Ep61 Becca Hanson on landscape architecture, Conservation by Design and sustainability in animal enclosure structure

<p>Becca Hanson is a Founding Principal of Studio Hanson | Roberts. She is a landscape architect with over 44 years of experience.</p> <p>Becca shares with us how her love of nature started in Cincinnati, Ohio, during her childhood in the woodland behind her home. Here she could interact with nature first-hand by climbing trees, handling animals etc.</p> <p>Becca started her university career intending to be an architect. However, she realised it was not for her, so took a nine-year sabbatical where she had a child and lived in Europe. During a trip to the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens in Wisley in the UK, she saw the rockery. This inspired Becca to finish her degree to construct similar works. Becca then enrolled in the University of Washington to get a BLA in Landscape Architecture and a minor in plant community ecology.</p> <p>From here Becca got a job with Jones &amp; Jones, who were working to design landscapes for the Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle. The more she worked with zoos, the more she fell in love with the zoo environment and the people within them as they all want to make the world a better place. She also discovered how she loved designing with the web of life in mind; incorporating both the needs of animals, plants and people to ensure everyone’s lives are rich and fulfilling. Becca and Sabrina then discuss how the 24/7 approach is critical in enclosure design as animals could inhabit it for the rest of their lives. Becca then highlights how much expertise is required to ensure everybody’s needs are met within the environment as well as reverberate the message of conservation to leave an impact on visitors.</p> <p>Becca explains how she and her husband David Roberts set up SH | R in 2003, to devote their professional lives to zoos and aquariums. She explained how SH | R gained traction quickly, becoming international. Becca shared her adoration of learning from different people during her travels, which could be utilised in future designs. Becca goes on to explain the impact of COVID-1