Better Landscapes Need Diverse Voices

Through her recent engagement with the Architektenkammer Nordrhein-Westfalen (AKNW), the statutory professional chamber representing architects, landscape architects, urban planners and interior architects in the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Susanne Gombert, Head of Business Development at LAND Germany, is bringing our interdisciplinary and Nature-Positive perspective into the conversations that will shape the future of planning, advocating for greater collaboration, diversity and innovation across the profession.

1. Dear Susanne, as a member of the Architektenkammer, you are actively involved in the Architektinnen Initiative NRW. Why is it important that more women help shape the future of the profession, and what still needs to change?

I am an urban planner working in landscape architecture, and I care deeply about resilient, Nature-Positive cities. But resilience doesn’t only apply to landscapes, it also applies to our profession. I am convinced that better decisions emerge when different perspectives come together.

Our profession is becoming more diverse, yet many leadership and decision-making positions are still predominantly held by men. I would like to see a future where more women can shape their own professional paths with confidence, where equal opportunities become the norm rather than the exception.

For me, this is not just a women’s issue. Diversity in every sense is essential if we want to create cities and landscapes that respond to the complexity of today’s challenges. More voices around the table lead to better planning, stronger collaboration and ultimately more resilient places.

2. You speak about resilience, diversity and collaboration. How do these values shape both your work at LAND and your new role within the Chamber?

These values shape my work every day. At LAND, I experience how the most complex challenges can only be solved through collaboration.

Diversity is fundamental: Landscape architects, urban planners, architects and many other disciplines each bring a different perspective, which is complemented by the variety of personal expertise and points of view. That’s exactly what it takes to design better, more livable, future-proof places.

For me, resilience is not only about designing climate-resilient landscapes. It is also about creating resilient processes and teams that are open, adaptable and capable of developing new ideas together.

This is also the perspective I aim to bring to the Chamber of Architects. I believe we need to move away from an “either-or” mindset towards a genuine “both-and” culture: one that values exchange, embraces diversity and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration as the foundation for better planning.

3. What contribution would you like to make through your professional engagement, what changes or perspectives would you like to bring to the discussion about the future of planning and landscape architecture?

I would like to help strengthen the role of landscape as a starting point for planning rather than as something added at the end of the process. Healthy landscapes are the foundation of resilient cities, climate adaptation and quality of life.

At the same time, I hope to contribute to a profession that is more visible, more connected and more open to new ways of working. Professional engagement is about taking responsibility together, sharing knowledge and creating the conditions for future generations to thrive.

Landscape architecture is the coolest job ever! And it has never been more relevant than it is today. I would like to help ensure that our profession is heard, valued and recognized for the contribution it makes to shaping the future of our cities and regions.