2024 NZILA Life Member John Hudson
John Hudson says he feels very honoured to have been made a life member of NZILA. The announcement was made at the 2024 NZILA President’s Cocktail Evening in Wellington.
New NZILA Life Member John Hudson (centre) being recognised by and John Potter, NZILA Vice President and Debbie Tikao, NZILA President.
John began studying Architecture after finishing high school. After spending time working in an architectural office, John confirmed his initial suspicions that the work was “really boring”. This led to a search for related study options, and John found the Landscape Architecture programme at Lincoln College. After a visit to the campus, he was informed that an Undergraduate Science Degree would be required to be accepted into the Landscape Architecture Post-Graduate course so he transferred his existing credits to a Geography Degree at Victoria University, before completing the Post-Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture at Lincoln.
Following landscape studies, John spent almost 7 years working for NZ Electricity. During this time, John realised that it would be challenging to lead a small landscape team with only the landscape training behind him. So, over 3 years of part-time study while at NZ Electric, John completed a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration at Victoria University. After a short stint with one other company, John established Hudson Associates in October 1987. John has operated Hudson Associates for the past 37 years, a specialist practice delivering landscape assessment and sustainable design projects for both private and public sector clients across New Zealand.
John fondly remembers his time in Wellington, where he began employing staff, and played a role in setting up the Wellington Branch of the NZILA at a time when landscape architecture was still building its reputation in NZ.
“I was heavily involved with the Institute in the 1990’s, being both Secretary and Treasurer for one period, then President for another, while setting up and assisting with the professional registration system for 10 years. I was also on the awards panel and found that to be rewarding.” He has always remained involved with local Branch activities and has also enjoyed contributing on three separate NZILA Conference Committees.
John and his wife Lauren moved to Hawke’s Bay in 2005, largely for the lifestyle, and to provide a more rural environment for their children (Sophie and Nick) to grow up. “Most of my work at that time was in Auckland, so I wasn’t constrained by geographic location, and we have certainly enjoyed living in Hawke’s Bay for the past few decades.”
When asked to share some of his careers highlights, John provided the following:
Selection as a participant in a Group Study Exchange (GSE) to Singapore and Malaysia by Rotary NZ (this selection was partly because they considered him an outstanding representative in his professional field), appointment by the Minister for the Environment as a Commissioner on the Turitea Wind Farm Board of Inquiry Hearing; undertaking landscape assessments for West Wind and Mill Creek wind farm applications; utilising his MfE ‘Making Good Decisions’ Chairing Endorsement to act as Chair for a Resource Consent Hearing; appearing before a Select Committee as President of the NZILA; writing and defending multiple District-wide Outstanding Natural Feature and Landscape assessments; defending the recognition of Matakana Island as an Outstanding Natural Feature/Landscape; assisting with the Hauraki Gulf Islands Plan Review for Auckland City; being involved in numerous marine farm applications throughout the country, and getting to mentor young graduate landscape architects. He also had the unique opportunity to dive down to the site of the Rena Shipwreck off the coast of Tauranga, in preparation of Environment Court Evidence, and was astonished at how quickly the sea life had reclaimed the wreckage.
When looking back at his early career, John recalls that Tony Jackman was a key influence and mentor. “I had come across Tony during my time at Lincoln and continued to interact with him through my first job with NZ Electric. To me, he was the first practitioner I encountered who deliberately blended design and planning in a way that allowed for environmental consideration.” It is this blending of planning and design that has stuck with John throughout his career, as well as how considered planning is able to inform great design outcomes. This where John believes that the Institute really flourishes.
John says: “While small scale design is certainly enjoyable, I have always been driven toward landscape assessment as, in my opinion, it has a significantly wider reaching influence on the protection of our landscapes.”
Following John’s time as President of the NZILA, he has received an NZILA Excellence Award for written work, a Pride of Place award for landscape design, and was recognised as a Fellow, being grateful that the Fellowship citation acknowledged his contribution to both planning and design. A previous employee of John notes that: "His remarkable expertise and unwavering professionalism stand as a testament to his dedication to the advancement of landscape architecture in Aotearoa, greatly enriching the experiences of all fortunate enough to collaborate with him."
John’s outstanding service and contribution to both NZILA and the landscape architecture profession are warmly celebrated and acknowledged by his peers in this Life Membership award of Tuia Pito Ora.