GLDA Launches 2022 Student & Graduate Design Competition

Calling all garden and landscape designer students and recent graduates.

The Garden & Landscape Designers Association (GLDA) Student & Graduate Design Competition 2022 is now open for entries. Sponsored by The Kildare Gallery and Millbrook Paving, with support from Dun Loaghaire/Rathdown County Council, the challenge for this year’s event is to design a Garden of Reflection.

“This is an ideas competition to spark debate and explore how landscape and garden design can improve our cemeteries to create spaces that provide comfort and consolation to the bereaved. The site for this competition is located within Deansgrange Cemetery, Blackrock, in south county Dublin”, explained GLDA Chairperson, Deirdre Prince.

“Entries must include seating, shelter from the wind, a sense of privacy (whilst maintaining passive surveillance) and a planting plan for the space which is currently a somewhat desolate, barren, patch, not a place of comfort or compassion. Consideration should be given to respect for the people resting in and visiting the cemetery, including children; the environment (including pollinators) and water conservation; ongoing maintenance and universal access (buggies, wheelchairs, etc)”.

Entries are invited from Students and Graduates (who qualified in 2020 or 2021) from either an accredited garden design, landscape architecture, horticulture related course or landscape skills training course. The closing date for submissions is 5pm on Friday, 14th January 2022 and the winners will be announced at the GLDA annual seminar on 26th February 2022.

Prizes, including iPads and trophies, will be awarded for Best Concept Master Plan Design in each category, Best Overall Innovate Detail Design Award and Best Overall Planting Design. Each winner will also receive free entry to the GLDA Seminar plus GLDA membership for one year.

To request an application pack and design brief email: studentawards@glda.ie