Prof. Ida Breed’s Inaugural Lecture, University of Pretoria, South Africa

(Derived from the ‘boukundelandarch, Instagram post, 16 October 2026.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DejdOyyDWcI/)

The landscape architecture community in South Africa was privileged to attend Prof. Ida Breed’s inaugural lecture at the University of Pretoria, titled ‘Landscapes of Biological and Cultural Diversity in Africa’. It was especially meaningful to hear her reflect on her professional and academic journey, the work she has dedicated herself to, and the questions that continue to shape and challenge her thinking and practice.

At the heart of her address was a reminder that landscape architecture is about much more than designing physical spaces. It is fundamentally concerned with the connections between people, ecology, culture, knowledge, and justice—and with how we choose to inhabit and care for the world we share.

A particularly thought-provoking moment was the reference to Donna J. Haraway’s words in Staying with the Trouble: Making Kin in the Chthulucene (2016, p. 12):

“It matters what we use to think other matters with;

It matters what stories we tell to tell other stories with;

it matters what knots knot knots, what thoughts think thoughts,

what descriptions describe descriptions, what ties tie ties.

It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories.”

These words invite us to consider how the stories we tell about landscapes shape what we value and seek to conserve, whose knowledge we recognise, and who gets to take part in making place. Perhaps most importantly, they influence the futures we imagine and the possibilities we are willing to embrace.

This reflection is especially significant for landscape architecture in Africa, where bringing together indigenous and local knowledge, lived experience, cultural heritage, biodiversity, and academic inquiry is essential to creating more inclusive, responsive, and life-affirming landscapes. It also invites us to rethink conventional approaches to landscape practice and recognise the transformative potential of collaborating with communities.

We extend our sincere appreciation to Prof. Ida Breed for sharing her journey, scholarship, and ongoing commitment to a transformative landscape practice. Her inaugural lecture marked an important academic milestone and invited us to reflect on the responsibilities and possibilities ahead for our profession.

Some lessons are not simply meant to be heard; they are meant to be carried forward into the work we do.