Professor Gareth Doherty, a renowned figure in Landscape Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, recently delivered a compelling public lecture at Mbeya University of Science and Technology. He expounded on critical perspectives on the landscape through an intersection of social, cultural, and political dimensions. Through his lecture titled “Critical Landscapes: How architecture can change the World, and How the world can change landscape architecture”, he elucidated an innovative methodology for analyzing the past, present, and predicting the future in the areas of design and integration of people’s lives. This approach provided an encompassing and incisive understanding of the diverse roles that landscape plays in shaping our world. Fieldwork examples were cited from the Northern Ireland border, The Middle East, and South America.

During his address, Prof. Doherty emphasized the critical importance of landscape architecture as a versatile profession with a pivotal role to play in creating spaces that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Specifically, he highlighted the integral part of landscape Architects in environmental conservation, a paramount need for the sustainability of both humans and biodiversity.