Our practice
Play ShowreelOur design process is underpinned by a knowledge of human behaviour, nature and ecological science combined with innovative design technology. We bring original thinking, creative collaboration and are exploring what regenerative design and the circular economy means to landscape architecture.
While we enjoy being playful and inventive, our approach isn’t just about experience and aesthetics. It’s about the creation of inspirational places and spaces that have purpose, a distinctive identity, feel good to be in, promote wellbeing and are part of a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem.
Our varied portfolio includes ambitious large-scale, landmark projects through to small, perfectly formed local ventures. We work just as happily in urban and rural environments but we push and challenge ourselves every time, determined to remain at the forefront of change and relevance in the world of landscape architecture.
Every Grant Associates project is different reflecting the varied context, ecology, place and people associated with each site. However, whatever the challenge, we remain inspired and informed by our values and beliefs and as we plan and create, we always have these in mind to ensure we are being true to ourselves.
Act Global Act Local: When we started out, the slogan of the day was ‘think global, act local’. We think this is outdated. Today, with climate change, biodiversity loss, human poverty and migration, we need to do both. That’s why we have taken the initiative to get involved at a local and global level, to create change for the better.
Reconnect People + Nature: We recognise we are part of nature and reconnecting people to the natural world is at the heart of what we do. Improving people’s lives and the biodiversity of species should drive all our designs. Landscape and urban design must create a framework for physical and sensory encounters with nature, while safeguarding natural resources of food, air, water and biodiversity.
Collaborative by Nature: We believe strongly in the power of collaboration. We don’t always have all the answers ourselves, so we enjoy working with imaginative clients and creative people from engineers to architects to artists, and integrating their ideas into projects. Along the way we have built long-term working relationships with our clients and collaborators whom have helped shape our thinking, defined our company and continue to drive our search for innovation.
Diversity of Work: We deliberately choose to take on a broad spectrum of project types — from small-scale interventions, to mega-sized planning studies. Every project presents a different challenge, which keeps life interesting. Today, we continue to build a reputation for contemporary landscape design in different countries, embracing all kinds of scales and types of project, in urban and rural environments.
Supporting Lively Minds: Our success is built on the experience and skills of every single person at grant associates. We have a brilliant, multi-skilled, multi-national team, made up of landscape architects, architects, 3D modelling and visualisation specialists and horticulturists. We do all we can to make the studio an inspiring and rewarding environment, enriching the professional and personal lives of everyone under our roof.
Times change
Today our understanding of the world, and how we can best influence its future, is quite different from when we started Grant Associates in 1997.
This is the era of Climate Emergency and biodiversity extinction. We have reached a tipping point. The whole world is staring into an uncertain future, watching our natural world disintegrate before our very eyes.
So we are rethinking our role and the way we work in the face of these extraordinary environmental challenges. Just as we have always done — adapting and shifting, keeping our sense of purpose and adventure alive, staying in tune and relevant to our times.
Looking ahead we believe there are enormous opportunities for us to redefine the increasingly high density urbanised world by always thinking about how to assert the systems of nature alongside the senses of nature using our unique imagination.
Grant Associates An evolutionary timeline
Global environmental challenges have always influenced our approach as illustrated by this timeline of key events alongside some of our landmark projects.