A celebration of Brian Clouston’s Career in Landscape Architecture

Landscape architect Brian Clouston OBE, past president of the Landscape Institute, established a landscape practice in the 1960s that became multi-disciplinary and operated internationally. By the 1990s it was one of the leading practices in the UK and employed more people than any other in Europe. FOLAR wanted to learn more about Brian Clouston, what he did, how he attracted so many young talented staff and what type of projects they worked on. FOLAR also wanted to know what they went on to do on leaving BCP. So we invited lots of former staff to tell their stories at an event in September 2023, with Brian Clouston as the star. Brian continues to think about the role and contribution that landscape architects can make to society and to world affairs and in an interview, and he chose this opportunity to discuss his current big vision for Africa.

We recorded this event and two interviews with Brian Clouston, as a contribution to the oral history of the profession of landscape architecture.

Section One: Introduction; Early days and the formation of the practice; Reclamation; Garden Festivals; Work in the Middle East, Work in Asia and Australia; Urban renewal and Rural infrastructure; Business Parks

Section Two: Legacy Practices and practice, discussion

Section Three: Brian Clouston’s future vision

These sessions were chaired by Annie Coombs FLI who was Managing Director of BCP Asia and Tim Gale PPLI who was a Director of BCP.

There are two oral history interviews with Brian Clouston held at the MERL one made in 2012 with Lyndsey Abbott and the other done as part of this celebration in September 2023