FOLAR
Friends of the Landscape Archive at Reading

Celebrating Hal Moggridge's Career In Landscape Architecture

A celebration of Hal Moggridge’s Career in Landscape Architecture

FOLAR wanted to understand what impact working with two founding members of the Institute has had on his own approach to landscape architecture, but also in the positions he took on with the LI and IFLA. He has developed a broad and deep knowledge on many aspects of landscape architecture. FOLAR wanted to learn more about some of his key interests and their practical applications that cover both his commissioned and voluntary work. Through a varied programme of speakers and topics we hoped to discover more about his work, ideas, principles, and also about him.

How can such a quiet and modest man achieve so much?

Colvin and Moggridge is now the UK’s oldest landscape practice. The archives of both Hal Moggridge and Brenda Colvin are safely housed at MERL, fully catalogued and open to all: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/brenda-colvin.

One of the most valuable objectives with FOLAR’s celebrations on special lives is being able to discuss, ask questions, see projects and learn and also share so much more about different aspects of peoples’ life and work, rather than guessing or making assumptions.  We hope you will enjoy what you find here.

Hal Moggridge, OBE, is an architect, landscape architect, author, past president of the Landscape Institute (LI), twice winner of the LI gold medal, recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour. And, in September 2025, he was honoured with the IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects) President’s Award, given in recognition of his contribution for the advancement of the profession of landscape architecture through participation with IFLA.  

Continuing FOLAR’s special series celebrating the life and works of UK’s renowned landscape architects, Hal was an obvious choice. He has spent almost all of his working life in landscape architecture. Hal has spent his working life in landscape architecture. Throughout this time, he has shared his knowledge and wisdom guiding multiple landscape focused organisations and professional bodies at international, national, and local levels. Hal has long provided a compass of wisdom, generosity, and diplomacy. He sees landscapes not only as cultural treasures, but also tools for reconciliation and he embraces diversity as a strength. His courage, clarity, and humanistic vision continue to inspire. He continues working now as a consultant to his practice and advising on multiple committees, including FOLAR.  

We wanted to understand what impact working with two founding members of the Institute has had on his own approach to landscape architecture, but also in the positions he took on with the LI and IFLA.

11. The Landscape Institute, a gentle hand on the tiller

About this video

There are probably not many practices who have given more of their time and energy supporting and promoting the Institute than Brenda Colvin and Hal Moggridge. Colvin as founder member, spanning different years both Colvin and Moggridge served on council, both sat on numerous committees and indirectly represented the LI for international organisations. Both served terms as president of the Institute, Colvin  1951-1953, and Moggridge in the golden jubilee year 1979 – 1981.  

Richard Burden, himself a past president (1997-99), focuses on the tenacity needed when in a pivotal role during time of change. Hal took over when the Institute changed its name from the Institute of Landscape Architects (ILA) to the Landscape Institute (LI), the result of many years work led by previous ILA presidents Bill Gillespie and Arnold Weddle. This gave recognition to a broader diversity of roles that existed within landscape architecture, reflecting the rapidly expanding and changing types of work and employment - from private to public. The new categories were landscape managers and landscape scientists. There was an expectation that this would open the doors to more divisions – landscape planners, historians, academics etc but this hasn’t yet taken off.  Hal oversaw establishing an Annual Lecture, regional chapters (now Branches), were allocated funding formulas, encouraged to be proactive and went on to organise successful Annual Conferences. The Hong Kong Chapter was established.

A presentation by Hal to the House of Commons Urban Affairs Committee led to an invitation for an LI Exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall, and MPs did stop to look and ask questions.  The Toxteth riots in Liverpool galvanised political action and following a brief meeting with Hal and Brian Clouston in July 1981, at which Brian produced an outline plan ad site, Michael Heseltine picked up the idea, swiftly announcing it would happen in 1984. Hal’s involvement with the Festival Steering Committee ensured LI practices were engaged in the masterplan to achieve the timetable. For more on this see https://www.folar.uk/celebration-of-brian-clouston/04

Hal the diplomat, smoothed relations between the LI and IFLA following a threat from the LI to withhold finances. Richard has observed Hal steadfastly keeping a weather eye on LI affairs to this day, and when after the LI’s own financial crisis of 2008 and the executive board overruled the members votes at an EGM, Hal with Ralph Cobham set up a small group to try and save the library and archive from being disposed of. This eventually resulted in their removal to The MERL and the establishment of FOLAR.     

It is certainly irregular, but in this instance highly appropriate that Hal should be awarded the LI Gold medal twice over (2002 and 2019).

About this series

Hal Moggridge was an obvious choice to continue FOLAR’s special series celebrating the life and works of UK’s renowned landscape architects. He has spent almost all of his working life in landscape architecture. Throughout this time, he has shared his knowledge and wisdom guiding multiple landscape focused organisations and professional bodies at international, national, and local levels. Hal has long provided a compass of wisdom, generosity, and diplomacy. He sees landscapes not only as cultural treasures, but also tools for reconciliation and embraces diversity as a strength. His courage, clarity, and humanistic vision continue to inspire. He continues working now as a consultant to his practice and as a volunteer advising on multiple committees, including FOLAR. Through a varied programme of speakers and topics we hoped to discover more about his work, ideas, principles, and also about him. How can such a quiet and modest man achieve so much? One of the most valuable objectives with FOLAR’s celebrations on special lives is being able to discuss, ask questions, see projects and learn and also share so much more about different aspects of peoples’ life and work, rather than guessing or making assumptions.

The archives of both Hal Moggridge and Brenda Colvin are at MERL, fully catalogued and open to all by appointment: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/brenda-colvin

The Landscape Institute collection at MERL: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/collections/landscape-institute/

More information about FOLAR, and joining us https://www.folar.uk/

Annabel DownsComment