The Life and Works of Landscape Architect Richard Henry Patterson

Richard Henry Patterson is recognised as a pioneer in the history of landscape architecture in Australia. Andrew Saniga, in his landmark history of the profession, introduced Patterson as a significant landscape designer of the post World War Two period - but stated that little was known about Patterson's early life and career. Saniga provides brief snapshots of the lives and works of numerous landscape designers in Australia's history to inform debate about the past and future of the profession and the designed environments in which we live. More detailed biographies of landscape designers however - including this paper - can provide additional insights into the 'visions and creeds' and 'guiding principles' of the individuals and professions that have shaped our environments, and the methods that they have used. They can facilitate more nuanced scholarly and individual reflection on the visions and processes that may shape the landscapes we inhabit in the future, an important matter in an increasingly urbanised and human-modified world. They can also provide important information for landscape heritage conservation.