Johanna Gibbons

Johanna Gibbons FLI RDI FRSA is a British landscape architect and founding partner of the practice J & L Gibbons. ^[1] Her work focuses on urban greening, ecological networks, and the relationship between people and landscape.

Trained at Edinburgh College of Art under David Skinner, a disciple of Design with Nature author Ian McHarg. ^[2]

Career

In 1986 Johanna founded J&L Gibbons based in London, UK. ^[2] She is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute and The Royal Society of Arts. ^[3]

She is a Research Partner of Urban Mind ^[4] and panel advisor to Historic England. ^[3] She has an international profile as a member of the International Scientific Committee for the World Forum on Urban Forests and as a design juror for Europan ^[5] and the Holcim Foundation ^[6] committed to sustainable design.

In 2019, she launched Landscape Learn ^[7] a social enterprise founded by J & L Gibbons that provides cross-disciplinary and immersive landscape education.

As of November 2025, she has been elected as the next Master of the Royal Designers for Industry. ^[8] The first Landscape Architect to hold this role.

Notable projects

• Natural History Museum Urban Nature Project (2020-present) designed with Feilden Fowles Architects, transforms the gardens into a centre for urban biodiversity research, education, and conservation. ^[9]
• John Morden Centre at Morden College (2019-2021) in Blackheath with Mæ Architects combines new buildings and gardens with historic almshouses and mature trees to provide healthcare and social spaces. Won the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2023. ^[10]
• Bushey Cemetery, Hertfordshire (2017) was redesigned by J & L Gibbons with Waugh Thistleton Architects, creating a tranquil woodland burial ground was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize in 2018. ^[11]
• Dalston Eastern Curve Garden, London (2010) transformed a former railway line into a community garden and cultural space. ^[12] Won the Landscape Institute President Award in 2011. In 2025, the park won the neighbourhood park award from World Urban Park. ^[13]

References

1. "jlg-london". jlg-london.com. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
2. Hartman, Hattie (2021-06-23). "AJ Climate Champions podcast: Landscape architect Jo Gibbons on greening our cities". The Architects’ Journal. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
3. "Landscape Institute". my.landscapeinstitute.org. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
4. "About | Urban Mind". www.urbanmind.info. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
5. "International Jury - europan". europan.at. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
6. "Johanna Gibbons". www.holcimfoundation.org. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
7. "Landscape Learn". Landscape Learn. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
8. Team, Editorial (2025-02-03). "Johanna Gibbons elected as first landscape architect to lead the Royal Designers for Industry". Architecture Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
9. Young, Eleanor (2025-06-24). "Gardens for the ages radically reframe the Natural History Museum". www.ribaj.com. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
10. "John Morden Centre". www.architecture.com. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
11. "Bushey Cemetery". www.architecture.com. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
12. "Making Space in Dalston". my.landscapeinstitute.org. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
13. "World Urban Parks Announced Winners of the WUP@10 Awards 2025 – World Urban Parks" . Retrieved 2025-10-12.