TERRAFIRMA - Key Persons
Alison joined terra firma as Office Manager in May 2009. Her experience was gained working in the financial sector for major banks and insurance companies. She branched out into advertising, sales and marketing before combining her knowledge for a major insurance company helping them set up a telemarketing division.
Since moving to Hampshire in 2005, Alison worked in sales and marketing for a Credit Card Manufacturer, before joining terra firma.
Job Titles:
- Dip LA FLI Director and Principal Landscape Architect
- Director and Principal Landscape Architect
James joined terra firma in July 2022 after completing his BA (Hons) at the University of Gloucetershire. James' undergraduate studies culminated in his dissertation topic on Biodiversity Net Gain - with a focus on small sites within the public urban realm.
Throughout his university course, James enjoyed taking part in design charrettes and group projects.
James is looking forward to assisting on real projects at terra firma and working with the experienced team.
Job Titles:
- Dip LA CMLI Director and Principal Landscape Architect
James joined terra firma in July 2022 after completing his BA (Hons) at the University of Gloucetershire. James' undergraduate studies culminated in his dissertation topic on Biodiversity Net Gain - with a focus on small sites within the public urban realm.
Throughout his university course, James enjoyed taking part in design charrettes and group projects.
James is looking forward to assisting on real projects at terra firma and working with the experienced team.
Qualifications:
BA (Hons) Landscape Architecture (2022)
Job Titles:
- Ex - Portsmouth City Chief Landscape Architect
Job Titles:
- Dip LA FLI Director and Principal Landscape Architect
- Writer
Lionel joined terra firma as equity partner in 1996 from Charles Funke Associates where he was Senior Associate Landscape Architect for over six years. A graduate of Leeds Polytechnic, his experience includes the design and implementation of projects at all scales and in all sectors. He has worked for private practices and public bodies in the UK, USA and New Zealand (where he was Project Landscape Architect for the 1990 Commonwealth Games Village). He is well versed in Environmental Impact Assessment and has frequently appeared as Expert Witness.
Since arriving at terra firma, Lionel has helped the practice to re-establish itself as a major player in the U.K. Landscape profession and has opened up an increasingly international client base. He set up alshamsi terra firma in Dubai in 2006, tf-LAB London in 2013 and terrafirmaLT in Lithuania in 2014.
Lionel is an occasional writer and lecturer on landscape issues and has been involved in the wider profession as an external examiner at the University of Greenwich, Member of the Landscape Institute's International working group, Chair of its SW Branch and as an annual LI Awards juror.
Lionel is currently the LI Representative to the UK Built Environment Action Group Global Future Cities Project and founding member of the LI Humanitarian Group. He is also keenly involved in local community affairs and has been Chair of his local parish council and co-ordinated the production of its Parish Plan; sat on the East Hants District Council's Architect's Panel, was a founder member of the South Downs National Park Design Review Panel 2012-2016 and currently sits on the NE Hants Design Panel.
Qualifications:
Elected Fellow of the Landscape Institute (2006)
Job Titles:
- CMLI Associate and Chartered Landscape Architect
Following an early career in Local Government, Martin joined terra firma in June 2006, becoming an Associate a year later. During his time at terra firma he has been involved in over 200 projects in the UK, and abroad (in France, Romania, and in the Middle-East).
Martin's experience extends from masterplanning new towns and large-scale landscape reclamation, to detailing around apartment blocks and school extensions, with work for housing and industrial developers in-between. He regularly authors LVIA's and during his time at terra firma has provided advice on behalf of Local Planning Authorities including the South Downs National Park, and acted as an Expert Witness on behalf of housing developers.
Some of the more memorable projects have included producing landscape strategies for reclaiming despoiled land in the Transylvanian alps following proposed open-cast gold mining, and masterplanning the Al Falah new town outside Abu Dhabi. He has also designed the landscape of 2 Police divisional headquarters and a Police training facility in West Yorkshire, and of several large-scale industrial developments, including the prestigious Origin Park in West London.
Martin has had involvement with the Landscape Institute for many years, serving as Chair of the SE branch between 2009-2011, and various roles at national level, including sitting on the Education and Membership Committee and the Advisory Council.
Qualifications:
Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (2003)
Job Titles:
- Dip LA CMLI Director and Principal Landscape Architect
- Is Director
Robyn is Director at terra firma and has been with the company for 27 years since joining as a university graduate.
She has been Project Landscape Architect for over 400 terra firma projects across all sectors, including award-winning projects at the University of Portsmouth, for the Dennis Sciama Building with adjacent public space - Lion Square; the Cumberland Area Project, a retrofit homezone for Portsmouth City Council (which won a Local Government News Street Design Award) and Brighton's seafront i360 public realm.
Robyn has been heavily involved in the company's educational projects and has led work on the Greater Brighton Metropolitan College's Pelham Street Campus extension which included a design of a new open space in Central Brighton. Amongst recent projects are The Compass Academy, Southwark, a new build secondary; two developments for BHASVIC, a sixth form college in Hove; two new SEN schools for Hampshire County Council in Farnborough and Basingstoke, a new 900-place primary school in Harrow and extensive sports facilities for St Swithun's School in Winchester.
She regularly visits the National Air Traffic Control Centre, Prestwick to review ongoing management, and has jointly worked on a Strategic Development Framework for Houghton Regis in Central Bedfordshire with planning consultants and urban designers Place-Make to look at infrastructure opportunities for an imminent increase in residential housing from 7000 to 14,000 properties.
Robyn regularly appears as an expert witness at planning appeals, including Cornwall's largest ever Planning Inquiry, representing the Council against the development of a huge ‘Energy from Waste' facility and acts as Expert Witness on behalf of Waverley Borough Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and Chichester District Council for various appeals.
She has written design guidelines for new dwellings in the Chichester Harbour AONB, now adopted as Supplementary Design Guidance by the Local Authorities and has produced EIAs for various controversial exploratory minerals schemes.
She sits on the South Downs National Park Authority's, Test Valley Borough Council's, and the Hampshire Garden Trust's Design Review Panels and has assisted the Landscape Institute in the rewriting of the profession's competency framework for members. She acts as an external examiner for Leeds Beckett University's MA and Grad Dip. Courses.
When she has time to go home, she is also a foster carer.
Qualifications:
Fellow of the Landscape Institute (2022)
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Landscape Architect