The landscape architects and landscape engineers at White Arkitekter, about 70 in number, are working on projects at all scales and stages, from small temporary installations to large visionary city development project. We mostly work with public urban spaces, but also projects in natural environments such as national parks, nature reserves and culturally sensitive environments.
Landscape architecture affects all citizens and our entire diverse world. We think it is important that our projects improve people’s interface with nature and its processes – the encounter with the nonhuman – so that we understand and accept our part in an interaction. Our ambition is to give people green living spaces in densified areas, inspire movement and well-being, convey harmony and make cities develop climate friendly. We do this by always putting the user’s needs first, creating designs that appeal to many and base everything we do on context, facts and research.
The landscape architect’s professional role is as engaging as it is complex. It includes a variety of problems; from site-specific soil conditions to issues of gender equality and how cities should be built to alleviate the negative consequences of a changing climate. We believe that the unique conditions and history of each site are central to how well it works, how appreciated it will be and how it will be used. It also play an important role both for users’ understanding and sense of participation and in creating a continuity that gives future generations the opportunity to read the history and development of the physical environment. Digital tools, site analyses and research enable us to create user-friendly, relevant environments that simultaneously manage climate change.
In sustainable architecture, we are industry leaders and as an employee-owned company we live as we learn. We have joined the UN Global Compact, where we support 10 principles on human rights, labour law, the environment and anti-corruption. For us, sustainable architecture is having a holistic perspective. The goal is a well-designed environment that is based on people’s needs and contributes to quality of life and well-being for all. The prerequisite is to ensure ecosystems in balance, conserve the earth’s resources of raw materials, energy and water and contribute to reducing climate impact.
