LEADING BY DESIGN: THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE CAREER OF H. ROWLAND JACKSON

Abstract

The aim of the study is to explore the landscape architecture career of H. Rowland Jackson, a prominent landscape architect practicing in North Texas, to better understand his professional experiences and achievements. This research presents Jackson’s significant contributions to society as a landscape architect. Jackson has been practicing landscape architecture for more than forty years. During this period, the shape and scope of the landscape architecture profession have continuously changed and improved, and Jackson has not only witnessed but also played a role in these eventful changes. The primary goal of this research is to capture these events and experiences using the oral history methodology so that young professionals can learn from Jackson’s experiences and achievements. One on one interview with Jackson is the main mode of data collection for this oral history qualitative research. Additional interviews with people familiar with his professional career and the documents from Jackson’s Council of Fellows nomination to the American Society of Landscape Architecture (ASLA) are used to support the findings. Findings reveal that Jackson has considerable influence on the profession of landscape architecture. This study enriches the body of Landscape Architecture history through developing knowledge of landscape architecture in the North Texas region. The conclusion analyzes the summary of the findings that have been developed through this study, acknowledges the limitations of the current study, and presents future research questions.