Andrew Grant – Founding Director of Grant Associates

“I want people to be aware of what is happening in the world. We need to allow people to have a direct contact with the natural world around them. We need to immerse kids in the wild, let them learn”, Andrew Grant.

 

What is your job about?

We are landscape architects our main agenda is to connect people with nature.

There are two sides to the connection with nature, one is a pragmatic how do we live, exist and work in the world, and the other is how d we capture the amazement of nature, and engage our emotions and feelings with nature.

We work in particularly in Asia and in the UK but have projects all over the world, we find different issues across the world.

We pioneer green infrastructure and green strategies at a city wide scale all the way through to local neighbourhoods.

We run education projects from primary schools to secondary schools and academies where we try to get the themes working around the entire building.

 

What issues do you address?

Climate mitigation, food production, biodiversity, connecting with nature.

 

What moved you to take action?

I was brought up on a farm so the change in seasons, weather, climate were ingrained in me. I Got into Landscape architecture, which allowed me to explore my creative side and also connect with nature.

I set it up mid 90’s and the world of sustainability was a hot topic. I thought it would be interesting to set up the practice which combined sustainability with landscape architecture.

I want people to be aware of what is happening in the world, my children will not get to see a white tiger. We need the processes, mechanisms and team work to address key conservation issues. We need to allow people to have a direct contact with the natural world around them. We need to immerse kids in the wild, let them learn.

 

What were the obstacles that you had to overcome?

• People saw us a ust a small and inconsequential, when we started I took on two members of staff and paid ourselves very little so we could survive.
• We also had two small children to support.
• Every step along the way you come up again new challenges.

 

What helped you keep going in hard times?

I just loved it, it was a new lease of life and a new way of thinking. Getting a positive response from Bristol people really helped keep me going.

 

What first prompted you to become interested in environmental issues and when was that?

I think it’s been lifelong, I grew up on a farm so it was a huge part of my life. You meet people along the way which helps you to get your thoughts going. Whilst I was at Uni the ecological side of things was just starting to gain momentum. I think it’s evolved from planting seeds in the back garden to where I am now.

 

 

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being very happy) where would you rate how you feel about

your life?

9.5

http://www.grant-associates.uk.com/