Conrad Gargett presented at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference in Singapore

Conrad Gargett’s Principal and Head of Landscape Architecture Katharina Nieberler-Walker presented on ‘Normalcy in Healthcare Design – Using Nature to Design for Health and Wellbeing’ in Singapore in November 2017. Katharina’s presentation focused on the role of nature in promoting healing and addressed how to effectively design nature-based environments and more fundamentally, what we should be specifically designing for. Her presentation detailed biophilic or nature-loving design theory and practice, as well as broader design approaches. It reflected on the design experience in applying biophilic design within a healthcare setting, and on the learnings from a number of post occupancy research investigations. The healing gardens of the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital designed by Conrad Gargett Lyons were used as a case study.

Katharina is an industry recognised leader in Landscape Architecture. She is an accomplished design and project leader with proficiency in leading large and complex developments, including an array of significant, highly-awarded projects both in Australia and internationally. Head of the practice’s landscape studio, she is passionate about developing integrated, people-oriented places, and interweaving natural and built elements to create a sense of place connected to community. A proponent of sustainability and creative problem-solving through design thinking, Katharina is committed to using design as a means to tackle complex 21st century challenges. She connects with stakeholders to understand their needs, articulate design ideas and, with integrity and insight, guide innovation for enduring design outcomes. She remains actively engaged in elevating the field of landscape architecture. She is a sought-after awards judge, having partaken in numerous national and international award juries. Her award-winning research collaborations have been published and presented locally and internationally.

Image: Katharina Nieberler-Walker in a panel discussion with Dr Falk Mueller-Riemenscheider, Dr Roger Ho and Mr Lim Liang Jim, Director National Parks Board at the International Skyrise Greenery Conference 2017 in Singapore after delivering the keynote plenary session IV: Therapeutic on the rise – The evolving goal of vertical / skyrise greenery in emotional and physical wellbeing.