international professional, as well as British imperial context, a series of public facing events will commemorate the centenary of her practice and will contextualise this body of work within the questions of female leadership, the changing profession of landscape architecture, and the role of these landscapes in the current debates around accessibility of green spaces highlighted by the COVID19 pandemic and the Climate Crisis.
Organisations
- University of Liverpool (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of Copenhagen (Project Partner)
- Landscape Institute (Project Partner)
- The Garden Museum (Project Partner)
- Society of Architectural Historians GB (Project Partner)
- The Modernist Society (Project Partner)
- The Gardens Trust (Project Partner)
- FOLAR (Project Partner)
- Historic Environment Scotland (Project Partner)
Publications
Csepely-Knorr, L
(2023)
The IFLA 75th Anniversary Green Book
Csepely-Knorr, L
(2023)
Women of the Welfare Landscape - Exhibition Catalogue
Related Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Award Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AH/W00397X/1 | 26/04/2022 | 31/10/2022 | £202,128 | ||
| AH/W00397X/2 | Transfer | AH/W00397X/1 | 01/11/2022 | 15/11/2024 | £127,338 |
| Title | WOMEN OF THE WELFARE LANDSCAPE ONLINE EXHIBITION |
| Description | This exhibition is part of the Women of the Welfare Landscape project, supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. During the project we aim to delve deeper into some of the questions discussed in this exhibition. We hope to understand the legacy of landscape architecture in the post-Second World War period, and the contribution women made to it. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2025 |
| Impact | This online exhibition makes the materials developed through the project available to a wide range of audiences. |
| URL | https://merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/online-exhibitions/women-of-the-welfare-landscape/ |
| Title | Women of the Welfare Landscape Travelling Exhibition |
| Description | The travelling exhibition is an output as well as a method to create discussions about the contribution of women to the creation of the landscapes of post-war Britain and beyond. The 27 panel exhibition is travelling to open galleries as well as educational institutions in the country to raise awareness of he project and its results. During 2022 the exhibition was on display in the library in East Kilbride Shopping centre, at the Stanley Picker Gallery in Kingston. |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Visitors' feedback from the exhibition highlighted the how much they have learned about the topic, and women's contribution to landscape architecture in the post-war period. The success of the exhibition n East Kilbride led to a collaborative Exhibition Fund grant application with Historic Environment Scotland and the V&A in Dundee (awaiting decision). |
| URL | https://www.stanleypickergallery.org/events/main-events/women-of-the-welfare-landscape/ |
| Title | Women of the Welfare Landscape Travelling exhibition |
| Description | The 28 panel travelling exhibition showcased aspects of the work of landscape architect Brenda Colvin and her collaborators. The exhibition was originally developed in 2022, and was later extended in 2023 to fit new exhibition venues |
| Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The exhibition was on show in the following institutions during 2023: - University of Sheffield, Arts Tower, Department of Landscape Architecture - Lancaster University, Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts (LICA) - Manchester School of Architecture - Birmingham City University - University of Reading Library - National Trust, Quarry Bank Mill Estate, Styal - National Trust, Buscott and Coleshill Estate - University of Newcastle, School of Architecture and Landscape |
| URL | https://www.virtual-lsa.uk/womenofthewelfarelandscape/events/ |
| Description | What were the most significant achievements from the award? - Raising awareness of women's contribution to the development of Britain's post-war landscapes - Uncover previously unseen and unappreciated female actors in the history of 20th century landscape architecture - Make disparate archival materials available for the public To what extent were the award objectives met? The objectives of the project were met. Through the engagement events and open, freely accessible online repositories and exhibitions we have made the research findings available for local communities and heritage organisations. Our academic publications and talks raised awareness of the importance of a new, nuanced reading of the history of 20th century landscape architecture/ How might the findings be taken forward and by whom? We believe the importance of women's contribution, and the depth and nuance of their work can provide further information for heritage organisations to consider more post WW2 landscapes as heritage assets, and capture and safeguard their historical and ecological values. The materials we developed for school workshops, have the potential to be re-used and contribute to educational activities. HES has already taken the results of our collaboration further and included activities and sites in their future plans. |
| Exploitation Route | Key findings of the award has, and can further feed into Heritage practice, and engagement with local communities through teh understanding of their shared landscape heritage. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
| URL | https://www.virtual-lsa.uk/womenofthewelfarelandscape/ |
| Description | Our findings have been used by the Heritage sector to identify possible sites and research themes for learning and engagement activities. The research's results were used in educational settings to provide materials to be used in lectures to understand the importance of local landscapes in sustainability and the climate emergency, as well as the role landscape architects play in the creation and maintenance of them. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Description | Capable Women: the colonial networks and education that fostered a generation of landscape architects in the UK and South Africa |
| Amount | £3,599 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | SHAPE Involve and Engage Award |
| Amount | £8,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | PEP23\230156 |
| Organisation | The British Academy |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2023 |
| End | 10/2024 |
| Description | School of the Arts Research Development and Initiative Fund |
| Amount | £299,766 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | Styal Public Engagement Project - Graduate Impact Assistant Studentship |
| Amount | £2,186 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | University of Liverpool HSS Research Internship Scheme |
| Amount | £1,500 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Liverpool |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Description | 'Anticipating the Mycelial' online lecture for Visions of Welfare |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Camilla delivered an online lecture that drew upon her doctorate and developed it within the context of the research undertaken in Women of the Welfare Landscape. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | 'Women in Landscape Architecture' Roundtable |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | As part of the public engagement events in relation to the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' travelling exhibition, and in collaboration with the Kingston School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, we hold an international roundtable event, where Henriette Steiner (University of Copenhagen), Vanessa Ross (ARC LDP) and professor Csepely-Knorr discussed the changes in the role of women in the design professions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | 100 years of Women shaping Landscape Architecture podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I participated in the 'Talking Landscape' podcast series, that is a collaboration between the Landscape Institute and Open City London. In the episode, '100 years of Women shaping Landscape Architecture' Paul Lincoln interviewed myself and Jane Findlay, immediate past president of the institute. The podcast discussed the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' project, as well as my research on Brenda Colvin. Up until the 1st February, 962 people listened to the podcast, from 19 countries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://shows.acast.com/opencity/episodes/100-years-of-women-shaping-landscape-architecture |
| Description | East Kilbride School workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The project team delivered three days of school workshops in East Kilbride, to more than 100 children about landscape architecture and the importance of their local landscapes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Guided tour of the Women of the Welfare Landscape Travelling exhibition and guided tour of Styal Village |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | In August 2023 Professor Csepely-Knorr led a guided tour of the Women of the Welfare Landscape travelling exhibition in Quarry Bank Mill, followed by a walk around the landscape of Styal village that was designed by Brenda Colvin. The event was organised in collaboration with the Cheshire Gardens Trust. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.cheshire-gardens-trust.org.uk/?news_212_Women-of-the-Welfare-Landscape-Exhibition---Stya... |
| Description | Inaugural lecture + Digital exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Luca Csepely-Knorr's Inaugural lecture at the University of Liverpool took place on 15th Match 2023. During the lecture she talked about the project's research outcomes. The lecture was accompanied by a digital version of the travelling exhibition, exhibited throughout the screens in the Yoko Ono Lennon Centre at the University of Liverpool. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/inaugural-lecture-prof-luca-csepely-knorr-shaping-tomorrows-landscape... |
| Description | Participation in session organised to celebrate International Women's Day 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to talk to celebrate International Women's Day at the University of Sheffield. The event 'Finding Women in the Archive' gave an opportunity to present research overlaps from my two research projects, Women of teh Welfare Landscape and IFLA 75. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Post-War Visions for Tomorrow's Landscape |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Professor Csepely-Knorr was invited to talk about her research at the 'Intersections' lecture series at the University of Newcastle's Department of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.virtual-lsa.uk/womenofthewelfarelandscape/2023/10/05/16-nov-2023-lecture-in-newcastle/ |
| Description | Show and Tell session, East Kilbride Library |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We invited local residents in East Kilbride to share their memories and views of the East Kilbride landscape, designed by Brenda Colvin, as part of the first stage of the touring exhibition. With teh help of the local library, local newspapers and facebook groups, we talked to about 15 people, that led to longer further oral history interviews. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/lanarkshire/lanarkshire-residents-invited-share-memorabil... |
| Description | Show and Tell session, Stanley Picker Gallery, Kingston |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As part of the public engagement activities in relation to the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' travelling exhibition we held a 'Show and Tell' session in the Stanley Picker Gallery in Kingston, where we invited the public to share their memories and photos with us, as well as giving them the opportunity to meet the curators. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Show and Tell session, University of Sheffield |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of the public engagement activities linked to the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' travelling exhibition in Sheffield, we held 2 show and tell sessions, where members of the public were invited to visit the exhibition, bring in their own photos and memories of sites featured in the exhibition or designed by women. They had the opportunity to talk to teh project team to discuss the exhibition. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk to the Oxfordshire Gardens Trust |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Evening lecture to the Oxfordshire Gardens Trust to share the results of the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ogt.org.uk/2024/01/27/lecture-thursday-14th-march-brenda-colvin-and-the-women-of-the-welfare... |
| Description | University of Liverpool School of Architecture International Women's Day Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Professor Csepely-Knorr contributed to the University of Liverpool School of Architecture's 2023 celebrations of International Women's Day with a short talk about uncovering the role of women in landscape architecture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/architecture/events/archive/iwdpoland/ |
| Description | University of Sheffield Landscape Research Seminar series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Professor Csepely-Knorr gave a talk titled 'Visions of a Profession' at the University of Sheffield as part of the Department of Landscape Architecture's research seminar series on 7th February, as part of the public engagement activities, related to the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' travelling exhibition. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visions of Welfare |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Visions of Welfare was a three-day international conference discussing the role of women in the creation of the spaces of the post-war Welfare States. The hybrid event (2 days online and 1 day in person in the Garden Museum in London) brought together presenters from Australia and Japan to Europe and North America. A selection of the papers submitted to the conference will be published as a special edition of the journal 'Architecture and Culture' co-edited by Professor Csepely-Knorr and Henriette Steiner, co-convener of the conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/events/conference-visions-of-welfare-2023/ |
| Description | Visions of Welfare - Roundtable discussion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This roundtable discussion helps at the Garden Museum as part of the 'Visions of Welfare' conference, brought together international experts on the history of women in architecture, landscape architecture and other design professions to discuss new trends in research and the barriers to writing more diverse and inclusive architectural / landscape architectural / design histories. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Women and Landscape Architecture - International roundtable event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The international panel discussed the role of women in the development of landscape architecture as a profession historically and today. The panel consisted of: Prof. Martha Schwartz, Emeritus Professor in Practice at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Founding partner of Martha Schwartz Partners Aziza Abdulfetah, Chair of Landscape Architecture, EiABC, Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development Prof. Kathryn Moore, Professor of Landscape Architecture and Director of the West Midlands National Park LAB Jane Findlay, Immediate Past President of Landscape institute, Director of Fira Prof. Luca Csepely-Knorr, Research Chair at Liverpool School of Architecture |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.iflaworld.com/newsblog/women-and-landscape-architecture-roundtable-event#:~:text=We%20in... |
| Description | Women of the Welfare Landscape - Exhibition opening |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of the opening of the 'Women of the Welfare Landscape' we organised and evening of talks about research project. Professor Csepely-Knorr gave an introduction to the research and Joy Burgess (PhD student, University of Liverpool) gave a talk about eminent Birmingham-based landscape architect, Mary Mitchell. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://the-modernist.org/blogs/news/leading-by-example |