2005 Michael Rowlands

Michael is a Studio Director of ASPECT’s Perth Studio. He has a reputation for delivering unique and memorable places grounded in best practice contemporary design His experience in landscape architecture and master planning has seen him provide design leadership on a diverse range of project typologies throughout Australia, the Middle East and Europe including projects such as Foreshore Park in Abu Dhabi, Curtin Creative Quarter in Perth, Marina Village in Port Coogee and Krankenhaus Nord Hospital in Vienna.

Michael brings expertise in the educational sector having designed and delivered on major University projects in Western Australian and the UAE. He has also played a key role on several successful international design competitions and high-profile projects internationally. Michael continues to play an active role in leading the Perth Studio on large scale projects in the MENA region.

Micheal gradudated from the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at UWA in 2005. He was interviewed by Yigong (Igor) Zhang, as part of the UWA Master of Landscape Architecture unit LACH4421: Australian Landscapes.

Yigong Zhang – Why did you choose to study landscape architecture?
Michael Rowlands – After finishing high school, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. When I was going through school my focus was sports, I didn’t have that opportunity to explore artistic endeavors. So, I did a commerce degree. When I finished it, I asked myself, ‘Is this really what I want to do?’ It was an important moment where I had to reflect on what I was really interested in doing.

That's when I stumbled across the landscape architecture course in the UWA handbook. At that stage, I didn't know what landscape architecture was – I knew what architecture was, and given that I enjoyed the outdoors, landscape architecture piqued my interest.

There was an information session with Richard Weller – he was running the course at that time. He explained, “Look, out of eveyone that starts the course, only a small percentage will still be here by the end.” He laid it out from the beginning. Landscape architecture is a great career, but it’s got its challenges; you don't pick landscape architecture to make the big bucks. There’s certainly an amount of passion required.

I'd already done three years of commerce and I was about to embark on another four
years of landscape architecture. But I was certainly interested because Richard was really inspiring in the way he talked about landscape and what it is that landscape architects do. So, I was going to give it a shot.

Initially, I struggled because I didn't have an art background, but by second year, I really, really started to enjoy it, and became really passionate about it. It all started from that point on.

YZ – What was your most memorable class from your time at UWA?
MR – I loved design studios; they're at the core of landscape architecture. At UWA in particular, a significant amount of time was allocated to studio sessions and working with your peers and with a really good mentor, the person teaching the studio.

That's where you learned the most; you got to flesh out ideas and have really strong conversations and dialogues. You would experience pressure moments where you have to share your design in front of others and be critiqued. And also, folio week, that preparation before having to submit your folio, the stress and all of that, but then the relief once it's done. It was all very engaging and fulfilling.

If there was a specific unit that stood out, The Culture of Nature with Richard Weller. The unit looked at what landscape is, the bigger definition of how it sits within a much bigger context and framework. It was a mixture of philosophy, art, landscape architecture; following different movements over time and expanding the definition of what landscape architecture could be. It was about forming a new understanding of what the world around us is, and our role within that.

YZ – What’s the most important thing you learned during your time at UWA?
MR – One of the important things was the value and power of ideas; stories and narrative in design, and the power of design to inspire and establish a vision, and to connect people to a common goal or purpose. [Landscape architects] are realising more and more that we, by the nature of our work, are best equipped to take on some of the global challenges of our times.

Creativity and problem solving were really encouraged as part of the course at UWA, and it highlighted our ability as landscape architects to manage complexity. In practice, we deal with it all the time – bits of information from different sources, from different stakeholders. We're in this unique position where we’re the mediator between a range of different disciplines. Landscape architects can bring this information together in a way that creates positive social and environmental impact.

YZ– Are there any other memories that you’d like to share?
MR – Let's go back to folio week. You get a brief at the right at the beginning of semester, you work with other students and the studio coordinator to resolve all kinds of challenges, or to get feedback. But it's never a linear progression in design. It's kind of two steps forward, one step back. So folio week in particular, that's when it all culminates. That's when the pressure is really on, and at the end of the day, you have to deliver a package - that's what you're going to get marked on.

Folio weeks could be insane like all-nighters for a whole week, with the stress of getting things printed or finalizing the production components, the relief once it's all done, and the celebration as well. That really stands out.

It's also friendships with people. Landscape architecture is pretty small course, in my year I think there was a group of 15 graduating. You stay friends with these people; you work overseas with them, come back to Perth, and we're all working with local practices. Those friendships last a long time.

The other thing is the teachers; we just had really good teachers. I’ve mentioned Richard Weller, but we were also taught by Tinka Sack, Christopher Vernon, Grant Revell, Charlie Mann. They are passionate, inspiring people. I was lucky to experience that era. UWA has a tremendous reputation for developing high-calibre landscape architects. As I reflect back, those experiences and having exposure to really great minds are the key part of my memories. They’re a great generation of practitioners.

This interview was undertaken in 2022. It has been edited for clarity and cohesion.

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Image: Micheal Rowlands (via aspectstudios.com)