General comments On the topic of this year’s competition theme ‘Futurescapes – re-thinking the urban landscape’ we were impressed and inspired by a range of varied approaches and ideas. Some projects were inspired by water treatment, urban living, reclamation of derelict land, green infrastructure or flood protection. Others reflected on the effects of global warming, geometry, heritage, renewable energy and bird rehabilitation, to name a few. It was clear that the idea of ‘Futurescapes’ holds many different meanings for individuals and there were varied interpretations of what this topic personally means to them. The urban theme gave a more directed focus on not just natural landscapes but urban infrastructure. We noticed therefore that a lot of entries were about the redevelopment of our cities. Our changing urban environment and development is a crucial current topic to address. As the population swells, urban areas are growing rapidly which leads to more concentrated issues. It is crucial that we, as landscape architects, address this as good design and problem-solving can dramatically improve living quality.
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