Sara Padgett-Kjaersgaard, FAILA
Distinguished Leadership and Service to AILA. Sara’s leadership roles in AILA began when she was elected WA’s State Chapter President (2013-15).
During her presidency, she helped build the chapter’s approach to advocacy by articulating positions on significant issues from an AILA WA perspective, including:
- the AILA WA submission for review of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s ‘Liveable Neighbourhoods’ Policy (2015)
- the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities A4.2 Project ‘Perth as a Water Sensitive City’. One of 30 selected industry participants in a six-month intensive project conducted by the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities based at Monash (2015)
- the AILA WA submission for review of the Western Australian Planning Commission’s ‘Perth and Peel at 3.5million’ Strategic Metropolitan Plan (2015)
- AILA’s National response to Infrastructure Australia on the value of Green Infrastructure (2015); one of several AILA members nationally invited to contribute to this document
- the development of AILA WA Position Statements for ‘Perth Freight Link’ and ‘Perth Light Rail (2014)
- the AILA WA submission for review of the Department of Planning’s ‘Planning for Bushfire Risk’ Policy (2014).
In 2016, in the lead up to AILA’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Sara was identified as one of ten ‘Emerging Voices’ for landscape architecture in Australia. This recognition was demonstrated by her contribution to the series of videos produced for the Institute’s 50th anniversary celebrations that were streamed on the AILA website. Sara’s leadership and service to the Institute at the national level coincided with several years of significant change and realignment of the organisation from a Council to a Board of Directors. She was elected as National Councillor representing WA (2015) and took on the duties of Company Secretary. She also took on the position of AILA Company Secretary and played a central role on the AILA Working Group that delivered the new AILA Constitution. In 2016, Sara was elected to be a Director on the newly constituted National Board and continued in the role of Company Secretary for the new Board (2016-2018). Along with these elected leadership roles, Sara has frequently taken on additional assignments and has made position contributions to AILA Committees and awards juries, including:
- National Honours Committee (2016-2018)
- Coordinating Committee for the International Festival of Landscape Architecture, Canberra (2016)
- International Festival of Landscape Architecture Creative Directorate, Sydney (2017)
- Chair, AILA National Awards (2018)
- Jury member, NSW State Awards (2019)
- Chair, NSW State Awards Jury (2020).
One of Sara’s most significant recent contributions has been her active involvement in drafting and promoting the first stage of AILA’s national Reconciliation Action Plan—‘Reflect’. She is a continuing member of the AILA National Connection to Country Committee, closely involved with this group since its inception in 2017.
Most recently Sara appeared on two seasons of Channel 10’s “Australia by Design: Landscapes”. She was nominated by the AILA Board to be the Institute’s juror for the first series of the show in 2018. Together with industry representatives and hosts Sharon McKay and Tim Horton, Sara judged the featured projects and helped determine the award the best landscape design for that year. Sara proved to be a ‘natural’ on camera and in 2019 she was invited into the role of program presenter alongside host Jamie Durie. She
filmed 9 of the 20 projects that were aired during the second series and served as jury chair for the final day of project judging. Sara proved to be a ‘natural’ on camera and her representation of AILA and the work of the landscape architecture profession provided an exceptional opportunity to reach a huge nation-wide audience of viewers, as well as other professionals and industry people.
Contributions to Landscape Architecture Education Sara academic career began a part-time staff member at UWA. Between 2008 and 2016, she was a Sessional (part-time) Lecturer in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture program at UWA’s Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts. Between 2013-2016, she also taught in Master of Urban Design courses in the Australian Urban Design Research Centre, coordinating studios and research methods courses and working as a tutorial assistant to Dr Julian Bolleter. During these years, Sara commenced work on a PhD under the supervision of Prof Richard Weller, who at the time was Director of the Landscape Architecture at UWA. Sara’s PhD research investigated the impacts of urban development across the peri-urban region of Perth. Her thesis, entitled ‘Learning from the Edge: An Inquiry into the Peri-Urban Territory of Perth’, was completed and submitted for examination at the end of 2019. The findings and conclusions from this research are of particular relevance and will have application to landscape planning and design policy in metropolitan regions of Perth and other Australian cities.
In 2016, Sara moved with her partner and young family to Sydney to become a Lecturer in the UNSW Landscape Architecture Program. Her commitment and passion for the profession and the energy she brings to teaching is evident in the design studios and core courses she convenes. Sara has brought a fresh eye and unique practice experience to the Program. She is adept with social media and keen to explore innovative online teaching technologies as the Faculty encourages ongoing “digital uplift” initiatives. In addition to teaching, and with her PhD submitted, Sara is expanding her research activities, for example, co-leading the Peri-urban Landscapes Working Group of the international Sustainable Cities &
Landscapes Research Network (based at the University of Oregon) under the auspices of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. Sara is also a Research Fellow in the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s (US) Case Study Investigations 2020 program and she leads the Faculty of Built Environment’s engagement and collaboration in an interdisciplinary and cross-faculty initiative with the Yuwaya Ngarra-li Partnership in Walgett, NSW. As an “early career researcher”, Sara’s list of publications is growing and includes a recent publication of international significance which was co-authored with Prof Richard Weller and colleagues at the Penn Institute for Urban Research in the US, titled: ‘Hotspot Cities: Identifying Peri-Urban Conflict Zones in the World's Biodiversity Hotspots’. Her contributions to this issues paper builds on her PhD research and are indicative of the high level influence her work will have.
Mike Horne, FAILA
The AILA Board has awarded a Fellowship to Mike Horne for his exemplary contributions to the profession of landscape architecture and his tireless commitment to the design and delivery of excellence in urban landscape design.
The Fellowship recognises Mike’s distinguished career in both the private and public sectors through which he has advanced the profession of landscape architecture in Australia and internationally. This contribution has been recognised by numerous awards, both in Australia and internationally, and has raised the profile of landscape architecture within other professions, decision makers and the broader community.
As founding director of Turf Design Studio Mike has led the design process for a series of award-winning landmark projects that include Sydney Park Water Reuse Project, Central Park Sydney and University of Sydney Public Domain Camperdown and Faculty of Law.
Through these and other projects Mike has demonstrated his highly developed capacity to work in collaboration with other professionals including architects and engineers as well as other landscape architects and artists. For example, the Sydney Park Water Reuse Project was delivered in collaboration with Environmental Partnership and a team of specialists. The project has received numerous awards both in Australia and overseas, including the UK Civic Trust Landscape Award and the International Architecture Prize for Landscape awarded by the Chicago Athenaeum & European Centre for Art, Design and Urban Studies.
The Fellowship also acknowledges Mike’s high achievements as a Landscape Architect in the Government Architect Design Directorate (1996-1998) and his role as Design Manager at the Sydney Olympic Co-ordination Authority (1998-2000) where he played a key role in delivering the urban landscape design outcomes for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Mike has made a substantial contribution to AILA through his term as NSW State President and National Councillor (1999-2001). His ongoing contribution to education includes his role as a member of the AILA UNSW Course Accreditation Panel. Mike has also been an External Examiner, guest lecturer and guest design critic for the UNSW Landscape Program. He has lectured at University of Sydney, been an invited Guest Critic at Harvard’s GSD Landscape Design Studio, presented numerous public talks in Australia and overseas and participated on state and local government design review panels.
Ben Willsmore, FAILA
Ben Willsmore has been nominated as a Fellow in recognition of his contributions to AILA and the profession through his leadership on the State Executive as State President between 2015 and 2019, and valued participation on State and National AILA Committees over many years.
Ben has supported AILA through a range of initiatives over the last 10 year to help raise the profile of Landscape Architecture in South Australia, including contributing to the establishment of Parking Day and PLACE Magazine, as well as the bi-annual Awards program, before returning to the Executive as State President in 2015.
As State President, Ben has been instrumental in raising awareness of the profession in South Australia through his active involvement with State Government Departments, particularly SA Health and the Department for Planning Transport and Infrastructure on steering committees and assisting with policy development. This significant commitment to the profession of landscape architecture has led to new partnerships formed on behalf of AILA with a selfless passion for improving the natural and built environment of South Australia.
In his role, Ben sought to bring members together to elevate the role of Landscape Architecture, through establishing bi-monthly Members Roundtables which documented key member discussions and were used to promote local knowledge and expertise.
Fellowship recognises his valued and on-going contributions to design advocacy and strategy, education and mentoring and to his initiatives in cooperative activities with other agencies and built environment professions.
Janelle Arbon, FAILA
Janelle has been a longstanding member of the AILA from her student days and has made numerous professional contributions in key positions on the SA Executive and on National AILA Committees.
She has also been active in the education sector as a tutor and a guest lecturer over several years and has been a role model for students and younger members of the profession.
Among Janelle’s greatest strengths are her quiet confidence, her persistence and her ability to focus on the deceptively simple task of getting things done!
She has quietly played pivotal roles on multi-disciplinary projects, interacting and collaborating with the community, designers and contractors to promote design-led thinking to achieve positive, socially sustainable outcomes resulting in Award winning projects.
She has been a tenacious advocate for the AILA across all areas of her practice, eagerly and infectiously sharing her passion for the profession and the benefits that landscape architecture can bring to people’s lives in the public realm.