The Canadian Landscape Portfolio is not about finding the “most beautiful, prestigious or renowned” landscapes - those sites have already been photographed. It is about slowing down and taking the time to seize the most “meaningful” ones that participate, day after day, at making our lives agreeable.
Portfolio des paysages canadiens

IMAGES SELECTION | CLP SECOND EDITION - DESIGNED LANDSCAPES

This is the page where all pertinent information concerning the images to be considered in the respective collections or the Canadian Landscape Portfolio second edition are to be found…
  • OBJECTIVES, DESCRIPTION & CLP SECOND EDITION PARTICIPATION
    Objectives 
    • Invite all CSLA members to submit digital photographs that would seize the significance of a site, a space, a landscape from their respective province or territory;
    • Have each of those images describe as to why they are significant and how they participate to their quality of life - it could be a place to rest, work, eat, exchange, share, take care, love, meet, help, study, meditate, communicate, cooperate, relax, day-dream, have fun, etc. It is all about our interactions with the different landscapes that surround us;
    • Be an interpretation of one or many principles from the CLC:
      Some examples could be to: recognize landscape as vital; practice participatory and collaborative processes; increase awareness and understanding; identify the complex multidimensional and interdependent values of the landscape; encourage knowledge sharing; etc.;
    • Have each component association to select the images that are to compose their Collection and to represent their province or territory;
    • Make those selected landscapes easily available to all, in the most accessible and affordable way, from CSLA members to the general public, directly through the CLP, CSLA and component association’s web sites;
    • Encourage a conversation between all CSLA’s members, other stakeholders acting on landscapes and the general public on the importance of “landscapes”.
    CLP Description 
    The 2015-16 Canadian Landscape Portfolio Initiative (CLP) is a web-based described digital photographic gallery that is to illustrate Canada’s diversity of landscapes by provinces and territories. Compiled from CSLA members’ submissions from around the country, the 2015-16 Portfolio edition aspires to showcase the various “landscapes” mentioned in the Canadian Landscape Charter, including the ones too often forgotten because of their apparent unimportance. The Portfolio is not about finding the most picturesque, rare or exhilarating place but more about capturing those significant moment when a close relationship is achieved between the Author and a specific Landscape. The 2015-16 CLP Edition could then be considered as an illustrated addition to the Canadian Landscape Charter as seen through the eyes of participating Canadian landscape architects.
    The Canadian Landscape Portfolio, following the CLC, is based on the precepts that landscapes are:
    • Of public interest, entailing various dimensions ranging from culture to ecology and economy.
    • Favourable to viable economic activities with appropriate means of interventions.
    • Integral to the Canadian identity and its diverse cultures.
    • Naturally in constant change, with many under economic stresses.
    • A major contributor to the quality of life for all people living in all types of settings.
    But those precepts are not always perceived as applicable to all landscapes. How can a specific site or open space be valued if its impact on our everyday life is not seen because it is not categorized as sufficiently “cultural”, “historical”, “natural” or “aesthetic”.
    The reality is that many landscapes are just perceived as “filling empty areas between buildings, housing developments, highways and urban centres, or being vague sectors capable of managing themselves”. In other words, they are often described as vacant areas with little value, just waiting to be developed, to be rendered useful with some identifiable (mostly economic or functional) functions.
    If the Canadian Landscape Charter intent is to connect a larger diversity of landscapes to our quality of life, even the vernacular ones, then the Canadian Landscape Portfolio is to create an easily accessible collection of images from across Canada that illustrates how and why those landscapes are of some significance. And it only seems natural to propose this exercise to Canadian landscape architects who spend their career intervening on all types of landscapes.
    To illustrate the CLC focus on Canada’s rich landscape diversity, the Canadian Landscape Portfolio project seeks to compile a digital Gallery of digital Collections representing all provinces and territories.
    Canadian Landscape Charter 
    Stacks Image 2063
    Starting in 2012, a Canadian Society of Landscape Architecture (CSLA) task force initiated the preparation of a Canadian Landscape Charter (CLC). This initiative came to fruition during a ceremony held at his 2015 Mexico City CSLA Congress where landscape architects from across Canada, with the presence of guests’ representatives from Mexico and Latin America Landscape Initiative (LALI), signed the Charter.
    Two of the Canadian Landscape Charter key goals are:
    1. To become a statement and a commitment by all CSLA members as to how “landscapes” are seen and how we intent to act upon them;
    2. To support the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) project aiming at developing an International Landscape Convention (ILC) This agreement would be under UNESCO umbrella, a mean designed to reinforce our capacities to better understand, educate and promote the too often unseen values of every type of “landscape”.
    The CSLA commits to realize those goals by working, with its members and component associations, on the implementation of the CLC’s Principles:
    1. Recognize landscape as vital:
    2. Consider all people;
    3. Inspire stewardship;
    4. Expand knowledge;
    5. Show leadership.

    The CLC Initiative (CLCI) stemmed from CSLA’s and IFLA’s members recognition that landscapes around the globe, whatever their environmental and societal interests, or intrinsic cultural or vernacular value, are under constant threat, too often ignoring their importance for the sheer survival of humanity. While the CLC tackles the elaboration of shared values, principles and actions or all sort to improve our ways and overall knowledge on this vast subject for the landscape architects, one major issue is always sticking out as a weakness participating in this whole situation: an ignorance doubled by some insensitivity towards the unrecognized and too numerous undervalued landscapes.
    This situation is made even more acute when we realize how varied our perception and valuation of open spaces can be influenced by culture, history, geographical and social differences, especially in a vast and diversified country like Canada. If the CSLA is to make a statement of shared values, principles and actions to all Canadians, the main “object of our profession” has to be better known and understood, presented and described in simple words without forgetting its intrinsic diversity and its continuous evolution, resilience.
    Since this whole adventure is definitely not about stopping “progress” but about being better adjusted to each and every intervention context by offering more holistic perspectives and solutions based on a reliable comprehension of our working environments, it becomes critical to develop a broad comprehension of what is a “Landscape”.
    CLP Second edition Participation 
    SOME KEY DATES TO REMEMBEr ABOUT THE SUBMISSIONS…
    1. START

      Opening date for images submissions by landscape architects from across Canada…

    2. END

      Last date to submit images for landscape architects…

    3. TRANSMISSION

      Admissible images transmission to each component association representative (9).

    4. SELECTION

      Images selection process by each component association and transmission of the form containing the selections.

    5. PREPARATION

      Compilation of the Collections’ (10) using the selected images sent by each component association representative using the Selection Form.

    6. VERNISSAGE

      Official Canadian Landscape Portfolio Second Edition Vernissage to be announced…

  • IMAGES SELECTION CLP SECOND EDITION
    Second edition Collections 
    The Canadian Landscape Portfolio second Edition (2016) consists of an online Gallery of ten (10) Collections - one per component association (9) representing the provinces or territories and one for Canada (CSLA). Since each collection has a maximum of 10 images, the Portfolio should present around one hundred (100) images from across the country.
    Each of these images will have a short description prepared by the author explaining why and how they represent a “significant designed landscape”. Also, an introduction helping the viewers understand each Collection is prepared by the respective component associations.
    Our goal is to make available to all landscape architects as much as to the general public a set of collections grouping selected images expressing how landscape architects see the immense variety of designed landscapes from across the country. The attached short description is to give the “why and how” for each image. Everything to help better understand the reasons behind their significance…
    Go to the “Second Edition Selection” tab to start the process…
    Second Edition Selection 
    This section is specifically designed for the component associations participating in the Canadian Landscape Portfolio second edition…
    It describes the main Portfolio activities including all deadlines leading to the 2017 Vernissage.

    Images Selection by the component associations

    Stacks Image 1959
    SELECTION WEB SITE | MAY 2017
    The web site containing all pertinent information pertaining to the images that are to compose each of the ten (10) Collections will be online as of May 2017.
    Each component association is invited to peruse through the documentation of the various Portfolios’ editions which is to identify through their submissions as to how Canadian landscape architects relate to all significant designed landscapes. The Canadian Landscape Portfolio Initiative wants to offer an opportunity to initiate conversations between members on how all landscapes are part of our lives and what our Landscape Charter could help us achieve as designers…
    If more information is needed, you can use the “More Information” form.
    Stacks Image 1960
    SELECTION REPRESENTATIVES IDENTIFICATION | May 2017
    This edition of the initiative is looking to engage all Canadian landscape architects and, by using their submitted images and texts, to create ten (10) Collections representing perceptions of their province or territory landscapes.
    The images to compose the Collections won’t be selected by the Portfolio coordination team but by representatives from each component association - you are better equipped to realize this task.
    To facilitate the next steps, each component association is invited to identify at least one representative that will become our point of contact.
    You can communicate those names directly at information@clp-ppc.org. or (preferred) by filling the names in the Images following Selection Form. All pertinent information will from that moment be sent to those representatives.
    Stacks Image 1961
    IMAGES SELECTION | MAY 2016
    As soon as the submissions’ first conformity verification is completed, a file containing the admissible images/texts will be made available to each representative. Each submission/text will be numbered to facilitate its identification for the Images Selection Form completion.
    Stacks Image 1971
    IMAGES SELECTION FORM | MAY 2016
    Each association is invited to develop its own selection criteria based on the Portfolio second edition Objectives which focus on “significant designed landscapes” we use on a daily basis. The first ten (10) selected images will become the Collection representing the province or territory. This process has to be repeated to select one image that is to be included in the CSLA Collection to represent Canada. The CSLA Collection is to be composed of 9 images, one for each territory and component association.
    Each component association is invited to:
    1. Develop selection criteria for its main Collection (10 images) and for the one to be included to the CSLA Collection;
    2. Prepare an introduction text (max 300 words) that will present the vision or theme of its Collection;
    3. Complete the Selection Form which identifies ten (10) images/texts to compose the main Collection;
    4. Complete the (same) Selection Form to identify one image/text to represent the province or territory in the CSLA Collection;
    5. Include the selection team names if you want their names identified in the Collection.
    6. Send us any other information concerning your collection…
    Stacks Image 1974
    ONLINE SECOND EDITION PORTFOLIO | JUNE 2017
    Once the images/texts selection is received, the Canadian Landscape Portfolio Second Edition website update process will be engaged to showcase each Collection with its introductory text.
    The Portfolio Second Edition will be added to the first edition during the month of June before the June, making it available to all…
    Stacks Image 1551
    PORTFOLIO SECOND EDITION VERNISSAGE
    The Canadian Landscape Portfolio Second Edition will be officially launched during the month of June 2017. Official announcement will be done in the coming months.
    Stacks Image 518
  • SELECTION FORM
    Use the Selection Form to identify the # for each of the ten (10) images that are to compose your component association Collection. This form is also used to identify one image # to be included in the CSLA Collection and to include each component association Collection’s introduction.
  • CLP NEXT EDITION - THIRD EDITION
    Stacks Image 548
    One of the Canadian Landscape Portfolio key objective is to illustrate the Canadian Landscape Charter diversity through digital Collections. In its first instalment, the 2016 Canadian Landscape Portfolio focus on how Canadian landscape architects relate to the significant landscape they live in on a regular basis - the too often sites or places we consider trivial.
    But the Initiative is nevertheless a progression, an ongoing exploration of our perceptions of the places and sites we use. The 2016 Portfolio conclusion is to become the beginning of the second edition, a new invitation to further explore our relations with, this time, the designed landscapes that surround us. The Initiative should have its conclusion during the fall of 2017, during the Montreal Summit.

    Take some time to peruse the following “Various CLP Editions” which should clarify the Portfolio Initiative scope, s for the “Spring 2017 CLP” and “Fall 2017 CLP” tabs.
    SPRING 2017 CLP 
    The CLP Third Edition (bring 2017) will follow the 2016 CSLA Winnipeg congress with various activities during 2016 and its conclusion in the spring of 2017. Its vernissage will be held during an event to be identified.
    This second Edition will add a new Gallery of ten (10) Collections to the 2016 Portfolio. It will encourage Canadian landscape architects to explore a new theme relating to “Designed landscapes” and the Canadian Landscape Charter. All pertinent information will be made available on the
    Canadian Landscape Portfolio web site.
    FALL 2017 CLP 
    Stacks Image 1955
    2017 is to be a very special year since it will be Canada’s 150t anniversary, Montrea’sl 375t anniversary and Expo 67 50t.
    The organization of a 2017 World Summit of professions linked to “design” - landscape architecture, architecture, urban planning, industrial design, etc. - is to profit from synergies made possible by all these historical celebrations. An IFLA/CSLA/AAPQ congress will also be held during that Summit.
    Many activities regarding the various professions will be organized and a Special Edition of the Canadian Landscape Portfolio is being prepared.
    More information will be made available during 2016…
  • SUPPORT & 2016 CLP COLLABORATORS
    Stacks Image 2474
    The 2017 Canadian Landscape Portfolio is made possible largely through the direct support of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects whose commitment to the principles of the Canadian Landscape Charter is the basis of this initiative. The CSLA provides administrative support and assists in coordinating work with the nine (9) component associations.
    CSLA also provides financial support through the Radcliffe Trust Fund dedicated to communications.
    Stacks Image 2544
    Canadian Landscape Portfolio Team
    • Jean Landry, AAPQ, FCSLA, MBA, Landscape Architect and photographer. Project coordinator.
    • Michelle Legault, CSLA Executive Director, responsible for the coordination between the CSLA and the component associations.
    • All component association representatives that are to participate in the promotion of the CLP and the selection of the images to be part of the respective Collections.
    LACF (LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CANADA FOUNDATION) provided seed-funding towards the Canadian Landscape Portfolio 2017 edition through its 2016 and 2015 Grants program. More information can be found in the LACF 2015 Portfolio.
    LACF is a charitable organization that supports research, communication and scholarship that advances the ideals and values or the profession of Landscape Architecture.
    Donations & Support
    By making a donation to LACF, you support this important work.
    Learn more ≥ lacf.ca
  • MORE INFORMATION

    You want more information on the 2016 Portfolio?
    Or 2017?

    Stacks Image 2198
    Lac des castors… Mount Royal park (QC)
    Auto Reply
    Thank you for your interest in the Portfolio Initiative… We will answer your request as soon as possible.

    Signature (Supports HTML)
    Thank you again…
    Coordination Team
Open all Close all