Professional Practice Network Interview: International Practice
An interview with Jon Bryan Burley, ASLA, chair, International Practice PPN.

Describe the challenges of International Practice as you see it.
The international practice of landscape architecture requires understanding various cultures, business practices, and societal values as well as the cultural needs of users and the context of environmental settings. These challenges are not unique to international practice because every project site is different and every community is different everywhere, but international practice magnifies these challenges. It can also magnify the rewards of landscape architecture practice. Many landscape architects are eager to enter the world of global stewardship, learn about the people and landscapes of the world, help others, and contribute to the collective good with thoughtful planning, design, construction, and landscape management.

What then is the focus of the International Practice Professional Practice Network?
The International Practice Professional Practice Network area is very broad and inclusive, like several of the other Professional Practice Networks, spanning cultures, scales, projects, environments, and issues. The most basic member request has been for contact information. If someone has a project in Malaysia, how can they establish contact with a potential local working partner? We are building a database of contact information and international areas of expertise to address that need. Second, there is a great thirst for cultural and environmental information about the world. Our goal is to have short articles on our website about projects and cultural issues from every country where there is an ASLA international member. Third, there is definite interest in international NGOs to provide opportunities for both consulting and service. Our plan includes having some basic NGO contact information available.

Has this area of practice changed a lot in the past five years?
Really, the transformation in international practice began in earnest about 30 to 40 years ago, as landscape architecture programs began offering study-abroad initiatives. Now almost every program offers some opportunity for international study. Students are often hired because of their international/cultural experiences, and their first planning and design projects in the office may be international. Some North American graduating students may actually start their careers with an international project and then go on to do international projects for their entire career. That sort of career progression didn’t happen much 30 years ago.

Many of the biggest and best firms now have numerous international branch offices. Small firms with expertise are often consulted on international projects. Landscape architecture as a practice is firmly established in Asia, North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, with strong growth in South America and emerging activity in Africa. International practice goes both ways, as someone in Spain may develop a golf course in Canada, or someone in Japan may develop a resort in Hawaii. So international practice includes learning about the United States and Canada.

What established the link between American landscape architects and projects abroad?
Three Americans should be recognized for doing much to bring the American perspective on landscape architecture abroad and to encourage cross-cultural work in landscape architecture: Carl Steinitz (Harvard), Julius Fabos, FASLA (University of Massachusetts, Amherst), and James Palmer, FASLA (SUNY-Syracuse). Wherever I go, these people are mentioned over and over again. You see their pictures everywhere when you travel abroad as a landscape architect. They have been to so many universities, participating in the education of so many people, making sure people know what landscape architecture is. They have helped practitioners, educators, and students. They have done so much for the profession. We owe them a big thank-you for blazing the trail. Still, landscape architecture is very much a foreign discipline in many countries today—in Italy, for example, the field still belongs to architects, who of course bring a different perspective to design projects.

What are some current issues of concern?
The issue of globalization is of great concern and a constant topic among members. This is why understanding culture is so important. Academics and practitioners are writing and publishing some interesting books on the subject, and Landscape Architecture magazine often gives these issues space in the publication. Population, climate, resources, sustainability, social equity, and environmental ethics are topics that the membership discusses.

You recently traveled to China. What differences and similarities in the practice of landscape architecture did you see there, as compared to the United States?
Landscape architecture is very active and vibrant in the People's Republic of China, which has many planning and design challenges and opportunities. The language of planning and design unites landscape architects across cultures. However, the culture of business is different there. Social relations are a very important part of doing business in China. It can take a while to build a relationship of trust and to get that first paying job. 

How long ago was your PPN founded? What inspired your group to form?
The International Practice PPN was formed early in the history of open committees, as a logical area of interest, and was supported by many members who were living in different parts of the world. ASLA envisioned this as an international cooperative network, and members overseas were enthusiastic for such a group to be formed.

What is new on the horizon for your group? What opportunities are there for your group to develop further?
I believe that we are going to get great contributions in the future. Already, we have established contacts in Colombia, Ecuador, France, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China. We’ll work to continue to expand contacts and contributions.