S7E08 Creating Magic with Kathryn Gustafson
“The thing about landscape... is my job is to design something that people adopt and make it their own, because once it's their own, they take care of it. And so trying to figure out something that just fits the place... It changes a city, if you can, and it changes people's lives.”
In this interview, internationally acclaimed landscape architect Kathryn Gustafson reflects on her 45-year career and her unique ability to create distinctive sculptural landscapes that engage people at a fundamental level. She explains how the interplay of color, form, and volume provides intuitive information to the observer, drawing on her professional background in sculpture and tailoring to achieve artistic precision. Gustafson highlights the importance of designing public works that communities can "adopt" as their own, while striving to maintain artistic poetry amidst the challenges of a changing climate
Kathryn Gustafson brings over 45 years of distinguished practice as Founder of Gustafson Porter + Bowman. As an internationally-acclaimed landscape architect, Kathryn is renowned for bringing a unique ability to define a project’s vision and creating distinctive sculptural landscapes which engage at a fundamental human level.
Kathryn’s work at Gustafson Porter + Bowman includes the Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam, Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in London, Parque Central in Valencia, Taikoo Place in Hong Kong and Site Tour Eiffel in Paris amongst other high-profile projects.
Prior to establishing Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Kathryn worked in France from 1980 until 1997, where she was the lead landscape designer for the headquarters of Shell (1990), Esso (1992) and a model factory for L’Oréal (1993). Other significant works include the award-winning Jardins de l’Imaginaire in Terrasson la Villedieu (1995), which is classed by the French Ministry of culture as one of the most notable gardens in France. Her work at the public plaza in Evry (1991) was one of the first landscape projects worldwide to create a flexible space with water jets.
Kathryn lectures internationally and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architecture, an honorary Royal Designer for Industry member, a medallist of the French Academy of Architecture and a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute. She is the recipient of the Architects’ Journal Jane Drew Prize 1998, the 2001 Chrysler Design Award, the 2008 ASLA Design Medal, the Arnold W. Brunner Memorial Prize for Architecture 2012, the 8th Obayashi Prize, Japan in 2014 and the 2019 Geoffrey Jellicoe Award. In 2021, she was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
In April 2026, 28 years after establishing Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Kathryn Gustafson is stepping back from her role as Founding Partner. She will continue in a consultancy role as a Founder of the practice.
