1st International Conference on Contemporary Landscape Design

CONFERENCE PROGRAMME

Morning Session: Lectures and Round Table

10:00 am | Welcome
By Antònia M. Perelló, Director of the Miró Foundation Mallorca.

10:10 am | First Lecture: Presence in Gardens, Personal Observations
By Luciano Giubbilei.

11:00 am | Coffee Break
At the Foundation’s café.

11:45 am | Second Lecture: Elective Affinities
By Sir Peter Murray CBE.

1:00 pm | Round Table
Open discussion between Luciano Giubbilei, Sir Peter Murray CBE, Andrea Herrero Hernández and Pere Bennàssar, with the participation of the audience. Moderated by Pere Bennàssar.

Biography

Luciano Giubbilei. Paisatgista i dissenyador de jardins

Luciano Giubbilei (Siena, Italy) is one of the most internationally acclaimed contemporary landscape designers. Based in London since 1994, he has developed a career since 1997 characterised by the creation of gardens and landscapes that combine architectural rigour, material sensitivity and a profound attention to light, time and the experience of place.

His work has gained international recognition through projects in the United Kingdom, Europe and the United States, as well as through his award-winning gardens at the prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show, where he has received several Gold Medals and the Best in Show award.

Over recent years, his practice has evolved towards an approach more closely connected to natural processes, exploring the relationship between landscape, memory, contemplation and the identity of places. This perspective is reflected both in large-scale projects and in personal initiatives developed in Mallorca, where he maintains a close connection with the territory.

He is the author of The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei (2010) and The Art of Making Gardens (2016), both recognised as reference works in the field of contemporary garden design.

Lecture: Presence in Gardens, Personal Observations

Drawing on his direct experience of gardens and landscapes, Luciano Giubbilei will share a personal reflection on perception, memory and the value of observation in landscape design practice.

The lecture will explore how light, shadows, the texture of materials and the atmosphere of places contribute to creating spaces for contemplation and meaningful experiences, highlighting sensitivity and attention to detail as fundamental tools of contemporary design.

From a programme perspective, this version is more coherent with an academic and institutional symposium at the Miró Foundation than the full biography originally provided by the studio, as it places greater emphasis on the concepts of landscape, contemplation, experience of place and contemporary thought, which are the elements most relevant to the audience of the Conference.

Biography

Sir Peter Murray CBE. Director fundador emèrit, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
 

Sir Peter Murray CBE is one of the leading international figures in the fields of sculpture, public art and contemporary landscape. Founder of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in 1977, he transformed a modest initiative into one of Europe’s most influential art institutions, which was recognised with the Museum of the Year 2014 award.

Throughout his career, he has championed pioneering projects exploring the relationship between art, nature and public space, and has collaborated with some of the most significant artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Henry Moore, Eduardo Chillida, Antony Caro, Andy Goldsworthy, James Turrell, Jaume Plensa and Joan Miró.

An international lecturer and advisor, Murray has been extensively involved with universities, museums and art centres around the world, making a significant contribution to the debate surrounding the role of contemporary art in the landscape.

In his contribution to the Conference, he will present Elective Affinities, a reflection on the evolution of the dialogue between sculpture and nature, from figures such as Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth to contemporary artists including Isamu Noguchi, Eduardo Chillida and Andy Goldsworthy, with particular attention to the experience of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Lecture: Elective Affinities

In his lecture Elective Affinities, Sir Peter Murray will reflect on the evolving relationship between contemporary sculpture and landscape, examining how nature has become a privileged setting for artistic creation throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

Through the work of artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Isamu Noguchi, Eduardo Chillida and Andy Goldsworthy, the lecture will offer a privileged perspective on the intersections between art, territory and the environment, with particular attention to the experience of the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Biografia

Andrea Herrero Hernández holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a Master’s degree in Landscape Design from the same university. She has developed her professional career in the fields of gardening and landscape design, working at the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid, where she was involved in the management of trees and historic heritage gardens, and subsequently in the design and development of residential landscape projects. Since 2021, she has been part of the Jardins Tramuntana team in Mallorca, where she participates in landscape projects of varying scales and levels of complexity. Her work focuses on developing sustainable solutions adapted to the local territory and aimed at the efficient long-term management of green spaces.

Pere Bennàssar holds a degree in Biology from the University of the Balearic Islands and a Master’s degree in Landscape Design from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Since 2005, he has worked professionally as a landscape designer, specialising in the design of public spaces, gardens and outdoor environments, as well as in environmental and landscape impact assessments. He has collaborated with various architecture practices and companies in the sector on landscape design and garden construction projects. Alongside his professional practice, he teaches at the University of the Balearic Islands, where he has worked as an associate professor in various subjects related to gardening and landscape design. He currently teaches on the Master’s Degree in Agronomy, focusing on landscape management and technology.