Notice Board

Landscape and ecological open spaces profoundly influence the form and function of cities, the quality of life for residents, and the resilience of environmental processes. In the past, urban planning and design has focused more on the form and density of buildings with less emphasis on the role of landscape and nature in shaping the quality and character of our cities. In recent years, greater emphasis has been placed on “ecological urbanism” and its importance in organizing and enhancing urban environments. The talk will argue that sustainable urbanism must take a nested approach by considering regional landscape ecological patterns, while at the same time conserving or making functioning habitats and culturally relevant spaces at the community and site scales.  Strategies for incorporating ecological landscapes within urbanizing areas will be discussed and illustrated with relevant local and international examples.

As President of O2, Douglas directs the firm’s work in landscape architecture, regional planning, urban design, and landscape ecology. His designs are founded on cultural understanding, science, advanced technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration.  His professional focus is on the planning of urban and rural landscapes at multiple scales and the role of ecological infrastructure in determining sustainable patterns of development and conservation. 

Douglas Olson holds a Doctor of Design degree from Harvard University, a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Manitoba and a Diploma in Forest Technology.  He has served as an instructor at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Environmental Design at the University of Calgary. He is a member of the Canadian and American Societies of Landscape Architects as well as the International Association of Landscape Ecology. He has worked in Africa, Central and South America, China, Colombia, Mongolia, and Slovenia, as well as throughout the United States and Canada. Recent work includes the Calgary Metropolitan Plan, the South Saskatchewan Land use Plan, the Growth Management Strategy for Lethbridge, the Cochrane Open Space Plan, the Landscape Plans for the Universities of Alberta and Calgary as well as many fine scale landscape architectural projects including a new plaza for the University of Lethbridge.