Craig Pocock: A voice for Aotearoa New Zealand at the IFLA APR Regional Congress 2025

The IFLA APR Regional Congress 2025 being hosted on 14-15 November by the Indian Society of Landscape Architects (ISOLA) will unite landscape leaders from across the Asia-Pacific to explore “Growth Paradox: Reimagining Landscapes.”

Amongst them will be Craig Pocock — award-winning landscape architect, urban designer, and writer from Aotearoa New Zealand. Craig will join the conversation on redefining growth and the role of local and indigenous knowledge in landscape architecture. He is also the creator of carbonlandscapes.com, a platform championing low-carbon design innovation.

Ahead of the congress Craig shared some thoughts with LAA:

What are you most looking forward to experiencing?
In the early 2000s, I worked in India on a range of projects — from a 10,000-hectare regenerative, environmental, social, and economic master plan in the mountains of the Western Ghats to a stunning Bijoy Jain-designed home for a Bollywood star on the coast south of Mumbai.

I love India. It’s a place that has continued to influence my approach to the environment and design, especially around water-based design. Even the idea of the carbon landscape came from my time in India, so I’m excited to attend the congress and see how the local design industry and environment have evolved over the past 15 years.

Looking more widely at the programme — have you spotted speakers, presentations, or themes that resonate most with you?
I’m sure the whole congress will be amazing, with inspiring local and international presenters. But the congress theme on the importance of local knowledge in design is what resonates most with me.

After being at the IFLA World Congress 2022 in South Korea I walked away with two key observations from the two days of international presentations. First, there was little mention of carbon mitigation in projects, and, second, no reference to indigenous-led design processes anywhere in the world. I know incredible work is being done internationally in the indigenous-led design space, but it wasn’t on that stage in 2022.

I didn’t think I’d ever get a second chance to give an IFLA keynote, but I decided I would focus on the importance of indigenous-led design — and how non-indigenous professionals can support and advocate for that outcome.I am excited to now have the chance to do just that, and the theme of the importance of local knowledge is the perfect fit to start that kōrero.

How long are you in Mumbai, and are there other things you’d like to see or do while there?
I’m planning to travel to Kerala before the congress to explore towns, villages, and landscapes built around the local canal systems. After the congress, I’ll head to Rajasthan to revisit what I believe to be some of the best examples of ancient landscape architecture in the world—the pre-colonial stepwells in Jaipar and surrounding cities.

There’s never been a piece of design that has inspired me more than the stepwells of India, whether it’s the simple wells in small villages or the majestic, temple-like stepwells in the big cities.

What is the importance of attending such events?
Being invited to present at international events like this is important for several reasons. First, it allows us to promote locally grown design conversations on the world stage — such as our work around climate change guidance, landscape carbon mitigation, and the integration of Mātauranga Māori and indigenous voices in design processes.

Second, it gives us the opportunity to engage with global ideas that may have relevance for our own whenua. Finally, it’s an acknowledgement that the international design community recognises the innovation emerging from Aotearoa New Zealand, putting our people and ideas on the world stage.

What advice would you give to young landscape architects entering the profession today?
I have two pieces of advice, based on my own experience and appreciation of what landscape architecture offers as a profession.

First, landscape architecture is an incredibly rewarding and meaningful career. It gives you the chance to connect with and support the regeneration of land, communities, and resources — making it, in my view, the coolest of all design disciplines.

Second, the field is wonderfully diverse. There are so many directions you can take, from carbon-sensitive environmental design to Mātauranga Māori-led design, ecological restoration, or large-scale landscape and coastal management.

If you discover and refine what you care about most — the kaupapa that drives you — you’ll have an amazing career.

  • If you’re interested in following Craig’s journey through the congress, Kerala, and the stepwells of Rajasthan, he’ll be sharing updates on Instagram @carbonlandscape

Further information on The Congress

Day one opens with the launch of two landscape architecture resources (an ISOLA monograph and a nature-culture map), followed by a plenary with Dutch landscape architect Adriaan Geuze, a founder of West 8. The stream Craig Pocock will join is themed as Catalysts for Change and the first day culminates with the IFLA-APR Awards Gala Night, for which Boffa Miskell’s Peter Whiting has been a Jury member. Topics on day two of the congress include: Overtourism and landscapes; Reimagining infrastructure; Urban health and openspace; and Seed Banks. Activities beyond the conference hall are a Student Design Showcase, a Landscape Narratives Exhibition, the ISOLA Excellence Awards, a Book & Publication Lounge, and Film & Documentary Screenings.

- curated by Giulia Borgioli-Jones, Tuia Pito Ora NZILA team

IFLA APR, Indigenous-led Design, #Around-the-worldStephen Olsen